“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert.” –J. Robert Oppenheimer
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
My Shepherd
“The Lord is my shepherd” comes from one of the most beloved of all passages of Scripture, the 23rd Psalm. In this passage and throughout the New Testament we learn that the Lord is our Shepherd in two ways. First, as the Good Shepherd, He laid down His life for His sheep and, second, His sheep know His voice and follow Him (John 10:11, 14).
In Psalm 23, God is using the analogy of sheep and their nature to describe us. Sheep have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. As believers, we tend to do the same thing. It’s as Isaiah has said: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). When sheep go astray, they are in danger of getting lost, being attacked, even killing themselves by drowning or falling off cliffs.
Likewise, within our own nature there is a strong tendency to go astray (Romans 7:5; 8:8), following the lusts of our flesh and eyes and pursuing the pride of life (1 John 2:16). As such, we are like sheep wandering away from the Shepherd through our own futile self-remedies and attempts at self-righteousness. It’s our nature to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), to reject God, and to break His commandments. When we do this, we run the risk of getting lost, even forgetting the way back to God. Furthermore, when we turn away from the Lord, we soon find ourselves confronting one enemy after another who will attack us in numerous ways.
Sheep are basically helpless creatures who cannot survive long without a shepherd, upon whose care they are totally dependent. Likewise, like sheep, we are totally dependent upon the Lord to shepherd, protect, and care for us. Sheep are essentially dumb animals that do not learn well and are extremely difficult to train. They do not have good eyesight, nor do they hear well. They are very slow animals who cannot escape predators; they have no camouflage and no weapons for defense such as claws, sharp hooves, or powerful jaws.
Furthermore, sheep are easily frightened and become easily confused. In fact, they have been known to plunge blindly off a cliff following one after another. Shepherds in Bible times faced incredible dangers in caring for their sheep, putting their own lives at risk by battling wild animals such as wolves and lions who threatened the flock. David was just such a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:34–35). In order to be good shepherds, they had to be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep.
Jesus declared that He is our Shepherd and demonstrated it by giving His life for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Through His willing sacrifice, the Lord made salvation possible for all who come to Him in faith (John 3:16). In proclaiming that He is the good shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep (John 10:15, 17–18).
Like sheep, we, too, need a shepherd. Men are spiritually blind and lost in their sin. This is why Jesus spoke of the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4–6). He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us. He searches for us when we’re lost, to save us and to show us the way to eternal life (Luke 19:10). We tend to be like sheep, consumed with worry and fear, following after one another. By not following or listening to the Shepherd’s voice (John 10:27), we can be easily led astray by others to our own destruction. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, warns those who do not believe and listen to Him: “I did tell you, but you do not believe . . . you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:25–28).
Psalm 23:1–3 tells us that the shepherd meets the sheep’s every need: food, water, rest, safety, and direction. When we as believers follow our Shepherd, we, too, know that we will have all we need. We will not lack the necessities of life, for He knows exactly what we need (Luke 12:22–30).
Sheep will not lie down when they are hungry, nor will they drink from fast-flowing streams. Sometimes the shepherd will temporarily dam up a stream so the sheep can quench their thirst. Psalm 23:2 speaks of leading the sheep “beside the quiet [stilled] waters.” The shepherd must lead his sheep because they cannot be driven. Instead, the sheep hear the voice of their shepherd and follow him—just as we listen to our Shepherd, Jesus Christ—in His Word and follow Him (John 10:3–5, 16, 27). And if a sheep does wander off, the shepherd will leave the flock in charge of his helpers and search for the lost animal (Matthew 9:36; 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7).
In Psalm 23:3, the Hebrew word translated “paths” means “well-worn paths or ruts.” In other words, when sheep wander onto a new path, they start to explore it, which invariably leads them into trouble. This passage is closely akin to the warning in Hebrews 13:9: “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” The apostle Paul also alludes to this idea in Ephesians 4:14.
Finally, the shepherd cares for the sheep because he loves them and wants to maintain his own good reputation as a faithful shepherd. As we’ve seen in Psalm 23, the analogy of the Lord as the Good Shepherd was also applied by Jesus in John chapter 10. In declaring that He is the shepherd of the sheep, Jesus is confirming that He is God. The Eternal God is our Shepherd. And we would not want it any other way.
REALLY? Should we take this criticism from an FBI agent?
Or is blaming Christians just more “Battered Christian Syndrome”?
More “blame the victim”?
Or are Christians SUPPOSED to actually risk some battering?
It’s certainly BRAVE to make this claim to fellow Christians.
And FBI?
Well…….
Complicated business.
I’ll be brief. This is a possibly tough or angering, but definitely necessary read, which argues very effectively that “pure politics” and “no politics” are not places where Christians should be. We must strive to CHANGE THE WORLD. It is our SLACK in doing so, which has led to the sorry state of the planet, with SATANISTS, SCOUNDRELS, and CRIMINALS in charge.
Yeah, that’s a tough message, after losing to CHEATING. But why are they cheating? BECAUSE THEY CAN and BECAUSE THEY WILL – and both of those are because we have not been culturally effective. This article actually “goes there in kindness” with the internal rightness and external wrongness of American Christianity’s “Church Lady” insularity, wrapped up in a slap of TURTLEHEAD McCONNELL.
So how can we integrate politics into Christian living without being corrupted by the mendacity and horror of current American politics?
Some of that may involve cementing and guarding the places where truth and justice are safe (the “Aubergine strategy” in real life, and the “Wolf strategy” in cyberspace), but some of it involves going out and winning the world for GOD, just like Paul did, armed with every weapon that CHRIST gave him.
Perhaps we have not been doing as much of the latter as we could.
And perhaps not “perhaps”.
I’m not saying I have the final answer, but I see that the region where the answer lies does NOT exclude POLITICAL SAVVY, SUBSERVIENT TO GOD.
We can whine about the lackluster results of the 2022 mid-term election cycle — there’s plenty of blame to share. Certainly top Republicans like Senator Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy bear direct responsibility.
Republicans seem poised to wrest power from the totalitarian Democrats in the House. This victory should not be discounted, despite the thinner than hoped for margin. …
…American Christians have desperately tried to believe that politics can be left to secularists who besmirch themselves with temporal concerns — as good fundamental, Bible-believing Christians, we’ll just lock ourselves in our prayer closets, cloister ourselves in our sanctified communities, and pull up the draw-bridge in front of our Christian schools.
At the risk of being branded a heretic, I must assert, good Christian, your prayers are not enough.
For far too long we’ve whistled past the graveyard, dithering about the inconsequential virtues like skirts versus pants, blind to the reality that we’ve succumbed to the same sinful myopathy that possessed medieval scholasticists, who quarreled uselessly about how many angels could dance on the head of a pin.
All the while, the infernal forces of tyranny have marched forward, gobbling up the entire structure of American education, the arts, entertainment, and politics.
The Bible is replete with examples of men and women of what we would call political action. The Apostle Paul insinuated himself in the culture and, by extension, the politics of his time. …
…having arrived at Athens, Paul “disputed” with the Jews in their synagogues and “in the market daily with them that met with him.” (Acts 17:17) The Athens market would have been the equivalent of our public place of discourse.
That means, if Paul were still walking the face of the earth, you just might see his Twitter feed.
A suit and tie are ennobling things, but they are mere rags if they are a substitute for a monk’s habit. Far too many Christians mistake arrogance for piety and cowardice for meekness.
…..Christendom must rediscover the apostolic formula of prayer, piety, and action or watch liberty devolve into totalitarianism. Loosen your tie, hang up the frock, and become relevant again.
Christians have lost the culture, in part by lionizing “full-time Christian service.” Anywhere a Christian is called, is his or her place of “full-time Christian service.” There is no inherent virtue in teaching at a Christian school. Virtue lies in obeying the call of God, and what is sorely needed are men and women of faith in the “secular vocations,” impacting culture at its source. A wise man once said that for the Christian, “there is no difference between the sacred and the secular.”
It’s great knowing you’re on the winning side, but countless battles still rage wherein nations may rise or fall. Quit acting like you’ve won the war when the enemy still rages across the battlefield.
…..Christians possess the most powerful weapon in cultural warfare, The Word of God. But, if you’re not engaged in the culture or in politics, you’ve no standing to complain about lousy results or cultural rot.
[Final judgment STRAIGHT FROM THE WORDS OF CHRIST.]
This is where I am now seeing the need to BRING OUR COMMS INTO THE REAL WORLD.
That means networking – not only with the LIKE-MINDED, but with the WINNABLE – and trusting that GOD will finish the job, using CHRIST and the HOLY SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
The TRUTH we gain here must be SPREAD to the world, and the NEEDS of the world must be brought back here to share among ourselves, and with our readership.
We need to be a reactor of TRUTH that IRRADIATES and ILLUMINATES a cold and dark world.
It’s time to let that radiation and illumination SHINE.
You will see more specifics from me as we move forward.
Our purpose is unchanged, but we WILL be more effective.
LIGHT INTO DARKNESS.
W
NOTE: This piece was written BEFORE Trump announced his 2024 presidential candidacy, and apart from minor editing for style and notation of John Nantz’s background, it remains almost unchanged.
The “Two-source Hypothesis” proposes that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written independently, each using Mark and a second hypothetical document called “Q” as a source. Q was conceived as the most likely explanation behind the common material (mostly sayings) found in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke but not in the Gospel of Mark. Material from two other sources—the M source and the L source—are represented in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke here by green and teal respectively.
Anyway, let me get to the point quickly.
TheseTruths, among others, noticed that I was gone from late Saturday night / early Sunday Morning until Monday evening.
There were several excellent theories proposed as to why I wasn’t here, and to some extent, all of them are true.
But among these truths, and others, one is most true of all.
I had thought about keeping it a secret, but in a prior post which was fallout from the passing of Wheatietoo, I had stated that I was going to be somewhat more open about what was happening to me in real life. I intend to keep that promise – for several reasons.
More than anything, what I want to tell you is “biblical”, shall we say, and I want to live my life according to biblical standards.
I’m home from the hospital, and while I’m not out of the woods, I’m technically OK.
In a funny way, none of us are ever, really, out of the woods.
But I am OK – enough that the doctors sent me home with all sorts of things I have to take, and things I have to do, for several weeks. I’m basically “back”.
So I’m still coming to grips with the whole “near death” experience.
I’m not going to say exactly what happened. I need to leave some ambiguity. Ambiguity also serves the purpose of this lesson. Whatever you fear the most, or think most likely to happen to YOU – whatever could sneak up on you in YOUR life – or the most troubling explanation to YOU of what happened to me – let that be your guide and call to action. But even with that ambiguity, I am going to tell you all the important parts.
I literally said goodbye to my wife in the ER, literally ready to go to Jesus.
I have been praying and meditating on readiness to “go to Jesus” lately, so I KNEW I was ready. It was like parachuting, after training. I was nervous, but I wasn’t scared, or about to deviate. I was ready to jump out the door.
I was slipping away. I didn’t think I was going to make it. I said goodbye at the last possible moment, because I refused to leave my wife without saying goodbye. I felt my faith surge – pure – no regrets – a sinner, yes, but cleansed and ready to go to God. I trusted God in that moment, letting go.
And RIGHT THEN – that INSTANT – is when everything just turned around. The people working on me get credit, too – don’t get me wrong. God has many angels.
As I was going unconscious from loss of blood – numbers on the machine crashing and alarms going off – people running in and out of the room – as the world faded from my eyes – right then, as I thought “I’m ready, Jesus – take me to God” – it just reversed.
I remain stunned by it all.
Sure, there are rational explanations, but the facts themselves are inescapably haunting.
And now I’m back home. I’m almost at a loss for words. I was close to death, watching the life pour out of me, saying goodbye, making my final peace, and now I’m back here like any other day.
If I fail to tell you this, for any reason, I’ve failed to tell an important truth. So I’m telling you now. I don’t have to understand it. I just have to tell you.
Another point – about faith – and about the things in which we have faith.
Thanks to my trauma training, I knew that I had lost a lot of blood, and had done everything I could to limit that loss before getting to the hospital. I knew how much I could lose, before it was too late, and that I had already borrowed heavily against that limit.
I lost even more in the hospital – obviously a dangerous amount. My wife knew from my color that I was still OK when we got there, but she also knew when I was getting into trouble. But I don’t think the people there realized it until my numbers started crashing and the alarms started going off. My wife knew it before they did. And then, later, in my hospital room, when people saw my hemoglobin values, back from the lab, the nurses were, like, “Wow, you lost a lot of blood”. I didn’t have to get a transfusion, for which I also thank God. Apparently I had very high levels of hemoglobin in my blood to start, and I thank God for that.
But the point is, I sensed in most of the people around me, a lot of faith in technology and numbers coming out of machines, and not a lot of faith in observations and common sense.
And that is EXACTLY what is wrong with our elections.
Nevertheless, and perhaps oddly, my faith in humanity was restored. Everybody I met in the hospital, as people, were imperfect like me, yet possessed a divine spark that I can now see clearly.
As I was recovering, I told myself that I want to spend the rest of my life serving God, and serving God better than I have been. And that starts by telling people about this incident, and by not keeping it a secret. I will let people draw their own conclusions, but to me, God is very real, and even more so now.
The end can come like a thief in the night.
And sometimes – even when you are ready – somebody may be there to catch you when you fall.
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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
During the First Temple period Jerusalemites ate mainly the natural crops that are typical of the region: “a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey” (Deuteronomy 8:8). The usual diet contained few vegetables, mainly those that grew wild in the fields (garlic and wild onion). Meat was enjoyed only by the privileged rich; ordinary people would have meat only at the Passover sacrifice or on particularly important occasions. Other foods of the common people included the eggs of wild fowl, milk, cheese, and butter. David, going out to his brothers who were in the camp of the army fighting the Philistines, brings them cheeses (1 Samuel 17:18).
The limited information we have suggests that in the biblical period it was customary to have two daily meals. A late-morning meal, which also served as a break in the workday, would probably consist of bread dipped in olive oil or in wine vinegar, toasted wheat, olives, figs or some other fruit, and water or a little diluted wine. A meal like this was eaten by Ruth the Moabite and Boaz (Ruth 2:14). The main meal was taken in the evening, before dark, and consisted of a common pot of soup or a broth of seasoned legumes into which the diners dipped slices of bread to scoop out the helping.
“Further, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and emmer. Put them into one vessel and bake them into bread” (Ezekiel 4:9). The Land of Israel lies in the wheat belt where the culture of flour and bread as a universal food base developed. From the Bible we know of leavened bread and matzah, but also halah, wafers, bread morsels, and cakes. Bread was baked in an oven heated by twigs, placed on hot stones and covered with cinders or coals, or it might be fried in an iron pan. Other food-grains were damp green seeds (“carmel”, “melilot”), wheat stalks of which the seeds were toasted in fire, such as David ate during his flight from Absalom in the desert, and gruel made of ground wheat, groats, or a baked mixture of ground wheat and meat.
From the above, we can clearly see that grains, and more specifically, bread, was the essential staple, the food for life, in first century Israel.
I AM the Bread of Life.
“I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35) is one of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. Jesus used the same phrase “I AM” in seven declarations about Himself. In all seven, He combines I AM with metaphors which illustrate His saving relationship with the world. All appear in the book of John.
John 6:35 says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Bread is considered a staple food—i.e., a basic dietary item. A person can survive a long time on only bread and water. Bread is such a basic food item that it becomes synonymous for food in general. We even use the phrase “breaking bread together” to indicate the sharing of a meal with someone. Bread also plays an integral part of the Jewish Passover meal. The Jews were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover feast and then for seven days following as a celebration of the exodus from Egypt. Finally, when the Jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God rained down “bread from heaven” to sustain the nation (Exodus 16:4).
All of this leads to the scene being described in John 6 when Jesus used the term “bread of life.” He was trying to get away from the crowds to no avail. He had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and the crowd followed Him. After some time, Jesus inquires of Philip how they’re going to feed the crowd. Philip’s answer displays his “little faith” when he says they don’t have enough money to give each of them the smallest morsel of food. Finally, Andrew brings to Jesus a boy who had five small loaves of bread and two fish. With that amount, Jesus miraculously fed the throng with lots of food to spare.
Afterward, Jesus and His disciples cross back to the other side of Galilee. When the crowd sees that Jesus has left, they follow Him again. Jesus takes this moment to teach them a lesson. He accuses the crowd of ignoring His miraculous signs and only following Him for the “free meal.” Jesus tells them in John 6:27, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” In other words, they were so enthralled with the food, they were missing out on the fact that their Messiah had come. So the Jews ask Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God (as if the miraculous feeding and the walking across the water weren’t enough). They tell Jesus that God gave them manna during the desert wandering. Jesus responds by telling them that they need to ask for the true bread from heaven that gives life. When they ask Jesus for this bread, Jesus startles them by saying, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
This is a phenomenal statement! First, by equating Himself with bread, Jesus is saying he is essential for life. Second, the life Jesus is referring to is not physical life, but eternal life. Jesus is trying to get the Jews’ thinking off of the physical realm and into the spiritual realm. He is contrasting what He brings as their Messiah with the bread He miraculously created the day before. That was physical bread that perishes. He is spiritual bread that brings eternal life.
Third, and very important, Jesus is making another claim to deity. This statement is the first of the “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. The phrase “I AM” is the covenant name of God (Yahweh, or YHWH), revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). The phrase speaks of self-sufficient existence (or what theologians refer to as “aseity”), which is an attribute only God possesses. It is also a phrase the Jews who were listening would have automatically understood as a claim to deity.
Fourth, notice the words “come” and “believe.” This is an invitation for those listening to place their faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. This invitation to come is found throughout John’s Gospel. Coming to Jesus involves making a choice to forsake the world and follow Him. Believing in Jesus means placing our faith in Him that He is who He says He is, that He will do what He says He will do, and that He is the only one who can.
Fifth, there are the words “hunger and thirst.” Again, it must be noted that Jesus isn’t talking about alleviating physical hunger and thirst. The key is found in another statement Jesus made, back in His Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” When Jesus says those who come to Him will never hunger and those who believe in Him will never thirst, He is saying He will satisfy our hunger and thirst to be made righteous in the sight of God.
If there is anything the history of human religion tells us, it is that people seek to earn their way to heaven. This is such a basic human desire because God created us with eternity in mind. The Bible says God has placed [the desire for] eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The Bible also tells us that there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven because we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23) and the only thing our sin earns us is death (Romans 6:23). There is no one who is righteous in himself (Romans 3:10). Our dilemma is we have a desire we cannot fulfill, no matter what we do. That is where Jesus comes in. He, and He alone, can fulfill that desire in our hearts for righteousness through the Divine Transaction: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When Christ died on the cross, He took the sins of mankind upon Himself and made atonement for them. When we place our faith in Him, our sins are imputed to Jesus, and His righteousness is imputed to us. Jesus satisfies our hunger and thirst for righteousness. He is our Bread of Life.
This Sanctuary 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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
Proverbs 15:9 says, “The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.” One thing that particularly sticks out to me here is that God loves those who pursue or work toward righteousness. I don’t have to attain righteousness for God to love me.
This is important as it is impossible for me to attain righteousness by my own efforts. For example, Romans 3:10-12 says: As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
During the past several months, I’ve seen a few Christians write that they are dissatisfied with their progress in the Christian life, which is all about faith and working toward becoming righteous. Now, that dissatisfaction is good if it spurs efforts toward becoming more righteous, but there is some perspective that is needed here also.
I view our Christian journey toward righteousness something like the trip we would face if we were all at Avila Beach in CA with the intent of getting to Hawaii. There is a great long pier at Avila Beach that stretches it’s way out into the Pacific Ocean. Some of us are just stepping away from the shore onto that pier. Others may have traveled halfway along the pier, and still others may be close to three quarters along the way. You might be a bit farther along than me, and I might be a bit farther along than someone else, but due to the length of a human life and the lack of capabilities of us humans, no one in their lifetime ever makes it to the end of the pier. And, if they did, they’d still have more than 2,000 miles to swim in order to reach Hawaii.
Before we can pursue righteousness, we need to define it. The word most often translated “righteousness” can also mean “justice, justness, or divine holiness.” Righteousness can be broadly defined as “the condition of being acceptable to God as made possible by God.” God’s standard is what defines true righteousness; His power is what enables it. Unless God is its author, we will never possess righteousness. No amount of man-made effort will result in righteousness. To be righteous is to be right with God. A heart that is right with God results in a life that bears “fruit” (John 15:1–2; Mark 4:20). Galatians 5:22-23 lists some of that fruit.
A common substitute for true righteousness is self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is the opposite of what God desires. Self-righteousness makes a list of rules and checks them off, congratulating itself on how well it is doing compared to others. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were masters of self-righteousness, but Jesus had harsh words for them: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27–28).
To pursue righteousness means we must recognize that we cannot please God in our sinful state (Romans 8:8). We turn from trying to justify ourselves by our good deeds and instead seek the mercy of God. We desire that He transform our minds (Romans 12:2) and conform us “to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). In the Old Testament, men were declared righteous when they believed God and acted on it (Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Before Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), people pursued righteousness by keeping God’s Law, seeking holiness, and “walking humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). No one was justified by rule-keeping, but by the faith that enabled them to obey God (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16).
Likewise, today we are justified by the faith that leads us to Jesus (Romans 3:28; 5:1; 10:10). Those who are in Christ continue seeking God in order to please Him (Colossians 3:1). When we come to faith in Christ, He gives us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to pursue righteousness for its own sake (Acts 2:38). He commands us to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25).
We pursue righteousness when we pursue the character of Christ and desire holiness rather than fleshly indulgence. We avoid the temptation to become self-righteous when we understand that true righteousness begins with godly humility (Psalm 25:9). We remember that Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). When we spend time in the presence of God, we become more aware of our own sin and shortcomings. A dingy shirt looks white beside a dark wall. But, when compared with snow, the same shirt looks dirty. Pride and self-righteousness cannot remain in the presence of a holy God. Pursuing righteousness begins when a humble heart seeks the presence of God (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). The humble, believing heart leads to a lifestyle of pursuing righteous actions acceptable to God (Psalm 51:10).
Pursuing righteousness is a lifelong struggle in our Christian life. True perfection will not come until the rapture of the church, when we rise to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At that time the dead in Christ will be resurrected, and the bodies of the living will be changed (Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:54). We will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) where our works will be judged and rewards will be given (1 Corinthians 3:9–15). Our redemption will be complete, and our sin will be gone forever. We will live and reign with Christ in sinless perfection forever.
We should encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
This Sanctuary 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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
Praying “Thy will be done” gives me great calm For our vic’try is by God’s holy arm Showered by His blessings from high above Our Father in heaven, author of Love
Thy Will Be Done
Lord I pray to be led to and by you, My thoughts, my speech, in all that I do Make my whole life a reflection of Yours. Lord, straighten my paths and open my doors.
Let my whole will be under Your care, Guide all my life and guide me in prayer. Without Your grace I’d have nothing at all, Nothing but sin and my own shortfalls.
Guide me, I pray, to be closer to You; Fill me with blessings, not just a few. Give me the courage to follow Your Way, And the strength to walk it, every day.
Be here beside me through good times and bad, Along life’s ways, though happy or sad. And when my journey is finally done, Let my last thoughts be “Thy will be done.”
Thy Will . . . Not Mine
“Thy will be done” is one of the requests in the Lord’s Prayer. In part, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10). Jesus Himself pleaded for God’s will to be done in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus was committed to seeing God’s will accomplished, and the prayer “Thy will be done” was a theme of His life.
Most simply, to pray, “Thy will be done,” is to ask God to do what He desires. Of course, we’re praying to the God Who spoke all of creation into existence and Who said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:3), so we know that . . .
. . . God’s sovereign decree will be accomplished, whether or not we pray for it.
But there is another aspect of God’s will, which we call His “revealed” will or “preceptive” will. This is God’s “will” that He has revealed to us but that He does not force upon us. For example, it is God’s will that we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and that we not commit adultery (1 Corinthians 6:18) or get drunk (Ephesians 5:18). When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we are asking God to increase righteousness in the world, to bring more people to repentance, and to further the cause of the kingdom of His Son.
When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we acknowledge God’s right to rule. We do not pray, “My will be done”; we pray, “Thy will be done.” Asking that God’s will be done is a demonstration of our trust that He knows what is best. It is a statement of submission to God’s ways and His plans. We ask for our will to be conformed to His.
The Lord’s Prayer begins by acknowledging God as Father in heaven. Jesus then presents three requests to the Father: 1) That God would cause His name to be hallowed; in other words, that God would act in such a way that he visibly demonstrates his holiness and his glory. That God would bring His kingdom to earth; that is, that the preaching of the gospel would convert sinners into saints who walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and that God would rid the world of evil and create the new heavens and new earth where God will dwell with His people and there will be no more curse and no more death (see Revelation 21—22). 3) That God’s will would be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). In heaven, the angels perform God’s desire completely, joyfully, and immediately—what a world this would be if humans acted like that!
“Thy will be done” is not an impassive prayer of resignation. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane was not passive or fatalistic in the least; He bared His heart before the Father and revealed His ultimate desire: for God’s will to be accomplished. Praying, “Thy will be done,” acknowledges that God has more knowledge than we do and that we trust His way is best. And it is a commitment to actively work to further the execution of God’s will.
Romans 12:1–2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Understanding who God is, we submit ourselves to Him and allow Him to transform us. The more we know God, the more readily our prayers will align with His will and we can truly pray, “Thy will be done.” We can approach God in confidence that “if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14–15).
By faith, we know that praying, “Thy will be done,” is the best thing we can ask for.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21).
Thy Will Be Done
The winds shriek and howl and the waters churn, But we don’t listen. Will we ever learn? This wicked world seeks wealth, fame and power, But God owns this day, and this is His hour.
Our Father in Heaven, we turn to You, For only You know just what to do. You are our Father who always cares, And we come to You humbly, with our prayers.
We pray for the safety of those in harm’s way, Hold them in Your hands all through these days. We pray for the peace of those who now fear, Hold them in Your arms. Let them know You’re near.
We pray for Your blessings on those who give aid, Hold them on Your paths, never to stray. We pray for Your guidance to those who lead, Hold them to Your will and care for their needs.
We pray for ourselves, to find when we seek, That our walk with You be humble and meek. We pray for our country, that all turn to You For guidance and blessings in all that we do.
Although we pray for our safety today, We know that Your will is the only Way. We know that our sin hinders Your peace, But when Your Truth triumphs, then sin will cease.
And though we are destined for war and strife, We look to our future, for You are our Life. Safety and peace: it’s for those we plead, But when all’s said and done, it’s revival we need.
May we turn to You for our joy and peace, For in our blessed future, they will never cease. We’re not of this world, and so we pray For Your coming quickly. May this be the day.
Until that day when You come in the clouds, May we turn to You in throngs and crowds; But no matter what happens, the things to come, We pray above all that Thy will be done.
This Sanctuary 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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
The Bible is full of references to the inheritance believers have in Christ. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In [Christ] we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will”. Other passages that mention a believer’s inheritance include Colossians 3:24 and Hebrews 9:15. Our inheritance is, in a word, heaven. It is the sum total of all God has promised us in salvation.
First Peter 1:4 describes this inheritance further, saying that we have been born again “into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” According to the apostle Peter, our inheritance is distinguished by four important qualities:
Our inheritance in Christ is imperishable. What we have in Christ is not subject to corruption or decay. In contrast, everything on earth is in the process of decaying, rusting, or falling apart: our houses, our cars, and even our own bodies. Our treasure in heaven, though, is unaffected (Matthew 6:19–20). Those who have been born again are born “not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).
Our inheritance in Christ is unspoiled. What we have in Christ is free from anything that would deform, debase, or degrade. Nothing on earth is perfect. Even the most beautiful things of this world are flawed; if we look closely enough, we can always find an imperfection. But Christ is truly perfect. He is “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26), and our inheritance in Him is also holy, blameless, exalted, and pure. No earthly corruption or weakness can touch what God has bestowed. Revelation 21:27 says that “nothing impure will ever enter [the New Jerusalem], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful.”
Our inheritance in Christ is unfading. What we have in Christ is an enduring possession. As creatures of this world, it’s hard for us to imagine colors that never fade, excitement that never flags, or value that never depreciates; but our inheritance is not of this world. Its glorious intensity will never diminish. God says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).
Our inheritance in Christ is reserved. What we have in Christ is being “kept” in heaven for us. Your crown of glory has your name on it. Although we enjoy many blessings as children of God here on earth, our true inheritance—our true home—is reserved for us in heaven. Like Abraham, we are “looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). The Holy Spirit guarantees that we’ll receive eternal life in the world to come (2 Corinthians 1:22). In fact, “when you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13–14).
Jesus prayed for His followers, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name” (John 17:11). We are secure, being guarded by the Almighty Himself, and surely our inheritance is equally secure. No one can steal it from us. John 10:28–29: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” See also Matthew 6:20.
As God’s children, “adopted” into His family, we have been assured an inheritance from our Heavenly Father. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17). This heavenly heritage is God’s purpose and will for us (Ephesians 1:11). We receive the promise of our inheritance by hearing the word of truth and believing in Christ (Ephesians 1:13).
One day, we will take possession of our portion, our heritage, our full inheritance. John Calvin writes of our inheritance, “We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present. . . . We walk . . . in hope, and we do not see the thing as if it were present, but we see it by faith. . . . Although, then, the world gives itself liberty to trample us under foot, as they say; although our Lord keeps us tried with many temptations; although he humbles us in such a way that it may seem we are as sheep appointed to the slaughter, so that we are continually at death’s door, yet we are not destitute of a good remedy. And why seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations. . . . [Therefore,] we should rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait” (from Calvin’s Ephesian sermons, delivered in Geneva, 1558—59).
When we understand and value the glory that awaits us, we’re better able to endure whatever comes our way in this life. We can give God praise even during trials because we have His guarantee that we will receive all He has promised: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Revelation 21:4 gives us a brief but beautiful description of our inheritance: “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” God and man will dwell together. Everything will be made new. The bejeweled city, New Jerusalem, will be our residence. The river of life will issue from God’s throne. The healing tree of life with twelve kinds of fruit will grow there, too. There will be no night there, because the eternal light of the Lamb will fill the new heaven and new earth and shine upon all the heirs of God.
David writes, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; / you make my lot secure. / The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; / surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm 16:5–6). And that is why “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
When We All Get To Heaven Eliza E. Hewitt 1851 – 1920
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.
While we walk the pilgrim pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky; But when trav’ling days are over, Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Let us then be true and faithful, Trusting, serving every day; Just one glimpse of Him in glory Will the toils of life repay.
Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold; Soon the pearly gates will open; We shall tread the streets of gold.
When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!
This Sanctuary 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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? (Psalm 43:5a)
We live in a world of pain. Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus (John 11:35). There’s no need to always put on a happy face and pretend that things are okay when they’re not.
There are many biblical examples of men of God struggling with sadness, even to the point of depression. David wrote, “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?” (Psalm 56:8). David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), didn’t gloss over his sadness; he expressed it to God. Both Moses (Numbers 11:5) and Elijah (1 Kings 19;3-5), two heroes of the faith, confessed to God that they preferred to die than live in their current reality. Neither was rebuked by God for his feelings; rather, both were met with God’s love and provision. The Bible is not shy about admitting the realities of human emotion. Sadness is part of life, and it is not condemned.
As believers, we’re exhorted to see the greater reality of God’s plan even in the midst of our sadness and depression. Yes, this world is fallen and often painful. It can be depressing. But God is far greater. He is at work, victoriously. Moses and Elijah received God’s provision and experienced His refreshing. Shortly after pouring out his sadness, David praised God. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
It’s OK for Christians to call trouble for what it is. At the same time, we take heart in God’s care. Taking heart doesn’t mean pasting on a smile or ignoring the feeling of emptiness that depression brings. It doesn’t mean ignoring the relational hurts or the misperceptions that have led to depression (Satan’s lies, if we believe them, will lead us to despair).
What taking heart does mean is bringing all our pain to God. It does mean continuing to trust in Him. It does mean believing that what He says about Himself and about us is true, even when we don’t feel like it is. We acknowledge the depravity of the world, but we also acknowledge the sufficiency of God.
It isn’t wrong to be depressed. But it is wrong—and not especially helpful in overcoming a depressed state—to give up on God when we are depressed. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5).
Therefore if anyone is joined to Christ by faith in Him as Savior, he’s a new creature altogether, reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit; the old moral and spiritual condition have passed away. Spiritual awakening brings a new life. Behold! The fresh and new have come! 2 Cor 5:17 (amplified)
With the new life in Christ, we have the fresh and new, and are no longer mired in life as the world knows it. The pain and sadness of the world are now replaced by peace and joy of our promised eternal life . . . and our praises to God for his mercy and grace.
“O sing unto the LORD a new song: Sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, praise His name” (Psalm 96:1–2).
Many other psalms echo a similar thought: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory” (Psalm 98:1). David intoned, “I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to You” (Psalm 144:9). “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy,” insists Psalm 33:3. Again and again, God’s people are encouraged to “Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of His faithful people” (Psalm 149:1).
In each of these passages, new means “original,” “fresh,” “one of a kind,” and “never seen before,” or, in this case, “never heard before.” Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18–19). Right before this, the Lord declared, “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise from the end of the earth” (Isaiah 42:9–10).
When we’re born into the family of God, He makes us new creatures in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul explained, “The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17; see also Galatians 6:15). To the Corinthians, Paul said, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).
As God’s people, we express praise and thanks to Him. Singing unto the Lord a new song is the natural reaction of an individual who is newly saved and transformed by the Lord: “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3)
This new song is a fresh response of praise and thanks—one that matches the freshness of God’s goodness and mercy, which are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). A new song springs forth from the heart of a worshiper who has been struck anew with wonder at the greatness of God and the salvation He has provided. When we see the mighty hand of God working in a way we’ve never observed before, we can’t help but burst forth with a song we’ve never sung before.
A new song has been heard from people of every generation—sung by a choir of born-again believers who have tasted and seen the goodness and salvation of the Lord. From days of old and for all eternity, followers from every tribe, language, people, and nation sing unto the Lord a new song (Revelation 5:9). Throughout the earth and before the throne of God in heaven, we can hear the redeemed singing a new song to the Lord (Revelation 14:3).
We look forward and look up in eager anticipation of the coming Sonrise that will bathe the entire world in God’s Light. Ours is not to grab our old, gray raincoats to trudge out into the drizzle and chill of this present world, being blown about by the sinful winds so prevalent in our besieged world. We trust in God and not ourselves and our own thinking. If we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will guide our paths.
We have won! We are the conquerors! The victory is ours . . . it is fait accompli.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:4-5)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Are we there yet? Are we at least walking along that path that leads to an inexpressible joy in Christ? Are we even looking for that path?
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. (Psalm 37:1-2)
Our path is here . . . it’s already ours. We need to lay hold of that truth and, believing, let it bring to our lives something that is fully in God’s plan for us . . . God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.
This Sanctuary 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.
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 you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront 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.
Child of We are the children of God, brought into his family by the power and grace of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. As believers, we hear we are God’s children. But often we don’t live our lives in response to that truth and instead live out of the mindset of an orphan. Children don’t worry when they have a good father. They don’t wonder if they’ll be able to eat, if they’re loved or if they have a place in this world. The unconditional love of a parent lays a foundation for them to have secure peace and joy. God desires the same for us. God wants to lay an unshakable foundation for us based solely on his love for us as His child so that when the storms come and waves crash over us, we remain strong in our identity.
John 1:12-13 says, “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Galatians 4:6-7 says, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Finally, 2 Corinthians 6:18 says, “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Through adoption into God’s family we are now a co-heir with Christ. Romans 8:17 says that we are God’s children, “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” We were born again into God’s family when we asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
So what does it mean to be God’s child? What does it mean to be a co-heir with Christ? It means that all that is God’s is yours. He shares with us his kingdom. We have a Father who gives us amazing gifts. We have a Father who absolutely loves spending time with us. Our heavenly Father’s love for us knows no bounds. His love is pervasive, powerful, and freely given. We no longer need to worry about whether we have a place in this world. There’s no need to concern ourselves with whether we will have clothes or food. We no longer have to live in pursuit of the opinions of those around us. God enjoys us. He has a plan for us. He doesn’t take being our Father lightly. He takes complete ownership of His promises. He will strengthen us, teach us, and develop us. To be the child of God is to be loved, liked, and completely cared for.
So how can we live in response to God’s word? How can we get out of the mindset of an orphan? We must have faith that God is who He says He is and believe he will do what He’s promised to do. Romans 10:17 says that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We have heard the word of the Lord today. We are His child. He promises to provide for us. So have faith! Faith isn’t something we just conjure up. It’s a response to God’s faithfulness. God has and will be faithful to us.
Allow His Word to stir up faith within you today. Live in response to His promises, and allow the peace and joy of being God’s child to lay an unshakable foundation in you today.
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.”
And for once, the JUKE BOX IS WORKING! Somebody fixed the damn thing.
Let’s see if we can make it start on the right song……
We may serve an eclectic variety of somewhat less-than-noxious potions here, possibly unfamiliar to some patrons, but nonetheless, we shall earnestly attempt to cater to the tastes of our customers.
While our beloved REAL bartender takes a needed break of unknown duration, we continue to ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVERE.
Christmas Spirit
Christmas spirit continues, including for those Orthodox brothers and sisters who just finished their Christmas Day a week ago, on January 7, 2022. Can we drag it out until the end of January?
LET’S TRY!!!
And now, the rules of the pub.
HOUSE RULES
God bless us, every one! Tiny Tim had such a beautiful soul. He hadn’t a mean bone in his body…unlike most of us. But in keeping with Christmas, we promise to honor Wolf’s rules and keep Scrooge at bay. The Utree is where the Ghost of Christmas Present will conduct you should you need to rattle some chains. Another option, should all hell break loose is here.
Now, back to business.
AMEN!
Current Art On The Wall
AND somebody flips a new old song on the jukebox…..
Well, we’ve got us a WEIRD SHIPMENT of STRANGE ART, so we’re just putting it up on the walls of the bar, and PRICING IT TO MOVE.
Let’s try another take on electromagnetic radiation with a bit less MAGENTA
Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder by Ilian A. Deering
Let’s look more closely.
As well as a video on the making of…….
Ah, yes. The liberal arts and sciences are now the conservative arts and sciences. Even when there’s a little bit of that “one eye” stuff sneaking in.
Or is it just ART?
Something to think about.
Clot Shot Self-Deception as Part of Mass Formation Psychosis
I don’t remember where the tab URL below came from – hat tip to whoever found it – but it is critical to note how EVERYBODY CONCERNED is OK with blaming this obvious clot-shot death on “COVID-19”.
“The 57-year-old was admitted to St. Thomas Midtown in Nashville a short time after he received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
‘Sometime after his first vaccine and he somewhat brushed it off, usually when he gets sick he gets better the next day and then he was hospitalized on December 7th,’ Alexis said.
Following a 12-day stint in the hospital, Dimitri passed away on December 20 from complications.”
“He was a very docile, a person with minimal words, but every time he spoke, they were very impactful words.”
That’s how 19-year-old Alexis Ndina is remembering her father, who said he passed away from COVID-19 just days before Christmas.
Dr. Dimitri Ndina was a loving father, husband, grandfather and a pharmaceutical doctor at Tennessee Oncology.
The 57-year-old was admitted to St. Thomas Midtown in Nashville a short time after he received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
“Sometime after his first vaccine and he somewhat brushed it off, usually when he gets sick he gets better the next day and then he was hospitalized on December 7th,” Alexis said.
Following a 12-day stint in the hospital, Dimitri passed away on December 20 from complications.
“They noted that he started to clot in his lower region so from his legs and started to work up,” Alexis explained.
His family is in disbelief, saying he was such a healthy man.
Alexis recalled the last words she said to her dad.
“I told him I loved him. He was a person who cared about how he looked so I kept telling him he was a very handsome man and all that,” Alexis said.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Alexis also wants to be a doctor just like him.
“He’s taught me everything I know, everything in my life that has been from him has impacted me, and I am just going to continue to make him proud,” Alexis said.
She also shared a message for the community she believes her dad would want everyone to hear.
“To continue his legacy I want everyone to stay proactive in being healthy because that’s what he would have wanted.”
WOLF again.
It is absolutely OBVIOUS to anybody who has followed the “clot shot”, that this man suffered stereotypical vaccine-induced clotting which is absolutely attributable of the vaccines, which knowingly, wrongly, inject a FACTORY for the spike protein into people’s bloodstreams.
And yet, as we might expect, the Fake News Media attributes it to COVID-19 – and NOT the vaccine.
It may be that some of the family, friends, and medical folks realize they are “sneaking out” some “clot-shot truth” past the media, under an accepted narrative banner of COVID-19.
Indeed, even the reporter may admit to self that “it’s not COVID – it’s the vaccine.” And yet – everybody plays the game, and pretends that it’s COVID.
To me, this is a classic symptom and effect of the MASS FORMATION PSYCHOSIS.
Another great example of this was the CNA who posted video in January 2021, at the beginning of the vaccine roll-out, about the phony “super-spreader” excuse that was used to cover up Pfizer vaccine deaths in nursing homes. He could not go along with it.
As a CHRISTIAN (listen to him), he could NOT be part of the mass formation psychosis which required him to state what he did not truly believe.
If you go to that article, there is a HUGE LIST of nursing homes that had massive deaths from “COVID-19” when they started vaccinating. YOU DECIDE. Maybe use Occam’s Razor while you’re at it.
29 elderly people died in Norway shortly after receiving Pfizer’s vaccination.
13 deaths among 40 residents following vaccination at one nursing home in Germany were dismissed as “tragic coincidence.”
10 deaths in a German palliative care patients within hours to four days of COVID-19 vaccination were deemed a “coincidence.”
22 of 72 residents of a nursing home in Basingstoke, England have died following vaccination.
24 seniors at a nursing home in Syracuse, NY were reported to have died from COVID-19 as of January 9, 2021 despite having been vaccinated beginning December 22, 2020.
10 cases of COVID-19 were reported on January 28 among seniors who had received both doses of Pfizer’s vaccine at one care home in Stockholm Sweden. The residents were vaccinated on December 27 and again on January 19.
The COVID-19 death toll in the small British enclave of Gibraltar numbered 16 before it launched its Pfizer vaccination campaign on January 10, 2021 and then shot up to 53 deaths 10 days later and to 70 seven days after that. According to a Reuters report, the Gibraltar Health Authority declared there was “no evidence at all of any causal link” between 6 of the deaths that were investigated and the Pfizer’s vaccine, despite the individuals having tested negative for Covid-19 before vaccination, but positive “in the days immediately after.”
4,500 COVID-19 cases in Israel occurred in patients after they had received one dose of Pfizer’s vaccine and 375 of those vaccinated patients required hospitalization, Israeli news media reported on January 12.
Seven adults living in a care home in Saskatoon tested positive for coronavirus a week after residents were vaccinated at the Sherbrooke Community Centre, the CBC reported. There were no positive cases at the time of vaccination.
Seven residents at a Montreal long-term care facility tested positive for Covid-19 within 28 days of being vaccinated with Pfizer’s vaccine, prompting the province of Quebec to delay the second Pfizer dose.
Abercorn Care Home in Scotland, which began COVID-19 vaccinations on December 14, 2020 was home to an outbreak of the virus by January 10 and the National Health Service for the region refused to comment on whether vaccinated residents were ill. A care home staff group founder told the Scottish Daily Record : “We have had members of our group whose parents have had the vaccine and then two weeks later have tested positive for coronavirus.”
All of the residents at a home in Inverness, Scotland were vaccinated against COVID-19 early in January, but 17 became infected with the virus after the first dose.
This is the OPPOSITE of what happened in the two Spanish nursing homes that saved everybody with antihistamines.
The MASS FORMATION PSYCHOSIS creates SELF-DECEPTION, both at the INDIVIDUAL and GROUP level.
Even more shocking, entire nations can begin to self-deceive.
People – SLAP yourselves. Something is very wrong here. DO NOT SELF-DECEIVE.
WHY people are taking these vaccines is beyond me.
Don’t do it. Just DON’T.
And with a TOAST to both Grandmaintexas (regular bartender) AND Aubergine (relentless foe of the clot shot)…..
And Now Our Feature Presentation
Trusting the Plan by Trusting the Resolution of Conflict as Part of Creation
As DePat, Sadie, and I have all pointed out recently, this site IS most definitely under spiritual attack.
However, I do NOT view that as “bad news”, because in my opinion, it means that (1) we actually may be attaining a state of notice BY annoyance OF the other side, and (2) we have to be at least somewhat OVER THE TARGET.
Now, as Duchess reminds us almost every day, we need SPIRITUAL ARMOR.
Well, I myself have taken to “upping” mine quite often, reading her post and seeing where I need an extra layer or two, and it’s paying off. Indeed, for some reason, after Delta, I have spiritual Kevlar to spare.
HOWEVER, not everybody here is so lucky. Thus, I DO REALIZE that I may be dragging many of us toward some battles that people just don’t want to fight any more. I mean, is anybody ELSE tired of COVID?
Yes, I’m tired of it, too – but there is a kind of temptation, because we are winning so BIG on the Branch Covidians now, I just can’t get up every day and not want to SCORE SOME MORE.
AND YET……
I can tell that people are TIRED and WORN OUT and I understand. People need R&R.
And you will GET R&R.
What I cannot promise you is that you will get ENOUGH of your R&R *HERE*.
So if people need to get away from here, I understand. It’s OK. In fact, it’s necessary.
But I promise you – when you come BACK here, there will be – just as Trump promised – WINNING.
Right now, if you can, SAVOR some of that winning, because you’ve fought long and hard for it.
I mean, where we were ON POINT if not the BLEEDING EDGE with much “conspiracy” stuff, the big names are now leaping over us to get to the front lines.
AND I LOVE IT!!!
A new song on the jukebox!
https://youtu.be/NNFK4i408dQ
SO – all that is the context of what I want to say.
A few days ago, I had a very interesting dream, which was induced in part by going to bed thinking about all of the “big questions” we are facing now.
We are being “shown” so much – and yet – well – it SEEMS like nobody is DOING anything about it.
WELL – not much that we can SEE. Or maybe just not much that we can PROVE. Or maybe….. well…..
…..maybe things really ARE happening on our side, too.
However, it’s MURKY. And we have to see CLEARLY to see what’s coming.
We have different views of things, and we COULD just “not talk about those critical things”, but that will NOT enable us to see things.
We need the STEREO VISION and PERSPECTIVE which can only come from DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
I didn’t fully realize the NECESSITY of this, until FG&C posed a question, albeit not in question form.
“Frankly, I am both amazed by Wolf’s toleration of it as well as greatly perplexed by that toleration.”
I mean – I am deeply ANNOYED by some of us (and that includes ME on occasion) chiding the military for their seeming acceptance of “Traitor Joe” wrecking this country.
And yet, I think it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to constantly consider the two alternatives, which I believe are BOTH swirling in the Pentagon / Pentagram.
A. They (meaning us) have to be shown the sick reality of the global plots of socialism.
B. They (meaning us) have to be acclimated to the reality of globally agreed socialism.
So which is it? After January 6, and how well that trap was laid out against PATRIOTS, I cannot dismiss the idea that the PENTAGON is involved in A, B, or (AND logic) BOTH.
And what if BOTH is in fact the answer?
That’s where things get REALLY mind-blowing.
BUT FIRST…..
Here is how I responded to FG&C.
This is one of those things where I’m trying to solve a problem and operating on my gut feeling of where the solution lies. It’s much bigger than this blog, frankly. Much bigger than all of us. Much bigger than MAGA, or America, or this world.
I had to sleep on it – to ponder it – and I got my answer, but it’s so big and so general and so difficult to describe in words that make sense to EITHER anybody OR everybody, that I KNOW I’m not quite ready to talk about it.
There are many components – many pieces – that matter – and we have bits of them assembled here, one might say.
It’s all starting to become clear to me BECAUSE those components are here and becoming visible. If we want to solve this stuff, we are FORCED to confront this stuff. It’s part of reclaiming some things that were LOST in order to fulfill both OLD purposes and NEW purposes.
PC has BLINDED US to proper solutions. We have to allow questions that we don’t want to see answers that we do want, which may even disprove and make irrelevant those questions we don’t want, but they do it in a productive way, with understanding that helps us move “forward” as part of creation.
All of which is to say, in a tiny thread through the object, that progressives burning books and toppling statues is ultimately contradictory, because they destroy the very knowledge that enables proper progress. And that goes back to – the necessary and non-erroneous creation of error itself as part of creation, which is good a priori.
For the moment, though, we will have to put up with questions we don’t want, bad answers to those questions until we have better ones, and uncomfortable alternatives, largely created as false dichotomies, which often obscure, but visualized and deciphered can lead to true answers.
SIGH. Yet I have FAITH, because I SEE where this is going, and God willing, I will see it more, and better, and clearer in days to come.
So what has happened since then?
What I’m seeing, more clearly now, is still hard to describe, but it does have components that we all understand. Many of them are things which have to be CONSERVED. Things that go back to….
our youths
the last century
the Civil War
the Founders
the Enlightenment
the Middle Ages
Christ
the Prophets
Moses
Abraham
the beginnings of civilization
early Man
Creation
Obvious then, why the enemy cannot STAND things in the past, and makes us try to destroy them.
The mistakes which are continuously being made by progressives and (COUGH) certain others, because those mistakes have to be made, are in fact things that become our DUTY to oppose – and thus to quench and temper into something better.
Technology and “progress” don’t SOLVE our problems – they just REPLACE our problems with NEW ONES.
BUT THAT IS PART OF THE DESIGN.
You see – at the same time – technology and progress DO fulfill necessary aspects of the CREATION that God both SEES as good and PROCLAIMS as good. They are, IMO, utilities upon which the building of God’s kingdom “on Earth as it is in Heaven” becomes POSSIBLE.
AND YET – the physical – the WORLD – remains ONLY THAT, and NOT part of the Kingdom per se.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
If I can offer you one thing most of all, it is a certain TEMPERING of the SHIELD OF FAITH…..
…….which comes from TRUSTING GOD’S DESIGN……
…..but not just in Heaven, and not just on Earth, but right here, right now, in America, and in your state, and in your town, and in your home, reading these words.
One might say, we need to “Trust the Plan”, even when it seems to be helping our enemies – or even worse – when it IS – as far as we can see – actually helping our enemies.
In my opinion, the CONFLICT that we see, and that we are a part of, and that we must allow to come to us, here on this site, is part of the plan that we are supposed to trust.
And I’m OK with that. I hope that you will be, too. If conflict comes to us, from within or without, while we are doing our best to stand up for God, then we should not fear it – we should welcome it.
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
