“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
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
I found this pop music from Papua New Guinea, to be strangely enjoyable.
And yes. Last week’s word of the week – “wame” – led me to it!
Not ready to move there. Lows in the 70’s. Record lows in the 50’s.
THE STUFF
The title of the following video is a bit of an overstatement to make you fear AI, and thus to draw you in. What becomes apparent in the end, however, is how well AI works as a tool, much like older computers did, to help solve thorny math and science problems.
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 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.
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.”
Annointed with Oil
King David loved being in the presence of the Lord. In Psalm 23, David celebrated the intimate relationship he shared with God. The passage begins with a metaphor of the Shepherd (the Lord) leading His lamb (David), illustrating God’s close attention, guidance, and protection. The imagery deepens as David portrays himself as an honored guest and permanent resident in God’s house: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:5–6).
An ancient custom of hospitality and respect shown to esteemed dinner guests was for the host to anoint his invitee’s head with oil. The oil was mixed with fragrant perfumes to refresh and soothe weary travelers (see Jesus’ rebuke of a dinner host in Luke 7:46). Since the custom and its significance are unknown today, some modern translations replace the phrase with “you welcome me as an honored guest by rubbing my head with oil” (TEV) and “you honor me by anointing my head with oil” (NLT).
In Psalm 23:5, David said to the Lord, “You anoint my head with oil” because he regarded himself as the Lord’s special guest. David had been invited to dine now and forever at the Lord’s table and to receive His favorable anointing.
David recognized that his standing was not merely that of a short-term visitor who would be entertained once and then sent on his way. Nor would he be invited to return for a meal only occasionally. David rejoiced that he had been granted the high honor of a perpetual place setting at the Lord’s supper table.
The statement “You anoint my head with oil” also symbolized David’s gladness of heart. Oil is elsewhere associated in the Bible with joy (Isaiah 61:3; Hebrews 1:9). David felt so blessed by his Host’s gracious abundance, always providing more than he needed, that his cup of joy was at the spilling point. Another psalmist expressed similar satisfaction in the Lord’s favor: “God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Psalm 45:7).
You anoint my head with oil speaks of the Lord’s ministry to refresh David’s heart, particularly in light of the immediate threat of enemies. David imagines himself sitting at the Lord’s banquet table while his adversaries gather all around. Being in God’s presence rejuvenated David, giving him the strength to face all the challenges and pressures of life. His enemies could snarl and roar all they wanted, but in the shelter of God’s presence, David would feast and be refreshed.
With his head anointed and his cup overflowing, David spoke what might be the equivalent to the apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:31–39: “If God is for us, who can be against us? . . . Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? . . . Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life . . . neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
As Christians, we enjoy an intimate relationship with the Lord. We, too, can delight in the comfort of His presence, protection, and care (John 14:23). God has invited us to be honored guests in His eternal home with a permanent place at His banquet table (Isaiah 25; Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 13:29–30; Revelation 19:9; 21:2–4). Like David, we can say, “You anoint my head with oil” because Jesus Christ fills us with joy overflowing, and His joy is the strength of our lives (John 15:11; Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10). https://www.gotquestions.org/you-anoint-my-head-with-oil.html
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
doxology
noun
a short hymn of praises to God in various forms of Christian worship, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue, where some version of the Kaddish serves to terminate each section of the service.
Demonstrated in a video
MUSIC!
Had to get more Phil Wickham! But this one is a little different.
WOW.
THE STUFF
The previous week’s gospel song led me to this segment via YouTube’s algorithms. Sometimes YouTube does some very good things.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
thereon
adverb
synonym of thereupon
On or upon this, that, or it.
Following that immediately; thereupon.
On that or this.
Used in a sentence
Wolf typed in the URL, and was treated thereon to the most uproarious meme.
MUSIC!
“Thereon” is not to be confused with the occult band “Therion”, which is not shown here. Instead, we’ll do some gospel!
Great stuff! And speaking of stuff…..
THE STUFF
First, a quick note of thanks to everybody who helped keep the site going during my recent absence. You are all greatly appreciated, and when I say God Bless You, I mean it!
I am pleased to report that my health is continuing to improve, and that the things I need to get done, are getting done. God is good! ALL THE TIME!
Again, thank you for your prayers, your well-wishes, and your continued presence here!
I thought this was a nice science history video – not primarily for the science, but for the human story. Steve talked about this guy, too, so it’s not totally unfamiliar.
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 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.
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.”
Psalm 23 is a beautiful poem that uses the image of God as shepherd. David, who penned this psalm, had been a shepherd himself and understood the parallel between the task of a shepherd caring for his sheep and of God caring for His people. Sheep are totally dependent on the shepherd for food, water, leadership, and guidance as they move from place to place, just as we are dependent upon God for all that we need. Sheep depend on the shepherd for protection from a wide range of predators and dangers, just as we look to God as our Protector and Defender. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals Himself to be the Good Shepherd of His people (John 10:11, 14), fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy that God would come to shepherd His people (Ezekiel 34:7–16, 23).
Psalm 23:4, addressing the Lord Shepherd, says, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” David bases this description on the practices of shepherds in his day. Shepherds of the time commonly carried a rod and staff as essential to their work.
The rod mentioned in Psalm 23 is a symbol of the Lord’s strength and protection. The rod was a sturdy wooden stick used as a weapon to fight off wild animals who might have hoped to make an easy meal out of an otherwise defenseless flock of sheep. The shepherd also used the rod to help him keep count of the sheep within the flock (as alluded to in Leviticus 27:32). Young David recounted an incident to King Saul in which he probably used his shepherd’s rod: “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it” (1 Samuel 17:34–35).
The staff mentioned in Psalm 23 is a symbol of the Lord’s guidance and lovingkindness. The staff was a long, slender stick, often hooked at the tip, used primarily to direct the flock. Sheep are notorious wanderers, and once away from the shepherd’s watchful eye, they get into all sorts of trouble (Matthew 18:12–14). The shepherd used his staff to keep his sheep out of danger and close to himself. If a sheep became trapped in a precarious position, the shepherd would loop the curved end of the staff around the neck of the sheep and retrieve it back to safety.
W. Philip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, comments on the uniqueness of the shepherd’s staff: “In a sense, the staff, more than any other item of his personal equipment, identifies the shepherd as a shepherd. No one in any other profession carries a shepherd’s staff. It is uniquely an instrument used for the care and management of sheep—and only sheep. It will not do for cattle, horses or hogs. It is designed, shaped and adapted especially to the needs of sheep” (from chapter 8).
Together, the rod and staff of Psalm 23 paint a picture of the divine Shepherd who wields them. He is strong, competent, and trustworthy; He is present with His sheep, able to defend them and watch over them through all the dangers they face. Knowing that we have such a Shepherd who is ready to protect us from danger, keep us close, and rescue us when we go astray truly is a great comfort to us, the sheep.
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 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.
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.”
Green Pastures & Still Waters
Psalm 23 offers comfort with its soothing words and assurance in the Shepherd. Its poetic allure attracts even unbelievers, while its pastoral imagery draws from David’s own shepherding background, aiming to evoke a sense of tranquility. Throughout Psalm 23, the timeless truth about God and His relationship with His people unfolds. An example is the second verse, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”
To delve into David’s imagery in Psalm 23:2, consider how shepherds took care of their sheep in biblical times. Rather than “drive” them with a stick from behind as is commonly imagined, shepherds guided the sheep, going before them to suitable pasture. Without a shepherd, sheep would either starve or become prey. Similarly, the shepherd directed the sheep to water sources. By invoking this analogy, David expresses his complete reliance on God to fulfill all his needs, conveying deep adoration for God as the Ultimate Provider.
It’s interesting that Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd multiple times in the Gospels, paralleling the Psalms (John 10:11, 14–15; Matthew 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7). No doubt, His listeners were familiar enough with the Old Testament to pick up on the reference. That might explain why some thought of Him as insane (John 10:19–20). Nevertheless, the resonant truth remains that Jesus is God—the Good Shepherd whom we faithfully follow.
As the Good Shepherd, Christ initially tended to our spiritual needs by “sacrificing his life for the sheep” (John 10:14). Isaiah employs similar imagery, proclaiming, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Christians lie in the green pasture of God’s grace and beside the still water of salvation, recognizing that these blessings stem from a Good Shepherd’s guidance.
Beyond spiritual needs, the Good Shepherd also attends to our other requirements. This raises an obvious objection: why do certain Christians still lack? David’s confidence in God’s provision doesn’t negate other passages highlighting the persistence of poverty in this fallen world until God renews His creation (Matthew 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8). Various factors can lead to poverty, and God’s commitment to meet our needs does not necessarily entail a life of constant abundance or freedom from challenges, at least not in this world. Numerous psalms mirror the angst of the psalmist, who felt that God had abandoned him in critical moments, and it is human that we react likewise. However, God’s power shines through both in times of plenty and scarcity.
As the psalmist did, we can confidently declare that God makes us lie down in green pastures, secure, satisfied, and unafraid. Christ, our Good Shepherd, provides for our needs in profound ways.
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full res pect 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 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.
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.”
I Shall Not Want
In one of the most comforting Bible passages, King David declares, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). The word want in this case means “to have a need” or “to lack”; the psalmist’s confident assurance is that, with the Lord as his shepherd, he would never lack a thing. All his needs would be supplied.
David, who spent his boyhood tending his father’s flocks (1 Samuel 16:11, 19; 17:15), knew something about the heart of a shepherd. He compared his relationship with God to that of sheep and a shepherd. The tender imagery underlines God’s personal care, guidance, and protection. King David trusted wholly in the Lord, knowing he would not lack anything because God was with Him as his shepherd.
When sheep are left to fend for themselves, they are vulnerable and helpless animals, incapable of providing for their own needs. The shepherd leads the flock to fresh water and pasture for food. He cares for the sheep when they are injured or ill. Without a shepherd, the sheep scatter and become lost. Unless they stay near the shelter and protection of the shepherd, they have no hope of surviving attacks from wolves and other predators. But when sheep remain under the watchful eye of the shepherd, they can say, “I shall not want,” because he meets their every need.
As God’s sheep, we are precious to Him (Psalm 28:9; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3). He takes full responsibility for our needs, safety, and protection, even risking His own life for us. Jesus, who is “the great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), assured His disciples repeatedly that He would care for them, leading, guiding, protecting, and laying down His life for them (John 10:1–16, 26–30). Through His redeeming death on the cross, Jesus Christ paid for our sins and purchased us as His sheep. Even if, in our suffering and pain, we wander away from the Lord, we have a Good Shepherd in Jesus who is “the Guardian of [our] souls” (1 Peter 2:25, NLT). When we understand this truth, we can put our whole trust in Him and say, “I shall not want” (Psalm 34:9–10). We discover that we now lack nothing necessary to experience abundant life in Him (2 Peter 1:3; Psalm 84:11).
Jesus told His followers, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Our heaven-sent provision will flow from pursuing God’s kingdom first and staying in close fellowship with Him. Only then can we tap into His all-sufficient, unlimited supply of resources. We won’t have to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear because our loving Shepherd knows what we need (Matthew 6:31–32). He will never abandon us or leave us begging for bread (Psalm 37:25).
When we say, “I shall not want,” we also acknowledge our satisfaction with God and what He has given us (Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8). It means we have learned the secret of contentment, like the apostle Paul, who said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11–13, NLT).
We may not always have everything we desire, but we can trust God to provide all we need. As He was with Israel in the wilderness, God will always be with us, blessing us in everything, watching our every step, and ensuring we lack nothing (Deuteronomy 2:7). With the Lord as our shepherd, we can confidently say, “I shall not want.” https://www.gotquestions.org/I-shall-not-want.html
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.
