01-30-21
I deleted my Facebook and Twitter accounts right after they dropped President Trump. We got rid of cable TV and phone as we were indirectly supporting the mainstream media with our subscription. We only had it for Fox News but now that they've gone mainstream, we didn't need cable. I don't watch TV, so it hasn't been much of a sacrifice for me.
Then I deleted my Google account since I had not used it in over a year, having shifted to the Apple iCloud platform. I got the Parler app just before Apple took it off the apple store. I also have a Gab account but haven't started using it yet.
I intend to wean myself off Amazon, too.
I'm going underground. So, if I have something to say I'll post it here and then refer to it on Gab and Parler accounts. This is my soapbox now.
04-07-20 Housebound day 23
Well, we're three weeks into social distancing and I'm at home. You know, the only reason I have this website and my Facebook page is to share Jesus. Also I do get to see pictures of my grandkids on Facebook.
I don't have an original thought in my head. I thought I had one once, the saying "Embrace detachment." But I did a search and someone else had thought of it. I'm still going to use it.
01-29-17 America Under Siege: Civil War 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGe3pypQWl0&feature=youtu.be
God is going to take care of these enemies of our country because they are his enemies. They hate the United States because we are a Christian nation.
I'm reminded of how Jehoshaphat, King of Judah around 860 BC, dealt with a crisis. He received word that "a great multitude is coming against you."; Vastly outnumbered, he immediately consulted God (He likes it when we do that):
"O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. ... O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chronicles 20:6, 12)
God answered Jehoshaphat in a big way. I don’t want to ruin the ending—read it yourself in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. You don’t have to dust off the family Bible, just click here: https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/20/1/s_387001.
Where have these enemies of our country gone wrong? For starters:
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)
My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change (Proverbs 24:21).
This is why conservatives trust in the rule of law and don't resort to violence. There is no revolution in the Bible. Jesus was not in the least concerned about the Roman occupation of his country. When an enemy of our country is elected, we realize that we deserve him, God is judging us for our disobedience.
"But if you do not obey Me…I will set My face against you…those who hate you will rule over you." (Leviticus 26:14, 17).
If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 The capital letters mean an Old Testament passage is being quoted.)
In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:11)
"As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
01-22-17
God judges—blesses or curses—nations. He used his people to judge the nations of Canaan. He gave this warning to Israel, but the principle applies to all nations.
'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, ... I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; ... So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. ... I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.’
'But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, ... I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you.’ (Leviticus 26:3, 6-7, 9, 12-14, 17)
We Americans have dishonored God. We have been more concerned with not offending atheists than with not offending God. Those who hate us have become our rulers. The communists have taken over our country. But Christians do not riot, attack police officers, vandalize, or burn flags. Why?
My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change (Proverbs 24:21).
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Romans 13:1-7 NASB)
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed… (Titus 3:1)
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:13-17)
It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. (Daniel 2:21)
Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above….” (John 19:11)
01-10-17
More on faith. A few years ago I was watching an educational video with my son Sam and the narrator defined faith as a belief in something despite evidence to the contrary. That's blind faith, believing what you want to believe.
God doesn’t want our blind faith. Jesus said God wants us to love him with all our mind. He’s provided plenty of evidence of his existence and identity.
Jesus answered, "The foremost [commandment] is, 'Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'" (Mark 12:29-30, quoting Deuteronomy 6:4–5)
When someone tells me what he believes about God, I want to know why he believes what he does. "It's just what I believe" doesn't do it for me. Things are not so just because you believe it.
I believe in Jesus because he rose from the dead. I read a book about the evidence for the resurrection and concluded that it was the best explanation for the empty tomb, the change in the disciples, and the rapid spread of Christianity. There is also evidence that the biblical accounts of his life are accurate. If you disagree, tell me why. Tell me why the authors of the New Testament conspired to deceive their readers, which quotes of Jesus are not true, and how you know it, what evidence you have.
I just finished reading The Reason for God, by Timothy Keller. It reminded me that the existence of God is not susceptible to scientific or philosophical proof but there is a lot of evidence that points to his existence--it's more likely than not that he exists. A reasonable, open-minded person could conclude that there is a God. Later in the book he goes beyond that to say we all know there’s a God. He doesn’t refer to this passage in Romans, but that’s where God tells us everyone knows he exists.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20 NASB)
The other concept that struck me is that when we hang on to self-will we settle for less—far less, infinitely less—than when we submit to God's will for our lives. I remember my reluctance to accept Jesus as my Savior, even after I understood the good news. I struggled with the decision to give up control of my life and let Jesus take the reins. Looking back, he gave me the faith to understand the issue and to do it. A tiny speck of faith, but faith in the Truth.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6 NASB)
How I Became a Believer
Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything
01-09-17
Welcome. I haven't touched my website in years. It's kind of obsolete--everyone seems to be using Facebook now. But I have some things I want to share with the world and I don't want anyone censoring me. And some of the stuff I put here is going to be longer than a Facebook comment should be.
One of my big themes is going to be the difference between religion and faith in Jesus—the Jesus of the Bible.
Someone referred to me as being "religious" a few months ago. I didn't correct her, but I am not religious. Tom Crocker got me started on understanding religion at my first Bible study. He said religion is God's enemy. Religions are man-made. They are robes, rituals, and rules designed to earn the favor of God. The traditions of men are given more weight than the word of God; they even contradict scripture. Religion is God's enemy because he has already done everything that needed to be done to reconcile man to himself. His salvation is a gift; we don't deserve it and can't earn it.
A word on faith. It is the object of your faith—not the amount—that is important. A little bit of faith in the truth works; faith as big as a mountain in error is useless. Also, faith in Jesus Christ comes from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It's not something you work up in yourself. You read the Bible and God creates faith in your heart.
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