tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18068789698184215212024-03-05T02:41:44.300-08:00Who am I? Who is God?A blog about God and having a relationship with him.Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-42294427617776428202024-01-22T02:01:00.000-08:002024-01-22T02:01:46.077-08:00Toxic Churches/Toxic Leaders<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIc3YJVggy_hVbEKr5xWhwaZJOcIizP9yecSMQLtyhaPVFQbqyI5fSed5P7GVY9RxsDnoZOprQMDSYZQmTXbnZYvy2_DOOLl5q8PGswKuyD5Mu8o3VVLy3Bzn8mJ3om87FslDpnwOAXl5micmRppahwFBrQRqjhgog3XgLZJ0551jU40afFPApL8yneg/s400/Image-white-church-church-clip-art-christart-com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="400" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIc3YJVggy_hVbEKr5xWhwaZJOcIizP9yecSMQLtyhaPVFQbqyI5fSed5P7GVY9RxsDnoZOprQMDSYZQmTXbnZYvy2_DOOLl5q8PGswKuyD5Mu8o3VVLy3Bzn8mJ3om87FslDpnwOAXl5micmRppahwFBrQRqjhgog3XgLZJ0551jU40afFPApL8yneg/w286-h257/Image-white-church-church-clip-art-christart-com.png" width="286" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was
reading 3<sup>rd</sup> John and was amazed by how toxic a Christian church had
already become just a few years after Jesus was here on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John was a
disciple of Jesus. He walked with him for more than three years, learning and
growing in his presence. Yet, here in this book of the Bible, John was writing
to Gaius, a believer in Jesus, about a toxic church and leader.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First John
commended Gaius for helping the “traveling teachers” who had come from
Jerusalem to encourage the church. Gaius took them into his house and cared for
their needs. But there was a man in the local church who refused to do this. In
fact, he would throw anyone out of the church who helped these teachers. John
said this man, </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Diotrephes</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, would not listen to those of the
church in Jerusalem. “</span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wrote to the church about
this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to
do with us.”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 John 1:9<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Imagine the
rebellion of not listening to the disciples of Jesus at that time. John said
this man had always wanted to be a “leader.” Now he was, and he was committing
great sin and leading others to do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul, in his
letters, spoke of the same thing. False teachers leading others astray. I think
some people think the Christian churches are doing something new by being
unlike Christ. No, it isn’t new, it has happened for more than 2,000 years.
Jesus warned us of this. He said, “</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.<a name="17"></a> By their fruit
you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? <a name="18"></a> Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but
a bad tree bears bad fruit.<a name="19"></a> A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.<a name="20"></a> Every tree that does not
bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.<a name="21"></a> So then,
by their fruit you will recognize them.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matthew 7:15-20</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">And this is the
fruit: “</span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,<a name="24"></a> gentleness,
and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Galatians 5:22,23<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If a pastor, leader or church does not
have the fruit of the Spirit, it will become toxic and harmful to everyone it
touches. They bring upon all Christianity a bad name. They slander God and the
gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So be careful about what and whom you
believe. The Bible says, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to
speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes
from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 John 4:1</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-23546560521603506922024-01-09T12:43:00.000-08:002024-01-09T12:43:45.237-08:00Is There an Eternal Hell? No.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIzxZ-IvEVZZwyethiBhUGdz7IWWbXmGbcm_X7dwdHwi344Uu68yNOYXoHL3XrAM82XhyphenhyphenWc4fvWzddwJfqh6n6etM0onw_ilYyX-5BN2QvMCDn674H37m7_ujPviiSk6ZNAnzT6dTeQYoK0z7bU6JI8wK3YpRAmnpMduMSw9vpeVPXTteBToz8JdkZQ/s2987/DSCF8307%20(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2987" data-original-width="1785" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIzxZ-IvEVZZwyethiBhUGdz7IWWbXmGbcm_X7dwdHwi344Uu68yNOYXoHL3XrAM82XhyphenhyphenWc4fvWzddwJfqh6n6etM0onw_ilYyX-5BN2QvMCDn674H37m7_ujPviiSk6ZNAnzT6dTeQYoK0z7bU6JI8wK3YpRAmnpMduMSw9vpeVPXTteBToz8JdkZQ/w191-h336/DSCF8307%20(6).JPG" width="191" /></a></div><br /><p>I <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700;">do not believe there is an eternal hell of torment for those who are wicked. I could not worship or love a God who would do this to anyone. Very few human beings would torture people forever. If God is just, then this would not be justice.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Jewish people of old did not believe in this teaching either. There are hundreds of scriptures that teach us the wicked will be destroyed, not live on forever. There are a few that have made some people think differently. But that is because they misinterpret the Bible.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bible must be searched carefully from beginning to end to understand a subject. We must not take a verse here or there on which to hang our teachings.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have found some studies on Hell online and share them with you now. If you want to know the truth, you must study. “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Taken from: <a href="https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/documents/death/origin-of-hell-fire.php" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching (truthaccordingtoscripture.com)</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The concept of a soul within us that cannot die first became a ‘Christian’ doctrine at the end of the second century AD. Hell had been taught in Greek philosophy long before the time of Jesus, with Plato (427-347 BC) as the important leader in this thinking.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The teaching of an everlasting place of punishment for the wicked is the natural consequence of a belief in an immortal soul. By the year AD 187, it was understood that life, once we have it, is compulsory; there is no end to it, either now or in a world to come. We have no choice as to its continuance, even if we were to commit suicide to end it.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At the end of the 2nd century Christianity had begun to blend Greek philosophy —human speculative reasoning, with the teachings of God’s Word. Such words and phrases as ‘continuance of being’, ‘perpetual existence’, ‘incapable of dissolution’ and ‘incorruptible’ began to appear in so-called Christian writings. These had come straight from Plato, the Greek philosopher, all those years before Jesus. Other phrases used were ‘the soul to remain by itself immortal’, and ‘an immortal nature’. It was taught that this is how God made us. But this idea derives from philosophy, not divine inspiration. There are no such words in the Bible. It was Athenagorus, a Christian, but whose teachings, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, were strongly tinged with Platonism, who had introduced the teaching of an immortal soul into Christianity. In this way, he paved the way for the logical introduction of eternal torment for immortal, but sinful, souls. This was a hundred years and more after the time of the apostles, and came straight from popular philosophy. The apostles had consistently taught that death is a sleep, to be followed by resurrection. </span><span style="font-weight: 700;">The early church leaders – Clement, Ignatius, Hermas, Polycarp, and others who also believed that death is a sleep, taught that the wicked are destroyed forever by fire – their punishment was to be annihilation. These leaders did not teach of an immortal soul to be tortured by fire in hell for eternity.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">About AD 240 Tertullian of Carthage took up the teaching of an immortal soul. It was he who added the further, but logical dimension. He taught the endless torment of the immortal soul of the wicked was parallel to the eternal blessedness of the saved, with no sleep of death after this life.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This came at a time when many Christians were being burned for their faith and it was natural for them to accept that their persecutors would at death be consigned to an ever-burning hell for the persecution they had inflicted on others while they went straight to eternal bliss.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From the third century the darkness of the infiltration of man-made beliefs into Christianity deepened until the Dark Ages had smothered almost all the light of God’s Word. At the beginning of this time, the first attempts were made to create a systematic set of beliefs. It is not surprising that an ever-burning hell and the immortality of the soul were prominently included.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is at this time that such beliefs, held by most Christians today, had their origin. An ever-burning hell has remained a commonly taught doctrine of the Christian religion to this day. It was not based on the Bible but on philosophy. Bible verses were later sought to uphold the ancient philosophies of the Greeks, and added to the teaching.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eventually under the influence of Augustine, AD 430, the concept of endless conscious torment was brought into general acceptance by the Catholic Church in the Western world. He taught that all souls were deathless and consequently the lost would experience endless fires of punishment, immediately upon the end of this life.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Doesn’t everlasting fire mean that hell will be burning ceaselessly and eternally?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There are some Bible verses that may appear to say that. Let us look at some of these verses. ( From: <a href="https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/how-long-does-hell-burn" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">How long does hell burn for? | Bibleinfo.com</a></span>)</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Everlasting” Bible texts</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In Matthew 25:46, Jesus said, “These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark 9:43, “And if your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Other Bible texts</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Before we make a Bible doctrine from these verses, we need to see if there are other verses that speak of the punishment of the wicked.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First let us go to Malachi 4:1,3. “For behold the day is coming burning like and oven, and all the proud, yes all who do wickedly shall be as stubble. And the day that is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that shall leave them neither root nor branch. . . You shall trample the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">These verses tell us that the wicked will be burned up, burned to ashes.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In another place the Bible says in Psalms 37:10, 11, “For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look diligently for his place, but it shall be no more</span>.”</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jude 7 makes this subject very plain. “As Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar manner, having given themselves over to sexually immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning today, yet the Bible says they suffered the vengeance of eternal fire. How can this be explained? It means that these cities were completely burned, until there was nothing left.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">What does everlasting mean?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is another way to determine the meaning of the word eternal or everlasting.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In English these words mean that the fire will go on forever, but in the Greek it has a different meaning. Dr. Basil Atkinson explains it this way. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“When the adjective aionios, meaning everlasting is used in Greek with nouns of action it has reference to the result of the act, not the process. The phrase everlasting punishment is comparable to everlasting redemption and everlasting salvation, both Scriptural phrases. No one supposes that we are being redeemed or saved forever. We were redeemed and saved once for all by Christ with eternal results. In the same way the lost will not be passing through the process of punishment forever but will be punished once and for all with eternal results. On the other hand the noun ‘life’ is not a noun of action, but a noun expressing a state. Thus life itself is eternal.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">God is love</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bible says, God is love, 1 John 4:8. God loves His enemies. As the soldiers were nailing Jesus to the cross, He prayed, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do (Luke 23:34). As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel (Ezekiel 33:11).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God cannot allow sin, crime and violence to continue to cause suffering and death in this world. But He is not one to torture His children. So He does the most loving thing He can do, He destroys them eternally. The Bible says, “he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time” (Nahum 1: 9).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Myths About Hell.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.adventistpublishing.org/mission-365/glow-tracts/myths-about-hell/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Myths About Hell – Publishing (adventistpublishing.org)</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Interestingly, the Bible gives us explicit information on when hell would begin and where it would be located. As you might have guessed, misconceptions abound on these two points. In Matthew 13:49 Jesus speaks plainly saying, “So shall it be at the end of this world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”* According to this text and many others like it,(1) the flames of hell will not exist until the end of the world. That’s right! Your loved ones are not being burned alive as you read this tract.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Next, we see that the apostle Peter gives us clear information on where hell will be located. Speaking of the end of the world he says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”(2) The prophet Zephaniah also speaks of, “the whole land,” being “devoured by the fire of His jealousy.”(3) Here we see that hell is not some giant chasm of flames in the center of the earth; rather, it will be located right here on earth at the end of the world devouring “the whole land.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps the most important thing to understand about hell can be found in the famous text John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Here Jesus clearly states that it is the believers who are the ones that live eternally, not the wicked. What!? The wicked don’t live eternally writhing in flames? Correct!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The wicked are to burn only until there is nothing left to burn. Malachi brings this point out well: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”(4) In fact, just so we could be sure that he was speaking literally about the utter destruction of the wicked he goes on to say, “’You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,’ says the Lord of hosts.”(4) Also, not only will the wicked be destroyed completely in the flames of hell but so will Satan and his wicked angels according to Matt. 25:41 and Rev. 20:10. Contrary to popular belief, God plans to destroy the forces of darkness, not put them in charge of an eternal fire pit in the center of the earth!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>B<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700;">ut some might say that there are other texts like Rev. 14:11 and 20:10 which point out that the wicked burn eternally. Well, the Bible also says that the prophet Samuel would abide before the Lord in the sanctuary forever,(5) and that the bars of the earth closed about Jonah forever(6) when he was thrown into the sea. Now it is clear from scripture itself that neither of these events lasted forever. What we see here are two examples of the Bible using the term, “forever” to mean a time of indefinite duration where the beginning and ending of that time depend on the nature of the person, circumstance, or thing to which it is applied. An example in our day which is similar is when a man and woman commit to their marriage vow forever. When they do so, the term “forever” simply means as “long as they live.” So how do we know how long “forever” is for those burning in hell? Simple: other passages on the topic explain that “forever” in this instance means until the wicked are utterly consumed. Context is key!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.” Psalm 145:20</span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-77268750698408506102024-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:002024-01-06T13:29:21.360-08:00Insomnia.<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve had
trouble with insomnia for many years. I remember it starting when I would go to
sleep at a normal time but within a half hour I would wake up with a jolt. I
couldn’t get back to sleep so I would start reading or looking at my ipad. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve looked
this up online and they call this, Hypnic Jerks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="blockquote-key-takeawayslist-item" style="background: #F2F9FF; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Hypnic jerks are involuntary muscle
movement that can happen as you fall asleep.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="blockquote-key-takeawayslist-item" style="background: #F2F9FF; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Hypnic jerks are painless but can
accompany other sensations like dreams, hallucinations, or sounds.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="blockquote-key-takeawayslist-item" style="background: #F2F9FF; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Researchers theorize that nerves in the
brainstem trigger the startling reaction.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="blockquote-key-takeawayslist-item" style="background: #F2F9FF; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Caffeine, exercise before sleep,
emotional stress, and sleep deprivation can increase your risk of hypnic jerks.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasomnias/hypnic-jerks">Hypnic Jerks:
Why You Twitch When You Sleep | Sleep Foundation</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another doctor writes that experts don’t know the
exact cause of sleep starts, but what seems to be happening is that there’s a
neurological tussle between the brain systems that keep you awake and the ones
that encourage you<u> </u></span><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-fall-asleep.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: "lnum"; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-underline-offset: 4px; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">to fall
asleep</span></a></span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.thecut.com/2015/09/why-do-i-jerk-awake-right-as-im-falling-asleep.html">Why
Do I Jerk Awake Right As I’m Falling Asleep? (thecut.com)</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I
thought the cause was something different. I had tried giving up caffeine and
staying off my tablet to no avail. I thought it might be because my grandson
had died and I was fearful of what may happen next to my family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two weeks
ago, I talked with the Lord about this. I did feel convinced then that it was
from a deep fear within me. I told God I knew I couldn’t do anything about
that. I needed him to take that fear from me. So I laid my fear at his feet and
asked for him to help me. He did do that. I have slept all night without the
jerking awake and I have slept for 8 or 9 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My insomnia
was so bad I used to stay up all night and finally flop on my bed in exhaustion.
I didn’t like being up at night. It was hard to know what to do besides play
video games and listen to podcasts. And since being awake during the day I am
happier. I can think of more things to do and just generally feel better.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I want to
thank God for this. I’m sure having such fear now in his hands is probably the
reason I’m happier. Of course, this doesn’t mean I can just go gaily on
ignoring the fear. I pray each night for him to take it. Most things in our
life don’t just disappear, they come back over and over because they have
become ingrained in our minds. Our battle as Christians is to not get
discouraged at this, but to realize God understands our struggle and loves us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-60923490812153642102023-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:002023-12-29T00:01:38.310-08:00A Christmas Eve Miracle.<p> </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christmas
Eve I was at my daughter’s house with many members of my family. They started
talking about a couple with two children. They were my son-in-law’s relatives.
They had just been to visit them and were happy to see how that couple were
relating to each other. “They were smiling at each other, holding hands and
whispering in each other’s ears,” they said. I asked how the children were
doing and they said they seemed happy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For me, this
was a miracle, because I had begun praying for them a few weeks before
Christmas. I knew the children were troubled and I was worried about them. I
asked God to be in their home and to help them. I saw this transformation as an
evidence of God’s work. He always makes life better if people are open to him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last year, I
started praying for two people who hosted the podcast, “Pivot.” The woman on
the podcast said she didn’t understand it, but she had started having feelings
about going to church. I was elated and thanked God for sending the Holy Spirit
to encourage her to do this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God has
worked in many miraculous ways in my life and my family’s lives, but it is
lovely when you see him work in people’s lives whom you don’t even know and
live thousands of miles away. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Prayer is
powerful because God is powerful. He is the King of the Universe yet left
heaven and became a human baby in order to save us. He wants us in his family.
He loves family, he created it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-40573999897511947442023-12-08T20:33:00.000-08:002023-12-08T20:33:54.992-08:00Pointing the Finger.<p> </p><p></p><p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Christians Pointing the Finger.</span></span><span class="reftext"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I’ve often been disheartened by
Christians in the news media pointing their fingers at those they deem, “Sinners.”
Of course, it’s never about greedy people or those who are oppressing the poor,
no it’s usually <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sexual sins they are
worried about.</span></span><span class="reftext"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">But what did Jesus say about that? </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and
prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. <a name="33"></a> For
John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax
collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent
and believe him. Matthew 21:31,32</span><span class="reftext"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span class="reftext"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I once heard someone say, “Some
Christians would criticize the Lord Himself if they went to heaven.” I believe
that because Jesus was criticized constantly when he was here on earth. I’m
going to give examples of the finger-pointing towards Jesus. I will also record
his replies.</span></span><span class="reftext"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">As Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax
collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And
when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, <u>“Why does your
teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”</u> But when he heard it, he
said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are
sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matthew 9:10-13</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Going
on from that place, he went into their synagogue,</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> <span class="text"><b><sup> </sup></b>and a
man with a shriveled hand was there. <u>Looking for a reason to bring charges
against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”</u></span></span><u><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">He said to them, </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“If any of you has a sheep and it falls
into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> <span class="woj"><b><sup> </sup></b>How
much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do
good on the Sabbath.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Then he said to the man, </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Stretch out your hand.”</span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> So, he stretched it out and it was
completely restored, just as sound as the other.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> <span class="text"><b><sup> </sup></b><u>But
the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.</u></span></span><span class="text"><u><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span class="text"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">At a different
time:</span></u></span><span class="text"><u><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">But the synagogue leader was indignant
that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told
the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”<a name="16"></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You hypocrites!” the
Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey
from the stall and lead it to water?<a name="17"></a> Then, should not this
daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be
released from her bondage on the Sabbath day?”<a name="18"></a></span><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When Jesus said this, all His adversaries were humiliated.
And the whole crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things He was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 13:14-17</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Then some Pharisees and teachers of the Law came from
Jerusalem to Jesus and asked him, <u>“Why is it that your disciples disobey the
teaching handed down by our ancestors? They don't wash their hands in the
proper way before they eat!”</u> Jesus answered, “And why do you disobey God's
command and follow your own teaching? For God said, ‘Respect your father and
your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to
death.’ But you teach that if a person has something he could use to help his
father or mother, but says, ‘This belongs to God,’ he does not need to honor
his father.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 15</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;">As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed
man who was mute was brought to him. </span><b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;">And when the
demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled,
saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” </span><b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;">But the
Pharisees said, <u>“He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 9</u></span><u><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">When
Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/luke/19#footnote4"><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">f</span></sup></a></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">I must stay at your house today.” </span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">So, he hurried and came
down and received him joyfully. </span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">And <u>when they saw it,
they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a
sinner.”</u></span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">And Zacchaeus stood and
said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor.
And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”</span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">And Jesus said to
him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.</span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">For the Son of Man </span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">came to seek and to save the lost.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 19</span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">There
were times when the believers in Jesus pointed the finger at other believers:</span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying,
"<u>Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not
fast?"</u> And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom
cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days
will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will
fast. Mark 12</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the
home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive
perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’
head.<a name="5"></a></span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation
to one another: <u>“Why this waste of perfume?<a name="6"></a> It could have been
sold for over three hundred denarii (a years wages) and the money given to
the poor.” And they scolded her.<a name="7"></a></u></span><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">But Jesus said, “Leave her alone;
why are you bothering her?</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
She has done a beautiful deed to Me. The poor you will always have with you, and
you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.<a name="9"></a>
She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.<a name="10"></a> And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the
world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark 14:3-9</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 25.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In
Nazareth, Jesus’ home town, the people there hated what Jesus was saying so
much they tried to kill him. </span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> “</span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">When they heard these
things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. </span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">And they rose up and drove
him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town
was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. </span><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span></b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">But </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Source Sans Pro",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">walking </span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;">through their midst, he
went away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 4</span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Jesus was criticized even while he hung on the
cross, suffering physical and mental pain:</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying,
<u>“He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the
Chosen One.”<a name="37"></a></u></span><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour
wine<u>.<a name="38"></a> “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save
Yourself!” Luke 23:35-37</u></span><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they
shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find
no basis for a charge against Him.”<a name="8"></a></span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and
according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of
God.”</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 19</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Seeing how many people hated Jesus, pointing their
judgmental fingers at him, do you think this is something believers in God
should dare to do? It shows how completely wrong their judgement was and how
they hated that which is good.</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Did Jesus criticize the Romans? Never. But he did criticize
those who, instead of loving people, pointed the finger of hate at people. Jesus
drew people to himself with his love. I’m sure everyone could see the love in
his face and words. Yes, he asked people to repent. We need to see how much we
need Jesus, and if we think we are okay, why would we need him? </span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are all capable of great sin. We all sin, we all hurt
people. We may not even want to, but we do. With Jesus in our lives, he will whisper
to our hearts and change us. We won’t be perfect in this world. I think God
does not make us perfect in this world or we would become proud. We would take
credit for it and our souls would be ruined. St. Paul said he was not perfect,
but it was something to strive for.</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I loathe the way Christians in power want to force the whole
country to become Christian. This is not possible. God wants a willing heart. I
think he is capable of knowing if someone is faking it. If Christians had lived
like Jesus, many would have been drawn to God. As it is, we have pushed them
away. </span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">If people study history any longer, they would know the
result of religious force and the uniting of Church and State. It always ends
in persecution and death. But this is where we are heading. Gays, news
reporters and anyone who doesn’t go along with their brand of religion will be
persecuted and eventually be put to death. </span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This is coming, but we can have hope if we cling to God. He
will walk through the fire with us. He will give to us eternal life in a place
we were created for. Do we feel so comfortable in this world? That’s because we
were made for a better world where there is peace, goodness and love. We will
be part of a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>family with God as our father
and Jesus as our brother.</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-3709122789072005042023-10-28T19:44:00.000-07:002023-12-12T04:03:11.135-08:00“You’re Not a Christian if…” Fill in the Blank.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfcMoYvggWbdguLeUO42hhBo0b5bnV8fHrxhWcGlFLOwk3tE3O83oUwCOQxT5Yci0LmTfns4cl-k4k_3EGP04GrQLHh_WsNazB1UOocos2qB36Renb4rUgQIvFLiHDEEO7Xk-GZnZAaAnGr_7j9sXtb4RrnojmI7A2rLgAStdTErxEPvlohoCSF5Zo2A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="639" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfcMoYvggWbdguLeUO42hhBo0b5bnV8fHrxhWcGlFLOwk3tE3O83oUwCOQxT5Yci0LmTfns4cl-k4k_3EGP04GrQLHh_WsNazB1UOocos2qB36Renb4rUgQIvFLiHDEEO7Xk-GZnZAaAnGr_7j9sXtb4RrnojmI7A2rLgAStdTErxEPvlohoCSF5Zo2A" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is not Tim Keller, just a guy. Lol</div><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Tim Keller
is my favorite preacher, but I have heard him say many times that a person is
not a Christian if he thinks, says or does… fill in the blank. This has always
upset me but I overlooked it because everything else in his preaching is so
deep, helpful and meaningful.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I heard him
say it again last week. I listen to his old sermons on podcasts. Finally, I
thought I should write my opinion on this. It’s just my opinion that I have
come to through 53 years of being a believer in Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I was raised
in a strict, evangelical, Bible believing religion. When I became a Christian
at 19 years-old I thought the same way as Dr. Keller. If someone was smoking,
drinking, partying etc. then they weren’t a Christian. They didn’t have a
relationship with God. I was legalistic and judgmental.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I was also
super critical of myself and felt guilty over the least little think I did
wrong. I thought I could be perfectly like Jesus, but this didn’t happen. I was
changed, the Lord changed me so much in wonderful ways, but I still felt
hounded by guilt. I think it was because my church was horrified by any sin and
never told us that if we messed up, which we would all the time, we were still
okay with God and he would forgive us over and over.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">It took
years for me to understand the grace and forgiveness of God. I love how Jesus
said, “If someone sins against you 7 times in one day and asks you to forgive,
you must forgive him.” Well, God must feel the same about us and our sins. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">One thing someone
might say, “If you don’t love God with all your heart and your neighbor as
yourself, then you are not a Christian.” I don’t believe that. I believe this
is something to strive for through prayer. I myself have been through times
when I have hated God, gotten mad at him, or questioned his goodness. I have
doubts and fears all the time, yet I know I am a Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Loving God
is complicated. We think of love as a feeling, whereas it is an action or
principle. I have had feelings of love and admiration for God many times, but this
comes and goes. I want to love everyone as myself, but I don’t always do it. I
pray for this teaching of Jesus to be in my heart every day and I should trust
he can do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I know a
Christian who hates people, so she says, yet she has done so much good for
people she has met, people she doesn’t even know. She has been hurt by people
since her childhood, so she has no trust. But the Bible says even Jesus didn’t
trust people because he knew what was in their hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Does she <i>feel
</i>love for God, no, but she believes he is the God of the Universe and is all
good. She says she never wants to make a decision without asking him because
she has learned how she messes things up, but God doesn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I think
loving God and all people is something we must learn all our lives. It’s a long
process called Sanctification. It is like Jesus said about our spiritual
growth, “</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The earth produces crops by
itself; first the blade, then the head [of grain], then the mature grain in the
head.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark 4:28 Crops don’t
spring up overnight and we don’t become like Jesus overnight. We have a lot to
learn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I think I’ve learned more
about God in the last ten years since I retired from babysitting my
grandchildren. I had a lot of time to myself. God showed me some things about
myself I didn’t know and wasn’t happy about. He also showed me how he is enough
for me. I don’t need anyone or anything more than him. It’s not that it’s been
all roses. I’ve gone through long illnesses and another death in my family.
Also, recently some conflicts with my daughters that were not pleasant and I
got angry and sinned against them by yelling. Didn’t know I had that in me
either, to tell the truth. The Lord showed me my sin and I asked for forgiveness,
but I’ll tell you I didn’t think it was that bad for two days! Yes, at 73 I am
still a sinner for sure, yet Jesus loves me just as I am. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I remember when my mom
lived with me, I could see God was teaching her things even though she was in
her nineties! I thought, “Man, he never stops!” When she was in rehab for her
hip operation, she was acting terrible, threatening people and refusing
treatment. I was afraid she “wasn’t a real Christian” and would be lost. But
God spoke to one of my daughters and said to her, “Call your mother now and
tell her, her mother is going to be saved.” So, she did. She also said, “God sure
is loud!” Lol Yes, I guess he can be sometimes. See, I was judging my mother
while God was accepting and loving her.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">There are many verses in
the Bible that tell us we are saved, not by our works, but by our faith in
Jesus’ death for us. I know in many churches, including my old one, you can’t
get baptized until you stop sinning and sign a paper promising to keep all the
teachings of the church. In the Bible, people were baptized right away. All
they had to do is believe. We are so far away from that simple faith, and maybe
some of the books of the New Testament even sound like we have to be <i>so</i>
perfect. I don’t know, I just want to believe the simple things Jesus taught
and not worry about my salvation and judge other people about their salvation.
Jesus said we will know if teachers of the gospel are good by their fruits. I’m
going to list the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These are words of love we should
aspire to.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Montserrat; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Galatians
5:22-23, NIV<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-13289194583560419752023-10-05T03:34:00.003-07:002023-10-05T07:01:53.941-07:00Hate and Sex Education.<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl11LqHbNh1J0EL8K5q1eSRrLcSt15bTH1TcgVU8gbih-IBZR4zOzy5cwAZIewCgz0Z17Bd_B6DSQ3yWwhB47wsfNb6PEfHDZDY16ccZmCu3AUjXL1TPqmCHV9ReupwvuQ_FFsEq3H3AmeVyplr03G8WmqmIciaLub3k9gTrjpLdQydJiaWftASHRASQ/s1734/13996236_10153810563966305_4307867665341174479_o%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1734" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl11LqHbNh1J0EL8K5q1eSRrLcSt15bTH1TcgVU8gbih-IBZR4zOzy5cwAZIewCgz0Z17Bd_B6DSQ3yWwhB47wsfNb6PEfHDZDY16ccZmCu3AUjXL1TPqmCHV9ReupwvuQ_FFsEq3H3AmeVyplr03G8WmqmIciaLub3k9gTrjpLdQydJiaWftASHRASQ/s320/13996236_10153810563966305_4307867665341174479_o%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyone can
copy anything on my blog posts and use them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When I was
in 8<sup>th</sup> grade, I took sex education. This was in 1964. All I remember
was a list of diseases we girls could get from boys. I’ll never forget how they
told us you could get Herpes from cold sores on a boy’s mouth. I had just
kissed a boy with cold sores. I was horrified.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I told my
mom I might have this sexual disease. She didn’t ask any questions, just took
me to a doctor where they did some tests. He came back in the room and asked me
where I thought I got a sexually transmitted disease. I told him I kissed a boy
with cold sores on his mouth. The doctor was furious with my mom. He asked her
if she had asked me about this and she had to say no.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">At the time,
I was dating and my parents had just assumed I was having sex because I was
already drinking and smoking. I was a virgin, but then, they never asked. Sex
was not talked about in my family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When my
daughter had sex education at school it was co-ed. I asked her how it went and
she said, “I wanted to ask questions, but there were boys there, so I didn’t.”
I thought that probably the boys wanted to ask questions too, but the girls
were there. Ridiculous to have co-ed sex education, but they still do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe
sex education is good for teens. They need to know they can get diseases and
how to prevent that. They need to know how to use contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.
They need to know sex is an important activity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I should
probably tell you now, I am a Christian. But I know that kids who take sex
education classes have less unplanned pregnancies. I know my daughter always
made every male she had sex with wear a condom and she has never caught a
disease. I’m glad about that. I didn’t want her to have sex until she was married,
but I’m not stupid and I accepted her as she was. Turns out she and my other
daughter were bi-sexual too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">My wonderful
younger sister is a lesbian. Or perhaps bi-sexual, since she has been with men
also. But she prefers women. She is a Christian too. She is such a blessing to
me spiritually. God shows her many things about life that have helped me. I try
to help her too. We are opposites politically and in many other ways, but our
love for each other overcomes that. She likes Trump, I don't think he is fit to be President. We know we each have the right to believe
how we want. She doesn’t believe being a lesbian is a sin at all. Neither do my
daughters and granddaughters. For myself, I’m not sure and leave it all in God’s
hands. Paul says in the Bible that if someone believes something is a sin, then
to them it is sin, if someone believes something is not a sin, then to them it
is no sin. Can’t argue with that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Okay, so now
I am getting to the subject of “Parent’s Rights,” as far as sex education goes.
I have been listening to arguments from both sides of this issue for a long,
long time. What has hurt me the most is how those who want LGBQ etc. taught in
schools tell everyone who doesn’t want this part of sex emphasized, hate gays,
trans kids etc. For me, this is the farthest from the truth you can get. I do
not hate trans kids, lesbians, Queers, etc. Not at all. I just think, from what
I have read and heard, sex education has become too involved and intimate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">By that, I
mean going into detail about what everyone does sexually and how sex can be “fluid”
and one’s sexual tastes can change and this seems to encourage experimentation.
I’m not saying sexual desires can’t be fluid, I’m saying we don’t need to teach
this to kids who don’t even know who they are yet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Sure, teach
them about the different kinds of sex there is in the world, and teach them we
should never judge or hate anyone who likes a different kind of sex. But after
you inform them, let them come to their own conclusions about themselves. Give
them that freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Now to the
nitty-gritty: bathroom laws. This sharing of bathrooms and locker rooms with
trans men and women horrified me at first. Mainly because I was sexually abused
by my father and my mom and daughters were all sexually assaulted during their
lives by men. Teachers, bosses, doctors, dentists and even a Bible Salesman, have
harmed my family. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">If you don’t
think a man would pretend to be Trans so he could go in a woman’s bathroom, then
you don’t know much about men. They have done this and will keep doing this. I
have written online to some podcasters who think some people hate gays because they feel the same way I do, yet when a few of them went to a nude women’s spa and a man came in
saying he was Trans and wanted to join in, they were pretty upset. Luckily, the
woman in charge told him no. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Privacy, this
is very important to most people, but a woman has no privacy if men are allowed
in the public washrooms. How do we know if they are truly Trans? We don’t. When
I have read of young girls having to share locker rooms with boys it fills me
with anger. Not at the boy, not at all, but at the new laws that allow it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m sure
most of us have heard and seen some of the books at the schools on sex, even in
elementary schools. Some are explicit, which I think is terrible. When I see a
placard that says, “Let Children be Children,” I know what they mean. Children
don’t need to be thinking about sex, especially the intimate details of how to
do it or how to pleasure another person. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know
what else the “Parent’s Rights,” organizations talk about. These are the
problems I myself see with the new sex education. I sincerely hope we can teach
love, acceptance, and kindness to people of all sexes, races and identities.
This is what the world needs now, but the biggest problem we have is hating
each other and calling each other haters. I don’t hate anyone, and I don’t want
anyone to hate me, but I am expecting it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-55933478014050220732023-09-07T01:25:00.002-07:002023-09-07T01:25:19.392-07:00Don't Put God in A Box.<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdhexcJ8fGFX0-kCifEEIgI9ENmTc-hHt3yhnibqPnTvNj1RftiHRgL5bvR7vSwEeQID4mvmmXX7bd1ReGA1_bqI6G9YZ-DNe2U55XyrbKBVzVlFyH3OMFW8L6cyvsBCm7Jh6G4FkErEA5Wujp90IZ_wZXTDmJVvYxyS1_53DTzHy_aILxfCRbf4Evg/s805/Elijah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdhexcJ8fGFX0-kCifEEIgI9ENmTc-hHt3yhnibqPnTvNj1RftiHRgL5bvR7vSwEeQID4mvmmXX7bd1ReGA1_bqI6G9YZ-DNe2U55XyrbKBVzVlFyH3OMFW8L6cyvsBCm7Jh6G4FkErEA5Wujp90IZ_wZXTDmJVvYxyS1_53DTzHy_aILxfCRbf4Evg/s320/Elijah.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I was
writing this, it came to me I might have written about this subject before. My
memory isn’t very good and my computer files are a mess because I know nothing
about computers, so I can’t look it up. Nevertheless, I will post this anyway. Every
time I read the Bible or listen to a good sermon I see more and understand
more, so here it is:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I listened
to a sermon by Tim Keller on Elijah the prophet. What he said was meaningful to
me. He told us about the time Elijah was depressed and had run away from the
king and queen of Israel. Queen Jezebel had threatened to kill him, so he ran
and ran until exhausted, he came to a broom tree. He sat under it and asked God
to take his life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The day
before this, Elijah had a contest with the pagan priests about who was the true
God. They both built alters on top of a small mount and prayed for their gods
to bring down fire. Only Elijah’s alter was set on fire from heaven. The people
shouted, “The Lord, he is God.” Elijah left the mount and ran into the city
with King Ahab. He was probably sure everything would now change for him,
because previously the king and queen had been hunting for him to kill him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But when
Elijah heard the threat from Jezebel, he knew the demonstration of God’s power
had not affected anything. He felt his work was a failure and it was over, but
he was wrong. God had a lot more for him to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twice, as
Elijah lay there, an Angel of the Lord came and cooked warm bread and provided
cool water for him. He said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for
you.” He did that and was given strength to walk in the wilderness for 40 days
until he came to Mr. Horeb, which was known as the “Mountain of God.” It was
the place God had met with Moses and the children of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 6.75in;" width="648">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">So
he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty
days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.<a name="10"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">There
Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to
him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”<a name="11"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the
God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant,
torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only
one left, and they are seeking my life as well.<a name="12"></a>” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Then
the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the
LORD is about to pass by.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And
a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks
before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">After
the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.<a name="13"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">After
the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And
after the fire came a still, small voice.<a name="14"></a> When Elijah heard
it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of
the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here,
Elijah?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 Kings 19:8-13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“A Still
Small Voice,” that was how the Lord was speaking with Elijah now, and perhaps
that was how the Lord was speaking to the people of Israel now too. They had
seen God’s great power in a fire from heaven, but now he would speak with them
in their hearts. Pastor Keller said, “You can’t put God in a box.” He speaks to
people in different ways all the time. He gives them dreams, visions, or just a
small voice in our minds. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“And your ears shall hear a word behind
you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when
you turn to the left.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah 30:21<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have put
God in a box many times. I think he is going to do something one way when he
does it in a completely different way. Sometimes that way is very painful, yet
it gets the results I want. Not in a way I would ever choose; I wouldn’t allow
anyone to suffer in any way. But that’s me, I’m human and weak. God knows
beauty comes out of ashes. I accept that. I may not like it, but I accept it.
Pain is most likely the only thing that will bring us to God and eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Has God spoken through whirlwinds,
earthquakes and fire? Yes, he has, but at the right time he speaks to us
through a warm meal and a kind word. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is what the Lord did with Elijah.
He told him what he wanted him to do next, that his work was not done yet. So,
Elijah obeyed and eventually God took him to heaven without ever passing
through death. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M38GY_fcDvg"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Still Small Voice – Timothy
Keller [Sermon] - YouTube</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-27186941054925339402023-08-24T00:21:00.004-07:002023-08-24T00:21:57.758-07:00You Can't Bother God.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKkWnWgft_SVv6PRXDApXV1koIFxFhDC_p5OgnuqpaoQs72dTfsTJ-wmLGxxyC_-cpHX6r6Kc79MWGr-2c2mfE2VnDTC-_T72DwFAkEIFxMFKdr2HwEZ0hx-fuNzYs7J4akT2x6jStE0OldkGL5LD48g3QBQPTM_2L1ikbTF_EuxGmpRq2qzP2XHYfw/s1008/Jesus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKkWnWgft_SVv6PRXDApXV1koIFxFhDC_p5OgnuqpaoQs72dTfsTJ-wmLGxxyC_-cpHX6r6Kc79MWGr-2c2mfE2VnDTC-_T72DwFAkEIFxMFKdr2HwEZ0hx-fuNzYs7J4akT2x6jStE0OldkGL5LD48g3QBQPTM_2L1ikbTF_EuxGmpRq2qzP2XHYfw/s320/Jesus1.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am one of
the least qualified people in the world to write about prayer. I’m not a Bible
scholar or a great prayer warrior. I’m just me, an ordinary person. But because
of the discussions between myself and my sister and because I keep coming
across podcasts on prayer, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I was
first a Christian, at age 19, I used to beg God for things. I felt fearful and
out of control of certain people and things in my life, so I begged, which did
not lead to peace of mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I realized
later that Jesus didn’t pray that way. When he was distressed and frightened
about dying on a cross and having the world’s sins on his heart, he asked God that
if it was possible to please take it away. But he ended his prayers with, “Nevertheless,
not my will, but your will be done.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I quit
begging and ended my prayers in the same way Jesus did. I had also learned,
through trial and error, that God’s way was always the best way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the disastrous consequences of
trying to answer my own prayers by my own ideas and efforts, I gave everything
to him to decide. I thought I was done with begging.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then last
week, my sister had a chance to perhaps live in a motel instead of her van. She
told me how much better she felt physically because she slept well. I told her
I would pray for her to be able to move into the motel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As soon as I
started praying, I could feel my emotions rise with desperation for her. I
wanted so much for her to get out of homelessness. Her life wasn’t horrible,
she was staying in campgrounds, which were free because she is a war veteran,
but still, I knew how cramped she was in that van.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I stopped
myself from begging, but the thought came into my mind, “How can I twist God’s
arm to let her be able to live in that motel?” Hmm, I was pretty horrified to
hear my mind thinking that. I told my sister later and we had a good laugh. She
wasn’t able to stay there. They couldn’t let people stay more than three weeks.
My sister is fine with that. She trusts God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
day, I listened to Tim Keller speak about prayer. He believed since Jesus gave
parables about people who “bothered” others, then we should not feel bad about
bothering God about what we need or want. The first parable was about a man who
needed bread for visitors who had come to his house unexpectedly. He didn’t
have enough food, so he went to his friend’s house at midnight knocking on the
door. He woke the friend up who responded, “Don’t bother me. We are all in bed!”
But the man wouldn’t give up and kept knocking until his friend got up and gave
him food.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The second
parable was about a widow who had been cheated out of her money. She kept going
back to the same judge over and over to get justice. The judge didn’t care
about the widow but he finally said to himself, “This woman is going to wear me
out. I might as well give her what she wants.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus said
the parables meant not to give up when you are praying. You can bring your
concerns to him over and over again. You can’t bother God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I do have
some prayers I pray every single day. Those are the prayers for my family and
other people. I know these prayers make a difference. I know God looks after
these people because I ask.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a
way to pray I’ve learned lately that I really like. I listen to audio Bible and
as she reads the verses, I pray along. If the Bible says, “Praise the Lord,” I pray
it. If it says, “Obey God,” I say, “Help me to obey you.” If it says, “The Lord
is a shield around me, he is my glory and the lifter of my head.” I repeat the
verse. It’s an easy and lovely way to pray, using God’s own words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The last
thing I will share is I often pray the Lord’s Prayer. Because it starts with, “Our
Father… I pray it for me and my family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-70410162675673005072023-08-08T02:19:00.005-07:002023-08-08T02:19:52.319-07:00Do You Trust People?<p> </p><p class="regular" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="regular" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDqDrfh2JEEC53owlgsolEH53gBk8n_GGFZOAiuAzPT-9XoSTj0iIiQpTvTMHJFBzLnV1prEy7hZLBdLGbmpuzgcytkvsZBboxd-MBTRJgnRr6oMqVPwdi9FUVwAGODiGvRpJnBYbwxFSpCxJ6oDkDX24P4mcKdNr_nv0TDlWZScQ6kz6jN9WksLB7w/s800/Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDqDrfh2JEEC53owlgsolEH53gBk8n_GGFZOAiuAzPT-9XoSTj0iIiQpTvTMHJFBzLnV1prEy7hZLBdLGbmpuzgcytkvsZBboxd-MBTRJgnRr6oMqVPwdi9FUVwAGODiGvRpJnBYbwxFSpCxJ6oDkDX24P4mcKdNr_nv0TDlWZScQ6kz6jN9WksLB7w/s320/Jesus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.3px; text-align: start;">Statue de Jésus assis au milieu de deux enfants, en Virginie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-size: 13.3px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;">https://pixabay.com/fr/users/ariyandhamma-5933786/</span></span></div><br /><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the
Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was
doing. But </span></span><u style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he
knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he
himself knew what was in man.” </u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">John
2:23-25<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus knew better
than to trust in man because he knew what their hearts were like. We don’t, and
some or most of us tend towards trust. We go to friends and family members for
comfort and understanding, and many times we are treated coldly, told of our
faults and misunderstood. Sometimes our search for comfort cuts deeper than the
scars we already have, leaving us devastated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">We must not let this treatment
lead us into despair. We must realize how people are wired. They are not wired
to be our therapist. They are not strong enough for us to lean on. They are not
wise like Solomon. They are just human beings encumbered by their past, their
hang-ups and prejudices. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lately, I’ve felt
really sad and discouraged, mainly because of my fibromyalgia. I’ve been quite
sick and weak and I am tired of feeling sick and weak. I’ve been ill for almost
30 years. I’m tired of my mental illness, which I’ve had for the same amount of
time. I’m tired of my loneliness, and feelings of inadequacy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are other
problems I have and I sometimes feel a great need for comfort from someone. But
the ones I love so much are going through hard times too, and as I have learned
about marriage these years, I cannot expect from people what I feel I need so
desperately. I told the Lord, “I know I can only receive true comfort and
strength from you. You always come through for me, every time. Help me to stop
trying to find this great comfort anywhere else but in your arms.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Expectations of
others is a poison. It can turn your heart from them and they wouldn’t even
know why. They are not here to fulfill my needs. They are not here to read my
mind and try to make me feel good. My family has had a lot of pain and it’s
hard to help each other when we are all so damaged. We are also a happy family.
We laugh all the time, but there is in all of us an undercurrent of darkness or
a sort of flatness since we lost my two grandsons. It is described in the Bible
as having lost the light in one’s eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">When Job lost all ten
of his children, three of his friends came to console him, but they only made
him feel worse. They told him God would not let something like this happen to a
man who was a believer. They told him he must have sinned.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Job said, “I have
heard many things like these; <u>miserable comforters are you all</u>.<a name="4"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Is there no end to your long-winded
speeches?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
provokes you to continue testifying?<a name="5"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">I <i>could</i> also speak like you<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">if
you were in my place;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
<i><u>could</u></i><u> </u>heap up words against you<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">and
shake my head at you.<a name="6"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">But</span></u></i><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I would encourage you</span></u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"> with my mouth,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">and
the consolation of my lips would bring relief.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Job 16:1-5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">When David was in trouble with King
Saul, and his friends turned against him, he wrote,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“For it is not an
enemy who insults me;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">that
I could endure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is not a foe who rises against me;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">from
him I could hide.<a name="14"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">But
it is you, a man like myself,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">my
companion and close friend.<a name="15"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">We
shared sweet fellowship together;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">we
walked with the crowd into the house of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Psalm 55:12-14<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">These things are very painful and as
believers in God we have to deal with these experiences with the love of Jesus.
He loved his disciples even when they continually misunderstood him and then
deserted him. He didn’t give up on them. He did rebuke them but also forgave
them and wanted them to keep following him. He is our perfect example. He will
take us by our right hand and lead us forward on the everlasting path to himself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blessed
are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 5:3,4<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“He comforts us in
all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, then we
will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.</span>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 Corinthians 1:4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“But God, who
comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,</span> and not only
by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he
told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced
still more.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 Corinthians 7:6,7<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Though You have shown
me many troubles and misfortunes,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">You
will revive me once again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Even
from the depths of the earth<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">You
will bring me back up.<a name="22"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="reftext"><b><span style="color: #b34700; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://biblehub.com/psalms/71-21.htm"></a></span></b></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">You will increase my
honor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">and
comfort me once again.”<span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 71:20,21</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="regular" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="regular" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18.75pt;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-44892046586413118082023-07-29T02:06:00.000-07:002023-07-29T02:06:02.460-07:00The Language of God.<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6017aKJB1NhKnYNrTNmDMZU0FQ8-YeOewTDO7JwLeR8J3vTNAb3OMVg2Mj1CrNnrE5cgy9WLHRL7j_Hhoiz0HuhCB5imMqMFc_UxYAlYUNNI99-WpOBsRWHGy64zera1RNWyXbx8h0i52_j7mWJ8Y-yfQhx3ZUR2e0VCevc-H5oPsd38a7NL_22xFw/s1280/0.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6017aKJB1NhKnYNrTNmDMZU0FQ8-YeOewTDO7JwLeR8J3vTNAb3OMVg2Mj1CrNnrE5cgy9WLHRL7j_Hhoiz0HuhCB5imMqMFc_UxYAlYUNNI99-WpOBsRWHGy64zera1RNWyXbx8h0i52_j7mWJ8Y-yfQhx3ZUR2e0VCevc-H5oPsd38a7NL_22xFw/s320/0.5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Many years
ago, I was reading through the Psalms and came upon the verses below. The part
I have underlined bothered me. It said God’s people would never be left to the
power of evil people and be condemned. I knew this wasn’t true. There are
history books and the Bible itself that tell us how Jews and Christians have
been persecuted, condemned and killed all through time.</span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Psalm 37:32-34</span><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;">Though the wicked lie in wait for the
righteous,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">and seek to slay them,<a name="34"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">the LORD will not leave them in their power<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">or let them be condemned under judgment.<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Wait for the LORD and keep His way,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">and He will raise you up to inherit the land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When the wicked are cut off,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">you will see it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I told God my misgivings and it came into my mind that this
promise was made for the far future, when the judgement of God comes upon the
world. At that time, we will not be condemned and not only that God will raise
us up from our graves or from the earth to inherit our own land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I thought about all the promises I’d read in the Bible and
it all became clear to me why Jesus said things like, “Whatever you ask for in
my name, you shall receive it.” Because I knew that didn’t happen in a literal
sense. If it did, we would all be millionaires. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">God and Jesus speak in a Spiritual sense. They speak to us
about the deep things of life through poetry and the use of similes, metaphors,
personification and hyperbole. Jesus’ disciples had a very hard time
understanding what Jesus was trying to convey. This is just one example from
the Bible:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“When the disciples reached the other side of the lake, they
had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among
themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this,
said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the
fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the
five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the
seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is
it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not
tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the
Pharisees and Sadducees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew
16:5-12</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The rulers of the church of that time didn’t understand a lot
of what Jesus was teaching, but they did know that their influence of the
people was waning while Jesus’ influence was gaining and they hated him for
that.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I have noticed that whenever a person asked Jesus what he
meant, he always answered and explained. He did this for the disciples and this
has been true for me when I have had questions about spiritual things. The Lord
always brings the answer to my mind. I know it is him because it is usually
something I wouldn’t have thought of. My sister says the same thing. She brings
a problem to God and says, “You could do A. B. or C.” She told me he almost
always does D. Something that surprises her. We laugh a lot about how God
answers our prayers.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The Book of Revelation uses personification throughout.
Symbols, imagery and poetry abound. Even though the title of the book means, “to
reveal,” scholars disagree on what the book means. There are probably hundreds
of interpretations and I won’t go into that. However, there is one part of
Revelation most people have heard of and that is the number 666.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span></b><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And
the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come
down to earth in the presence of the people. Because of the signs it was given
to perform on behalf of the first beast, it <i><u>deceived </u></i><u>those</u> who dwell on the earth,
telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword
and yet had lived. The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image
of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to
worship it to be killed.<a name="17"></a>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
Mark of the Beast<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“And
the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and
slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,<a name="18"></a>
so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast
or the number of its name.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“Here
is a call for wisdom<u>: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of
the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.” </u>Revelation
13:11-18<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I
believe all scholars agree that the number 7 in the Bible signifies perfection.
God gave us 7 days, the Sabbath was made for us to worship God on the 7<sup>th</sup>
day. In the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus the number 7 was referred to over
and over. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed
the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. And he sprinkled
some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its
utensils and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.” Leviticus
8:10,11<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Jesus referred to the number 7 when talking about forgiveness:
“</span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then
Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother
who sins against me? Up to seven times?”<a name="23"></a> Jesus answered</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, “I
tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In
saying this, Jesus was telling us to always forgive. He told us that if someone
sinned against us 7 times in one day and asked for forgiveness, we must forgive
them.</span><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">666</span></u><u><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">So,
most have concluded that the number 7 symbolizes spiritual perfection. In the
case of the number 666, it is close to perfection, but it is off by one number
three times. In my opinion, this means it is an entity which is <i>close</i> to
spiritual perfection but is not. It <i>looks</i> spiritually perfect, but it is
not. The Bible text tells us it <i>deceives </i>the people of the world and
will <i>try</i> to force people to worship it or they will be killed. This
entity will not allow people to buy or sell unless they worship the way they
want. Most scholars see this as the time near the end of this world.</span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“And
a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships
the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, he
too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His
wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy
angels and of the Lamb. <u>And the smoke of their torment rises forever and
ever. </u>Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and
its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revelation 14:9-11 (There is no spiritual
rest for these people at the end. They have accepted a lie because they liked
the spirit of that lie.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
I started writing, I had no plans to write about 666 or the end of the world.
But sometimes this is the way it goes, and it seems God wants me to write about
it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
last thing. There are about 500 verses in the Bible that describe death as a
sleep or being in the grave. Jesus himself said death was a sleep. There is no
hell to go down to. There is no eternal punishment. God says, “All the wicked I
will destroy.” Period. Destroy does not mean keeping people alive in a place to
torture. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are a few verses that people believe says there is a hell like the one I
described. They are wrong. Personally, I could never worship a God who could
invent such a thing. The verse above which says, “…the smoke of their torment
arises forever,” is symbolic. The smoke lasts forever, which symbolizes their
sin, and the result of their sin will never, ever be forgotten so that no one
in the universe will desire to sin again. We will remember what rebellion against
the Lord of the Universe brings: heartache, destruction, pain, vile evil and
death.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-62443051556309416732023-07-01T18:15:00.003-07:002023-07-01T18:15:46.829-07:00We Don't Want You Here.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7L0eo2ijLkxuMKB0aRRbvhXnVw8n97zHQwmY1mZORHZgVhH-VaIPE7RdmIw_rpVUHEO9MEUYhiHDSBtJq8PGHfP8Fsdu_AdU2ZVMpAzpBT5diLlRWV7OsLQJsXuo16-uBXXuoPByqCjet287bd4f1EpNhxLNDq0shkv9jPeY964EAB0lYxqTcZMkaA/s800/woman%20at%20well.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="800" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7L0eo2ijLkxuMKB0aRRbvhXnVw8n97zHQwmY1mZORHZgVhH-VaIPE7RdmIw_rpVUHEO9MEUYhiHDSBtJq8PGHfP8Fsdu_AdU2ZVMpAzpBT5diLlRWV7OsLQJsXuo16-uBXXuoPByqCjet287bd4f1EpNhxLNDq0shkv9jPeY964EAB0lYxqTcZMkaA/s320/woman%20at%20well.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Painting by Guercino</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Yesterday, I
listened to a podcast where a woman in her forties spoke about what happened to
her when she was young. She was a Christian with two small children when her
husband left her for another woman. She went to church after her divorce and
signed up for a Bible Study group at her pastor’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When she
arrived, her pastor opened the door and was not inviting at all. He looked at
her like he didn’t want her there. She went into a room and men and women were
sitting in chairs. She found out, to her chagrin, that it was a Bible Study on
marriage. She sat down near some women and they stood up and moved away from
her. She sat near some men and they did the same thing. No one spoke a word to
her. When people were sharing their stories, they did not let her take a turn
to talk. She said, “I think I will leave now.” No one said anything. She sat in
her car and cried.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I can say,
with all the authority of the Bible, that those people were not acting like
Jesus. They either hadn’t read the Bible or they didn’t care what the Bible
said. They were not acting like Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The woman
joined another church. She offered to teach the little children. A woman said
to her, “Have you repented?” She answered, “Repented of what?” The lady said, “Repented
of your divorce.” She answered, “I have nothing to repent of, my husband left
me and is with another woman.” Still, that church thought she should repent. I
think their reasoning was that she could not have been a good wife or her
husband would never have left her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I know there
are churches, like the Baptist Church, who elevate marriage above the teachings
of Jesus. They want their women to be submissive and give their husbands sex on
demand. It is the woman’s fault if a man isn’t happy in a marriage. Unbelievable,
wicked and cruel beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve got to
give kudos to this woman for going to another church where she found love and
acceptance. I gave up going to church many years ago since most of the members
did not think or act like Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">There are
multiple stories in the Gospels of Jesus relating with women of all kinds, good
or bad. The fact he ate with prostitutes was charged against him by the church
leaders of that day. In the Bible, the longest conversation he had was with a
woman who had five husbands and when Jesus met her, she was living with a man. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus did
not hold this against her, in fact as far as we know, she was the first person
he told that he was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. She then ran and told
the people of her city who then went to Jesus to ask him questions. Jesus
stayed there two days and the people believed in him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When Jesus
saved a woman’s life who had been caught in adultery, he said, “I do not
condemn you, go and sin no more.” Of course he doesn’t want us to sin, for sin
always hurts people. But he doesn’t hold those bad things we have done against
us. Not ever. And when we follow Jesus, we will not want to hurt people and we will
ask him to help us. We want to be like Jesus who always knew what to say to each
person in order to encourage and strengthen them and draw them to the Father who
welcomes them into his family.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Do our works
save us for eternal life? Jesus plainly said no. “This is the work of God, that
you believe on him whom God has sent.” The gift of God is eternal life. It is a
gift, not earned. We shouldn’t be discouraged when we sin because we are weak
humans and will always have some sin in our lives until Jesus returns to take
us to heaven. Pau says,</span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> “For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.</span>” Romans 6:23<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“The word is near you; it is in your
mouth and in your heart,”</span> that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:<a name="10"></a>
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.<a name="11"></a> For with
your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and
are saved." Romans 10:8-10<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">"Therefore, there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.</span><a name="3"></a> For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.<a name="4"></a> For what the law
was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending
His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,<a name="5"></a> so that the righteous
standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the
flesh but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4<o:p></o:p></p><p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">"I know that nothing
good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is
good, but I cannot carry it out.<a name="20"></a> For I do not do the good I want
to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.<a name="21"></a> And
if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living
in me that does it.<a name="22"></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">So,
this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right
there with me.<a name="23"></a> For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.<a name="24"></a> But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law
of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.<a name="25"></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">What
a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to
God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">So
then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of
sin." Romans 7:18-25<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-74535261132984650882023-06-10T03:00:00.000-07:002023-06-10T03:00:06.839-07:00Do I Have to?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4o01MoB1Gqnk4CkBxjB4urVVvRypqF3Zg6YthqQMjvehm4hVWL2_N51RaYcFsfcILbVDUHyEMKkpQZgGzdEzS1mnVivGo-ewBOOqZoLcZVIr8ijqItvxFAtCLjfnRd6fNKJoDr2kgB62HDVq8vUoZhAhHmh-htQ9ctCQW8Sd5KHqVP6HXIFhEMY0/s774/Jesus2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="774" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4o01MoB1Gqnk4CkBxjB4urVVvRypqF3Zg6YthqQMjvehm4hVWL2_N51RaYcFsfcILbVDUHyEMKkpQZgGzdEzS1mnVivGo-ewBOOqZoLcZVIr8ijqItvxFAtCLjfnRd6fNKJoDr2kgB62HDVq8vUoZhAhHmh-htQ9ctCQW8Sd5KHqVP6HXIFhEMY0/s320/Jesus2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We human
beings don’t like being told what to do. From the age of 2 to the time of a one’s
death, we want to make our own decisions, make our own way in the world. I
remember when I was in my early 40s, my husband and I recycled cardboard and bottles.
Then the city passed a law to force all of us to recycle. To my shame I
thought, “Well, since they are forcing me to do it, now I don’t want to.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All through
our childhood, we were forced to do many things we didn’t want to do. I did not
want to go to school. I was afraid of everyone there. I did not want to go to
bed so early. I didn’t want to miss some shows on TV. I did not want to go to church.
It was excruciatingly boring and there was no air conditioning. We lived in
Southern California. We had fans with Jesus’ picture on them, but it didn’t
help much. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I was a
teen, I couldn’t go to dances. The church said it was dangerous because you
hold each other. I couldn’t date until I was 16. I wanted to date at 15. I
STILL had to go to school after years of agony, so I took some sleeping pills.
Not enough. I got my wish for one year. I had a government teacher in my home
and got straight A’s. But the next year, they sent me back to school again.
After acting in crazy ways, my parents sent me to live with relatives in
Canada. No more school, thank you God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Those
relatives had rules though, and I wanted no rules. I wanted to be with my
boyfriend, drink and have sex. So yeah, I got pregnant and the two families
berated me until I married him. But to tell the truth, I ended up being glad
because I loved my baby daughter and my husband too. We had a second daughter,
but our marriage ended in divorce, which was horribly painful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So to summarize,
I would say from my experience with my daughters and other people in my family
no one wants to be told what to do. In general, the controversy over masks,
vaccines, guns, and sexual identity, no one in the world wants to be ordered
around by anyone, even if it is good for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve been
wondering if that is why many people balk at the idea of God telling them what
to do. Perhaps it is the main reason they don’t want to accept him, walk with
him or pray to him. It’s our pride in ourselves and our independence we don’t
want to lose. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have
found, through trial and error, that God’s way is always best for me. I was
dating a man, the first since my divorce, he wanted to marry me and I wanted to
marry him. I had been so achingly lonely before I met him. He seemed very nice
and he liked my girls. One night, I asked God if it was okay if I married him.
I heard God speak to me, which was a surprise, he said, “What agreement has God
with Satan?” That verse is in the Bible. Did I listen to God? No, I didn’t. I
kept dating him until something awful happened.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One night I
was sleeping at his place, and when we were having sex, he started to hurt me.
I begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t. The next day when we were with my girls,
he looked at my oldest daughter and said, “She’s going to be a real looker.” I saw
how he looked at her and knew that he was a pervert. I was horrified and broke
off with him. I told God I was never going to look for a boyfriend or husband
again. If he wanted me to be with someone, he would have to send him to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s how
it worked out that two weeks later, I met my second husband, who was a believer
in God and he still is. He had way more faith in God than I ever did and still
does. We went through hard times, but I’m very glad I married him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I said to
someone once, “God isn’t asking a lot from us. The Ten Commandments are not
that hard! The first four are about worshipping God as creator of the universe.
The last six are: “Be respectful to your parents, don’t murder, don’t lie, don’t
steal, don’t sleep around on your partner, don’t be envious of what others
have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are those
things you want to do? Do you want to murder etc.? Of course, we are all
tempted to do some or all of these things. That’s where the first four commandments
come in. If we worship God and tell him we want to do good things, then he will
put that in our hearts and his goodness covers us. The temptations won’t be so
overwhelming. Still, some of us have sins that come into our minds a lot, some
of us give in to sins a lot. But God says, “Though a righteous man falls down
seven times, he will rise up. The wicked man falls down once.” God lifts us up
time and again as we stumble through this life on this sinful, dark planet. He
knows what we face for he has lived here himself. He was also tempted to do
wrong – he just never did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have a
temptation that comes to me a few times a month, but I say to God, “Lord, I don’t
want to think about that.” And then I don’t. He has shown me to just think
about something else the moment the temptation comes. Not that I am perfect,
far from it, but as Paul says, </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Not that I have
already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to
take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.<a name="14"></a> Brothers,
I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,<a name="15"></a> I
press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ
Jesus.</span>”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Philippians 3:12-14<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword? <a name="37"></a> As it is written:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">“For
Your sake we face death all day long;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">we
are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”<a name="38"></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.<a name="39"></a> For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Romans 8:35-39<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Jesus said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole
world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If
anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory
with the holy angels.</span>”<span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mark 8:36-38<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-86959722918901748572023-05-29T22:08:00.001-07:002023-05-29T22:08:44.604-07:00Habakkuk Asks God Questions.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPzKtPVwq7VRBon_usKbLRXqP3-q6FK8brSB4KzzT0sgQbRVDOESweMBrPXtJUd4LEph5umS2ToSU8zc1QxtQ6bsBlUnY0So-DQwZQHmhkP5mcTJ_GdtYt6MkNjhZH10kVa_LB3t5pYfI3BD-kzzczwTtriUW1si5W_NSfp-paIoUrswPcJDAwro/s2048/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2048" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPzKtPVwq7VRBon_usKbLRXqP3-q6FK8brSB4KzzT0sgQbRVDOESweMBrPXtJUd4LEph5umS2ToSU8zc1QxtQ6bsBlUnY0So-DQwZQHmhkP5mcTJ_GdtYt6MkNjhZH10kVa_LB3t5pYfI3BD-kzzczwTtriUW1si5W_NSfp-paIoUrswPcJDAwro/s320/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I just
finished listening to a sermon by Tim Keller on the book of Habakkuk chapter 1.
He spoke this in 2009, after the 2008 crash of Wall Street. Many people lost
their jobs at this time. It had become a hard time for almost everyone. As I
was listening, I thought it could be a sermon preached for today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The people
of Israel had become wicked. They were even doing more evil than the countries
that surrounded them. God had sent them many prophets, but they would not
listen to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Habakkuk was
a prophet of God at this time and his book opens with him asking God, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">O </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #001320; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">, how long shall I cry for help,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and you will not hear?</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Or cry to you “Violence!”</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and you will not save?</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Why do you make me see iniquity,</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and why do you idly look at wrong?</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Destruction and violence are before me;</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">strife and contention arise.</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">So the law is paralyzed,</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and justice never goes forth.</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">For the wicked surround the righteous;</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">so justice goes forth perverted.</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I would say
destruction, violence, strife and contention is the order of the day in our
world and in our own country. Americans have become two sets of people who
argue continually and some become violent and kill. There are record mass
shootings, the rule of law is threatened and of course when you think about
justice, it is sorely missing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Habakkuk wanted to know
why God wasn’t doing anything to stop it. Where was he? God answered him by
telling him the Babylonians would be coming to take the country of Israel by
war. Their goal was to rule the known world, which they did. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Habakkuk didn’t like to
hear that and asked if they would all be destroyed. He said, “Are we like fish
to be caught and killed?” He decided to wait and watch for God’s answer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The answer is interesting,
because God tells him to get pen and paper and write down what he says. He
tells Habakkuk what he is saying is going to happen in the far future and the
end of time. I know God’s answer is a lot to read, but it is also vitally
important if a person wants to know what the Lord’s will is for people. He
wants people to have love, justice and generosity, but what he describes of the world is the
opposite of that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">God is saying that at
times he must put an end to evil, in Habakkuk’s time and in ours. It’s because
there is too much evil and too many people are being harmed. At the end of
time, I think it will be a necessity because the world is dying from global
warming. He will come to rescue those who believe in him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m just going to copy
and paste Chapter 2 of Habbakuk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="reg" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Then the LORD said to
me,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">“Write
my answer plainly on tablets,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">so
that a runner can carry the correct message to others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">This
vision is for a future time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">It
describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">If
it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">for
it will surely take place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">It
will not be delayed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look at the proud!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But
the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Wealth is
treacherous,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
the arrogant are never at rest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
open their mouths as wide as the grave, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
like death, they are never satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">In
their greed they have gathered up many nations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
swallowed many peoples.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But soon their captives will taunt them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
will mock them, saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">‘What
sorrow awaits you thieves!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Now
you will get what you deserve!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You’ve
become rich by extortion,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">but
how much longer can this go on?’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly,
your debtors will take action.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
will turn on you and take all you have,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">while
you stand trembling and helpless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Because
you have plundered many nations,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">now
all the survivors will plunder you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
committed murder throughout the countryside<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
filled the towns with violence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">with
money gained dishonestly!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
believe your wealth will buy security,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">putting
your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But
by the murders you committed,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">you
have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">The
very stones in the walls cry out against you,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What sorrow awaits you who build cities<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">with
money gained through murder and corruption!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Has
not the LORD of Heaven’s Armies promised<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">that
the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
work so hard,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">but
all in vain!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">For
as the waters fill the sea,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">the
earth will be filled with an awareness<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">of
the glory of the LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What sorrow awaits you who make your
neighbors drunk!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
force your cup on them<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">so
you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But
soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Come,
drink and be exposed! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Drink
from the cup of the LORD’s judgment,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
all your glory will be turned to shame.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
cut down the forests of Lebanon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Now
you will be cut down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
destroyed the wild animals,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">so
now their terror will be yours.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">You
committed murder throughout the countryside<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
filled the towns with violence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="reftext"><b><span style="color: #b34700; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What good is an idol carved by man,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">or
a cast image that deceives you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">How
foolish to trust in your own creation—<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">a
god that can’t even talk!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">What
sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">‘Wake
up and save us!’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">To
speechless stone images you say,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">‘Rise
up and teach us!’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Can
an idol tell you what to do?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">They
may be overlaid with gold and silver,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">but
they are lifeless inside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="reftext"><b><span style="color: #b34700; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But the LORD is in
his holy Temple.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Let
all the earth be silent before him.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">At the end of his
book in Chapter 3, Habakkuk accepts all that God has said. He finishes with a
paragraph filled with faith:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">“Even though the fig trees have no
blossoms,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
there are no grapes on the vines;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">even
though the olive crop fails,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
the fields lie empty and barren;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">even
though the flocks die in the fields,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">and
the cattle barns are empty,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">yet
I will rejoice in the LORD!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">I
will be joyful in the God of my salvation!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 22.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">The
Sovereign LORD is my strength!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">He
makes me as surefooted as a deer, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">able
to tread upon the heights.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">If the time of the
end of the world happens while we are here, this is the attitude we must have
if we want to be saved from this world of sin. We see the sin in the news every
day. Everyone must choose who they want to follow, God or Man. Do we want the
things of this world which will ultimately be destroyed? Do we want to do
anything we can to have wealth, status and power? These are the people who ignore
or use the poor for their own ends. These are the people who start wars in
order to make money. These are the people who fight against the poor to have a
living wage. They buy up land, apartment buildings and houses and then ask exorbitant
prices so they increase the homeless population. Do you want to align with such
people? This is what the Lord is asking all of us. He has left that choice to
us, he cannot force anyone to turn to him and with his strength, become a good person.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">If you would like to
listen to Tim Keller’s sermon, you can find it here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/why-does-god-do-nothing-6002/">Why
Does God Do Nothing? - Gospel in Life</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="line2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 45pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-19970058059590033122023-05-28T03:05:00.001-07:002023-05-28T03:05:06.236-07:00My Childhood Heroes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9hjH_HCKAmyhvIXD_-jCS8nPJqDiTZ6oacbgfZ9ya5Yg0owVjgoXQjdE4_mJRihyp9-Pz0BaeHM_6yfIRsNqVsuyQEn9JIP1vZ4VqzbSr9PIXF7YXE9BD1r1p2pR8A2994D8KWDuLPHuQHcESsDKkWJInPtjQcd3VGrM_UuDJ7ryNpOn54hcn3Y/s800/Peter_Pan_001_(16019274358).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9hjH_HCKAmyhvIXD_-jCS8nPJqDiTZ6oacbgfZ9ya5Yg0owVjgoXQjdE4_mJRihyp9-Pz0BaeHM_6yfIRsNqVsuyQEn9JIP1vZ4VqzbSr9PIXF7YXE9BD1r1p2pR8A2994D8KWDuLPHuQHcESsDKkWJInPtjQcd3VGrM_UuDJ7ryNpOn54hcn3Y/s320/Peter_Pan_001_(16019274358).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Photograph: https://www.flickr.com/people/67543249@N02</span></div><p>I give permission for anyone to use my posts.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I remember going
to see the movie, “Peter Pan,” when I was a very little girl. The scene that
sticks in my mind is when Peter rescues Tiger Lily from drowning. From that
moment, he was my hero. I probably didn’t know what the word hero meant, but I
was in love. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later on,
Superman was my hero and the last one was Cary Grant, the movie star. He rescued
a lot of women too. “Notorious” was my favorite movie. He played the role of a
spy during WWII. Ingrid Bergman was a fellow spy too and she married a man who
was helping the Nazis. Her husband found out she was a spy and started to
slowly poison her. The scene I remember the most was Cary Grant coming to their
house and finding her in bed. He realized she was very sick and asked what had happened.
She smiled when she saw him, touched his cheek and said, “They’re poisoning me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At this
point in the movie they were in love, but he was angry at her for marrying the
other man. All anger left, only love filled the room. He picked her up out of
bed and began taking her down the staircase to the front door and his car. The
husband heard them and came out. There was a big scene, but they got away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I think I
was strongly drawn to Peter Pan, Superman and Cary Grant because I felt in
danger by my father who was abusing me sexually and sometimes physically. I
wanted to be rescued. As I aged, I lived in a fairytale world of looking for my
hero.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course, I
never found him, I found human, fallible men who sometimes loved me well and
sometimes hurt me badly. I had unrealistic expectations of what a marriage
would be. I was asking too much from the men who loved me. I chose men who were
overly confident, because I had no confidence in myself. I chose men with a
temper, since that is what I grew up with and it was familiar. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wish I had
understood myself and men when I was a young woman. Alas, that isn’t how life
usually is. Walking through life is how you learn about yourself and other
people. Now I’m 73 and I write about my experiences in the hopes I can help
other people. After all, it is through books and therapy that I learned what I
was thinking was wrong. But I am happy to report that since my husband had a
stroke and we are now together 24/7 all that learning has helped us have a
close relationship and happy retirement. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I did
finally find my hero though; it was Jesus all along. I wanted to belong to
Jesus when I was a little girl, but I had heard you couldn’t sin when you became
a Christian. I knew that wasn’t possible for me, so I gave up. But that was
another lie in my head. God doesn’t care if I’m perfect. Jesus was perfect for
me – the great plan of salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had all
these thoughts about my unrealistic expectation of life as I lay on the sofa listening to Danny Gorkey
singing, “This is What it Means.” Here are the lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I've built some dreams</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've held them close</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Celebrated perfect days</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I lost the one i loved the most</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Now she's 6 feet of earth away</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've cried til I thought I couldn't stop</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And I've laughed until it hurt</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And I've prayed in an empty parking lot</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And my friends were my church</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the joy can give you wings to fly</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the pain will cut you so just like a
knife</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There's fear, there's faith, there's loss, there's
grace</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've seen it from both sides</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means to be alive, alive</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means to be alive</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've seen the face, I've held the hand</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Of a child without a home</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">A casualty of circumstance</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Written off and all alone</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've cried for the wars that they've been through</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And i've walked by their side</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've watched what the power of love can do</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And how it changes lives</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the joy can give you wings to fly</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the pain will cut you so just like a
knife</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There's fear, there's faith, there's loss, there's
grace</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've seen it from both sides</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means to be alive, alive</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means to be alive</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means, this is what it means, this
is what it means to be alive, alive</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means, yeah</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the joy can give you wings to fly</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sometimes the pain will cut you so just like a
knife</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There's fear, there's faith, there's loss, there's
grace</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I've seen it from both sides</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is what it means to be alive</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-37404518184708746292023-05-12T02:23:00.004-07:002023-05-12T02:23:55.008-07:00"I'll Love You Tomorrow."<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZiKUT4V9QUKbwzVvulvuY53voeypYceFsKhOW6xcWjJnl4446A-NKWlY-Z8fWhfifA3UQDYzVNAQDJQnHFVoS4Cg9NGkFSZELuHQqE9TxSw_y1b5c-ORQpMsgBTnk7i5SESPURCoHJ-zgDau7qgqgbvcKRKLx-uNqxSvBQTNnRMazDDXf0G_Kiw/s1080/33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1080" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZiKUT4V9QUKbwzVvulvuY53voeypYceFsKhOW6xcWjJnl4446A-NKWlY-Z8fWhfifA3UQDYzVNAQDJQnHFVoS4Cg9NGkFSZELuHQqE9TxSw_y1b5c-ORQpMsgBTnk7i5SESPURCoHJ-zgDau7qgqgbvcKRKLx-uNqxSvBQTNnRMazDDXf0G_Kiw/s320/33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last night, as I sat on my balcony, I
heard a young man say to his girlfriend as she was leaving his place to go
home, “I love you, girl. I’ll love you tomorrow.” As she drove away, I thought
it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever heard. I wondered, had his
girlfriend been left by men before? Was she afraid of being left again? Or was
his love so overpowering that he couldn’t help but say it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I thought about God. I thought that one
of the best things about God is that he will never leave us. If we have given
our lives to God, it is <i>we</i> who must make the choice to leave <i>him</i>.
Jesus said,</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> “And
behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 28:20<span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the book of Hebrews, Paul repeats
this promise in Hebrews 13:6. I thought it was interesting Paul would write
about greed in the preceding words. He wrote, “Keep your life free from love of
money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, <u>“I will never
leave you nor forsake you.”</u></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hebrews 13:6<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At first, I thought it was a strange
thing to bring up right before God’s beautiful promise. But then I thought
about what it was like to be greedy, love money and not be content with what
you have. I realized these things would draw us away from God. If they are the
most important desires in our lives, we would soon be thinking of these desires
continually and forget God, or walk away from him. As Jesus has said, </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“No one can serve two masters, for
either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.</span>”<span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">My sister and I
are always commenting to each other how glad we have a God who always listens
to us and helps us. Problems that may seem small to other people are sometimes
huge problems for us. We both have chronic illnesses and when we have to do
some ordinary things, like take our car in to get fixed, go shopping, or go to
the dentist, these tasks loom like mountains before us. So, we ask God to help
us, to give us the physical strength we need to get through it, and he always
does. We feel sorry for people who don’t have his power and love to lean on.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">This doesn’t mean
he says yes to every prayer. We have not been healed, people we love have died,
but we understand that we live in a world that is very imperfect. And if we don’t
have the strength to leave home, we don’t. But honestly, I don’t think that has
happened when we have had an important appointment.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I’m going to
write down a few more verses on God’s promise to be with us. May the Lord be
with you all.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“For I, the LORD your God, hold your
right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah 41:13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I am
continually with you;</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">you hold my right hand.</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You guide
me with your counsel,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">and afterward you will receive me to glory.</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Whom have I in heaven but you?</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">My flesh and my heart may fail,</span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">but God is the strength</span></span></span><span class="footnote"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0066aa; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="indent"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">of my heart and my portion forever.</span>”</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #a80000; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Psalm 73:23-26</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Be strong and courageous; do not be
afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He
will never leave you nor forsake you.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Deuteronomy 31:6<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-60507231056935307362023-03-20T04:10:00.001-07:002023-03-20T04:10:26.856-07:00Accidentally Ironic.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tc0JCaV-90_tDlZdhVjK01yJ_l78_mIUOMda1oCLUCWm3SKldta80nkgd7WykmAINTb2K0DYDkflyg8fmSwPoP2yqMoNyOS-8entrnIxdEJa-gB5sDOjhSG4bIHCakS98S-5YQQGozav7M47hADFe_alMzhgSzVhT_qeOCkEo-Zh_44p7H1BfVc/s600/Jesus-bate-a-porta-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tc0JCaV-90_tDlZdhVjK01yJ_l78_mIUOMda1oCLUCWm3SKldta80nkgd7WykmAINTb2K0DYDkflyg8fmSwPoP2yqMoNyOS-8entrnIxdEJa-gB5sDOjhSG4bIHCakS98S-5YQQGozav7M47hADFe_alMzhgSzVhT_qeOCkEo-Zh_44p7H1BfVc/s320/Jesus-bate-a-porta-02.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">http://atitudeadventista.blogspot.com/2012/01/voce-daria-vida-de-seu-filho-por.html</div><br /><p></p><p>I once read a book written by an atheist. I think I got the book free when I belonged to Bookbub, but I'm not sure. I can't remember the author or the title of the book. Even so, I think I deserve a break on this because I'm 72, but that's up to you. </p><p>What I <i>do</i> remember was the shock I felt when I realized it was a book about prominent atheists throughout history. I'm a Christian, and somehow the title made me think it was a Christian book. I decided to read it anyway. What struck me was how many of the people he described had killed themselves. Meanwhile, he would write about how great it was to be an atheist. I had to laugh at the irony of that, but also felt very sorry for the ones who died that way.</p><p>I think of atheists sometimes and wonder how they can go through life believing there will be nothing for them after death. Just an eternal unconsciousness; never to see the ones you love again. My first husband's mother once asked me why on earth I would want to be a Christian. I answered, "Eternal life?" She did not think that was an important enough reason to lose her son. He wanted to leave me if I insisted on being a Christian. It wasn't really his fault. I gave myself to God after we were married for a year, and I changed. I wasn't the same party girl I was when we met and fell in love.</p><p>I believe the reasons for being an atheist is the unsound teachings of the churches. I know quite a bit about the teachings of different Christian churches, and I disagree with pretty well all of them. Not their entire dogma, but some of it. </p><p>For instance, I don't believe God will throw unbelievers into a hell where they will be in pain forever. This is a horrible teaching that has probably kept millions of people from becoming Christians. I don't believe God waits around for us to screw up so he can punish us. I used to believe that because I come from a fundamentalist religion. So yes, I kept expecting lightening to strike me down every day.</p><p>I don't believe consensual sexual sins are worse than any other sins. Actually, I would bet they are not very important sins at all. Jesus barely mentioned them What he spoke about was the high and mighty people who took advantage of the poor, the widows and the orphans. He told people who thought they were better than others that they were <i>not. </i>He spoke a lot about money and how we must share it. He said loving money was a terrible sin that caused many people to be lost. </p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">He warned people about looking down on others for any reason. Jesus said to them, </span><span class="red" face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">“Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21:31,32 It was because of Jesus telling the elite religious people what they were doing wrong that they killed him. </span></p><p><span class="red" face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">There is a verse in the Bible I think of when I think of atheists. "Taste, and see that the Lord is good." I wish those who don't believe in God would just give him a chance. Just pray and read the Bible, especially the New Testament. I'm not sure if that verse means, "Try God on, like you would a coat at a store." But I believe if you are sincere about wanting to know if God exists, ask him to let you know. He will. </span></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-51003333583564192812023-03-04T03:11:00.000-08:002023-03-04T03:11:10.990-08:00Fear.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xXx7OkJRWBtJt39w8QxN_ZD9UH182jMom87fDf3cskPjN7bwu4kP_pE4AQiVDkBsRRc5OdkKH_2ko6gMslWTJt7V2h7fidhpAwHH6XGpwo5SSRnyv1MFn1pMs8PqafBa7pcZNkkbgimYOBlF6_j4Mo8GlSIx88B7EpqLp915sJefRihtt26xS-w/s2048/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xXx7OkJRWBtJt39w8QxN_ZD9UH182jMom87fDf3cskPjN7bwu4kP_pE4AQiVDkBsRRc5OdkKH_2ko6gMslWTJt7V2h7fidhpAwHH6XGpwo5SSRnyv1MFn1pMs8PqafBa7pcZNkkbgimYOBlF6_j4Mo8GlSIx88B7EpqLp915sJefRihtt26xS-w/s320/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fear. An
overwhelming emotion I’ve had all my life. At the age of 72, fear still invades
my mind, even though I rarely leave my apartment in an attempt to not risk
being afraid and acting strange in public. But of course, in your apartment you
can fear all the things that haven’t happened yet, but surely will. You can
fear you aren’t being a good enough wife, mother and grandmother. You can fear
you aren’t a good enough Christian, that there is always more you could do for
God and for people. You can look back on your life and fear it was mostly a
waste.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know where
this fear comes from. When I was two years old, my father beat me black and
blue because I would cry at night and not go to sleep. (He told me this
himself). He sexually abused me until I was 10. My sister told me she wished
she could kill me. She said she’d love to put a pillow over my face and smother
me. This is how I learned to fear my family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I was
very young, my sister told me the Japanese neighbors, who lived across the
street, poisoned children with soup. She warned me never to go near their
house. So, I learned to fear neighbors. In first grade, I had a teacher who
would whip the boys with tree branches. We could hear their screams from the room
beside us. So, I learned to fear school. When we visited my grandparents in Los
Angeles, my sister told me not to walk down alleys because men would put a
bucket over my head and drive nails through it. So, I learned to be afraid in
large cities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I feared
God. I was raised in a fundamentalist church and there was a lot of talk about
sin. It was pounded into us that any sin at all was horrible. I wanted to be a
Christian, but I knew I could never, ever be that good. When I did come to
Jesus at 19, whenever I sinned I expected God to kill me. I’m still a Christian
and I know better now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was
crippled by fear. I remember when I was 6 I had to walk a far bit to school. I
would drag the toes of my shoes along sidewalk, wearing them out, because I
didn’t want to go. I also dragged my shoes on the way home. There was a
railroad track between the school and home. I loved watching the trains as they
sped by. I loved looking at them when they were just sitting there. My desire
was to jump on one that would take me far away. But to where? I didn’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">High school
was a particular kind of fear. When I started grade 10, I didn’t know anyone at
the school. I hid in a stall in the bathroom at lunchtime for three months. I
finally met a nice girl and we were friends for a time. I made other friends,
but the friendships never lasted more than six months. Even now, I don’t know
why.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dating was a
nightmare. I was so afraid on dates I couldn’t speak. I had some really cool
guys ask me out, but I was horribly boring. In order to enjoy my company, the
guy would have had to be a non-stop talker. (My first husband. Lol)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I found out
boys always wanted to touch you. I didn’t find it hard to say no. The first
time a boy tried to take my bra off I said, “What are you doing?” I really didn’t
know. I figured it out. My father hated me dating and called me a slut. I was a
virgin. I dated a boy once and he told everyone I was easy and he screwed me. A
lie. After that, I didn’t care too much about staying a virgin. I lost that
status after I was date-raped. Not that I knew what it was. I had passed out
from drinking and woke up by being thrown on the bed, my clothes taken off and
then him inside me. To be honest, he was very good looking and I liked being
wanted by him. There was blood on the bed, and he asked in horror, “Are you a
virgin?” I told him I was. I think he was ashamed of what he did, but I don’t
really know. Any time I saw him at school, he looked away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Grade 11 I
decided to run away from home and go to San Francisco because that’s where the
hippie movement was located. My father caught me stealing money from his wallet
in the middle of the night. I told my parents how unhappy I was. They decided
to send me to Canada to stay with relatives. I was happy to get away and that
is where I married my first husband. (The one who never stops talking. He is
still like that, and it’s strange that even now when I see him, I feel a warmth
for him. I’m afraid no one else likes him because they say he is narcissistic.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Okay, I have
explained why I have this fear inside me. I have been to therapy a few times
and it helped me very much. I went to anxiety groups. I began to understand why
I do what I do, but none of that took my fear away. I tried to get a university
degree, and I did make it through 2 years with high grades, but my mental
illness got in the way and I quit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Most jobs I
tried were over in one day because of my fear. My second husband is very
understanding. Living on one wage most of our marriage has been close to
impossible, but he never complains. I still apologize to him because I’ve felt
guilty about how hard life has been for us. I did do some babysitting and I
worked as a janitor for a year. This was to buy school clothes for our two daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know
why I’m writing this. I guess I wanted to let people know why some people are
afraid, why some people can’t work, even though they are intelligent and look
normal. I wanted to let people know this kind of fear is a mental illness. I
want Christians to know that even though a fearful person prays about it,
sometimes the fear never leaves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">C.S. Lewis
told a friend who had a mental illness to realize it is like losing a leg. God
isn’t going to grow the leg back, but he will help you live without it. I can
attest to that. God has given me the greatest comfort, joy and love than any
person has given me. He is amazing. My biggest problem is sometimes forgetting
to talk with him about my feelings and worries. I do it, but I want to do it
every time I’m upset about anything and many times I forget.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus said, “Don’t
worry about tomorrow, about what you will eat, drink or wear. Each day has problems
of its own.” He promised we don’t need to fear because he is with us. Paul
wrote, “Have no anxiety about anything, but with petitions and prayers, with
thanksgiving, make your requests to God and the peace that passes all
understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” I repeat these
verses to myself and they always help.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I didn’t
know that when you become a Christian, you would still have problems in your
life that don’t go away quickly. In fact, you may have to pray about that
problem until Jesus comes back or you die. I wish I had known that in the
beginning of my walk with God, but I didn’t, so I keep marching on knowing God
loves me just as I am.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6e-C0P83paQsIWSM1AY8yiYzfHV_8CpxEpSlhil-mgZhDGxHpmM_qIpTEKsHVbntxRQaYf5FiEvoOILCxstXL9CMliHCAuh82n9bxI5H1-Xrk0JAdzg3qazWUl6AncBoMHB8TWekuuwlO2ubpCK80LcmWekAraklHwwTvYipS47YqtbgPk9cmy8/s2048/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6e-C0P83paQsIWSM1AY8yiYzfHV_8CpxEpSlhil-mgZhDGxHpmM_qIpTEKsHVbntxRQaYf5FiEvoOILCxstXL9CMliHCAuh82n9bxI5H1-Xrk0JAdzg3qazWUl6AncBoMHB8TWekuuwlO2ubpCK80LcmWekAraklHwwTvYipS47YqtbgPk9cmy8/w320-h239/14207720_10153891303976305_8703444020603989470_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p></p><br />Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-16481034060779789472023-03-02T01:04:00.001-08:002023-03-02T01:04:38.447-08:00Is God A Narcissist?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XYkXk-SbhdgQONKcKcPUaVisz85w9Kd-2tvgb9R7uQWlZ2wXY_HWWaQwSRgs2zGI-7A9__SpJFo6TNoE3QgEdps0Z_37nu5UG0ReisjenybBHCBJXQccrgPzsLSOPQAfl7hogFo_rbbhvao3YEFR6B04m36zYJHIgWu-HqPmDFIPxy3heY3pxA0/s640/640px-Tablets_of_the_Ten_Commandments_in_The_Ten_Commandments_trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XYkXk-SbhdgQONKcKcPUaVisz85w9Kd-2tvgb9R7uQWlZ2wXY_HWWaQwSRgs2zGI-7A9__SpJFo6TNoE3QgEdps0Z_37nu5UG0ReisjenybBHCBJXQccrgPzsLSOPQAfl7hogFo_rbbhvao3YEFR6B04m36zYJHIgWu-HqPmDFIPxy3heY3pxA0/s320/640px-Tablets_of_the_Ten_Commandments_in_The_Ten_Commandments_trailer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I was watching an old Bill Maher show the other night and he started ranting about God and Christianity. I know how he feels about religion, so it was no surprise. I like watching his show, "Real Time with Bill Maher, because I think he is on the right side of many issues and I like the guests. Also, I like him because he seems totally honest about what he thinks. He is like a breath of fresh air in the middle of a dark smog of lies.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, this time he said something I hadn't heard before, he said something like, "God is narcissistic." He said the first three commandments out of the ten was all about God and how we had to worship only him.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That is true. God did say that, along with the fact that he is the only God and there are no others. But the things God says and does always have a deep and loving reason. If you study the Bible, you can understand why he says, "You shall have no other Gods besides me." It is death to do anything else.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We are involved in a war of the universe, a war between good and evil. God says to worship him because that is how we declare we are in allegiance with him and against evil. Evil started in heaven where there was a great war. Satan and his angels against the angels who sided with God. Satan lost the battle and was thrown out. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey an easy command of God's, they chose the side against God, and we have all paid for that choice. That part wasn't really fair for the rest of humanity, so God made a way of escape and salvation which is available to everyone on earth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm not like the majority of Christians who think that people have to know the story of Jesus' sacrifice before they can be saved to live in heaven. I believe God gave us all a conscience to teach us in the right way to go. He put a light in us so that we can choose to follow him or not. The Book of John says, "The true light, <u>who gives light to every man, </u>was coming into the world." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am 72 years old, and if there is one thing I know about God, he will gladly run to any person who turns towards him and asks for help to understand all the things we don't understand about life and death. He will patiently, over many years, teach and strengthen anyone who asks. And that's the thing. You have to ask. Although his Spirit calls us and is in our minds, He will not force himself on anyone.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A lot of people think God is a tyrant because he did cause the death of many nations in the Old Testament. I used to wonder why God did that, so I studied what those people were like. They were pretty horrible; the worst of their practices was burning their children alive to their gods. They did much more than this, they were violent, greedy, slave traders, rapists, and thieves who would go to towns and steal their produce from their farms. Not the kind of people you would want in your neighborhood. They also committed genocide, which is what people accuse God of doing. But God is not a man. He knows who to kill and who to keep alive. I believe he killed those people to protect the world from them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I will tell you a true story of what happened to a friend of our family. Her daughter had a boyfriend who was an abuser and beat her, but she kept going back to him. A familiar story. She became pregnant and he was put in jail for something violent, I don't remember what. He hated our friend and her husband because they tried to talk their daughter into leaving him, but she wouldn't. He used to threaten to harm them. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The day came for him to leave jail, and he was living with her daughter and acting horrible, as usual. Our friend was beside herself with worry and grief. My family all began praying for her and her daughter. A week later, the violent boyfriend died in a car crash. The police said they believed it was a suicide. When my granddaughter told me this I said, "Well, he can't harm anyone ever again." I was relieved when he died and so was everyone else. I'm sorry, but evil people scare me, and I want no part of them. Just think of the movies and how much you want the evil bad-guy to get caught or die. I trust God's decisions. He made the universe; he knows what he is doing. I want to live under his government because it is founded on love, righteousness and mercy. He cannot bring anyone to heaven who doesn't agree with that, and I'm glad.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My sister always says, "It is hard to be lost." She knows how almost everyone she meets has thought about God in one way or the other. I found that to be true in the jobs I did when I was young. Eventually, on a lunch break or after work, a conversation would come up about belief in God or religion. Everyone there had an experience with this. Most had made a decision one way or the other. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">God wants to talk with you. In the Bible he pleads and begs people to come to him. He wants you to come live with him forever. He wants you to know how much he loves you and your family. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One thing about the Bible. It is not an easy book with easy answers. There are verses in there that seem to say something, but when you read the Bible as a whole, you will see you may have interpreted them wrongly. Some verses seem to say God will not allow you to be harmed, but we know from reading about his prophets that some of them were harmed and some were killed. I think the verses that promise prosperity and safety refer to heaven. God does save and protect his people many, many times, but not always. Some of us die a terrible death, some get cancer, some suffer with a chronic illness. This is our cross in this world. Jesus carried his cross of suffering and he said, "Take up your cross and follow me." He will give us strength to do that, to endure anything in this world, if you ask him.</span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-67002654899495545912023-02-15T01:13:00.001-08:002023-02-15T01:13:35.211-08:00Getting Well from a Lack of Nutrition and King Solomon.<p> I've been quite sick since Christmas and found out I was not eating enough protein. So now with salt, carbs and protein I am finally well. It took time for my body to adjust to eating different foods, but with the help of my daughter, I am on a healthy diet. I've never been interested in food or nutrition, and I used to believe what I read in magazines that Americans get enough vitamins from their food and not to worry about taking vitamins. Also, sometimes I'm not too bright.</p><p>Meanwhile, I've been studying the Bible and talking with God. I started a Bible study on the book of Ecclesiastes on a podcast by Nicole Unice. You can find her here: <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/how-to-study-the-bible/">How To Study The Bible - Nicole Unice</a>. I'm enjoying it very much. I went ahead and read the whole book. I had read it before, but didn't think much about it. Didn't really like it.</p><p>But I've learned some valuable lessons from Ecclesiastes. I was surprised to read Solomon say that in wisdom there is much sorrow. He was the wisest man who ever lived, according to the Bible. Nicole explained that the more you know what is going on in the world the sadder you are. I understand that. It is how we all feel after reading or watching the news. The horrible things people do to each other is beyond understanding. So, Solomon concluded there was no happiness in wisdom.</p><p>He told us he decided to try to find happiness in money and having a good time. He was a very wealthy king and had everything he could desire. He didn't find happiness in this either. He writes, "A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only of having a good time." Thinking about death, can move us to thinking about what happens after death.</p><p>And this is what Ecclesiastes is all about, one man trying to make sense of the world, but all he found was vanity and chasing after wind. Because we all eventually die, Solomon found everything meaningless. That is until the last paragraph where he writes, "Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad."</p><p>There are two sides to God. There is his judgement and his love and mercy. God warns us many times in the Bible that we will all be judged on what we have done. If we have harmed people, we will be condemned. But if we tell God we are sorry for what we have done, he runs to meet us, to forgive us and hold us close. Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that we might know you, the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah whom you have sent." As we know God, we will always be asking for forgiveness because we all sin. But he always forgives and understands. When God comes into your heart and life, you actually <i>want</i> to do good. This is called our "second birth." We are now adopted by God into the family in heaven. Once that has happened, God says to us, "I will never leave you, and I will never, never forsake you."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-57537756984317081732022-12-24T15:42:00.003-08:002022-12-24T15:42:47.322-08:00Low-Salt Diets Can Make You Sick.<p> </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All my adult
life I have read that too much salt is bad for the body. When my husband had a
stroke, the doctors put him on a low-salt diet. I was dieting myself at the
time and barely ate any salt or carbs. Over a year and a half I lost around 20
pounds and was very happy, however I became sick<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My daughter,
Christine, is a nurse who lives about 6 hours from us. When she came to visit,
she looked over my diet schedule, which included what I ate and how much.
She became worried and said, “Mom, you aren’t eating enough!” I said, “Yes, I
am. This diet is working great!” I had never found it easy to diet and was very
proud of myself. She told me I don’t eat enough carbs. As far as I was
concerned, carbs were the enemy of losing weight, so I ignored what she said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then,
shortly after she went home, I started vomiting when my stomach was empty. It
would come on all of a sudden, with hardly any warning. I would run to the
kitchen and grab a bowl. Afterwards, I could sit down to eat my lunch, so I knew
it wasn’t the flu. Also, I began to feel like I was going to faint, and my legs
became very weak when I awoke in the morning. I was used to having weak legs
because I have fibromyalgia, but this was much worse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then my
husband got the results of his blood tests, and it said his salt was low. I
looked this up on the internet and found all the symptoms I was having. My
husband decided to eat more salt and so did I. The vomiting stopped and if I
eat salt before bed, my legs are not weak. I don’t like salty food, so I put
some in a glass with water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am
including two addresses off the internet to share with you. There are hundreds
of sites to visit about this subject. I am not telling everyone to eat more
salt, I am just telling you what happened when I did not eat enough. I’m also
eating the Dreaded Carbs. This makes me mad, but I have found my energy goes up
when I eat more of them. I think I have gained back maybe 3 pounds. I need to
figure out how to maintain the weight I am at. What a pain in the neck. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Merry Christmas,
Everyone. May God’s light shine upon you and your families. May he bless you
with his presence and bring peace, joy and love to your soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sodium-per-day">Daily Salt Intake:
How Much Sodium Should You Have? (healthline.com)</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711">Hyponatremia
- Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-85941713033621195922022-12-01T19:15:00.008-08:002022-12-01T19:15:44.900-08:00We All Need A Little Hope.<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I opened my app to “Abide”,
a daily Bible study and also an aid to sleeping, the verse for the day was
this:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“The people walking in
darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.</span>” Isaiah 9:2<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I thought, “If ever there
was a land of deep darkness it is here and it is now.” I know in the past there
have been many dark times, but to my generation (Baby Boomers), this is the
darkest time we have seen with our own eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This verse was written
around 740 BC and it was a prophecy about Jesus’ birth. It goes on to say,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“For unto us a child is born,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">unto us a son is given,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">and the government will be upon His shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And He will be called<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.<a name="8"></a>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The time of Jesus’ birth
was indeed a dark era. Ancient Rome ruled the world and they were ruthless in
their conquest. They did some good things, like bring water to cities by aqueducts,
build roads and promote sanitation. They also banned human sacrifice, which
they found abhorrent. But as we know, their rule was corrupt, cruel and without
mercy. People needed hope and many found it in the Son of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Christian religion
began with a handful of Jesus’ followers, but as people heard the amazing story
of how God’s son became a human being in order to save us, thousands and then
millions believed. This message gave them hope that though our life here might
be fraught with trouble, this wasn’t the only life, there was a life ahead with
the God of the universe waiting to be with us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As I said before, this is
the darkest time I have lived in (I’m 72). With Russia invading Ukraine, the
world is on the brink of a world war. The United States is being torn apart by
the people on the left and right. Politics is a shitshow. The hatred between
the two opposing camps could cause a split between the states or a civil war.
Instead of coming together over the plague of Covid, we became farther apart. Politicians
and regular citizens are getting death threats over disagreements about our
culture and political stance. Lies are spread throughout media platforms. Trust
in authorities has eroded because of the terrible things done in the past by
some of them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I hear on podcasts and
read in newspapers how people are trying to cling to hope for the future, but
it is hard for them. In my opinion, Global Warming will kill this planet. I
think we have gone over the line of no return. Many people are deciding not to
have children because of the disasters they see coming. Everyone needs hope.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1stline" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why are you downcast, O my soul?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why
the unease within me?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Put
your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">my
Savior and my God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 43:5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Three things will
last forever—faith, <u>hope</u>, and love—and the greatest of these is love.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 Corinthians 13:13<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">Paul explains hope
very well in Romans 8:18-25:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…with
eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s
children in glorious freedom from death and decay. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of
childbirth right up to the present time. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy
Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to
be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day
when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,</span> including
the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved.
(If we already have something, we don’t need to hope<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">for
it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait
patiently and confidently.)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a beautiful song,
written and sung by Danny Gorkey called, “Hope in Front of Me.” Here are a few
lines:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I've been running
through rain<br />
That I thought would never end.<br />
Trying to make it on faith<br />
In a struggle against the wind.<br />
I've seen the dark and the broken places, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But I know in my soul<br />
No matter how bad it gets<br />
I'll be alright.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There's hope in front of
me<br />
There's a light, I still see it<br />
There's a hand still holding me<br />
Even when I don't believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
might be down, but I'm not dead</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There's better days still up ahead</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Even after all I've seen</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There's hope in front of me, yeah</span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="indent2" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 22.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-83445361254709094412022-11-05T00:04:00.006-07:002022-11-05T00:04:43.672-07:00The Broken Parts of Our Lives.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRfm8aUm3dF8rdKPtZufsUgkgBmGGFYVu1Bn9rMhRNg9A2doY_nwW6bqs9xcxffdjy_4AOcpcJ8GxBTVJemqqUlvQ2FsSxRDk-MRSAtxhl6ycPZfSzV0rN9yUjBbm61_Ez_CifCLZimg-BXp0IpO1YlayQf4WVDoRA4cdj2uyf2YWQS2DZJCf5uw/s958/urn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRfm8aUm3dF8rdKPtZufsUgkgBmGGFYVu1Bn9rMhRNg9A2doY_nwW6bqs9xcxffdjy_4AOcpcJ8GxBTVJemqqUlvQ2FsSxRDk-MRSAtxhl6ycPZfSzV0rN9yUjBbm61_Ez_CifCLZimg-BXp0IpO1YlayQf4WVDoRA4cdj2uyf2YWQS2DZJCf5uw/s320/urn.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Painting by Belle Unruh</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Broken
Parts of Our Lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I look
back on the events in my life that broke my heart, I can see how grief has changed
me. The pain in other people’s lives made me want to listen to and help them. My
own pain taught me lessons, like how a parent feels when a child rebels and
enters into a self-destructive life, and how one feels when someone they love
has died. I understand the pain of divorce and mental illness. My heart goes
out to those who are suffering and has led me to donate to charities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Having gone
through poverty and a few months of homelessness, I look with pity on people
who wander the streets and go through garbage cans. I have a deep desire to
give to the poor. Without my own suffering, I probably would have gone on as I
did when I was young, happy and carefree, not giving a thought to those who are
hurting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have seen
images of broken pottery being compared to our lives and the caption is usually
something like this: “God shines best through our broken spaces.” I decided to
paint this image. When I sent a photo of my painting to a friend, he wrote a
letter back and told me his story of a broken urn. I want to share this with
everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Around 20 years ago, my wife’s brother was helping us carry
items into the house from the cargo bay of our SUV. We had been shopping at a
Target Store and had purchased a very large painted ceramic urn that we wanted
to use as a decorative indoor accent. We had a hand truck (dolly), but her
brother, being a macho man, insisted that he could bear hug the urn and carry
it in by himself. We reluctantly agreed to let him do it. He was 10 feet
from where we wanted the urn positioned when he lost his grip and it fell to
the floor and shattered. At first, we thought the urn was a total loss,
but it was so expensive that my wife wanted to see if she could salvage
it. Fortunately, most of the pieces were large, enabling her to
"work the jigsaw puzzle" and glue them back together. When she
finished, we were amazed at the result. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The urn wound up having more character and looking more
interesting and beautiful than it was before it was broken. It was
"perfectly imperfect." The glue bulged from the cracks a little and
turned a tan color, making it appear that the urn was draped in rope. We
have had the urn proudly displayed in our family room ever since with an
artificial palm tree inside it. It is a conversation starter. Visitors notice
it immediately and remark how lovely it is. They don't believe it when we tell
them how it "came together" by accident.</span>”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe God allows pain in our lives to make us into better
people. Unfortunately, we don’t learn much from a wonderful day at Disneyland.
I know death, pain and suffering are a result of sin and come from Satan and
everyone shares in that pain. We were given no choice to be born into a fallen
world, but God gives us each a chance to follow him. If we do, instead of anger
and bitterness at our lot, learning of God’s love for us and the world will melt our hearts
and we can learn good from evil. God’s
rescue plan is vast, he has many ways of reaching out to us, and not all of
them involve pain. In fact, it was the birth of my first daughter that made me
turn my face towards God. I wanted to be a good mother and knew I couldn’t do
it without him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a wonderful chapter in the Book of Psalms. It shows
in detail how God draws people to himself. I hope you will take the time to
read it. Each example of people in terrible trouble ends in praise to God. I’ve
shortened the chapter:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalm 107<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some
wandered in desert wastes,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">finding no way to a city to dwell in;</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">hungry and thirsty,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">their soul fainted within them.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">Then they cried to the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> in their trouble,</span></span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and he delivered them from their distress.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">He led them by a straight way</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">till they reached a city to dwell in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some sat in
darkness and in the shadow of death,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">prisoners in affliction and in irons,</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">for they had rebelled against the words of God,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and spurned the counsel of the Most High.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">they fell down, with none to help.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">Then they cried to the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> in their trouble,</span></span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and he delivered them from their distress.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and burst their bonds apart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some were
fools through their sinful ways,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">they loathed any kind of food,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and they drew near to the gates of death.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">Then they cried to the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> in their trouble,</span></span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and he delivered them from their distress.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">He sent out his word and healed them,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and delivered them from their destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some went
down to the sea in ships,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">doing business on the great waters;</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">they saw the deeds of the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">,</span></span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">his wondrous works in the deep.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">which lifted up the waves of the sea.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">their courage melted away in their evil plight;</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">they reeled and staggered like drunken men</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and were at their wits’ end.</span> <br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">Then they cried to the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> in their trouble,</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and he delivered them from their distress.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">He made the storm be still,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and the waves of the sea were hushed.</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">Then they were glad that the waters</span></span><span class="footnote"><b><i><sup><span style="background: white; color: #0066aa; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></sup></i></b></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">were quiet,</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and he brought them to their desired haven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let them
thank the </span></span><span class="divine-name"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">LORD</span></span><span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> for his steadfast love,</span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">for his wondrous works to the children of man!</span></span><br />
<span class="ln-group"><span style="background: white;">And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent"><span style="background: white;">and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p><br /></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-32450670474490678562022-10-02T03:15:00.004-07:002022-10-02T03:26:45.310-07:00Do You Find Being Christian A Burden?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwIpgDy1dghWM9ntXZP2fc-L2AM3TqpWLx_JI-wL1AEVMHag35gMf1fpO4lUmEb0jH6THRF62-nUuPr3WaeF7OBV1HZCUoFCAvk_UW_JKJYoCSqwrYplJVQ9_RM-NhuPPCu30lv-P9lf-nWdLbK28bC8bpSrR2Mm6yzEPRG2w689Zt2avETsSYrs/s800/800px-Hikers_with_packs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="800" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwIpgDy1dghWM9ntXZP2fc-L2AM3TqpWLx_JI-wL1AEVMHag35gMf1fpO4lUmEb0jH6THRF62-nUuPr3WaeF7OBV1HZCUoFCAvk_UW_JKJYoCSqwrYplJVQ9_RM-NhuPPCu30lv-P9lf-nWdLbK28bC8bpSrR2Mm6yzEPRG2w689Zt2avETsSYrs/s320/800px-Hikers_with_packs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Kafziel</div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I used to
find being a Christian was a heavy burden. When I was first a Christian, I was
afraid of God and his anger. I was raised in a strict, fundamental church. I
thought I should strive to be perfect. Of course, I couldn’t become perfect so
I was in despair. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I learned
from a traveling preacher that this isn’t what God wants from us. No one is
perfect but him. I learned that if we could become perfect, Jesus needn’t have
died for us. He covers us with his perfection. This was a great relief to me,
but sometimes when I sin I can still feel pretty discouraged. There are so many
ways to goof up and choose wrong things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I often remember Jesus said, “My burden is light.” And
when asked what the most important commandment was he answered, “</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind.<a name="39"></a> This is the first and greatest
commandment.<a name="40"></a> And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.<a name="41"></a> All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.”</span> <span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">In Micah 6:8 it says, “</span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">He has told you, O man, what
is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?</span> Micah 6:8
This is not a burden, it is a privilege.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’ve been
listening to songs sung by Danny Gorky. He has such a strong, beautiful voice
and the songs he sings are uplifting. One of them speaks to this subject. It is
called, Love God Love People. I thought I’d print the lyrics here because I
think they are true. I’ve shortened the length a bit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Love God,
Love People:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">I've
been running in circles<br />
Jumping the hurdles<br />
Getting caught in that rush of doing so much<br />
I'm feeling kinda worn out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">All
this checking the boxes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
Trying to be flawless<br />
Has me spinning my head, catching my breath<br />
Too afraid to slow down<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">I
tell myself to keep this up </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">That God wants more than just my love </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But I've been complicating things </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">It's just like me to overthink</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Gotta
keep it real simple, keep it real simple </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Bring everything right back to ground zero </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">'Cause it all comes down to this </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Love God and love people.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br />
We're living in a world that keeps breakin'<br />
But if we want to find a way to change it<br />
It all comes down to this<br />
Love God and love people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Oh,
this is freedom</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
The keys to the Kingdom<br />
Knowing life will be found when love can be loud<br />
'Cause love is what it's all about<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">I
tell myself to keep this up</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
That all God wants is just my love<br />
No more complicating things<br />
No more need to overthink<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Gotta
keep it real simple, keep it real simple</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
Bring everything right back to ground zero<br />
'Cause it all comes down to this<br />
Love God and love people <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">We're living in a world that keeps breakin'<br />
But if we want to find a way to change it<br />
It all comes down to this<br />
Love God and love people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Love
is patient, love is kind</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
Rescues hearts and changes lives<br />
Love is all we need to make things right<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br />
Gotta keep it real simple, oh<br />
It's really so simple, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Gotta
keep it real simple, keep it real simple<br />
Bring everything right back to ground zero<br />
'Cause it all comes down to this<br />
Love God and love people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">We're
living in a world that keeps breakin'</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">But
if we want to find a way to change it</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">
It all comes down to this <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Love
God and love people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #767676; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt;">Songwriters:
Ben Glover, Danny Gokey, Jeff Sojka, Colby Wedgeworth, Riley Clemmons. For
non-commercial use only.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #767676; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1806878969818421521.post-91384215853420349692022-09-03T13:53:00.001-07:002022-09-03T13:53:59.056-07:00The United States is Breaking My Heart. (Also, I have heartburn.)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkGZb_II9F90JC0pxMbsTCzwOahhLEj5WNcU6v03iWfpJh2Tzs4GOIen2KW4x8smbIK16QpJ47-nPnt9CgQhyozZMIdjNfhWUqOsg3bykhMFmursEGU4Fu27s5qUkFIkqIyXEH0ZJ4Kex7YX-l3W8uSyyUNEl3hDdJt-UyANUbTB0CI6PvLN6k24/s1215/_A_Woman_Living_Here_Has_Registered_to_Vote__1920_sign_from_St._Louis,_Missouri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkGZb_II9F90JC0pxMbsTCzwOahhLEj5WNcU6v03iWfpJh2Tzs4GOIen2KW4x8smbIK16QpJ47-nPnt9CgQhyozZMIdjNfhWUqOsg3bykhMFmursEGU4Fu27s5qUkFIkqIyXEH0ZJ4Kex7YX-l3W8uSyyUNEl3hDdJt-UyANUbTB0CI6PvLN6k24/s320/_A_Woman_Living_Here_Has_Registered_to_Vote__1920_sign_from_St._Louis,_Missouri.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">give permission for anyone to use my posts in any way they want to.</span></em></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the past twenty years, American politics has made me angry, astonished and heartbroken. I live in Canada now, but have dual citizenship with the U.S. I lived there from the ages of 6 to 17. I had an American education and loved many facets of American life so I keep up with the news</span>.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What hurts me is seeing democracy crumbling apart, step by step, law by law. When the Republicans would not allow President Obama to appoint a new Supreme Court judge, I knew they were ignoring the Constitution. By law, they had to let Obama nominate someone. I didn’t understand why the Democrats let the Republicans get away with it. There must have been something they could do, but they did nothing.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, Republicans are trying to obstruct some people groups from voting. They do that by making sure voting places are few and hard to get to. I even saw two Republicans who were running for office say they didn’t want everyone to vote. I guess that’s the only way they would get elected. News Flash: If a country doesn’t let everyone vote, it is no longer a democracy. Yet these people say it on TV and are looked on as normal politicians of the U.S. by… I don’t know. By how many people? Who in America would think that is a normal thing or good thing to say?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Since the politicians are acting crazy, citizens have started to draft their own ballot initiatives. A great idea, but one the Republicans are fighting. Naturally. They don’t care what the majority of Americans want, they want what they want, come hell or high water. I just read about this yesterday. Here is the article</span>:</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">GOP escalates fight against citizen-led ballot initiatives</span>.<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> (You’ll have to copy and paste.)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-abortion-arkansas-recreational-marijuana-0c003046cc981ebcfb38fa77c1455737" rel="nofollow" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-abortion-arkansas-recreational-marijuana-0c003046cc981ebcfb38fa77c1455737</a></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, my sister says it is Democrats who are tearing down democracy. She is big on Free Speech and sent me the following article yesterday. It wasn’t news to me because I remember all the hoopla on disinformation on Social Media about the Corona Virus. The Biden Government was having fits about that because they assumed many people would believe the disinformation, get sick, go to the hospital (taking up needed beds) and possibly die.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Because of this, they were using their influence, or clout, to persuade social media companies to not allow it. My sister says this is squelching free speech. And I guess she is right.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I asked her what was more important to her, making sure everyone could vote or free speech. She said, “Free speech.” I said, “Voting.” So, there you have it. We disagree a lot, but have decided to love each other anyway. Here is the article she sent me on this subject:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NCLA Suit Uncovers Army of Federal Bureaucrats Coercing Social Media Companies to Censor Speech</span>.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fpress-release%2Fglobe-newswire%2Fsocial-media-lawsuits-censorship-5888c4a917d4cce1993713dd2fe5ce2d%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3RVP7Yz7L5wG_Gvc92f6so_uasFCpSXdyLl90DxJRRzWDVtCljUrlKC2U&h=AT1abqPOgGqFEJfwYbs8C7RciPxWFbneq_g1ERD42M3QDtu3XOoeFAeFUZTkbPsoHt-5yDz10Z6PmTtawhZo2MVGRtMSScAMwDJ3V-SCOkDhXA4MLOtodh4FCoymUsYT_tc" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fpress-release%2Fglobe-newswire%2Fsocial-media-lawsuits-censorship-5888c4a917d4cce1993713dd2fe5ce2d%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3RVP7Yz7L5wG_Gvc92f6so_uasFCpSXdyLl90DxJRRzWDVtCljUrlKC2U&h=AT1abqPOgGqFEJfwYbs8C7RciPxWFbneq_g1ERD42M3QDtu3XOoeFAeFUZTkbPsoHt-5yDz10Z6PmTtawhZo2MVGRtMSScAMwDJ3V-SCOkDhXA4MLOtodh4FCoymUsYT_tc</a></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My previous post was about the new abortion laws, which make me more angry and sad than anything else because it involves the persecution and suffering of women and children who are pregnant. It is entirely Religion+State, which is also against the Constitution, but what the heck, Republicans don’t care about the Constitution.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Roboto Slab", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yes, my heart is hurting from watching the true U.S. fall apart. Our only hope, as I’ve said before, is millions of women voting for the Democrats. If they don’t, they will be having lots of babies and maybe dying.</span></p>Belle Unruhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15534921097025050238noreply@blogger.com