A Line To The Almighty

A long time ago I posted on this subject. Labels with prayer mentioned in them keep popping up. So I guess it is time, once again, to mention the subject.
Everyone prays. The eastern belief system refers to this as chanting instead of prayer. And I realize it is not the same, but they chanters expect to make contact with some spiritual being whom they hope will happen to help them.
No, prayer ,as I am talking about it, true prayer, is only done successfully by the Christian.
Definition: Christian. One who has a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, whom has said, No one comes to the Father by through me.
Of course you would want to talk to God if you have a relationship. Just as you would talk to a friend.
What should you talk to Him about? Everything. Your day's events. Your worries. Your joys. Your needs.
He wants to hear from you. He is waiting to hear your voice.
Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.
It is a line to the Almighty.
When you have a relationship with Him it is like you belong to a family. If you are normal you talk to your family. In return your family talks to you.
God talks to those who have a relationship with Him by the Bible. God overshadowed the writers and what we have is what He wants to communicate. I think that is a great deal.
Please consider talking to God on a more regular basis. But to be heard you must have a relationship with Him. Otherwise He is not obligated to hear and answer.

Being A Deacon Has Honor

I was doing my morning devotions and I was do my study in First Timothy. In chapter three it details what an overseer and a deacon should have as qualifications. Since, as I see it, it is a great responsibility to be either an overseer or a deacon. They don't seem to be the same although the requirements seem close.  But as leaders, they should be someone you can look up to for direction. So they are important positions.
I don't see them as the elder. Requirements for an elder come in chapter four.
Only here and I guess in Titus is a deacon mentioned. They appear in the life of the church when the tables needed to be waited upon. There they were set up to help the apostles. Today they are set ujp to help the pastor.
Deacons should not try to dominate or take the place of the pastor. They don't run the church. They weren't set up to do so and are not presently in that position.
Honor comes in the way they conduct themselves. Details are given in first Timothy and in Titus. These two letters were written  by Paul to pastors who were ministering in newly formed Churches. They are still good letters to read for the purpose of forming up a new or established deacon and overseer. Therefore, it is worthy of being studyed.

New Year Coming

Long May It Wave

A new year is coming. 2020 is around the corner. God has been good to America. We don't deserve it.  Not after the way we are treating Him. We were founded, true, not as a Christian Bible based experiment but most of our original documents, which have been parsed and parsed so many times to be practically meaningless, were based on the idea that we had a blessing of a supreme being over us. We based our documents on there being standards that are God given and as such can't be taken away by government. Such standards as right and wrong. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, not given by the state. For if the state gave us these rights they can be taken back by the state. No. God gave us these three rights and only God can take them back.
So 2020 is before us. Don't allow the state or even the government in Washington DC to take away your rights. A chance to prove what you can do is fine. But there is no right to sponge off the cities and nation you live in. Work ethics is good. Pan handling is not a right.
Helping others get back on their feet and become productive is right. The state taking money from your pocket to do programs for the ones who won't work,  that is questionable at best, and down right stealing at the worst.
I have more to say but I will allow this to seep into your mind first before I venture to share them.

A Deeper Way Of Study

   Now this is an more advance way of study. Maybe not for the beginner, but I would keep this one in mind as I seek to grow in my understanding and depth in my Christian walk.
    I have started this the last few months. To do this one you will need a note book to record your observations. A pen to write with is needed. You won't just be reading without responding. Maybe for a while you will be responding to the passages as if you were journaling. In fact you should be able, over time, to look back and trace your growth.
    For you will grow using this method.
    It goes without saying you will need a good version of the scriptures. NASB, NIV, English Standard, etc. Yes, even the King James helps. Or the NKJ. Just a good version that is readable.
    I take a chapter at a time. Once a day. I don't rush. I ask what is here? Who is speaking? Who is he speaking to? What is the context? I record as if  I were seeing this for the first time. I keep remembering I am not reading a 21st century book. It meant something to those who read it for the first time.  Look at it as it meant then.
    Just what was the impact?
    You will need a good book on Bible times to refer to. Maybe even a concordance to look up words and see how they were first used.
    Using this method you will end up comparing scripture with scripture. When was the word first used? What did it mean when used that first time?
     I told you this was advanced. It will take more than a few moments. But you can also break your devotion time down into segments so you may not do a full chapter a day. But you keep with it day by day until you finish that book.
      I hope you are enjoying the methods discussion of this blog. It seems some are.
      You can always search this blog. I am sure all the postings are there.

Growing in Bible Understanding

Well, I am still going to use this blog for the purpose of furthering your study of God's communication to us, the Bible.
The method I am talking about this time is devotions.
To do this properly you will need a good Bible, a pencil or pen and a note book. You may also need a commentary or a good handbook of the Bible.
 Chose a book of the Bible that you can spend time studying.
 The pen or pencil is for marking up the Bible. A well read Bible is a well marked up Bible.
You will be asking what is being said here? Who is speaking? You will be marking in your Bible the key word in each portion.
 I suggest you do a paragraph at a time this works well, but the idea is not speed. Or maybe a chapter at a time.
The notebook is to jot down what it is you are discovering. Also what you are noticing. Record the repetition of a certain word. You may find it repeats in another chapter. Note that. It is important .
Use the handbook for background and context.
Always search context. Don't take day dreaming trips. The Bible is not written in twenty-first century context.
 Use the commentary to understand if you are on the right track in the deduction you are making.
 Stay with it. Dig as in mining for precious ore.
 And may your understanding of God grow as you do so.

Gender Misunderstanding

Come on now. really? You don't know your gender?

There are really only two. Two? Yes, you heard right.
In the beginning God created you in your mothers womb. He made no mistake. Your gender is rather male or female. He didn't look down and say, "Opps, I think I made a mistake there. I meant to create a non-binary person.)
Who told you differently?
Who ever it was is wrong. Or they maybe need to go back to basic biology.
Somewhere along the line you were scammed. And you bought it. Or if you haven't your friend or person you know who is trying to tell you some time between the planting of the sperm in the egg something happened to the fetus and you were the result--a non-binary person.
I look at myself in the mirror each morning as I shave and thank God I am a person who in this respect is not confused as to gender.
The last time I looked God did not pop out a non-binary gene.
Someone, let me repeat, has fooled you.
There is no reason for you to run out and have a penis looped  off or a breast removed or added.
The problem is in the way you are thinking. And you are  thinking this way because you have come to believe something without the proper investigation.
 Don't accept everything at face value. Don't always trust what people say.
Wait until you are thinking correctly before you make a move.

Immigration Reform Needed

 

Now this blog will, I hope, for a while center on the issue of immigration. We need reform of our laws and we need them fast.
  I don't feel at the present time we are looking at the gift of immigration correctly.
  President Trump's current push to use ICE as a punishing arm of the government is wrong. We need the immigrant; Persian, Russian, Greek, South African, Mexican, and so on to keep our economy going. Not all Americans are stepping up and doing the manual labor and back breaking labor needed to get our fruits and vegetables among other things to market to sell.
    And also some of our work force. Our scientists, our doctors, our lawyers, etc.
    What is needed is for someone to step up and help those skilled immigrants and, yes, unskilled, to get green cards and then work to get citizenship as soon as possible.
     True, we need a vet them. Both of us can gain from their presence. We shouldn't be dividing families in doing so. Show them all how to work within the system to become citizens.
    It is also a misuse of our troops to spend time nitpicking.
     The illegal immigrant came here for a reason. We are seen as the best chance they have to achieve independence from oppression,
     Sure, we don't need criminals but we do need people who are willing to work  for what they can achieve.
     No, we don't need more on the governments' bankroll (Which is another subject for later).
      We need immigration reform and we need to come into the twenty-first century and show more compassion for the world around us.