read this inscription

So much idiocy, so little time...

(1) Diagram this sentence English teachers: "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Source of English literature, indeed. Not the source of life, though, right?

(2) Should not "inculcate or inhibit religion." Unless it's Christianity, your arch-nemesis, right Haynes? These choices don't exist in gray areas but mutually exclusive blacks and whites. Your side isn't the one in the light.

and sent him away empty

all sky all emptiness feeling like i'm just reading but not seeing understanding but not comprehending walking without the spirit like this giant effort without effect either the walking's all wrong or the companionship's being blocked either way all sky all emptiness 

and the woman, where she was

Follow-up to this from a few days ago. Start here.

I can't comment on right or wrong on her position -- the whole eyelog thing and all -- but I can comment on her interpretation of Biblical teaching on women, or at least her experience with others' interpretations.

One, she's obviously met some misguided ones, since the Bible is very clear on the equality (in some sense) of women, and the uplifting of the role of women in Judaic times. Any one who interprets the Bible as anti-woman has no understanding of who Jesus spoke to and why He spoke to them.

Two, however, Jane's immediate annoyance at perceived threats to her gender are not out of righteousness at truth distorted. Slippery slope here, and she needs to realize that her flesh rebels against submission. Man has no authority over women save in marriage. Women rebel against submission causing tension, and men rebel against Godly leadership causing tension.

Third, correct gender interpretation or not, do not confuse upholding your gender with killing children. Ain't no interpretation that gets you to that level of evil. Personal God or otherwise.

up to his mouth

(sigh)

Who do I criticize here? Do I chastize the press for the way this article reads, making him sound ridiculous? Or do I chastize him for stupid comments?

Ernie: Let's play two.

Press: Don't pretend like you respect the humility in his statement. The continued mention of his countrymen intimate that he's only beloved by Germans. And the Hitler youth comments? How does that relate to his comment again? You're not just rehashing his past -- you're invoking images. And what of the sex abuse reminders? Just want to kill the church, obviously. Lastly, how often do you want to tell me he's old? The only care you have of his age is that in a few years maybe you'll get to cover another pope funeral for a week and save yourself work, sloth.

Ratzinger: Evidently He didn't listen to you this time? No, He listened. You mean He didn't answer. Know the difference. Secondly, after the first vote when it was clear you were a frontrunner, if you really wanted to spend your time fishing, why not say something? A cardinal could pass you a note about the blind leading the blind -- what, you want to pull an Oedipus?

It's tough being a Catholic/non-Catholic.

because Judas had the money box

Going through another genealogy and thinking to self, "Self, what shall we blog today? Maybe back to something unfinished? Maybe dream up something new? Wouldn't you like a sandwich right now, say Arby's?" Then IChr3-5 comes out throwing that now infamous little sentence at you. I'm not going to repeat it here, suffice to say, you've got plenty to read if you want to.

It's everything wrong with Christianity to my mind. First, you have the self-help nature akin to habits of people, moving cheese, and mars men nonsense -- an industry built on the thought that books can change people when only the Book can change people. Second, you have for women, for kids, and for teens subgroups -- an industry built on the thought that appealing to a niche can spur sales so that Mammon can retire early.

Watch this right here, sloth vanished by sleight of hand: Frankly, maybe I shouldn't finish Breakfast to prevent myself from falling prey to the trap.

will lead to an

Again, surprised I could focus.

"Changing Your Wife by Faith" {IPet3:7}
* Context: Submission like all others beginning with IPet2:13
* Gift of Understanding
- Dwell, make a home for
- "According to knowledge" (study)
* Gift of Honor (verbally and non)
* Gift of Protection
- Vessel reflective of phys body only (clay/potter, dust of earth, et al)
- Context of agricultural heritage (str)
- Patience in danger; ensuring safety in absentia; managing aggression in conflict
* Gift of Disclosure
- Self not full?
* Else: Will cut off, hinder to God

Fair warning.

in his own name

The lineages used to bug me because, well, they're lineages. Just lists of names. And not just any names, but really weird ones. Seriously, Zaza? Madmannah? Achsah? It's like someone was at a keyboard pretending to type.

Then you began to see branching patterns in your head. Or else you recognize figures from other chapters, so it all ties together and begins to make sense.

IChron1-2 had two points of interest for me. The first was the listing of the sons of Isaac. Not Esau and Jacob, no. Esau and Israel. Confirmation that the naming by God supersedes all other conventions.

The second point of interest is the eternal contrast between two men: Nimrod and Achar. Nimrod is listed forever as "a mighty one in the earth". Mighty in physical strength? Wisdom? Fame? Spiritual power? Doesn't matter. Just mighty. Achar on the other hand will forever be known as "the troubler of Israel, who violated the ban." Which ban? Again, the detail doesn't matter.

The difference between mighty and troubler in our imaginations is surely smaller than the difference in God's eyes between a believer and a non. Captured for all eternity as we will be.

Take your choice, hardheart. Take it now for eternity.

all received, and grace

I'm speechless. I don't know which salvation surprises me more, this old one or this new one.

I used to think it was easy to simply fake it, learn the language and away you go. But as you read through the interview, the reality of the calling and the questions and the eyes-widening and the believing and the running and the acceptance come out at you with the personal feeling and detail of the truth.

Again, power to redeem all means all.

in darkness saw a great light

The 100th anniversary raises the question of whether or not he believed. Because of the no dice quote. Because of the blind science quote. Because of the reading of the mind of God quote.

Both this and this make it clear that he did not. Not even close. Some confusion overall leads me to believe that it was an active denial, a shaking of the head against what he deep down knew could not be reconciled in science's long struggle against truth.

You're there now. No dice escaping judgement. Wishing for blindness as you peruse your list. Understanding that mind now, genius? Tell me how that heat and that searing pain fit together. Maybe it'll help you pass eternity.

and in the garden a new

I feel like a child feels upon meeting his mom's new husband.

You don't look like my dad.
You don't talk like my dad.
My dad does that differently.

Don't recall how I felt upon meeting my first. But that was when all was new, new creation and all, so accepted it with all the rest. Not sure when it became more. Not sure when/if this will ever.

Not calling you dad. Ever.

them with his magic acts

ISam28 reminds me of Star Wars, blasphemous as that may be. But you don't see the connection twixt Obi Wan and the seanced Samuel (not vv obviously, since one came before the other to my young conscience)? In any case, this brings about several thoughts.

The first is that souls exist in very clear forms, and in this example, in the last state in which they arrived. And those looking for Heaven as a final great escape from trialed bodies, what of them?

Secondly, the medium's calling of Sam indicates that such occult magic is possible -- condemned by the Word, yes, but real nonetheless. Do not doubt the power and reality of light, but reminder here of the reality of darkness.

Counterpoint to one and two: what if a realignment of the air realities occurred during the trip to Paradise, making all this moot? Answers only the air can provide.

telling him to be quiet

The natural state according to entropy is disorder & chaos. This meshes somehow with inertia since objects at rest tend to stay at rest -- but since we're always in chaotic movement, you have perpetual motion going nowhere.

Which is why Ps46:10 is so powerful. It hits the very core of man's problem w/ Him. God Eternal does not move. HE IS. It's man who runs away. It's man who is too busy moving to look for a set God. It's man who does the nonstillness.

Second powerful application: The beingstill, this verse isn't just to you, but to the howlers. Because even they, just like the fleeing into pigs, even they will acknowledge the YHWH.

Be still. Be still.

I AM.

call your husband and

Surprisingly, I could focus.

"Changing Your Husband by Faith" {IPet3:1-6}
* H need to be changed, and W knows it
* Context: Bride persecuted; in times of trial, marriages in P/F test
* Words don't work {Prov9:13,21:9,21:19,27:15}
- Seems like focus on weakness instead of seeing str
* Inner beauty
* Sarah Qualities:
- Submissive
- Pure in conduct
- Gentle spirit (str under control)
- Quiet spirit (stir pot or calm storm?)
* Trust Him to provide through H (H just a vessel)
* Changed W can change H

to praise God joyfully with a loud voice

For the praises of man
I will never ever stand
To the kingdoms of this world
I’ll never give my heart away or shout my praise

My allegiance and devotion
My heart’s desire and emotion
Go to serve the man who died upon that tree

Only a God like you
Could be worthy of my praise
And all my hope and faith;
To only a king of all kings
Will I bow my knee and sing
Give my everything

To only my maker, my Father, my Savior
Redeemer, restorer, rebuilder, rewarder
To only a God like you, do I give my praise

a just balance and

There probably is a fine line between separating yourself from the world and temptation and evil, and sheltering yourself completely and abnormally and self-righteously. I'm not going to tell you what that line is. Your pathwalking is up to you.

Relatedly, here is a more balanced take on what we ranted about yesterday. Unlike big-headed hater Jenkins, we have a believer displaying his pathwalking. His quick take: good to watch, though problematic in some areas.

Everyone walking that path expecting perfection, expecting adherence to perfection misses one point: their ideal of perfection is subjective. If you think God doesn't understand or appreciate sincere, nuanced faith, you'd be wrong.

cannot hate you, but it hates

Are you serious?!

One, just because your ego has been boosted by top tens and millions sold, don't think you are now the voice of the End Times. Because I'll tell you what, in your own words you admit that the Anti will be popular and lead flocks astray. Line Two for you, Pot. Kettle wants a word.

Second, your first critique on the added letter "s" -- maybe it's named after the noun and not the book. Maybe it's because in the book with no "s" we get plenty of nouns with esses.

Thirdly, if you want to take to task the believers because of their Savior still on a cross, don't hide your hatred behind flimsy reasoning. I already know how the Anti and the Pope fit together in the pulp that you call truth.

Not everyone who loves Him loves you, hater. You think He peddles hate as much as you do -- here's a revelation for you -- you're the one astray.

who laugh now, for you shall mourn

You have this and this and this and even this. All of this after this. The world focused on servanthood to God and a life lived in faith for a week, and then quickly reverts back to its state of sin.

You know what?

"But Thou, O Lord, dost laugh at them; Thou dost scoff at all the nations....God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes." {Ps59:8,10}

in human terms

Saul in ISam15 is the perfect example of human nature. Samuel gives Saul specific instructions from the Lord about what to do after routing the Amalekites -- destroy everything.

What does Saul do? Not destroy everything, of course.

His rationalization to Samuel later is that he destroyed almost everything, and that what he did manage to keep was for the Lord anyway. And after Samuel tells him God is still mad, Saul begs Samuel for a way to repent and be back in the good graces. So for those of you counting at home, the steps are: 1. Disobey God; 2. Rationalize your actions knowing that you can still; 3. Repent

I was originally going to say that Saul's actions here cracked me up, but I didn't find anything funny about looking at the man in the mirror.

a miracle in My name

Another idea for a sermon series or a never-to-be-completed project:

Reading Ps66, saw another mention of the Parting. Recalled that throughout the Pentateuch, reminders of His leading, and usually a mention of the Parting. The thought occurred: why not simply evaporate the H2O? Why not create a land bridge? Why not provide boats or simply pick them up and drop them off?

Thesis: Manner of the miracle important. Teaches something about Him that matters. Pursue the themes as they arise.

to preserve the unity

"Succeeding in Marriage by Faith"
* Marital oneness {Matt19:4-6}
- Innocent enemies include: sep ways, sep interests, sep vacations, sep bank accts, sep beds/bedtimes
* Marital peace {Rom12:18, Heb12:14} -- pursue it
* Resolve conflicts Biblically
- i tried i really tried even prayed against distractions should have prayed against the shadows couldn't hear a thing so much noise
- Involve church/elders/others as necessary
* Biblical roles
* Sexual needs {ICor7:2-4}

a kingdom for himself, and then return

She of the baby teeth posed a riddle she didn't know the answer to. "What did one pope say to the other pope?" Put into her head by blinking images or angels, I don't know, but the answer escaped her. It occurred to me this morning as I drew closer that I knew the answer.

Cephas, the first, to the last. "Welcome home, Karol." 

beloved of God in Rome

They say that denial is the first stage of dealing with any traumatic event. That may be the reason I have failed to comment on him. It's not because I'm afraid to offend the base over my reverence of just a man -- either base. It's not because I think the whole thing is being overdone, because I don't think it is. It might simply be because I have no other feeling than sadness, and don't want to dwell on it.

You can say that he's unduly worshipped. You can say that he has a hand in the undue worshipping. You can say like the evil ones that he's failed to do things he should have done, or done things too right. But you cannot say he was not a beloved servant of God, or that he's not there with Him being smiled upon, because you'd be wrong.

You pray for someone for almost 19 years, and I promise you, intense devotion will appear. Whether that makes me or it wrong or right I don't care.

Sleep well, holy father. See you where it counts.

to have been a real

You said it yourself, warmswimmer: "'This isn't a smoking gun,' said David Begun of the University of Toronto."

I gathered as much when I saw that your rampant speculation revolves around an indeterminate set of bones, and a computer simulation! I can get my computer to do anything I want it to do. I can get it draw a half-man, half-elephant. You don't see me running off to use manmade nonsense to anger God.

When you get to the foot of the throne, try this strategy. Tell Him you don't belong to the goats because your bones are really more apelike than goatlike. See if that works, fraud.

did not understand what those things

Fine, I'll make the confession: I don't see what all the fuss is about Ruth. Yes, important because of the lineage link, but faith? You want to explain how hard it is to be in a strange land with nothing except loyalty to an in-law, I'll grant you that. But faith?

By my estimation, she gave up a barren land (since God was against Moab), and maybe she didn't get along with her folks. Is the desire to start a new life unencumbered really faith? Secondly, she worked diligently in the field -- again, granted. But what else was she going to do -- starve? Lastly, she throws herself at Boaz's feet like a hussy (the reason she wanted him to say nothing to others). She's reckoned faith because she used a sinful means to save herself and her inlaw?

Sorry, pass.

you yourselves wrong

In this I call them morons by prejudging their article based on media distrust and past experience with their unbalanced coverage of all things religious. For a second there, I believed I was going to post a retraction. But by article's end, it was clear to me that moron stays.

First, the article slips in little pieces of antiChristian and antitruth hatred, things like the Christian faith's main beliefs are malleable and have changed over time based upon the whims of men. Secondly, it makes mention that the Gospels differ in their accounts of post-Resurrection stories, and suggests they are from differing early faiths that coalesce to form Christianity.

Most egregious is that the article says nothing. It's argument is based on one of the ones offered by non-morons such as Strobel and McDowell -- that the resurrection story is too outrageous to have been made up during a time when Christians were persecuted for their faith. A more believable and real story would have been chosen had a story been chosen. But the article is so flimsy it makes the argument sound flimsier than what it is in actuality.

If you hate us, fine, moron. Take it to the Creator on JDay. I hear He's a big fan of antiChristians. In fact, He made a whole lake for them.

in detail, I suppose

If separately, maybe you don't catch a thing. But as a batch, Judg16-18 runs together like a Tarantino film, little details linking disparate bits into a concrete theme. Thoughts incoherent right now, so running diary:

* Deserves its own musing at some point, but the contrast twixt Samson strong (muscles) and Samson weak (for bad women) is high irony
* Seriously, how sound a sleeper are you if you don't awake to knives on your scalp? What, you think Delilah's just stroking your locks? Some part of me believes Samson was sick of it all and just let it happen.
* Love the phrase "his soul was annoyed to death". That, I understand (not from a nagging wife, but the real world and nagging annoyances).
* Again, for another time "he did not know that the Lord had departed from him". So appropos to, well everybody.
* The 1100 silver in 17 -- has to be same as the 1100 in 16, right? Has to be. Seriously, he stole it from his mother?!
* The motherthief's mom is a thief herself. She commits the 1100 to a graven image and instead only takes 200 out and stashes the other 900. Runs in the family...
* Micah and the priest are both looking out for themselves while at the same time trying to please God -- but in their own sort of rationalized ways that reveal their lack of knowledge of God and what He wants. Symbolic of whole world, these two.

Like a Tarantino flick gone holy.

and the base things of the world

Judges13 brings up the issue of alcohol and the believer. On one hand, you have this describing the wedding in Cana and the Matthew statement about eating and drinking. On the other hand, you have this and the zealous defense of grape juice.

This really isn't about alcohol.

The attitude with fundamentalists is this: everything that appears remotely sinful cannot be associated with Jesus in any way, shape, or form, else He is somehow compromised. Alcoholism and all its ills have been for centuries considered sinful -- thus, the rationalization for all things grape. Whether or not fermentation occurred is immaterial to this discussion.

I don't mind the defense of consistency, and I still believe in the perfect life. It troubles me that believers who think that God can create the universe with a word can be compromised with a sip of wine. Remember, lust is a corruption of love, and envy a corruption of jealousy. Drunkenness is certainly a corruption of winedrinking. The root of sin is not the object, but the sinner's heart.

Do not lose sight of the root.

of the house and family

"Training Your Children by Faith" {Deut11:18-21, Prov22:6}
* Dichotomy: Satchmo covering disaster
* Parent not perfect; child not perfect; understanding of Biblical parenting not perfect; society 180 from Word -- recipe for disaster
* My fault or the world's fault? Not the world.
* The same God of the Hall of Faith is the same God who can/will overcome.
* Love God. Believe what you say. Better caught than taught.
* Take time. Parental work hrs correlated to performance. Poor societal messages resonate with broken homes
* Hold high expectations. Stop making excuses.
* Practical Tips:
- Work on union first
- Infect them with love of Lord
- Teach obedience
- Teach self-control
- Teach niceness
- Teach servant leadership
- Pray

so as to remind you again

I can't tell if it was a reminder, a refreshing, or a return. But this morning, to feel it, feel close again was eyewateringly nice. I suspect it was somehow a trinity of all three. Need to remember that the staying, well that's all up to me, isn't it?

when He had gone out

The thing is, when you're losing it, you barely notice that you are losing it. There are enough moments of hurting so good that the hurting sneaks up on you. It's when you look around and it's not there that you look back and wonder when you should have been paying closer attention.

I'll let you know when I find it.