Two Sense

Sounds.

How precious they are!

The chiming of a stately Emperor Clock. 
The periodic shouts from the den excitedly articulated by my Boys enthralled in a ballgame. What kind of ballgame? I have no idea. Does it matter? 🙂

And then there is the sound of silence.
It’s also a beautiful thing! 

And Sights. 

Shelves lined with books.
Pictures here and there – on my desk and across the room. 
Precious people loved more than my next breath. 
Little Girl figurines, a repurposed vase once holding flowers my memory still sees. 
Cards received from love so dear. 
A Joy stone, found on a walk.

Oh! these senses of ours – let us give GOD praise. 

Happy weekend my friends! 

Happy Weekend For You... | Happy weekend images, Happy weekend, Happy ...

Pulpits

Today I saw these words: “Renew Your Mind & Believe What God Says About You”.

At first, blush that sounds like something, we can embrace and run with, right? 
I mean some have, obviously – the writing of books and speaking circuits. But is it Biblically proper? 

Have you noticed how ME centered is today’s American gospel?
It’s steps and formulas to try to get GOD to do what we want Him to do for US.
To do this or that so He will bless me, enrich me, promote me, get me to the next level and yes, give me money.
If we read Matthew 4, we would see Satan offering such things. 

JESUS came to deliver us stiff-necked, stubborn, hard-hearted sinners from SIN and HELL. 
That very gift should be enough to rid us of our propensity to seek the things of this world — and when it isn’t, we would do well to examine ourselves to see if we actually are in the faith.

Is GOD opposed to His people having riches? I don’t think so — look at Abraham. 
But He is very opposed to riches having US.
I will leave that right there and depend on Holy Spirit to speak further. 

Pulpit after pulpit serve-up stories, jokes, and out-of-context Scripture to pump up the parishioners so they will feel better about themselves, to see how wonderful, and important they are, how GOD just needs them so much  — like GOD is just about to fall off His throne in agony just waiting for them to talk to Him. 
Today’s pulpit version of JESUS is so sissified, it makes me ill!

Why are pulpits not reading the Bible?
Have you noticed how some Pulpits read the few verses they do read? 

Like they can’t wait to get through the reading and get on with more important words. 

These buildings we call churches – should be bathed and saturated with Scripture reading and prayer –  aloud. 
I mean I’d love to see 24-hour vigils of Scripture reading in sanctuaries all over this Land until repentance comes. 

Know this: the cure for this ME-centered American gospel is Scripture and prayer. 
When people are (and the phrase I am about to use is not flippant or irreverent, I’m just trying to communicate), when people are head over heels in love with JESUS because they are reading His Word and praying about what they are reading, their inferiority complexes and idols will fade away.

Am I harsh? 
Define harsh. 
Keeping my mouth shut, and letting people go on their way to a dead eternity without warning them is harsh, and not just harsh but unloving, uncaring, and flat-out evil. 

Yes, soft, humorous, fun, entertaining posts feel good going on the page — maybe next time.

Page Visiting

Today like many days, I opened Youtube and today like many days, something caught my attention. 
Today’s attention grabber was a big one. Big enough that I am obligated to share it with you.
However, my sharing is located at Because We Need to Know — 2.
Here’s the LINK.
Please visit the page. 

Thank you, my friends. 

Wear No More

The speaker talked about baggage; baggage is easy to collect in this hostile world, and when it’s packed and stuffed for years – it gets heavy. Really heavy. 
I can attest to this truth. Perhaps you can too. 

And the speaker shared Matthew 11:28

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. source

The Speaker reminded me of the many pieces of baggage that we may be picking up each morning and carrying around until sleep comes in the night. 
Words, actions, losses, griefs, etc., etc. that we have yet to properly process – emotions we stuffed, packed down, and now we carry each one daily on our shoulders, our necks, our backs – all the places that HURT. 

And yes Matthew 11:28 is sweet, burden lifting relief  – when we believe and apply its message. 
But I must tell you I don’t think the primary message of Matthew 11:28 is our emotional hurts and losses. 

The largest, heaviest, most unbearable burden is the weight and penalty of SIN. 

And JESUS offers us to COME, for us to come to HIM and bring that weight, burden, the baggage of sin that we can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER unload.
BUT we can humble ourselves and allow HIM to lift it from us.
And as HE does we can gratefully receive HIS Forgiveness and HIS Very Own Righteousness in exchange for our sin burden. 

So this verse becomes all the more special. It speaks to us in Salvation, our Deliverance from the penalty of sin AND it continues to speak and comfort and encourage us all the way from our Damascus Road to Heaven.
It reassures us that we have a BURDEN BEARING SAVIOR who is ALWAYS with us to lift the paralyzing weight of any hurt, wound, or loss that we will bring to Him

The question now is — will we?
Will we bring all our baggage (sin, hurts, griefs, bring it all) to JESUS?
Will we let HIM wash it, dry it, fold it, and put it away, for us to wear no more? 

Connecting Centuries

It’s Tuesday evening here in LA (Lower Alabama) and I think I have little to say — I just wanted to put something on the page so you would perhaps gain a smile and know that you are in my thoughts and yes my prayers. 
I am grateful for each of you.
My Daily Prayer Journal has you listed as The White Stone Blog Readers. 

I list you that way because, well, because I don’t know all your names or even the States and Countries in which you live. 
Even so, I think of you and remember you before The LORD. 

I read Acts 24 today. 
Paul.
What an amazing brother in Christ we have. I don’t expect to live on the same street as he in the Father’s Eternal City but surely at some time in Eternity we will run into each other and I can thank him for his faithfulness and his love for JESUS and for penning the many letters I so enjoy in this 21st Century. 

Yes, my friends, this life we have in JESUS is just this real — When JESUS conquered sin, hell, death, and the grave — He connected His people, even 1st Century brothers, and sisters with 21st Century brothers and sisters.  That great CONNECTION is coming to fruition. Yes, a face-to-face gathering that will never end. 

So tell me — isn’t that something to look forward to?
I think so. 

100 Bible Verses about Jesus Conquering Sin And Death