Faith, Family, Friends and Firearms

Category: Religion Page 1 of 3

The Indwelling Presence

Lately the congregation has been reading through the Bible chronologically. It’s been an interesting exercise, one we’ve not done for a number of years. It’s good to switch up versions and reading plans as it makes you THINK about what you’re reading, instead of getting into a rut.

Recently we were reading about the tabernacle and all that went into making it and provisioning it for service to God. The account of the finishing of the tabernacle has given me a lot of food for thought. In Exodus 40:33-35 we read: Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. The completion of the work lead to the presence of God filling the tabernacle.

Today those of us who seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ see the Old Testament as a type or foreshadowing of things to be revealed in the New Testament under the new covenant described in Jeremiah 31:31-34: “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”—the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.

In Galatians 3:7-9 we read You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons. Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith. And in in verses 16-18: Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God and thus cancel the promise. For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise. and verses 24-29: The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus. For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. So now we see how God set up so that He would be glorified through people of ALL nations, not just the nation He set up to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.

So we see how God has made those who believe and obey to be His sons, yet He also makes us into a temple, an altar and a priesthood. Peter, the apostle, wrote in 1 Peter 2:4-5: As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And in Romans 12:1 Paul the apostle wrote: Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. This reflects back to what Jesus Himself said to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:23-24: But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

So we see that as disciples of Jesus Christ we are:
1) sons of God
2) clothed with Christ
3) a spiritual temple
4) a royal priesthood
5) a living sacrifice

And that brings us back to the idea I’m trying to convey, the foreshadowing in the Old Testament of spiritual concepts in the New Testament. In Acts 2:38-39 the apostle Peter told those present, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” When we are immersed for the forgiveness of our sins in the name of Jesus the Christ, we are clothed with Christ, circumcised by the hand of God and made pure and Holy before Him. And now we see in Acts that those who do so “will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. Today many believe that such a gift is something external to themselves, much like king Saul prophesying because the Spirit took control of him. Yet he DID NOT have the INDWELLING PRESENCE of God, nor do many who today emphasize external “evidence of God’s power”, forgetting that Jesus warned about depending on things external to ourselves. Matthew recorded this in chapter 7, verses 21 to 23 of his gospel. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

I’ve contemplated and meditated long and hard on that passage in Matthew along with what the Bible teaches about baptism (immersion in water is what the apostles referred to as baptism, we know this because that is what the scriptures record them and their disciples as doing). A conclusion I’ve come to, and note it is my conclusion – study it out for yourself, is that since Jesus spoke of being born again to Nicodemus saying “unless someone is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” , those who refuse to be baptized for the remission of their sins (as directed by Peter in Acts 2:38-39) are not known by God, just as we do not know a child that has not been known. They may be religious, they may be noisy, they may even perform miracles and cast out demons in the Name of the Lord – but if they’ve not been born of water and the Spirit then they run the risk of beng told “Depart from me, you lawbreakers!” on that last day.

Now getting back to the original idea of God’s Presence indwelling His tabernacle, we see that those who are truly Christ’s disciples are also living stones and a royal priesthood and an acceptable living sacrifice to God. And that means that His Presence indwells them. That is the promise that Peter conveyed on Pentecost day when he said “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Unfortunately, most people today do not understand this concept. Paul the apostle wrote in Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

May the Indwelling Presence of God be made manifest in and through the lives of His sons who are born again through water and God’s Spirit. May we come to truly understand the power at work within us, sanctifying us as His holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices as we lay our lives on His altar. May we not not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Bible vs Popular Christianity – 3

In part 1 of this series we see Jesus teaching on the importance of baptism to salvation. In part 2 we see the apostles response to this teaching and how they implemented it on the day of Pentecost, in Samaria and in the house of Cornelius. In this part we’re going to look at other parts of Acts – because by seeing what the apostles did we can understand what they wrote much better. What did they DO? Later on we’ll read more of what they WROTE.

Following his ministry in Samaria and the coming of Peter and John to open the door of the church to that people, we find Philip sent on a mission by God’s Holy Spirit. In Acts 8 we find him walking down the road and encountering an Ethiopian official who had been to Jerusalem to worship. He hears the official reading, is prompted by the Spirit to join the car and asks, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” to which the official answers “How can I unless someone guides me?” So he invites Philip to ride. Here’s how Luke describes what follows in Acts chapter 8:

Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.

The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.

So, exactly WHAT did Philip explain to him? We don’t know ALL that he told him, but we can tell how much importance was placed on a very telling bit doctrine – by the immediate response to the message by the Ethiopian.

As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” Why this response? Why not “Please guide me in the Sinner’s Prayer”? (something not found in scripture, by the way). This question gives us a very clear picture of the message that Philip had been sharing with this man. The importance of becoming a disciple of Jesus and being baptized for the forgiveness of sins (just as Peter preached on the day of Pentecost). History tells us that the church started in Ethiopia by this man is still in existence to this day.

In chapter 9 we find Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus to persecute the church. He is confronted on the road by Jesus, finds out he’s blinded and goes to Damascus where God sends a man named Ananias to visit him. Luke tells us, “Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.” Before eating, drinking or anything else – he was baptized.

Later on Saul himself tells us ““Since I couldn’t see because of the brightness of the light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus. Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good reputation with all the Jews living there, came and stood by me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the words from his mouth, since you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

“be baptized and wash away your sins”… that doesn’t fit into popular Christianity’s denial of the importance of Baptism, but fits perfectly with the Bible’s assertion as to the purpose of baptism.

We’ve already looked at Cornelius and his household in Acts chapter 10. In Acts 11 Peter defends his actions in Cornelius’ house by explaining “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?” When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”

In chapter 16 of Acts we meet Lydia in the city of Philippi. She and her household are immediately baptized upon her response to Paul’s message. She urges them to stay with her if they believe that she is indeed a believer, so they do. They stay for a while until Paul becomes weary of hearing a demon possessed slave girl yelling “These men, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” (it is my belief that what irked him is that Jesus is THE way, not A way of salvation). He cast out the demon, the slave girl’s proprietors were angered by this and had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into prison where they sing praises to God instead of cursing their luck, their captors and their accusers as might be expected.

There is an earthquake and the doors of the prison swing open. The jailer is about to kill himself because he believes the prisoners have escaped – and now we come to one of the classic passages where context is ignored by popular Christianity.

But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

That’s right – in the same hour of the night that he heard the message of salvation, he and his whole household were baptized. Why, if baptism is not necessary to salvation?

In chapter 19 of Acts we find the final instance in which it is recorded that the Holy Spirit was sent upon a group of people prior to, upon, or following their baptism.

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them. “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.

Note that this is not a new group. That is, the Jews recognized Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans, with the Gentiles making up the largest group of people. So this has nothing to do with “the keys to the kingdom”. What we see here is a clarification between the “baptism of John” and “baptism into the name of Jesus”. John said “believe in the One Who comes after me”. Upon believing they were baptized and then received the Holy Spirit.

So as we follow the apostles around, what do we see? Baptism is an integral part of the message. We see it in the response of the Ethiopian, the Samaritans, Cornelius and his household, Lydia, the jailer and his household and the disciples of John the Baptist. This is what the actions of the apostles tell us – baptism is central to the Gospel message.

To be continued…

Bible vs Popular Christianity – 2

In the first part of this series, we took a look at what Jesus Himself had to say about baptism, as well as looking at the classic objection to baptism – “the thief on the cross”. In this part we’ll look at what the apostles DID in response to what Jesus taught.

On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter and the apostles preached to the gathered celebrants of the festival. They flat out told them “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” This cut them to the core (they were guilty of killing the very Messiah they’d been looking for for generations!) and they asked “What should we do?” (Acts 2:36-37)

Peter’s answer to that simple question is telling. “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” In other words, quit shunning God’s way and be immersed FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS, and you’ll receive God’s Holy Spirit as a gift! But it gets even better!

“For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” (Acts 2:37-39) In Acts 17:30 we see that God is calling all men everywhere to repent! In other words, this promise made on the day of Pentecost in 30 A.D. is a promise that extends around the globe and through time, reaching down to us to this very day.

So the church of Jesus the Christ was established in response to His commission in Matthew 28 and in accordance to His assertion in John 3 that we must be born of the water and the Spirit if we want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. About 3,000 people heard, believed and obeyed on that day. (Acts 2:41)

So let’s keep following the apostles as history unfolds for our consideration and edification. The first few chapters of Acts relate Jesus’ return to the Father’s right hand, the coming of His Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and the early growth and struggle of the young church. In chapter 8 of Acts we follow Philip up to Samaria and witness him preaching, performing miracles and baptizing people. Yet it wasn’t until Peter and John went up to Samaria that the Samaritans received God’s Holy Spirit. What’s going on?

Another clue to what’s occurring during these early days of the church is found a couple chapters later in Acts 10. A centurion named Cornelius sends for Peter after an angel commands him to do so. Meanwhile God gives Peter a vision indicating that “what God has purified do not call unclean” and that he is to go with the men that are about to arrive. He goes with them, prevents Cornelius from worshipping him when he arrives, preaches the Gospel message and is astounded when God poured out His Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his family. After all – these were “unclean gentiles!” Peter’s response is important. ““Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10: 47). Remember, Peter’s probably still processing the whole “Arise, kill and eat” vision in combination with God’s command to go and enter the house of a gentile. And those with him hadn’t had the vision, but now they witness these “unclean” people receiving a unique gift from God. What’s going on? Let’s step back in recent (to these events) history and take a look at a special commission given by Jesus to Peter.

One of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible is found in Matthew 16. Let’s take a look at verses 15-19 and think about it in the light of events that are in the future (future in regards to Matthew 16, not in our future).

“But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”

“You are Peter (petros)” says Jesus. Peter meaning a rock, a stone, something you can lift and carry. “On this rock (petra) I will build my church”. Rock meaning a mass of stone, bedrock, unmovable foundation. The church was not built on Peter, it was built on his assertion – that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. THAT is the foundation of the church.

Now lets consider “the keys of the kingdom of heaven”. It was given to Peter the responsibility to “open the gates of the kingdom of heaven” and we know that “the kingdom of heaven” and “the church” are synonymous. On the day of Pentecost Peter stood “with the 11” and delivered the first Gospel message designed to establish the church on the Solid Rock. He preached repentance and baptism as essential to salvation. This message was preached to the descendants of Abraham by the flesh, with ramifications to all people everywhere. BUT the jewish people were set in their belief that they were the only ones who could be saved, not realizing that the pact with Abraham included blessings to ALL peoples everywhere. (see Galatians and Hebrews which clarify many points on this matter)

So it wasn’t until Peter arrived in Samaria that the Samaritans received God’s Holy Spirit and it wasn’t until he saw the gentiles receive the Spirit that he was firmly convinced that even THEY were allowed to enter the kingdom – being uncircumcised (although this point had to be made over and over later in history).

We see, then, that through the apostles Jesus established His church on the day of Pentecost, 30 A.D.. Later on He confirmed that even those mongrel Samaritans (as seen by the Jews in Jerusalem and elsewhere) and even those “unclean Gentiles” were to form part of His holy people. But the story doesn’t end here…

To be continued…

Bible vs Popular Christianity – 1

What do you believe? A valid question, and one that SHOULD be approached seriously by anyone who seeks the truth. Also, WHO do you believe? Another important question that should make us stop and consider the source of what we believe.

Recently I was approached on FB by someone who knew my grandparents way back in the 20th Century. This person inquired as to my beliefs and I shared with them some of the scriptures relating to the importance of baptism in the salvation of a believer. Now, I realize that this can be a “controversial subject” and folks have even argued it “to the knife”. But I’d rather allow the Bible to guide me rather than the arguments of folks who claim that their interpretation of the Bible is more valid than the Bible’s interpretation of itself.

As we approach the matter we are faced with two important indicators of what the Bible teaches on the subject. What Jesus and His apostles taught on the matter and what the apostles actually DID. So begins a series of posts on the subject as we consider these two approaches to the subject: “Is baptism vital to the salvation process?”

So, what did Jesus Himself say on the matter?

When Nicodemus went to visit Jesus, he was told “Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 – CSB) and “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) I’ve read and heard all kinds of “reasons” why this OBVIOUSLY couldn’t mean that Jesus was talking about baptism – yet a careful look at other scriptures gives us a very convincing argument in favor of this being exactly what Jesus is referring to.

In Matthew 28:19 in the “Great Commission”, Jesus told His disciples “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (DO read context of all scriptures used, and note that there is a LOT more to be learned from these passages if one is a seeker after truth.) Again, in the Mark 16 account of the ascension and Great Commission, we read Jesus’s words as He said: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” It fascinates me no end to see the mental gymnastics that people go to in order to “prove” that Jesus didn’t REALLY mean what Jesus Himself said – because it does not match up with their theology that is typically based on theologians who came along well over a millennium after Jesus established His church on earth.

So, one must be born again, of the water and the Spirit. One must become a disciple, being baptized. If one believes and is baptized one is saved, but unbelief leads to condemnation. (and why be baptized if you don’t believe? and why NOT obey and be baptized if you DO believe?) These are the clear and simple reading of Jesus’ words.

So, what about the “thief on the cross”? This is tossed out as an “Aha!!!” type argument. “Gotcha! See? No baptism and yet he was saved!”. Well, what about Able? What about Abraham? What about Moses, Joshua, Caleb, David, etc, etc, etc? None of them were baptized either – or were they? Moses, Joshua and Caleb WERE all baptized, and so was Noah. (see I Corinthians 10:1-5 and I Peter 3:20-21) But let’s get back to the thief on the cross. When reading the Bible we need to ask, “Who’s talking?’ “To whom? ” “What is the context (immediate, in the same book, same testament, historical, etc)?” In this case we see Jesus talking to a ‘son of Israel’ (under the mosaic pact), BEFORE Jesus died, BEFORE Jesus resurrected, BEFORE He returned to the Father, BEFORE His church was established on the day of Pentecost. Why is all this important? Because essentially that man was one of the last to be saved through faith in the COMING sacrifice of the Lamb and His victory over death. He was by no means the first of the new pact as it had not been ratified by the death and resurrection of The Lamb.

Jesus’ message from the beginning of His ministry was simple, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance is central to the Gospel message. And the thief on the cross repented, as we can plainly see by reading the different accounts of the crucifixion. He went from mocking Jesus (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32) to asking Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. (Luke 23:39-43). So we see a man who was raised under The Law come to repentance and faith in Jesus, even as the Mosaic Law was about to be consummated by the death of The Lamb of God.

To be continued…

The Bible Vs Popular Christianity – Part 2

An Interesting Observation

…according to the religion duly registered in their pay books, a majority belonged to the Church of England, with Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists following in order of numbers, also one Jew and one Atheist; none of them, however, as far as I could find out, had any strength at all of religious feeling; neither in behaviour nor in argument did anyone ever display any interest in matters of faith. They were not ignorant, for they all had had a religious upbringing, but so completely unconcerned that they could not legitimately be described as Christians.

Peniakoff DSO MC, Lt.-Col. Vladimir. Popski’s Private Army (p. 499). Lucknow Books. Kindle Edition.

The quote above is from “Popski’s Private Army”, a book about the adventures of one Vladimir Peniakoff and the “private army” that he raised and fought with against the Axis powers during the second world war. Recently I read the book for the second time and this quote stuck out to me. It is from a place in the book where he was reminiscing about the kind of men that made up his unit. Just previous to this quote he was talking about their political outlook, but then he drifts into his observation about their religious outlook, which independent of their upbringing did not seem to impact their daily lives very much – if at all.

This lead me to consider how his observations are valid when considering the majority of “Christian” peoples today. His comment, “They were not ignorant, for they all had had a religious upbringing, but so completely unconcerned that they could not legitimately be described as Christians.” rings true for many today, with the clarification that many ARE ignorant, for the level of religious teaching in most homes and churches today is far less than in the days in which the members of PPA were raised.

Unfortunately, the concept of living daily for Christ and of not allowing the world to direct our thoughts has been lost on most of the current generation of people who are called “Christian”, but who do not live out their supposed convictions.

Romans 12:1-2 really needs to be taught to our people, and not by rote but by deed, example AND by word. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Further Developments In Photographic Expression

Building on experiments here on my blog dealing with photographic expression, I decided to simply dedicate a domain to that endeavor, so pwmphotography.net was obtained, hosted next to our mission blog and my personal (this) blog. My hope is that this will help me to 1) keep my photographic learning and sharing organized into its own space; 2) help me focus on choosing which of the many pictures I take to share with others; and 3) help me track improvement in my photographic learning trajectory as well as 4) give me a simple URL to share with folks who might be interested in what I have to share there.

It’s not much to look at yet, but I have hopes of sharing some of the beauty that I see around us, even in an urban environment such as where my wife and I live. Even in an urban area of over a half million people one can see God’s handiwork – if one will look. Botanical Beauty – Looking Out My Front Door, for example, takes a look at what is there to see, if one will, just stepping out our front door.

I’m hoping to bring back some vintage lenses to experiment with as well when I return from an upcoming trip north. Photography as an art form is one means of helping people to see God’s handiwork and His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made – as stated in Romans 1:20.

Ripping Out Tares – Or Producing Wheat?

Recently I’ve noticed a lot of people dedicating time to “ripping out tares”, grousing, complaining and worrying about denouncing “false doctrine!” And it’s not just from one theological perspective either! I’ve seen a messianic Jew, a lot of “conservative Christians” and even more “liberal Christians” denouncing what they perceive to be “a threat to us all”. The whole “Asbury ‘Revival'” thing has stirred a lot of folks up, but it’s not the only area I’m talking about.

It is all so easy to see when someone else messes up and “does things wrong”. But why are we worried? Jesus told us that the enemy would sow tares among the wheat. And He also told us to “let it grow until the harvest”. So, what should we do? I suggest we produce wheat, do the things that Jesus the Christ told us to do, and let Him sort things out upon His return.

Rather than criticizing others, let’s turn our eyes back to the labor to which we have been called. Let Him find us faithful to His message when He comes.

Count Your Blessings

On my 10th birthday my parents gave me some very special gifts. I wanted a 1 litre Coca-Cola TM and they bought me one to drink by myself, a life goal I’d had since I saw the highschoolers wasting them in soda pop fights when I was in first and second grade. BUT, they also gave me two pullets. One was a beautiful golden color and the other a lovely black feathered one that proved to be of Araucana heritage and laid blue eggs. I promptly named them “Goldie” and “Blackie”,turned them into the chicken pen with the rest of our family’s fowl and did my best to take care of them and win their confidence.

I do not recall how they ended up, my small chicken flock increased and decreased, provided eggs and meat for the family and many hours of enjoyment as I learned to “speak” with them by imitating the sounds they made. We moved from that place to another and then another and finally Dad was able to get a place of our own and we put up a chicken wire pen for our small flock of egg layers and chick brooders.

Since we lived on the outskirts of town our small brood was exposed to the typical predators of the area. Opossums, tegu lizards (locally called tiú) and iguanas (called camaleão by the locals) all did their best to include our feathered fowls in their diet. Dad kept the Glenfield Model 25 in the laundry room, which overlooked the portion of our property where the chicken pen was, and when the chickens sounded the alarm I’d go back there, take the rifle and “take care of business”.

But then I moved off to college, Dad and Mom and the youngest siblings moved to another state and probably ate the last of the chickens and poultry was one of the last things on my mind. Eventually I got married and we moved back to the Amazon Basin, only much further east, into the transitional area between the Atlantic and the Amazon forests. There my wife and I set up a chicken pen on our property and once more the sound of the chickens crooning and clucking and crowing was a part of our life, as well as the supply of eggs and fresh chicken for the pot.

Once again life stepped in and we moved to another country, from semi rural to urban life and no place for a chicken pen. Odd to say, but the “hassle” of raising and taking care of a flock of poultry has never seemed too bad, and the lack of such activity just reemphasizes to me that this country boy is “marooned” in a desolate urban wasteland. Instead of the clucking, crooning, crowing and scuffle of the flock and their pecking order we hear cars, motorcycles, trucks, busses, salesmen and other urban auditory pollution. To say I miss the old chicken pens is an understatement.

And then, an unexpected blessing, an indication of The Creator’s love and mercy. Recently we hung a flower basket outside of our bedroom window and planted a couple of decorative “weeds” (as I like to call them) in it. A couple of canaries investigated the contraption, but it was too open for them and they moved on, searching for a more appropriate abode for their brood. Then the other day I looked out and imagine my surprise to see…

Yep, it looks for all the world like a miniature chicken egg! I’d not really noticed the extra “filling” in the basket when I watered the “weeds” last, but it’s hard to miss a beautiful white egg when it’s right under your nose, so to speak. But “who” did the deed? I was pretty sure it was a bird of the dove type, but we have a couple or more different species in the area. She was a bit skittish and would take off in a panic at first, but I managed to sneak this shot.

She didn’t care for the camera or for me and took off, but landed on the roof between us and the neighbor’s place.

I’m pretty sure she is of the “Common Ground Dove” species. They are similar to the more northern mourning dove, but the mourning dove doesn’t range this far south, at least from the maps I’ve looked at. At any rate, I take this little bit of “nature doing its thing” as a reminder – God cares for even the common little birds, and He cares for you and for me as well. I miss having a small flock of chickens, so He sent me this little bird to remind me – He knows, He cares, He provides in many ways.

25 Random Things About Me – past and present

A blast from the past. Does anyone else remember when FB had a “Notes” section in their FB page? They shut it down a few years ago, but the notes are still there and show up in “Memories”. This is one I hadn’t thought about in ages, but it gives a chance to reflect on life and how things have changed over the past 14 years. So, here’s the “note” and I’ll follow the original with updates as appropriate.

25 Random Things About Me
Rules:
Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app, then click publish.) – note that “Notes” were eliminated from FB several years ago, so those instructions are no longer valid.

  1. My deepest desire is to live in a way pleasing to my creator.
  2. My second deepest desire is to help others learn to live in a way pleasing to their creator.
  3. My greatest disappointment is that I don’t always fulfill my greatest desire.
  4. My greatest joy is that He extends grace and mercy to me when I fail.
  5. My best friend sleeps in the same bed with me and I’m madly in love with her.
  6. We have two sons and two grandchildren.
  7. Our dog, Burka, was adopted from the animal shelter in Dos Quebradas. She’s about the smartest dog we’ve ever had (with the possible exception of Babe Ruth who died at 4 months old)
  8. I’ve ridden my Suzuki GN-125 H to Cali, Bogotá, Villavicencio and Guatapé – a larger bike would be nice, but this one gets the job done – eventually.
  9. The old 1975 Ford built Jeep we had in Brazil still retains a fond spot in my heart – even though it tried to kill me.
  10. I’m a carnivore and proud of it. Hunting is part of my heritage and I’ve no patience for the ignorant Disneyfied bunny huggers who don’t understand the animals they claim to love.
  11. Blood is NOT on the menu. My respect for the animal is shown by obeying God’s ancient law. That some people don’t understand how I can both respect and kill and eat an animal is a source of amusement.
  12. No, I’m not very “sensitive”.
  13. When we were kids we built things and did things that would probably get us locked up today – and I do not believe society is better for having changed in this manner.
  14. “Safety” is an excuse people use to control the lives of others. Living is not safe. Dying is not bad – as long as your sins have been taken care of by the Christ’s sacrifice.
  15. Sometime in the middle of 2009 we should finally personally meet our grandchildren.
  16. Of the computers I’ve owned over the years I’ve built or custom ordered most of them. Only the TRS80 and the Toshiba Satellites have come from the factory as is.
  17. I do not miss the tape drive on the old TRS80.
  18. My cell phone can do far more than the TRS80 ever could.
  19. We have Vonage for a US phone line. EPM for a local landline. Comcel for cell phone service. Hotmail, Yahoo, Skype and Google Talk accounts for chatting. Our own domain name for the mission work and e-mail use. And yet many folks don’t know how to contact us.
  20. My e-mail address hasn’t changed in 10 years.
  21. First place trophies for various shooting competitions sit on my shelf, speaking to the smallness of the pond in which this small frog lives.
  22. I can only take so much urban life before my head threatens to explode.
  23. Hank Williams Junior’s song “A Country Boy Can Survive” and Robin Mark’s “Ancient Words” speak about and to different parts of my being.
  24. My sons were rocked to sleep in a hammock to the sound of their dad singing “How Firm A Foundation” – all six verses I managed to locate over the years.
  25. Besides my Lord and Savior, I am thankful for my best friend, lover and wife – without Him and her I do not know what I would have become.
  26. I selected more than 25 people and now am writing more than 25 things – will I be struck by lightning? Have my facebook account closed???

Updated List

  1. My deepest desire is to live in a way pleasing to my creator.
  2. My second deepest desire is to help others learn to live in a way pleasing to their creator.
  3. My greatest disappointment is that I don’t always fulfill my greatest desire.
  4. My greatest joy is that He extends grace and mercy to me when I fail and that He has been helping me to be transformed through the renewing of my mind.
  5. My best friend sleeps in the same bed with me and I’m madly in love with her.
  6. We have two sons and six grandchildren.
  7. Our dog, Burka, was adopted from the animal shelter in Dos Quebradas. She was about the smartest dog we’d ever had (with the possible exception of Babe Ruth who died at 4 months old) We had to put her down in 2014 and we now have two other dogs, Biscuit and Blackie, who have their own Facebook Page and Instagram page as well.
  8. I rode my Suzuki GN-125 H to Cali, Bogotá, Villavicencio and Guatapé as well as to many other destinations. It was replaced by a Honda XL200 and then by a Royal Enfield Rumbler 500. Indeed the larger bike makes for a better travel experience!
  9. The old 1975 Ford built Jeep we had in Brazil still retains a fond spot in my heart – even though it tried to kill me. My wife thinks I’m nuts that I still cast a longing eye at the old Jeeps around this part of the world.
  10. I’m a carnivore and proud of it. Hunting is part of my heritage and I’ve no patience for the ignorant Disneyfied bunny huggers who don’t understand the animals they claim to love.
  11. Blood is NOT on the menu. My respect for the animal is shown by obeying God’s ancient law. That some people don’t understand how I can both respect and kill and eat an animal is a source of amusement.
  12. No, I’m not very “sensitive”.
  13. When we were kids we built things and did things that would probably get us locked up today – and I do not believe society is better for having changed in this manner. And the world is becoming more and more asinine in its frantic search for “safety”.
  14. “Safety” is an excuse people use to control the lives of others. Living is not safe. Dying is not bad – as long as your sins have been taken care of by the Christ’s sacrifice.
  15. We met our first grandchildren in 2009 and each of the others that came along we met as soon as possible. Living a couple of continents away from the kids and grandkids is one of the more difficult parts of our life and ministry.
  16. Of the computers I’ve owned over the years I’ve built or custom ordered most of them. Only the TRS80 and the Toshiba Satellites have come from the factory as is. In the past 14 years we’ve had a few more, to include a couple of laptops and a tiny form factor “desktop” unit. Unfortunately I’ve had little time to keep up to date with the “latest and greatest” and have resorted to purchasing with a view towards obtaining a useful tool that will serve for several years down the road.
  17. I do not miss the tape drive on the old TRS80. One of my builds included 5.25″ and 3.5″ diskette drives, a tape drive backup unit, a zip drive, a CD and a DVD drive/burner and a 3.5″ hard drive. It was a hoot to have such a wide variety of storage media “on tap”.
  18. My cell phone can do far more than the TRS80 ever could and has enough storage to contain the information for over 180,000 3.5″ diskettes.
  19. We have Vonage for a US phone line. Claro for a local landline cell phone service. Hotmail, Yahoo, Skype, Google Talk, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp accounts for chatting. We have our own domain name for the mission work and e-mail use. And yet many folks don’t know how to contact us even now – despite the fact that these methods of communication have been available for years.
  20. My main e-mail address hasn’t changed in about 25 years.
  21. First place trophies for various shooting competitions sit on my shelf, speaking to the smallness of the pond in which this small frog lives. I’ve got a few more in different disciplines now, most reflecting on the same small frog/tiny pond phenomenon.
  22. I can only take so much urban life before my head threatens to explode. Thankfully we have access to a place where I can get out and barely hear trucks on the road, but no urban roar.
  23. Hank Williams Junior’s song “A Country Boy Can Survive” and Robin Mark’s “Ancient Words” speak about and to different parts of my being. Don Williams’ “Good Ole Boys Like Me” and Vincent and Daley’s “By The Mark” are a couple of other songs that dance through my mind and memory at times.
  24. My sons were rocked to sleep in a hammock to the sound of their dad singing “How Firm A Foundation” – all six verses I managed to locate over the years.
  25. Besides my Lord and Savior, I am thankful for my best friend, lover and wife – without Him and her I do not know what I would have become.
  26. No one has been selected in some FB chainletter type of operation, but I AM writing more than 25 things – will I be struck by lightning? Have my facebook account closed??? – FB has indeed censored my account a couple of times. Their “community standards” do not include inclusiveness towards a conservative and truth oriented world view. I refer them to Romans chapter 1 which they will deny the validity of until such time as they are called to account, each for his/her own decisions and actions. But yours truly will continue to do his best to speak the truth in love.
  27. And since we’re expanding on the former list a bit, there are those who use the same logic as stating that a dog has five legs since you can count its tail as a leg. To those I will continue to point out that you can call something what it is not, but that does not change the essence of what it is. From the beginning marriage has been between a man and a woman. Folks call other arrangements “marriage”, but that’s like calling a dog’s tail a leg. Just because you say so does not make it so.

Precious Memories

Looking back at memories on a certain social media site, I came across this tidbit from years past. So on a whim I’m updating it and expanding it and posting it here “just because”.

Things you have done during your lifetime:

(X) Married your best friend

() Gone on a blind date

() Skipped school

(X) Watched someone die

(X) Watched someone be born

(X) Watched a spiritual new birth

(X) Watched a pet die.

(X) Put down a pet

(X) Been to Canada

(X) Been to Mexico

(X) Been to Florida

(X) Jumped off a cliff

() Bungee jump

() Parasailed

() Been to Hawaii

(X) Been on a plane

(X) Flown a plane

() Been on a helicopter

() Been lost

(X) Been temporarily misplaced

(X) Gone to Washington, DC

(X) Gone to Washington state

(X) Visited the capitols of more than three countries

(X) Swam in the ocean

(X) Swam in more than one ocean

(X) Cried yourself to sleep

(X) Loaned a shoulder to cry on

(X) Played cops and robbers

() Recently colored with crayons

(X) Sang Karaoke

(X) Sung a capella

(X) Paid for a meal with coins only

(X) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch

() Been to New York City at Xmas time

(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t

() Made prank phone calls

() Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans

(X) Been to Ver o Peso in Belém do Pará

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere

(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

() Danced in the rain

() Written a letter to Santa Claus

() Been kissed under the mistletoe

(X) Watched the sunrise with someone

(X) Watched the sunset with someone

(X) Blown bubbles

() Gone ice-skating

(X) Gone to the movies

(X) Been deep sea fishing

(X) Fished in a cow pond

(X) Fished in a mountain stream

(X) Driven across the United States

(X) Driven from ocean to ocean in one day

(X) Visited Glacier National Park

(X) Visited Yosemite National Park

(X) Driven across South America

(X) Driven truck or combine in the harvest

(X) Been in a hot air balloon

() Been sky diving

() Gone snowmobiling

(X) Lived in more than one country

(X) Learned more than one language fluently

(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars

(X) Walked by the light of the full moon

(X) Walked by the light of the stars

() Seen a falling star and made a wish

(X) Watched a satellite sail across the night sky

(X) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser

(X) Marveled at the giant sequoias

(X) Seen a tree thicker than a giant sequoia

() Been on a cruise

() Traveled by train

(X) Traveled by motorcycle

(X) Traveled by bicycle

(X) Been horse back riding

(X) Been mule back riding

(X) Been donkey back riding

() Been camel back riding

() Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR

(X) Been to Disney World or Disneyland

(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer

(X) Been in a rain forest

(X) Been in more than one rain forest

(X) Walked barefoot through a rain forest

(X) Seen whales in the ocean

(X) Seen porpoises in a river

(X) Been to Niagara Falls

(X) Been to Igaçú Falls

() Been to Victoria Falls

() Ridden on an elephant

(X) Ridden a mule or donkey

() Swam with dolphins

(X) Heard a rhea roar

(X) Seen a bear in the wild

() Seen a wolf in the wild

() Seen a cougar in the wild

() Been to a World Cup Soccer game

() Been to the Olympics

() Walked on the Great Wall of China

() Walked the Via Dolorosa

(X) Eaten a macaw or parrot

(X) Found half a worm in a piece of fruit you were eating

(X) Eaten a reptile

(X) Saw and heard a glacier crack

() Been spinnaker flying

(X) Been water-skiing

(X) Been snow-skiing

(X) Been canoeing

() Been to Westminster Abbey

() Been to the Louvre

() Been to the Sistine Chapel

(X) Been to the Museo de Oro in Bogotá

(X) Been to Brasilia – the most “modern” capital in the world

() Swam in the Mediterranean

(X) Swam in the Caribbean

() Been to a Major League Baseball game

(X) Been to a National Football League game

(X) Ever been skinny-dipping

(X) Laughed so hard you cried

() Follow a map for treasure

() Driven a dune buggy

(X) Driven a tractor

(X) Driven a manual transmission vehicle

(X) Driven a dual transmission vehicle

() Got lost in East L.A. after dark

(X) Walked the mean streets of Bogotá

(X) Swam in the Amazon

(X) Hunted on more than one continent

(X) Shot a 50 BMG rifle

(X) Shot the 1,025 Meter buffalo at the Whittington Center

(X) Participated in a national level shooting competition

(X) Placed in the top 10 in a national level shooting competition

(X) Taken first place in a national level shooting competition

(X) Fished in the Rockies

(X) Fished in the Andes

(X) Visited over 40 of the United States

() Visited ALL 50 United States

(X) Eaten food from a street stand in S. America

(X) Drunk fresh roasted and ground coffee prepared over a charcoal fire

(X) Eaten game you’ve killed and cooked yourself

(X) Eaten Rocky mountain oysters

(X) Eaten aligator

(X) Eaten piranha

(X) Eaten anaconda

() Eaten rattlesnake

() Crossed the Rocky mountains on motorcycle

(X) Crossed the Andes mountains on motorcycle

(X) Stood on the banks of the Amazon

(X) Stood on the banks of the Mississippi

(X) Stood on the banks of the Magdalena

() Stood on the banks of the Orinoco

() Stood on the banks of the Nile

() Stood on the banks of the Thames

() Stood on the banks of the Danube

() Stood on the banks of the Volga

() Stood on the banks of the Congo

(X) Read the Bible cover to cover

(X) Encouraged others to read the Bible

(X) Baptized a person into Christ.

(X) Taken a picture of a cloud

(X) Preached at a loved one’s funeral

(X) Marveled at a baby’s beauty

(X) Loaded your own ammunition

(X) Loaded ammunition with bullets you’ve made yourself

(X) Taken game with ammunition you’ve loaded yourself

(X) Built a firearm from scratch

(X) Marveled at the stupidity of those who ban things instead of teaching people proper behavior

(X) Helped a stranger along the road

(X) Been helped by a stranger along the road

(X) Allowed Christ to forgive your sins

(X) Adapted a Facebook “notes list”

Page 1 of 3

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén