October 31

Being as this particular day  has a lot of pagan baggage, I thought I would focus on another October 31 event.

According to wikipedia:

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther wrote to Albrecht, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg, protesting the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The 95 Theses.

Almost 500 years ago according to His plan, the Lord allowed the seeds of what would change the course of the history of the Church and of the world to be planted.  I do believe that for the entirety of the church age (even during the "Dark Ages") God has always had a remnant.





So whatever you are or are not doing or celebrating today:

One more thing :)  James White's latest podcast was especially good in my opinion. He talks to turretinfan and then does some reformation history. If anyone has a spare hour, it is well worth the listen.

Happy Reformation Day!

Romans Study XIV -Married to Another

Romans 7

 ¹Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Here Paul addresses the Jews in Rome. The law is in effect to those under the law for their entire lives.

 ²For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

 ³So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

If the first marriage covenant is annulled by death, then a woman is free to marry again, but only if the first husband is dead.

Jer 31:31     Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32      Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

They broke the covenant, although God was a husband to them. So God, who is merciful, provided a new covenant, in which He provided all that was necessary Himself.

 ⁴Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

This is very interesting. One who was under the law is now to consider the law covenant to be dead, so that they may be free to marry another...Christ. They cannot keep holding onto the law contract while trying to be in Christ or they will be considered "adulteresses".

 ⁵For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

 ⁶But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

 We are delivered from the law and now serving in the "newness of spirit".  We don't need to see the commands written in stone because the Spirit now guides us in all righteousness.

 ⁷What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

 Some were apparently thinking that Paul was teaching that the law wasn't good. To that he says: NO WAY! The law IS good and righteous and tells us what God expects, but we are not able to fulfill all the requirements in our sinful state. The law of God tells us what sin is.

 ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

 This is a difficult passage. It would seem on the outset that Paul is saying that the law is what caused him to sin....

So let's look at this word concupiscence:
In the Greek it is:   epithymia:
1) desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust (blb.com)

I can make my own illustration of what I think he is saying here. As children, when our parents tell us not to look in their dresser drawers, did we want to do that before it was prohibited? No, not really. We didn't even think about it, but when it is made a direct prohibition, the temptation for such a thing skyrockets.  Their forbidding such an action did not cause us to want to do it,  but it increased our desire.

It is much like in the Garden. Adam and Eve were only given one command. Now, if God hadn't pointed out and specifically forbidden the fruit of a certain tree, it would have just blended into the rest of creation perhaps. But once it was prohibited...we know the rest. 

I think the same thing is being said here. We all have the propensity for sin, but the law points it out and even in places increases our desire to disobey.

'Owlam - עוֹלָם

עוֹלָם

'owlam 

1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

a) ancient time, long time (of past)

b) (of future)

1) for ever, always

2) continuous existence, perpetual

3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

blueletterbible.com

I'm trying to conduct a somewhat brief word study on the meaning of "forever" in the bible insofar as this word "owlam" is used. I have heard it argued that we ARE still under the Mosaic law since God does say that certain things are in force forever:

Strong's Number H5769 matches the Hebrew עוֹלָם (`owlam), which occurs 439 times in 414 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the KJV. (blueletterbible.com)

If we just take it at face value in our English language it would seem to mean forever (on going, never ending, etc). Let's just take the book of Leviticus and the way it is used there.


The words in bold will be where the word is used in the text:

Leviticus 3:17
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

OK no real problem here, God said not to eat the blood this was stated before Moses:

Gen 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

and after the law:

Acts 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

The fat is the Lord's (Lev 3:16)

Leviticus 6:18
All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy .

Does anyone know where we can find some children of Aaron? 

Leviticus 6:22
And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt .

Now we're talking burnt offerings.

Leviticus 7:34
For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.

More animal sacrifice stuff...

Leviticus 7:36

Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.

This is in reference to the previous verse above (again priesthood and animal sacrifice instructions.)

Leviticus 10:9 

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die : it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

This regarding the tabernacle...we could go so far as to apply this to the temple. Where is the temple now?...

1Cr 3:16

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Pe 2:5

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

(Are we not to drink wine or strong drink since we are the temple? I do know some that would say yes...I won't go there now, but 1Timothy 5:23;), plus wine is used in the Lord's supper.)

Leviticus 10:15

The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded .

...animal sacrifices again...

Leviticus 16:29

And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

This is referring to the day of Atonement. Are we to do this forever? Again, some would say yes. What is said by Paul?

Col 2:17

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

and the writer of Hebrews:

Hbr 10:1  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Leviticus 16:34

 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

More on the day of Atonement, specifically what the priests were to do.

Leviticus 17:7
And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring . This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

This seems to have to do with doing the animal sacrifices in a way in which was not as God has laid it out here in the Levitical system.

Leviticus 23:14

And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The feast of firstfruits.

Leviticus 23:21
And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

The feast of weeks

Leviticus 23:31

Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

...more on the day of Atonement

 Leviticus 23:41

 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

 The feast of tabernacles is talked about above.

 Leviticus 24:3

 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.

This is concerning the lamps that must be kept burning continually in the tabernacle/temple. I could make a spiritual application here, but I won't.

Leviticus 24:8-9
Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.

This is the bread that has to be set our before the Lord continually in the tabernacle

Leviticus 25:34

But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold ; for it is their perpetual possession.

This is land laws and such that had to do specifically with the Levites.

Leviticus 25:46

And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

This is about the ownership of slaves.

So there they are all the "forever" passages in Leviticus. So we are left to two conclusions, either we all had better find some sons of Aaron and start constructing a temple...

OR this word translated forever means different things according to the context, much like the words "all" and "world"....you  Reformed ladies and gentlemen know what I'm talking about.;)

But how can we be sure?

Matthew 17

 ¹And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
 ²And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
 ³And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
 ⁴Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
 ⁵While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Mat 26:28          For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

And finally Hebrews Chapter 8

Hebrews  8:13    In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.

One more point to ponder...what of the passages in the prophets discussing the temple, animal sacrifices and Sabbath observance during the Millennium?  From what I have seen, these passages have been dealt with in three ways.

• Allegorizing them away
• Discounting New Testament writers who seem to say that the temple system is not in effect
• Rightly dividing - Understanding that though God doesn't change, the way He deals with people in different ages does.

I think there is a whole lot we don't know or understand now, but we have to stay in the Word and pray for understanding.

Father, help us to understand your Word, help us to trust in Jesus alone and to look to you for our salvation. Keep us from error and deception and bring us safely home. 

I hope to do some study into the specifics of Ezekiel's temple vision later, but for now, I will just say I believe it is an actual, literal temple to be in operation during Messiah's reign on Earth during the millennium.

Would You Like Some Coffee with that Cream and Sugar?

The Mr. and I were at the ball park a few nights ago, and it were rather chilly, so he got himself some coffee. We got to speculating about how many people take theirs black vs us cream and sugar people. He is a straight black coffee guy. I on the other hand take my morning cup (large cup, probably counts as two) with some molasses, half and half and a few drops of liquid stevia.




I know it sounds complicated. The molasses started when taking the advice of my midwives during my last pregnancy to increase my iron intake I started adding it to my morning cup (with their permission). I just have never discontinued it.

So how do you all out there like your morning coffee? Do you have another wake up beverage of choice?

This is not Really a Political Blog, But....

I just had to re-post this from THE OLD GEEZER.

 THE OLD GEEZER BLOG: The Two-Cow Philosophy

Elections are coming up and everyone is talking about it, so I will too, briefly.  I really liked Ron's short explanation of different political ideologies. I'm afraid I would just be in the "why bother" camp when it comes to voting if left to my own devices, but the Mr. has decided that we need to participate in the process.  I kind of wish we (women) still weren't allowed....at least then I'd have an excuse:P

How anti-feminist of me!

Is the Bible the Word of God?

"But the challenge is always this: Are men and women going to allow the Word of God to sit in judgment on their puny minds, or are they going to make their puny minds the judges of the Word of God?

We have taken the latter course as a culture. So there is mass confusion today---even in the evangelical church---over whether the Bible is true and over how far we should go in obeying it."
-Alistair Begg, The Hand of God

http://calvinisticquotes.blogspot.com/

Pharmakeia - Sorcery?

Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

 Soceries = pharmakeia

1) the use or the administering of drugs

2) poisoning

3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it

4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

(according to blueletterbible.com)

When the word "drugs" is used, one conjures up certain images and ideas: back door drug deals, human trafficking, prisons, gang activity and the like. Although that may be very well what is in mind here, I think another sort of pharmakeia is in mind. One without the legal issues or social stigma, but just as dangerous and addictive.

Several years ago when they started advertising prescription medications on television, I knew something wasn't right. Isn't your doctor supposed to be in charge of knowing what medications you may need? Why in the world were they advertising to the public?  And then when I used to frequent the doctor's office (we don't much anymore, long story, but I'm not too hip on modern medicine) there was a drug rep (salesman) there just about every singe time. I really didn't think they only showed up the days we were there. I imagine that they were there every single day.

photo from here

There were pens and tissue boxes and notepads and soap dispensers and even later on the paper that is on the exam table with the advertisements of prescription drugs on them.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to the Lord that we have doctors and hospitals and medications when there are emergencies or when something is really wrong. But it occurred to me several years ago, that the medical industry is a business like anything else, and they need people to keep coming back. I'm sure there are very wonderful and sincere people in the field that truly do want to help others, but who is behind the whole system of this world again?

I just finished listening to a very interesting teaching on this sort of thing, and if it interests you, check it out.
Scott Johnson- Pharmakeia 1
Scott Johnson- Pharmakeia 2
I don't know much about Dr. Johnson, but what he says really rings true with me.  How did people survive all these years before everyone was on umpteen medications all the time? What is going to become of these people when it starts "going down". Will they be able to survive, or will they be at the mercy of the system?


Finally, there is the testimony here of a former pharmaceutical (there's that pharma root word) industry representative.

In this one Gwen Olsen discusses how the drug industry is not in the business of curing disease...or they would be putting themselves out of business. She also says that many people who start certain medications are told that they will probably be on them for the rest of their lives. I have seen this firsthand, a person I know wanted to stop taking a popular medication for depression and was told that it isn't really possible to  "go off" of it. This person just decided that that was the way it was and has decided to just stay on it. Now Paxil doesn't occur in nature, so this makes a person completely dependent on the pharma industry.




In the next video, Ms. Olsen talks about her own addiction to prescription anti-anxiety drugs.





Years ago, I began a journey to take control of my own health and the health of our family. Since then, we have not seen a deterioration of our health, but have discovered that most of us would be just fine without constant medical intervention.

I hope to share some of our findings in this matter, Lord willing, in future posts.

Warning...Cheesy Life Application

I have been doing some deep house cleaning this week whilst the kids enjoy a fall break from our lessons. Yesterday, I worked for quite some time getting the big east-facing picture window in our living room cleaned inside and out. I thought I had it all nice and clean and was quite proud of my efforts by the time it was all over. Whew!

So this morning, I opened up the curtains and you guessed it....S T R E A K S everywhere.  I had to redo  the project this morning. Ugh! Something that looked so clean showed its unsightly imperfections in the direct sunlight.

Of course you can probably tell by now where I am going with this. We can clean ourselves up and look pretty good on the outside and fool most if not all around us with our streak-free shine. However, the streaks are there and bright, pure light will expose them.

Just some ramblings...

On a more practical note, any advice on window cleaning would be most appreciated. I understand now why people say they don't do windows.

Romans Study XIII - Free From Sin, Servants to God

 Continuing in Romans 6

 ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Since the law brings knowledge of sin, we are not to be under law so that sin may not have control of us. Sin is in control when we are continually focusing on sin by judging ourselves by the standards of the law.  But we are under grace so that the grace of God and the indwelling of the Spirit can live through us.

 ¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Paul deals with the same objections we get today. Those who proclaim the grace message are often accused of preaching an easy believism..a punch your ticket to heaven salvation.  It is part of our human nature to warp the gospel in this way.

 ¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, ...

Serving sin as a lifestyle continually makes us a servant of sin. Sin is bondage unto death...we all have experienced it. 

or of obedience unto righteousness?

Obedience to what? The law? No. Obedience unto the faith of God through Jesus who died for us that we may be children of God. 

 ¹⁷But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Belief in the gospel (1Cor 15: 1-4) that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead.

 ¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Hallelujah! We can become free to serve righteousness. The guilt and shame of sin is gone and we are a new creature in Him. Paul says this so well in the following passage.

 ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

 ²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

 ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

 ²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

photo credit

 ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Clouds V

What a beautiful morning this past Sunday! My eldest son was the first one to look out the window to see this breathtaking sunrise.

Habakkuk 3

1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.

 ⁷I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

 ⁸Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?

 ⁹Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

 ¹⁰The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.

 ¹¹The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

 ¹²Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.

 ¹³Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

 ¹⁴Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.

 ¹⁵Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.

 ¹⁶When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

 ¹⁷Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

1 Thessalonians 5:3

Here is a very short video that Firecharger put together recently:

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Tetelestai

photo credit

“I find no balm for a sore conscience, and a troubled heart, like the sight of Jesus dying for me on the accursed tree.

There I see that a full payment has been made for all my enormous debts. The curse of that law which I have broken has come down on One who there suffered in my stead. The demands of that law are all satisfied. Payment has been made for me, even to the uttermost farthing. It will not be required twice over.

Ah! I might sometimes imagine I was too bad to be forgiven. My own heart sometimes whispers that I am too wicked to be saved. But I know in my better moments this is all my foolish unbelief. I read an answer to my doubts in the blood shed on Calvary. I feel sure that there is a way to heaven for the very vilest of men, when I look at the cross.”

—J.C. Ryle

http://calvinisticquotes.blogspot.com/

Cue the Spacecrafts

My thanks to Bigritchie for posting a link to this story in the comments section of yesterday's post. The report from NYDailyNews.com reports mysterious shiny objects in the skies over Manhattan yesterday. What impeccable timing!





Not a big deal...just more conditioning.

Well, Where are They?

In some of the places I frequent internet-wise, there is some speculation about alien disclosure coming very soon....perhaps today:

I could hunt down all these links myself, but luckily The Truther Girls have made a nice short video here about what is and has been converging:

There is also a very good article that Cindy by the Sea posted a couple of weeks back tying some things together in regards to the whole UFO/Vatican/Fatima anniversary.

Photograph taken during the reputed "Dance of the Sun" at Fatima on 13 October 1917.

I don't think we can any longer dismiss UFO theories to conspiracy kooks and weirdos.  It is been so mainstreamed now, that pretty soon the existence or even the presence of "aliens" will be accepted as fact.

A great deception is in the making and has been for decades. Only Jesus can keep our hearts and minds in these perilous times.  He said that the deception would be so strong it would , if possible, deceive the very elect. We who are His have no fear of being deceived, if we are completely focused and dependent on Him.

So whatever happens today, or any day in the near future concerning these signs in the heavens, we know in Whom we have believed.


MARANATHA!

Romans Study XII - Dead to Sin

  Continuing in Romans 6

 ⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

 ⁷For he that is dead is freed from sin.

The ASV translates verse 7 :
for he that hath died is justified from sin.
That seems to flow better to me. Those of us who have died to sin (in Christ) are justified from that sin.

 ⁸Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

We believe that we shall live, we live by faith and not by sight. This hasn't happened, yet. We don't experience this as a present reality, but the Spirit testifies this truth to us.

 ⁹Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

What a wonderful revelation! Once death has been overcome, it cannot retake Him....or us.

 ¹⁰For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

 ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 It seems like Paul is saying that we are to consider ourselves to be dead to sin, dead to this present condition of ours and positioned with Christ in living unto God.

 ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

 ¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Remember who we were, who we are, and who we will become at the resurrection. We should live in such a way as to manifest that truth to those around us, not letting the sinful nature of this present tent rule over us but seeing ourselves as God's children in the kingdom that is to come.

So Heavenly Minded, No Earthly Good?

Women's Work

They say the first step is to admit you have a problem.... I did. I really, really, really don't like housework. I don't at all mind the cooking, dishes,or laundry (and even did it by hand whilst the washer was broken for about six months). It's not that I am lazy, I don't think, but am just not a real neat freak that ever saw the point in dusting and wiping off counters that will just be dirty again in three seconds or cleaning walls that will...well excuses, excuses.

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

I used to have a system, but the wheels kind of fell off that one after pretty much ten years of continuous pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and homeschooling. I would justify away...Hey I have six kids who are home all day long and I just can't be expected to have a clean home.

Something snapped in me a couple of months ago and I just said no more excuses. I have no reason to think that I am allowed to shrug off this aspect of my calling as a wife and mother, so I searched the web for some structure. The task just seemed so overwhelming at this point with the piles of clutter gaining ground around here, so I found this site. It was really what I needed. I've been following the program for about six weeks now and I feel so much better about my home, my abilities to control the mess and myself in general. I now have a notebook I am starting to keep track of the areas and tasks so I can modify it to our own needs better (and so I won't be dependent on the daily emails once the EMP attack hits..just kidding..not really).

  
The kids have been doing what I call "morning missions" before we start school....just a little thing like each one picks up 10 pieces of trash or 5 toys or straightens the living room. It only takes a couple of minutes, but makes a  BIG difference.

Now that I have started this I really hope to be able to stick with it, it's not a quick fix thing, but an exercise in developing good habits. I mean, who doesn't want to be this woman?

Proverbs 31:  10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
 12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
 13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
 14She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
 15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
 17She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
 18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

 22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
 24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
 25Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
 28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
 29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
 30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

I am so grateful for the home, husband, and children the Lord has given me to serve. I don't deserve such blessings.

10.10.10

I saw this video referenced in the comments section of another blog. All of this global cooperation and community mantra.....




Some things that popped out at me...1000 years, everyone will need to motivate themselves, ...a new goal for every organization, ...go on a CO2 diet

I guess it is just an advertisement for an environmental type "day" on October 10th. The website is touting this as

"A Historic Day of Global Climate Action"

 Hmm....

Romans Study XI - Baptized into Jesus Christ

Romans 6

 ¹What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

 ²God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Well this seems obvious to most of us that we are not to keep living as we used to live once we realize who we have been made in Him.  Of course this takes a couple of different extremes: total "it's all under the blood" antinomianism, or strict legalism. The freedom in Christ is true freedom indeed. It is freedom from the slavery of sin and freedom from the bondage of rules and regulations.

 ³Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

 ⁴Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

This particular passage seems to clearly argue for a necessity of a baptism into Christ....is there any water mentioned here?

Now this is something that is one of my hot-button issues, because I guess that I have read too much about it on the internet since coming out of the RCC. I was baptized as an adult when joining the church and then when reading stories of people that came out of her, I was told by many a website that if one isn't immersed in water that the baptism didn't count and a person needs to be rebaptized (which I was by the way). I read old writings from theologians, one saying (and forgive me for not remembering the sources) "A drop is as good as a river" and another saying "If one finger is left out of the water the baptism doesn't count." If (water) baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation, then we have to acquiesce to infant baptism it would seem, or any and all children would be lost if dying before a profession of faith could be made.

photo from Wikipedia

I mentioned this briefly in an earlier post, and though to me the jury is still out on this issue, I do feel that if the mode, manner and age of participant were THAT important, the New Testament would be absolutely explicit on these bits of minutia, especially in the epistles to the Church.

So let's look at this in detail:

 ⁵For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,

 I guess this could be a reference to a symbolic burial in the act of immersion into water...maybe.

we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Then the likeness of his resurrection would be symbolically coming up out of the water.

If we argued that that is what Paul means here then it isn't really clear if this is for professing believers or anyone. If we are baptized into Christ by the means of water, then it would seem that baptism saves, which we know it does not or everyone sprinkled as an infant would surely endure to the end. I would argue that Paul is not talking about a water ceremony here, but I most certainly could be wrong.

Don't misunderstand, I am not saying we shouldn't be water baptized, but I see a lot of over-emphasis on this issue that takes our focus off the main thing. The Mr. said it better than anyone else in my opinion. He said "I don't know why we do it or what the purpose is, but Jesus said to." So that is where we stand at this time.

Clouds IV

Here are some shots from last Saturday morning....a quite autumnal feeling day. We did get finally get some rain, though. 

Psalm 97 (1,2)The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

Hanging On

photo credit

 After a pretty stressful week, not only with the running around but some pretty intense spiritual warfare (for lack of a better term) lately, I found this refreshing post over at The End Time. I hope it blesses you as it did me:

The End Time: I am not only proud to cling to the cross...

How did we Survive?

I found this post over at Doug Ross @ Journal blog.
While not being a baby boomer ( I'm a GenXer) I still can appreciate this look back into a simpler and less politically correct time.

 Check it out:

How did we survive?

This is not Really a Personal Blog, But....

What a day yesterday. We (the kids and I ) had decided that it would be a nice day to visit my sister and her new baby ~born September 24~ for a little while. They live about and hour and a half from here, so we had morning school and left after lunch.

To make things more interesting, my daughter had a softball game at 5:45 back in the city, not at our ball park, but at a high school that I had never been to and was in a part of the city I am not real familiar with.  So, we left my sister's at 3:30ish thinking we would have enough time, stopped at McDonald's for "supper" (this is something we do maybe twice a year and is NOT in the budget...the kids all chipped in their own monies to do this...I would have packed a meal.) Thankfully now we have four more cheap Chinese trinkets in our home from the Happy Meals.

Traffic was getting pretty nasty by this time and there was a good ten minute backup on the interstate on the way. We finally got to the area of the school, and already being late, I discovered that mapquest had not given me the right directions and I was lost and getting quite irritated by this point. I stopped at a Papa John's and asked for directions, and off we were.

We were late to the game, but we were not the only ones, so my daughter ran off to join the team and I had to find a bathroom for everyone else....you moms know that when there are a bunch of little ones with you someone ALWAYS has to go to the bathroom.

Unfortunately, I can't really pay attention to the game, since the ball diamond is right next to the school's entrance road and I have a cranky and self-willed terrible two wanting to run out into said road every few seconds, so I finally gave up and we watched the game in the van. It was getting dark and cold and from what I could see, my DD got to play some (an issue I had with her coaches...nepotism and such running rampant) and looked to be having a good time.

Toward the end, though, one of the moms who is very involved with the little league and is a assistant on one of my son's teams got into a shouting match with a man and it was quite a show. I really don't know what it was about, but I found out after the game that the team we were playing was being rough and knocking the girls down and being very rude. The girls on our team are more countrified and not as rough and I don't know if any rules were violated, but when I picked DD up from the dugout, there were unhappy looking parents and a bunch of little girls in tears...including mine.

And I am thinking....what was the point of this? We are trying to keep the kids out of the world, but not so sheltered that they have no clue what the real world is really like. I feel like sometimes we are turning into the Flanders family...but I am discovering that it isn't such a bad thing. A secret guilt of most homeschoolers is that the kids don't get enough 'social' interaction with the regular kids and that we are depriving them of something somehow...at least that is a guilt of mine. So we are here in the city, at night, in the dark, without proper dinner, getting beat up by mean city girls, cranky and tired. And I am really trying not to let my flesh get the best of me. Being a light in the world is easy when one is in their own element but throw six grumpy and/or overstimulated kids, one exhausted mama and one super long traveling day in the mix, and it is really hard.
 
We were so glad to be going home, but by now I desperately needed gasoline, so we had to stop one last time. My three year old was wide-eyed and fascinated with the night time city traffic. He said "There's lots and lots of cars!"

On the way home I saw a Seventh-Day Adventist church, a Unitarian Church, A Masonic Lodge, Paternity Test Billboard, came really close to hitting some guy on a bicycle, and thought, I've got to get out of here.

The Mr. had just gotten home from an unusually long day, too when we pulled up and he shared my sentiments...we are strangers in a strange land.  And there is no place like home.

 I John 2 15-17  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Thanks for putting up with my rant, I promise not to do this very often!

MARNATHA!