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Getting somewhere requires effort, it takes
faith to push on, it's easy to screw up,
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Friday, January 24, 2014
COSY guide to Ethical Living, what are our thoughts?COSY guide to
Ethical Living, what are our thoughts?
 "This guide is designed to help you make the right decision in certain choices in your life – particularly choices
about what you buy and how you spend your money," the introduction reads.
A guide put out by the Church of Scotland Youth,
forms a guideline that everyone could review and use.
Why?
Today the world is adrift in new ideas and situations, many never dealt with in the past. The general ethical
and moral baseline addressing many of these issues changes all the time, so where do us as Christians rest on these issues
that are not specifically dealt with in a biblical text?
The young people who wrote this guide put out good arguments for many contested subjects. Christian today
on 16 January reports these as follows;
• Climate change: "Support movements that rally for environmental friendly ideas."
• Sustainable
energy: "Turn your lights off when you're not using them, and try turning down the thermostat."
• Transport:
"Taking a train or bus is much better for the environment than driving or flying."
• Consumerism: "Look out for shops
that are open about their long-term environmental policies."
• Water: "We are truly blessed with one of the cleanest,
safest natural water supplies in the world...at a time when we're trying to reduce our consumption of natural resources, manufacturing
plastic bottles is not the way forward."
• Food miles: "One of the biggest things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint
is to not waste food."
• Fairtrade: "While it is not necessarily universally 'right'...purchasing Fairtrade products
is a big step in the right direction."
• Pharmaceuticals: "There is really no good reason to pay extra money to buy
branded drugs when 'own-brand' generics are available."
• Recycling and upcycling: "Manufacturing recycled materials
uses considerably less energy than that required for producing new products."
• Tax and banking: "As a consumer,
you can choose to put your money in a bank that behaves more ethically."
• Boycotting: "Boycotts are a peaceful
way of standing up and showing that you will not be associated with a group and its practices."
• Homelessness, asylum seekers
and refugees: "Volunteer your time to an organisation that works to support homeless people."
Good
principles for people with good hearts. For Christians the guide points out it bases the decisions it promotes
on these verses in Mark 12
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind
and with all your strength.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4,5) 31 And here is the second one. ‘Love your neighbor
as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) There is no commandment more important than these.”
We need to do things that help people day-to-day.
Maybe as Christians we should consider each of the categories above and decide what we could do to improve our world.
That’s a thought for
today?
By the way
the full guide can be read at http://issuu.com/cofsyouth/docs/cosy_guide_to_ethical_living
Fri, January 24, 2014 | link
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Was God wise to get the Israelites to circumcise their sons?
 Was God wise to get the Israelites to circumcise their sons?
For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision,
but keeping the commandments of God. ~1 Corinthians 7:19 ESV
Circumcision is one of the most debated medical
topics that the common man has addressed throughout the ages.
Yesterday Annie Steed, writing in Scientific America, reported
on Newborn circumcision pointing out that in 1999 the America Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) deemed circumcisions unnecessary
and within a short time 11 UAS states dropped the procedure from Medicare coverage.
The article goes on to explain rejecting newborn circumcision
didn’t save costs, quoting the Wall Street journals research. It turns out that without circumcision as a newborn, the number of boys requiring
circumcision at an older age rose significantly and state costs skyrocketed.
It turns out newborn circumcision
is not only less traumatic for the boys, but that it costs less, about $250 compared to the
$6000 for older boys, never mind the fact that newborn circumcision is safer, it is a fact that older boys
are at far more risk for complications.
I guess science has come to the factual understanding that in this aspect maybe those ancient Israelites were wise in listening to their
God.
The ancient rule
was explained as “10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants
after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo
circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every
male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from
a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your
money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised
male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” Genesis
17 NIV
Then
in New Testament times this circumcision rule was overcome by God permitting people to choose for themselves and non-Jews didn’t need to take part
in this procedure.
Paul
goes as far as to say, “25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break
the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised
keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who
is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision,
are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit,
not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.”
This brings me to the question on my mind.
For years
people have been mocking physical circumcision without seeing its benefits.
The question is “How many people are mocking spiritual circumcision
without seeing it’s benefits?”
Do we realize that Christians are honorary Jews because of Jesus death and resurrection? Do we get that?
God
the great physician does a procedure on our hearts making us
right for heaven and bringing us into the nation of God’s people. Rules and regulations don’t mean much it’s
the reality that counts.
Those older boys who developed urinary tract infections and other complications probably wished their parents had helped
them at birth. The AAP changed its ruling in 2012 to allow to reinstate Medicare coverage.
Will we change our attitude to
God and allow him to circumcise our hearts, taking
the bad and evil away and giving us a pure clean and beautify spirit that is welcomed into heaven.
That’s a thought for today isn’t
it?
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
St Augustine’s 4 states of Man and the choice of monergism or synergism St Augustine’s 4 states of Man and the choice of monergism or synergism
In the 5th Century a guy by the name
of Augustine discussed free will and our ability to come to God.
His first state is living according to the flesh
His second
state is recognition of sin through the law
His third state is Faith in the help of God, but perseverance in trying to please God
His fourth
state is full and perfect peace in God
State one is that of people who are able to do those selfish, nasty and horrible things as a
result of original sin (original sin means we are all born with selfish, ignorant
and nastiness in our life -a different subject J ).
We see that in people who live for themselves, chasing whatever
whim or fancy dances past them. They have no strong moral base to their lives and if they do, they will bend it to satisfy
their needs. We have all been there at some time. Now we know just how worthless that type of life is and how loudly
we proclaimed it to be the best and only way of life when we were there in that thinking. I guess we need to have compassion
for those who are lost in this blind living, and we should pray for them trying to help them (despite the fact they will
deride us and reject our advances to help them most of the time).
His second state is the recognition
of sin through the law. Again, some of us have walked in these paths as well. This is when we realize God
has laws we need to obey and in fact these laws often make us more aware of the selfish, ignorant and nasty things we do.
Yet in our own strength at the time we were incapable of avoiding doing these things. The pope recently pointed that out,
indicating that life in the world is to hard to deal with without Jesus.
Augustine’s third state is where we start to have faith in God, but try continually to by human effort reach perfection.
This cannot be done! This is one of the most tiring and trying places to be. It is often in these times people fall down and
fail themselves completely by turning from God in frustration. If we try we find we cannot be perfect without God’s
intervention. This person does not yet have the deep loving acceptance of God’s salvation. They are still trying to
earn heavenly safety by pure living. This is an impossible task and will tire a person into failure every time.
The fourth state comes with
a realization that we cannot be authors of our own salvation. It needs God to intervene
and through Holy Spirit change us in an instant to be children of God.
Here is the point where people differ with Augustine. Augustine believes when we distribute God messages to others, whether they accept or not is totally God’s choice.
(something called monergism).There is a different perspective(synergism) that says God
gave men free will so that they can choose freely and we have the ability to choose or not choose for God.
Either way, if
we are hearing an offer of eternal life through Jesus empowered by Holy Spirit that will enable us to live in harmony with the Father through grace and
do not accept it, it does not matter we are monergists or synergists, we WILL be lost.
The only reasonable response
it to cry out, “Oh God, thank-you for dying and rising for us, let my life die to sin and rise with you into eternity
and I accept your free offer of eternal life and purity through Jesus”
If you are reading this now that offer is being made to you right
now!
What is your
response?
It does not matter in which of the first three states you find yourself.
It does not matter if you are a monergist or synergist.
It matters that you know and love God, then that you learn to love yourself and others as yourself. That’s what
God wants from us! It’s simple really.
Then we start on experiencing the relationship which involves talking to God and then watching as he intervenes
in our life, growing us and guiding us. That’s eternity on earth. It’s available for taking for those with courage,
acceptance of God in Jesus and for those that will enjoy a life of true love.
Think about it and if you have already achieved this, pray that
someone you know will come to experience this as well.
Have an awesome God inspired day!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
You do realize Christianity is not there to “make mankind better”? You do realize Christianity is not there to “make mankind better”?
Do gooders!
That’s a term I often hear used to explain
Christians.
Yet
if I understand God’s relationship with us, God never sees anything we do as good enough. Never ever!
The
best person’s efforts on this Earth are stinking sinful when they are put in front of the pure Holy God.
Rather, like a beggar from the street offering us a grimy handkerchief that has been in
unwashed pockets and hands for a few years, it has good intentions but the result is it is still incapable of being acceptable.
God
cannot accept our unworthy gifts of good deeds due
to the sin that has poisoned our lives.
That is not important however since God’s message to us is that despite the dirt of our sinful lives, he loves us so dearly that
he has worked out a way to make us acceptable no matter what the darkness of our sin is.
When Jesus became sin and died, God became sin for
us. He took on all the grime
and dirt, and then went through the death and resurrection wash cycle to clean it all away. The beggars of sin became the
heirs of the Kingdom. We are moved from the streets of Hell to the banquet halls of heaven. It’s not important how dirty
we were, it’s important to know that the relationship with God’s son makes us into heirs and King’s kids.
We are lifted
out of the grime of life into the light and beauty of heaven. Through Jesus, God reaches his hand down into the Hell of life, and in an instant cleans our life and makes
us acceptable.
That handkerchief goes through the superwash and can be used by anyone in heaven. Our lives have worth and value!
It is with gratitude that we while on Earth respond with using our
lives to help God touch others so they too can become pure and Holy.
Yes, we as Christians love helping our God in this world. It is love
that drives us. Like beggars who get rid of the bedbugs and fleas of life, that enjoy the crisp clean clothes,
the good haircut and wonderfully cleaning shower given in love, we get rid of sin and evil of life. We enjoy the armour of
God and Gifts of Holy Spirit, and the forgiveness of our sins.
Who wouldn’t want this for others?
How about we ask God to help us provide others opportunities
for change of this nature today?
Have a wonderful blessed day cleansed and empowered by God’s
glory provided by Jesus and led by Holy Spirit.
"...If
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone the new has come."
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
Monday, January 20, 2014
Everyone on the side of truth listens to meEvery truth
has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either.~ Aesop
 Is
there more than one truth?
Is Aesop right in his statement and what was he getting at?
Is it not true that when a decision is made, there is
at least the chosen outcome and the outcome if the decision went another way?
I believe Aesop was suggesting that before we blindly believe
the first thing presented to us that appears correct, we should check out the alternative as well. We need to know the facts.
Yet the question
I pose today is what if the facts are not enough?
Sometimes it is not possible to know everything and the facts on which the decision is to be made may appear
to carry equivalent weight for different outcomes that appear equally as accurate.
Let’s consider Pilates facts at the time of Jesus’
trail. He had the evidence presented by the Jewish leaders who were accompanied by a crowd who backed their statements. More
than one witness shouted at Pilate that day. The charges level at Jesus were “We have found
this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” Luke
23:2
Three
charges
1. Subversion,
2. Opposing taxes
to Caesar,
3. Being
Messiah, a King.
Pilate had to judge.
Now we know the charge of subversion
would have to have been applied in a Roman and not Jewish context, so Pilate could fairly easily discarded this as untrue. Jewish squabbles about religion didn’t interest him or Rome. There was not a Roman
basis for this charge.
The second,
of opposing taxes to Caesar is unlikely to have been supported. We know Jesus
paid taxes because it is in his teachings (Mark 12) that we should “Give back to Caesar
what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” That, and the fact a tax collector was one of his disciples,
seems to suggest that this was not going to hold up. Pilate also rejected these charges.
The final charge was more complex. Here there were two truths! Jesus was a messiah and
King, but he was not bringing in a revolution of the nature of an earth King against Rome. The facts presented to
Pilate did not resolved the decision into one clear outcome.
Pilate asks Jesus “are you King of the Jews” and in Luke the answer
is “yes it is as you say”, but John’s account (John 18) has more information
and depth and in this account the answer is much more complex, (even if the outcome is as Luke explained).
My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my
servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.
In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to
me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate.
Jesus
is not denying being a King, but is denying that the kingdom He has is in any way similar to normal kingdoms. He proves this by showing that nobody is out there fighting for him.
Why is he alone in captivity if he has followers that fight the normal way?
He is guilty of point 3, but he is also not guilty of point 3.
Pilate understands this, yet also
understands the crowds outside are not looking for truth.
The depth of his dilemma is shown in his words “what is truth?”
That was what he had to judge. Jesus
tells him.
“You
say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side
of truth listens to me.”
Strangely
Pilate does listen to him. He claims he is not guilty!
Truth is complex, but when in doubt we should do as Pilate did, and listen to Jesus.
Today Jesus reveals himself through
Holy Spirits guidance. We need to hear from God and do what God wants.
Did Pilate do that?
Initially, but when resistance came he gave way to evil.
This is the critical difference between Pilate and ourselves. .
.
When resistance
comes we should stand firm. God will take us through the
situation.
I don’t know what
your situation is today, what big decision faces you. What I do know is that to investigate truth and then do as God directs
is the only valid way to go through each day.
I pray our God and father, Jesus His son and Holy Spirit will guide and support you today, no matter what decisions
you happen upon. May God be the light of your life!
Mon, January 20, 2014 | link
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If you want to see a short blog describing a perspective on what I believe click here
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Rift in Evil
By Ken
X Briggs - Published: September, 2010
- Format: Perfect Bound Softcover(B/W)
- Pages: 208
Size:
6x9 - ISBN: 9781450250894
Available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iUniverse. |
Credit cards are acceptable on sites having Ken's books: 
:)
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Click
on XML Click here =>  to be told of new blogs
| Ken's book covers are displayed below. . . | |  This
suspense thriller centers on Kiara, a beautiful young woman pursued by a murderous group of people, who relentlessly and ruthlessly
hunt her and her sisters. Kiara has no idea why she is being targeted! When Kiara and her family turn to the law for help,
this fails. Her pursuers’ powers reach deeply into the political and law enforcement world. Family support for her dwindles
when they too have to flee her pursuers. Can Kiara escape the clutches of both the law and dishonest big business? With the
media broadcasting that Kiara and friends are dangerous and subversive, can Kiara clear her name and bring her pursuers to
justice?
| | | | | To purchase Kiara's Pursuer ebook
@ $1.99 kindle version click here, To contact the author contact Author@KenXBriggs.com | | | | | | | | The town of Zinaville is dropped into a spiral of evil causing a young man and a beautiful but abused woman
to launch into an investigation that unveils an evil conspiracy. A horrific mining accident results in Joshua
Robyn's father being killed. Joshua struggles both with himself and his townsfolk as he tries to make sense of an incomprehensible
situation. Is it an accident or a murder? Why is there a seeming link to evil? Why is his work environment suddenly threatening?
What is the conspiracy about and what are they trying to do? As action moves dramatically from exotic African grasslands to
the heart of North America's cities, the plot unfolds and the pace quickens. Will there be time? Why is a beautiful abused
young woman in the center of this plot? Evil tendrils tighten on their lives and the interplay between the visible
and invisible world shows opposing forces at work. Will there be a rift in evil? Will they be able to stop the
evil in time? | | - Published: September, 2010
- Format: Perfect
Bound Softcover(B/W)
- Pages: 208
Size: 6x9 - ISBN: 9781450250894
Available
from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iUniverse. Chapters | | | | |
| Frugal Eating Advice |
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| Good advice for students living on limited $'s. Click on the image! |
May you be blessed today!
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