II Chronicles 19 – 23 and WHEN

II Chronicles 19 – 23

When Jehoshaphat (Judah) arrived home to Jerusalem, Jehu the seer told him the Lord was angry with him, but recognized there was some good in him. Jehoshaphat (Judah) went out among the people and encouraged them to return to the Lord. He created a court system by appointing judges over civil disputes and judges over the Lord’s regulation. He appointed a kind of supreme court with the final say in all cases for each branch. He encouraged the judges to take courage as they fulfilled their duties and asked that the Lord be with those who do what is right.
After this, the armies of Moab, Ammon and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat (Judah) and word came that they would soon be attacked. Was Jehoshaphat’s (Judah) response to this threat to call the army together and make treaties with other nations to fight the forces marching to destroy Judah?. Emphatically, no! He was really scared, but instead of building up his armies, he “begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.” The people of Judah went to Jerusalem and sought the Lord’s help.
Jehoshaphat (Judah) himself prayed to God in front of the Temple, reminding God that He was the “ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth,” that He was “powerful and mighty,” that no one could stand against Him. He admitted to the Lord that Judah was powerless against the might army about to attack them and that they were looking to the Lord for help.
Jahaziel son of Zechariah delivered a message from the Lord to Jehoshaphat (Judah) and the people of Judah that the battle was the Lord’s and not theirs, that they would not even need to fight, that they could stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. The king went so far as to appoint “singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor.”
The armies coming to attack them started fighting among themselves. When the army of Judah got there, “all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.” No wonder they called the place where this took place the Valley of Blessing.
Jehoshaphat (Judah) reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. When he died, his oldest son Jehoram (Judah) became king, but he was an evil king. One of his first acts after he established himself as king was to kill his brothers and some of Judah’s leaders. He married a daughter of Ahab (Israel) and Jezebel.
Elijah the prophet sent a letter to Jehoram (Judah) telling him the Lord was about to strike him down, that he would get an intestinal disease so severe his bowels would come out. As predicted, this happened – he died in agony and his youngest son Ahaziah (Judah) became king. His mother was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri (Israel).
Ahaziah (Judah) was another king who did evil in the Lord’s sight and soon met his death. His mother Athaliah took over the rule of the kingdom and destroyed most of the rest of Judah’s royal family. Ahaziah’s sister, Jehosheba, stole Joash, Ahaziah’s infant son, away so he would not be killed. He had to remain hidden for six years while Athaliah reigned.
Jehoiada the priest finally brought Joash (Judah) to the Temple and declared him king then had Athaliah taken out of the Temple and killed. Jehoiada make a covenant with Joash and the people that “they would be the Lord’s people.” The temple of Baal was torn down and destroyed, the idols were smashed and the priest of Baal was slain in front of the altars.
Tomorrow, it’s Obadiah and Psalm 82 – 83.

WHEN

Looking back thru the past 4 years, many "Whens" pop up. Read them all to better understand where we are going as a country.
WHEN - Obama refused to disclose who donated money to his election campaign, as other candidates had done, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he received endorsements from people like Louis Farrakhan, Muramar Kaddafi and Hugo Chavez, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - it was pointed out that he was a total newcomer and had absolutely no experience at anything except community organizing, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he chose friends and acquaintances such as Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn who were revolutionary radicals, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - his voting record in the Illinois Senate and in the U.S. Senate came into question, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he refused to wear a flag lapel pin and did so only after a public outcry, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - people started treating him as a Messiah and children in schools were taught to sing his praises, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he stood with his hands over his groin area for the playing of the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he surrounded himself in the White House with advisors who were pro-gun control, pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage and wanting to curtail freedom of speech to silence the opposition, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he said he favors sex education in kindergarten, including homosexual indoctrination, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - his personal background was either scrubbed or hidden and nothing could be found about him, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - the place of his birth was called into question, and he refused to produce a birth certificate, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he had an association in Chicago with Tony Rezco - a man of questionable character and who is now in prison and had helped Obama to a sweet deal on the purchase of his home - people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - it became known that George Soros, a multi-billionaire Marxist, spent a ton of money to get him elected, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he started appointing White House Czars that were radicals, revolutionaries, and even avowed Marxist /Communists, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he stood before the Nation and told us that his intentions were to "fundamentally transform this Nation" into something else, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - it became known that he had trained ACORN workers in Chicago and served as an attorney for ACORN, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed cabinet members and several advisers who were tax cheats and socialists, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed a Science Czar, John Holdren, who believes in forced abortions, mass sterilizations and seizing babies from teen mothers, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed Cass Sunstein as Regulatory Czar who believes in "Explicit Consent," harvesting human organs without family consent and allowing animals to be represented in court, while banning all hunting, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed Kevin Jennings, a homosexual and organizer of a group called Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Education Network as Safe School Czar and it became known that he had a history of bad advice to teenagers, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed Mark Lloyd as Diversity Czar who believes in curtailing free speech, taking from one and giving to another to spread the wealth, who supports Hugo Chavez, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - Valerie Jarrett, an avowed Socialist, was selected as Obama's Senior White House Advisor, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director, said Mao Tse Tung was her favorite philosopher and the person she turned to most for inspiration, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed Carol Browner, a well known socialist as Global Warming Czar working on Cap and Trade as the nation's largest tax, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he appointed Van Jones, an ex-con and avowed Communist as Green Energy Czar, who since had to resign when this was made known, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - Tom Daschle, Obama's pick for Health and Human Services Secretary could not be confirmed because he was a tax cheat, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - as President of the United States, he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, people said it didn't matter..
WHEN - he traveled around the world criticizing America and never once talking of her greatness, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - his actions concerning the Middle East seemed to support the Palestinians over Israel, our long time ally, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he took American tax dollars to resettle thousands of Palestinians from Gaza to the United States, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he upset the Europeans by removing plans for a missile defense system against the Russians, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he played politics in Afghanistan by not sending troops early-on when the Field Commanders said they were necessary to win, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he started spending us into a debt that was so big we could not pay it off, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he took a huge spending bill under the guise of stimulus and used it to pay off organizations, unions, and individuals that got him elected, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he took over insurance companies, car companies, banks, etc., people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he took away student loans from the banks and put it through the government, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he designed plans to take over the health care system and put it under government control, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he claimed he was a Christian during the election and tapes were later made public that showed Obama speaking to a Muslim group and 'stating' that he was raised a Muslim, was educated as a Muslim, and is still a Muslim, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he set into motion a plan to take over the control of all energy in the United States through Cap and Trade, people said it didn't matter.
WHEN - he finally completed his transformation of America into a Socialist State , people woke up--- but it was too late.
Add these up one by one and you get a phenomenal score that points to the fact that Barrack Hussein Obama is determined to turn America into a Marxist-Socialist society.
All of the items in the preceding paragraphs have been put into place. All can be documented very easily. Before you disavow this do an Internet search.
The last paragraph alone is not yet cast in stone. You and I will write that paragraph. Will it read as above or will it be a more happy ending for most of America ?
Don't just belittle the opposition. Search for the truth. We all need to pull together or watch the demise of a free democratic society. Pray for Americans to seek the truth and take action for it will keep us FREE. Our biggest enemy is not China, Russia, North Korea or Iran. Our biggest enemy is a contingent of politicians in Washington, DC .
The government will not help, so we need to do it ourselves.
Question....will you delete this, or pass it on to others who don't know about Obama's actions and plans for the USA , so that they may know how to vote in November, 2012 and the ensuing years?
It's your decision. I believe it does matter. How about you?
WHEN - November 2012 comes, it will matter who you vote for!
Until next time…

I Kings 22 and II Chronicles 18 and Madea’s Witness Protection

I Kings 22 and II Chronicles 18

Jehoshaphat (Judah), unfortunately, made an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel by marrying Ahab’s daughter. With a father like Ahab and a mother like Jezebel, one must wonder what Ahab’s daughter was like.

In any case, It was not the wisest thing Jehoshaphat (Judah) did, entangling himself with Ahab (Israel). We know that Ahab (Israel) listened to a lot (about 400) of false prophets. How do we know they were false prophets? The test of a true prophet is that every prediction he makes must come true. He should have listened to the prophet he sent to jail – Micaiah who predicted the death of Ahab (Israel). Jehoshaphat was almost killed and Ahab was.

Ahab’s (Israel) son Ahaziah became king of Israel seventeen years after Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. He, like his father, did evil in the Lord’s sight, serving Baal and provoking the Lord’s anger.

Tomorrow, it’s II Chronicles 19 – 23.

Madea’s Witness Protection

Today, I went to AMC and saw Tyler Perry’s latest movie, Madea’s Witness Protection. It was a typically hilarious Madea movie. The theater was packed and the crowd was loud – lots of clapping and laughing and rooting for the good guys (or gals). It was knee-slapping funny!

The Harbinger

I’m currently about 3/4 of the way through The Harbinger, a book by Jonathon Cahn. It is a terrific, scary book, a work of fiction but with lots of references to prophecy (especially Isaiah 9:10). The word harbinger, according to Wikipedia, means “a person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.” If I had to sum up the message of the book, it is that we have had several warnings that America must return to a reliance on God.

Please read this book. Please pray for our country every day.

As I was reading this book, I thought back to when I was in high school (I graduated 50 years ago) and students started the day with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

I still remember that prayer:

“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon you, we pray your blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country.”

How different the country would be if everyone started their day acknowledging their reliance on the living God and praying to Him for blessings. Encourage your children to pray in school – they don’t have to do it out loud. You might want to do the same – maybe somethi8ng like:

“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon you, we pray your blessings upon us, our family, our leaders and our country.”

What can it hurt?

Until next time…

I Kings 20 – 21

What a wonderful lesson today even though it covers some really reprehensible behavior on the part of King Ahab (Israel) and his wife Jezebel. We learn that our God is a God of mercy and forgiveness.

King Ben-hadad of Aram decided to attack Samaria, the capital of Israel. King Ahab (Israel) was willing to give him his silver and gold and wives and children but, at the advice of the elders, drew the line at letting Aram search his palace and the homes of the people. An unnamed prophet of the Lord tells Ahab (Israel) that the Lord will defeat them. Then, he would know that God was the Lord. Sure enough, Ahab (Israel) and his forces defeated Ben-hadad. The prophet told Ahab (Israel) to get ready for another attack, that Ben-hadad would come back in the spring.

When spring came, the prophet told King Ahab (Israel) that God would once again defeat Ben-hadad for him so he would know that God was the Lord. It happened just as the prophet said, except King Ahab (Israel) was disobedient and let Ben-hadad live and made a new treaty with him. His punishment seemed fair: “you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.” Ahab (Israel) did not react well; he went home “angry and sullen.”

We get real insight into the spiritual condition of Ahab (Israel) and Jezebel in chapter 21 from the way they treated Naboth, killing him in order to get his vineyard. When confronted by Elijah, though, Ahab (Israel) “tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning.” When the Lord saw what Ahab (Israel) had responded, he told Elijah that he would not do what he had promised during Ahab’s (Israel) lifetime, but would still destroy his dynasty.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 22 and II Chronicles 18.

I Kings 17 – 19 and Never shuck corn again!

I Kings 17 – 19

Are you finding it confusing trying to keep track of who is king of what? Is this person a king of Israel or Judah? From now on, I think I will indicate in parentheses following the king’s name whether he is king of Israel or Judah. It also doesn’t help that Judah’s king might serve during the reign of several of Israel’s kings or vice versa.

For today’s reading, Ahab (Israel) is king – an evil, wicked man and we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite. Like many prophets of old, he told it like it was. These prophets are amazing; they had to deliver unwelcome messages to those in authority. In I Kings 17, Elijah had to tell King Ahab (Israel) that there would be no dew or rain during the next few years.

The Lord told Elijah to hide by the Kerith Brook. I’m sure the Lord knew that as the lack of rain became evident, Ahab (Israel) would seek out Elijah to harm him. Elijah was told to drink from this brook and to eat what the ravens bring him. Can you imagine a raven giving up food for anyone? The Lord commanded them to bring Elijah food.

Eventually, as the lack of rain continued, the brook dried up. The Lord then sent Elijah to the village of Zarephath to a widow so she could feed Elijah. The woman had amazing faith. Here she was, ready to feed herself and her son the last of her food, but Elijah asked her to feed him first and promised that there would always be flour and olive oil until the Lord sent rain and the crops grew again.

Our God is a God of miracles. When the widow’s son died, Elijah prayed for him and the Lord revived him.

In I Kings 18, Elijah is told to go to King Ahab (Israel) and tell him the rain would soon be coming. Elijah meets Obadiah, another “devoted follower of the Lord,” who tells him Ahab (Israel) has been looking for him and that he had hidden 100 f the Lord’s prophets to keep them safe. Elijah lays it on the line to Ahab (Israel) telling him that it is because of him and his family that the trouble has come to Israel. He sets up a challenge against the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah at Mount Carmel. It was not even a contest. Elijah was on God’s side and defeated those false prophets.

Elijah then prays for rain and there was a “terrific rainstorm.” He ran ahead of Ahab’s (Israel) chariot to Jezreel where Jezebel was living. She vowed to kill Elijah and, surprisingly, Elijah became afraid and fled for his life. The Lord provides for Elijah during his flight and eventually speaks to him. In this conversation with the Lord, Elijah is not shown in a very good light. He whines about how he is the only one left in all the land who serves the Lord. The Lord straightens him out quite soundly. He is told to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat to take his place, Jehu as king in place of Ahab (Israel), and that the Lord “will preserve 7000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him.”

Chapter 19 ends with Elisha becoming Elijah’s assistant.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 20 – 21.

Never shuck corn again!

We will never again shuck corn!!!! What a great idea*

http://www.wimp.com/shuckcorn/

Until next time…

I Kings 15:25 – 16:34 and II Chronicles 17 and TRopical Storm Debbie

I Kings 15:25 – 16:34 and II Chronicles 17

During the second year King Asa ruled in Judah, Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel. He did what was evil in God’s sight and continued the sins of his father Jeroboam. After two years, Baasha the son of Ahijah plotted against him and assassinated him so he could become the next king of Israel. Baasha killed all of the descendants of Nadab as Ahijah the prophet predicted.

Although you would think he would know better, Baasha also did evil in the Lord’s sight. I wonder if he was scared when the prophet Jehu told him the Lord would destroy him as he had the dynasty of Jeroboam. When Baasha died, his son Elah became the next king. He only lasted two years before being assassinated by Zimri, who was commander of half of the royal chariots. Zimri lost no time consolidating his position by killing all of Baasha’s family, even distant relatives and friend.

Zimri lasted only seven days because the army of Israel chose Omri, the commander of the army. Zimri burned the palace down around himself and was killed in the fire. In spite of some objection by some of Israel, who wanted Tibni to be king, Omri’s supporters defeated the supporters of Tibni.

What a chaotic situation this must have been, but Omri managed to stay in power for twelve years in spite of doing evil in the Lord’s sight. Omri’s son was the infamous Ahab, one of the most evil kings of Israel. He married Jezebel and began to worship Baal. He built an altar to Baal and set up an Asherah pole and “did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.

In II Chronicles 17, we learn that King Asa of Judah must have had a profound effect on his son Jehoshaphat who became king after Asa died. He was a good king who “followed the example of his father’s early years and did not worship the images of Baal.” He was “deeply committed to the ways of the Lord” and removed the shrines and Asherah poles.

He encouraged the people to follow the Lord, even sending out officials and Levites with copies of the Book of the Law and traveling throughout Judah, teaching the people.

The Word of God is “quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” This happened in Judah. The fear of the Lord fell over the kingdoms that surrounded Judah and none of them wanted to attack Judah. Plus, Jehoshaphat amassed a huge army which he stationed in Jerusalem and in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 17 – 19.

Tropical Storm Debbie

Just heard that Tropical Storm Debbie is finally starting to move onto land. We needed the rain, but in some cases, we got way to much. Many streets are covered in water, the power is off in scattered areas. and the wind has done quite a bit of damage. So far, 18.63 inches of rain sets a new record. The  last record set in June, 1945, at 18.5 or so inches. There are also 3 1/2 days left in the month of June, a potential to really change the record.

Today, my camper is smelling like Jalapeno peppers – I have a dehydrator full of sliced Jalapenos drying  -- from my own pepper plants.

Until next time…

I Kings 15:1 – 24 and II Chronicles 13 - 16 and Tropical Storm Debbie (for 6/24/2012)

I Kings 15:1 – 24 and II Chronicles 13 - 16

With Rehoboam and Jeroboam, we begin a list of kings over Israel and Judah whose reigns are described in terms of whether they were faithful to the Lord and whether they committed the same sins as their fathers before them, whether they did what was right in the Lord’s sight.

After the death of Rehoboam, his son Abijam (also known as Abijah) ruled, but he didn’t last long – only three years. While Rehoboam didn’t go to war with Jeroboam, Abijam did. He “committed the same sins as his father before him and he was not faithful to the Lord his God.”

The next king of Judah was Abijam’s son Asa. He reigned a lot longer – 41 years. Asa “did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight.” While he didn’t remove the pagan shrines, he did banish male and female shrine prostitutes and got rid of the idols his ancestors had made. He even went so far as to depose his grandmother Maacah, one of Absalom’s daughters, from her position of queen mother. She apparently had made an “obscene” Asherah pole.

What puzzles me is how Asa came to be a good king, one who did what was pleasing in God’s sight. His father and grandfather had been evil men. His grandmother obviously was not faithful to the Lord. Who influenced him to follow the Lord?

On the other hand, Asa did have his problems. Instead of trusting God when King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah, he made a treaty with King Ben-hadad of Aram. When Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him he had missed his opportunity to destroy the army of the king of Aram, because he had not trusted the Lord, Asa threw Hanani into prison and began to oppress the people. Asa also did not ask for God’s help with a foot disease he developed in the thirty-ninth year of his reign.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 15:25 – 16:34 and II Chronicles 17.

Tropical Storm Debbie

We’re still under the influence of Tropical Stomr Debbie although today was much better than yesterday, at least so far. I was even able to drive to Publix between bands of thunderstorms.

It did get pretty bad last night; in fact, I  slept in my clothes, including wearing my shoes. The front end of my camper is up off the ground pretty far and when the wind is high, it shakes a bit. It was really fun in complete darkness after the power went out.  Fortunately, I had some flashlights at hand – I’m compulsive about stuff like that.,

Until next time…

I Kings 12 – 14 and Incredible!

I Kings 12 – 14

Today’s lesson makes it clear that it really matters whose advice we take. Solomon has died and his son Rehoboam goes to Shechem where the people were gathered to make him king. He had the kingdom within reach, but listened to the wrong people and lost the support of ten of the tribes of Israel. He ruled over only Judah and Benjamin.

Jeroboam became the ruler over the other ten tribes just as God had told him through the prophet Ahijah. He was not a man of God as is evidenced by his creation of two golden calves that he set up as a place to offer sacrifices. After the altar split into two pieces at Bethel and his hand became paralyzed, you would think Jeroboam would have reconsidered his pagan practices, but he did not. In fact, the Lord uses the prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam what is about to happen.

Of course, Rehoboam wasn’t any better and, during his reign, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and stole everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made. When Rehoboam died, his son Abijam becomes king of Judah (and Benjamin).

Tomorrow, it’s II Chronicles 10 - 12.

Incredible!

Take about classless!

Obama Wants Your Wedding/Birthday/Anniversary Presents

The President's campaign sent out an email on Friday that is generating a lot of material for comedians and late-night television hosts. The mass mailing actually suggested that people who are getting married (or are about to celebrate an anniversary or birthday) should escew gifts and ask their friends and family to instead donate to Obama's re-election campaign. See the invitation HERE.

Until next time…

Proverbs 30 – 31

Today, we read the last two chapters of the book of Proverbs, each written by a different person: chapter 30 by Agur of Jakeh and chapter 31 by king Lemuel, whom some believe is another name for Solomon.

I couldn’t find any other place in the Bible where Agur of Jakeh is mentioned. He obviously was doing a lot of thinking about God, asking questions about God, admitting he did not “know the Holy One,” but that did not mean he did not believe in God. As he says, “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.” And what does he ask God for – just two things:

• “help me never to tell a lie”
• “give me neither poverty nor riches”

He seems to understand himself and God as we can see by some of his words of wisdom. I loved the way he expressed himself in many of the verses after verse 15, poetically making his point by the use of “There are three things … no, four…”

As to chapter 31, I wonder if they shouldn’t be titled “The Sayings of the Mother of King Lemuel,” since according to him, he was taught these by his mother. One must wonder if this could really be Solomon speaking. After all, Lemuel says, “Do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.” Would a man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines give such advice? One of the big questions answered here is “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?” I guess someone with 700 wives might have some insight on this.

I guess it doesn’t matter if Solomon was Lemuel or not. You won’t find a better description of a virtuous and capable woman anywhere. He concludes that “charm is deceptive and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 12 – 14.

Until next time…

I King 10 – 11 and II Chronicles 9

The descriptions of what the Queen of Sheba found when she visited Solomon were absolutely incredible. The Queen wanted to see for herself if what she had heard was true. She found it was but what she heard didn’t begin to describe the wisdom of Solomon or the greatness of his kingdom.

Were you saddened by what you read today? Solomon, who was the Lord’s man for so long, who asked for wisdom instead of riches, who built a Temple for the Lord, who had all of the riches anyone could ask for, failed himself and the Lord. He “loved many foreign women…700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines.” The Lord made it clear that the people of Israel were not to marry non-Israelite women “because they will turn your hearts to their gods.”

And that is exactly what happened to Solomon. Those foreign women influenced Solomon to worship not only Astoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, but also Molech, the god of the Ammonites, and Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab. He not only worshipped these false gods, but he built shrines to them.

What were these gods like? Ashtoreth, who was called Aphrodite by the Greeks, was the goddess of fertility, sexuality, and war. She is often associated with Baal and worship of her involved child sacrifice. Molech, associated with the sun, is another false god, the worship of which involved child sacrifice. Chemosh was also associated with human sacrifice.

Isn’t it interesting that all three of these mentioned false gods worshipped by Solomon believed in sacrificing children? I would expect that most people would find this practice offensive and evil. In Genesis 1, when God created man in his image, the first command He gave them was “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.” Is Planned Parenthood with its child sacrifices the new Astoreth or Molech or Chemosh? 50 million babies have been sacrificed since Roe v Wade. Talk about sad.

As a result of Solomon’s sin, the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite and Rezon as adversaries and the kingdom of Israel was divided: Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s officials was approached by the prophet Ahijah and told he would rule over ten of the twelve tribes of Israel because Solomon had not followed His ways and done what was pleasing in His sight.

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 30 – 31.

Until next time…

Ecclesiastes 7 – 12 and Belt Making Class

Ecclesiastes 7 - 12

Much of chapter 7 sounds a lot like the book of Proverbs – wisdom doled out on a variety of subjects, but he continues with his assertion that everything is meaningless.

Throughout the last 6 chapters, Solomon draws a lot of conclusions:

• “God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”
• “None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.”
• “When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.”
• “…no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun.”
• “Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”
• “Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.”
• “Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king.
• “There is another evil…under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.”
• “…divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.” – what great advice in this age in which we live…
• “…remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.”
• “Don’t … forget your Creator”

His final conclusion is: “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”

Tomorrow, it’s I King 10 – 11 and II Chronicles 9.

Making Belts

Today, I had the privilege to attend a class on making belts at Tandy Leather in Tampa. It was a great class and I learned a lot, even though I’ve already made many belts.

By the way, I meant to post this picture yesterday. It’s what my pepper plants looked like when I got home on Monday night. They’d only been one day without rain, but no harm done. They perked right up once I watered them. I probably picked 3 pounds of jalapeno peppers today.

Until next time…

Ecclesiastes 1 – 6

Ecclesiastes 1 - 6

Do you believe that “everything is meaningless, … completely meaningless,” as Solomon asserts? He asserts that nothing changes, that “History merely repeats itself.” The same Solomon, who urges us to seek wisdom, who devoted himself to search for understanding and explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven, now says “The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.”

Wisdom didn’t seem to cut it, so he tried pleasure, but found that also meaningless. When all was said and done “the wise and the foolish both die” and “the wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool.” He repeats that
“Everything is meaningless.” But, he does conclude that pleasures are from the hand of God.”

By the time I got to chapter 3, I was singing the Byrds famous song, taken from Ecclesiastes, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” God has “made everything beautiful for its own time” and that “people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end,” but that “people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

Solomon makes a great case that “two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”

Maybe one of the most important things he said was in Proverbs 5:1-2: “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are hear on earth. So let your words be few.”

Tomorrow, it’s Ecclesiastes 7 - 12.

Until next time…

Proverbs 27 – 29 and Safe Arrival

Proverbs 27 - 29

The first two verses in Proverbs 27 give some great advice about bragging or praising oneself – don’t do it; let someone else praise you.

I couldn’t help but notice that Solomon offers more comments on wives, especially a quarrelsome wife. She is “as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands.”

He makes many comments about fools and about taking care of what you have.

There are also some insightful observations about government:

• “When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.”
• “To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.”
• “Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely.”
• “A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.”
• “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.”
• “A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.
• “If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.”
• “If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever.”
• “When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall.”
• “Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord.”

Tomorrow, it’s Ecclesiastes 1 - 6.

Safe Arrival

I arrived safely from mty brother Jeff’s house today. Traffic was very heavy, but I made pretty good time.

Until next time…

Proverbs 25 - 26

Wow, today we’re studying proverbs of Solomon collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah. Isn’t it amazing how God has preserved what he wants us to read and study? Hezekiah was a king of Judah who reigned approximately 200 years after Solomon.

These two chapters use rich descriptions to make their point, such as “like golden apples in a silver basket” or “a gold earring or other gold jewelry” or even “like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot” or “taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar on a wound.”

Paul quotes Solomon’s proverb (25:21, 22) in Romans 12:20: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

What was your favorite proverb from these two chapters? One of mine is the seemingly contradictory proverbs found in Proverbs 26:4 – 5 – “Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.”

According to http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/17146/eVerseID/17147,

“In his article, "Is Proverbs in Contradiction on Answering Fools?" James Patrick Holding feels that the alleged contradiction between Proverbs 26:4-5 wins a major award for silliness. What we have here is not contradiction, but dilemma—an indication that when it comes to answering fools, you cannot win—because they are fools, and there is no practical cure for foolery (as this citation demonstrates). So: It is unwise to argue with a fool at his own level and recognize his own foolish suppositions, but it is good sometimes to refute him soundly, lest his foolishness seem to be confirmed by your silence.””

Solomon has a lot to say about fools in chapter 26. I especially like verse 12: “There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.” It reminds me of a poem I memorized when I was in high school:

“He who knows not and knows not he knows not: he is a fool - shun him. He who knows not and knows he knows not: he is simple - teach him. He who knows and knows not he knows: he is asleep - wake him. He who knows and knows he knows: he is wise - follow him.”

Another of my favorites is verse 27: “If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 27 - 29.

Until next time…

I Kings 9 and II Chronicles 8

Both the chapters we read today cover pretty much the same events and activities. We know it took 20 years to build the Lord’s Temple and Solomon’s royal palace. Since the Temple took him 11 years to build, but his palace took 13 years, we know that at some point work was being done on both at once.

There was an interesting relationship between Solomon and King Hiram of Tyre. They had a deal, and though it didn’t sound as if Hiram was completely happy with the nine towns Solomon had given him, he still paid Solomon 9000 pounds of gold.

Did you notice that Solomon’s forced labor force was made up of those in the land who were not Israelites? He did not conscript any Israelites for this work, but he did appoint 550 of them to supervise the people working on the various projects.

He didn’t consider it right for his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, to live in King David’s palace because the Ark of the Lord had been there and the palace was, therefore, holy ground. This is why a separate palace had to be built for her.

Solomon also created a navy that was docked in Ezion-geber and Elath, ports along the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. He got the ships and experienced crew from Hiram of Tyre. Using these ships, his men brought back almost seventeen tons of gold from Ophir.

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 25 - 26.

Until next time…

Psalm 134, 146, 147. 148, 149, and 150 and Bits and Pieces

Psalm 134, 146, 147. 148, 149, and 150

Psalm 134 is another of the songs for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. These Psalms must have had a lot more meaning after the Temple was built and the Ark of the Covenant moved into it. “May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem.”

Psalm 146 is a recital of the blessings of God and a call to praise him. We are not to put our confidence in powerful people, but those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God, are joyful. After all, he:

• Made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them
• Keeps his promise forever
• Gives justice to the oppressed
• Give food to the hungry
• Frees the prisoners
• Opens the eyes of the blind
• Lifts up those who are weighed down
• Loves the godly
• Protects the foreigners among us
• Cares for the orphans and widows
• Frustrates the plans of the wicked
• Will reign forever
• Will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations

Psalm 147 is a Psalm apparently written after the Israelites were exiled, since it says “The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing the exiles back to Israel. We are also told that God counts the stars and calls them all by name. Have you ever tried to count the stars – even the ones you can see?

Psalm 148 can be summed up in verse 5: “Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being.”

Psalm 149 makes it clear that we should praise the Lord no matter where we are or what we are doing.

Psalm 150 is another powerful Psalm of praise, telling us how to praise him:

• With a blast of the ram’s horn
• With lyre and harp
• With tambourine and dancing
• With strings and flutes
• With a clash of cymbals
• With loud, clanging cymbals

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 9 and II Chronicles 8.

Bits and Pieces

Someone sent me this a few days ago and I forgot to post it – can you believe it?

My cousins sent me this campaign poster that makes the case for anybody but Obama:

Someone labeled this picture “Buckwheat Meets the Queen.” I would suggest it be called “Big Windy Meets the Queen.”

Here are snippets from a book of "Impressions & Observations" of Secret Service personnel assigned to guard U.S. Presidents/First Ladies, and Vice Presidents.

JOHN & JACQUELINE KENNEDY

*A philanderer of the highest order. * *She ordered the kitchen help to save all the left-over wine during State dinner, mixed with fresh wine and served again during the next White House occasion.*

*LYNDON & LADYBIRD JOHNSON

*Another philanderer of the highest order. In addition, LBJ was as crude as the day is long. Both JFK and LBJ kept a lot of women in the White House for extramarital affairs, and both had set up “early warning systems" to alert them if/when their wives were nearby. Both Kennedy & Johnson were promiscuous and oversexed men. *

*She was either naive or just pretended to "not know" about her husband's many liaisons. *

*RICHARD & PAT NIXON

*A “;moral" man but very odd, weird, paranoid, etc. He had horrible relationship with his family, and in a way, was almost a recluse.* *She was quiet most of the time.*

*SPIRO AGNEW

* Nice, decent man, everyone in the Secret Service was surprised about his downfall. *

*GERALD & BETTY FORD

*A true gentlemen who treated the Secret Service with respect and dignity. He had a great sense of humor. *

*She drank a lot!*

*JIMMY & ROSALYN CARTER

*A complete phony who would portray one picture of himself to public and very different in private, e..g., would be shown carrying his own luggage, but the suit cases were always empty; he kept empty ones just for photo op's. Wanted the people to see him as pious and a non-drinker, but he and his family drank alcohol a lot. He had disdain for the Secret Service, and was very irresponsible with the "football" nuclear codes. He didn't think it was a big deal and would keep military aides at a great distance. Often did not acknowledge the presence of Secret Service personnel assigned to serve him.*

*She mostly did her own thing.*

*RONALD & NANCY REAGAN

*The real deal --- moral, honest, respectful, and dignified. They treated Secret Service and everyone else with respect and honor. Thanked everyone all the time. He took the time to know everyone on a personal level. * One & favorite" story which has circulated among the Secret Service personnel was an incident early in his Presidency, when he came out of his room with a pistol tucked on his hip. The agent in charge asked: "Why the pistol, Mr. President" He replied, "In case you boys can't get the job done, I can help." It was common for him to carry a pistol. When he met with Gorbachev, he had a pistol in his briefcase. Upon learning that Gary Hart was caught with Donna Rice, Reagan said, "Boys will be boys, but boys will not be Presidents." [He obviously either did not know or forgot JFK's and LBJ's sexcapades!]*

*She was very nice but very protective of the President; and the Secret Service was often caught in the middle. She tried hard to control what the President ate, and he would say to the agent "Come on, you gotta help me out." The Reagans drank wine during State dinners and special occasions only; otherwise, they shunned alcohol; the Secret Service could count on one hand the times they were served wine during their "family dinner". For all the fake bluster of the Carters, the Reagans were the ones who lived life as genuinely moral people.*

*GEORGE H. & BARBARA BUSH

*Extremely kind and considerate Always respectful. Took great care in making sure the agents'’ comforts were taken care of. They even brought them meals, etc. One time Barbara Bush brought warm clothes to agents standing outside at Kennebunkport; one agent was given a warm hat, and when he tried to nicely say "no thanks" even though he was obviously freezing, President Bush said "Son, don't argue with the First Lady, put the hat on." He was the most prompt of the Presidents. He ran the White House like a well-oiled machine.*

*She ruled the house and spoke her mind.*

*BILL & HILLARY CLINTON

*Presidency was one giant party. Not trustworthy --- he was nice because he wanted everyone to like him, but to him life is just one big game and party. Everyone knows of his sexuality.*

*She is another phony. Her personality would change the instant cameras were near. She hated with open disdain the military and Secret Service. She was another one who felt people are there to serve her. She was always trying to keep tabs on Bill Clinton.*

*ALBERT GORE

* An egotistical ass, who was once overheard by his Secret Service detail lecturing his only son that he needed to do better in school or he “;would end up like these guys" --- pointing to the agents.*

*GEORGE W. & LAURA BUSH

*The Secret Service loved him and Laura Bush. He was also the most physically “in shape" who had a very strict workout regimen. The Bushes made sure their entire administrative and household staff understood to respect and be considerate of the Secret Service.

*She was one of the nicest First Ladies, if not the nicest; she never had any harsh word to say about anyone.*

*KARL ROVE was the one who was the most caring of the Secret Service in the administration.*

*BARACK & MICHELLE OBAMA

”Clinton all over again" - hates the military and looks down on the Secret Service. He is egotistical and cunning; looks you in the eye and appears to agree with you, but turns around and does the opposite---untrustworthy. He has temper tantrums.*

*She is a complete bitch, who hates anybody who is not black; hates the military; and looks at the Secret Service as servants.*

Until next time…

II Chronicles 6 – 7 and Psalm 136 and Government Gone Wild

II Chronicles 6 – 7 and Psalm 136

The Temple has been built and Solomon has prayed, offering the Temple to the Lord as “a place where you can live forever.” II Chronicles 6 and 7 covers some of the same events as we studied in I Kings 8 yesterday. Solomon recognized that “even the highest heavens” could not contain God, much less the Temple he built.

Did you notice that when Solomon prayed before the congregation, he did not stand in front of a podium, but “knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.” In his prayer, Solomon rehearses the goodness of God and asks that the Lord, the God of Israel would fulfill his promise to his servant David.

He talks about all of the terrible things that could happen: if someone wrongs another person, if Israel is defeated by its enemies, it the skies are shut up and there is no rain, if there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or locust attacks or caterpillar attacks, or if enemies are besieging Israel’s towns. Yesterday, we talked about II Chronicles 7:14 – Solomon wanted God’s promise that if any of the above terrible things happened, “if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, the hear from heaven where you live, and forgive.”

We can see from this that Solomon was not building this Temple to honor himself, but he saw it as a place to which individuals and tribes and nations could turn to plead for God’s mercy and forgiveness. He must have known that in the future people would be exiled; he even spoke of the turning in repentance during that exile and praying and being allowed to return from the land of their captivity.

I particularly love II Chronicles 6:40 – “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.”

And talk about a fireworks display. After Solomon finished praying, “fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple.” In fact, priests couldn’t even enter the Temple because of the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 136, which was chosen to accompany the II Chronicles 6 – 7 reading is so appropriate. Just as the priests are recorded as having given thanks to the Lord for he is good, so this Psalm is filled with reasons to give thanks to the Lord, with each verse ending in “His faithful love endures forever.”

Tomorrow, it’s Psalm 134, 146, 147. 148, 149, and 150.

Government Gone Wild posted this on Facebook today:

The food stamp program (by the U.S.D.A) is happy to be distributing the greatest amount of free meals and food stamps ever. Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Dept of the Interior, asks us to "Not Feed The Animals" because they grow dependent on handouts and not learn to take care of themselves. Click LIKE if you think Congress WANTS you dependent on government! (emphasis is mine … K)

How true it is.

Until next time…

I Kings 8 and II Chronicles 5

The Temple of Solomon is complete and Solomon calls the priests and Levites to bring the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle and all the sacred items to the Temple. So many animals were sacrificed that they couldn’t keep count. The musicians, including our old friends Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres and harps. Joining them were 120 priests playing trumpets and a number of singers offering praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. As they were singing, a thick cloud filled the Temple and they had to leave because of the cloud.

At that time, Solomon offered a prayer to the Lord. If I had to sum up that prayer, I would cite II Chronicles 7:14: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land.”

Our nation is in such a state now that we who are called by his name need to:

• Humble ourselves
• Pray
• Seek his face
• Turn from our wicked ways

If we do, God has promised he will”

• Hear from heaven
• Forgive our sins
• Restore out land

Currently, our nations sanctions sin. 50 million babies have been aborted since Roe v Wade and now the government is not doing a thing about abortion for reasons of gender selection – talk about a war on women! If for no other reason than that, we should be crying out to Almighty God for forgiveness.

Won’t you join me and others who are called by his name in humbling ourselves, praying, seeking his face and turning from our wicked ways? For this great country to be restored, we need real change – a change of heart, a change in behavior, a change of attitude.

God, please bless America!

Tomorrow, it’s II Chronicles 6 – 7 and Psalm 136.

Until next time…

I Kings 7 and II Chronicles 4 and Safe Arrival

I Kings 7 and II Chronicles 4

Wow, did Solomon ever build a lot of stuff! The Temple took him 11 years to build, but his palace took 13 years. Both places were huge. Could you believe it?

This Huram-abi or Huram whose mother was from the tribe of Dan and whose father was from Tyre was quite the talented craftsman. We first read about him in II Chronicles 2, where we were told that Hiram from Tyre sent him to Solomon as part of their original deal. He did all of the metal work for Solomon. In addition to being a master metal craftsman, he also worked in stone and wood, in cloth and engraving and could “follow any design given to him.

Did you notice that when the description of Solomon’s living quarters was given, the text mentions that Solomon also “built similar living quarters for Pharaoh’s daughter whom he married?”

I would have loved to see the Temple and Solomon’s palace; just the description was almost more than I could take in.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 8 and II Chronicles 5.

Safe Arrival

Today, I left for my brother Jeff’s at 5:08am and arrived safely around 1:30pm. I thought I would have to travel through a lot of rain, but it was beautiful the whole way. The traffic was light and I saw no accidents – very unusual.

Until next time…

I Kings 5 – 6 and II Chronicles 2 – 3

In these two parallel passages of Scripture, we learn about Solomon’s building of the temple. In the same way David had, Solomon contacted Hiram of Tyre (located in what is now Lebanon) and made a deal with him to supply cedars from Lebanon and cypress timber. For ease of moving them, the logs were cut and made into rafts. The rafts were then floated in the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa in Israel. We aren’t told how they got them from the sea opposite Jerusalem to Jerusalem, except they were carried away (I Kings 5:9). For this, Solomon gave Hiram an annual payment of 100,000 bushels of wheat, 110,000 gallons of pure olive and (though it’s not mentioned in I Kings) 100,000 bushels of barley and 110,000 gallons of wine.

For this, Solomon got enough logs to build the temple. And, what a temple it was:

90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. That is huge. It took seven years to build this temple. Most of it was overlaid with gold. It must have been beautiful.

A lot of the work was done by foreigners in the land of Israel: 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 quarry workers, and 3,600 foremen. Solomon also conscripted 30,000 men from all Israel who were sent in shifts to help with the work in Lebanon. Each man would work one month in Lebanon and then be home for two months.

I do like that Solomon realized it was not possible for him to build a worthy temple for the Lord, since “not even the highest heavens can contain him.”.

Tomorrow, it’s I Kings 7 and II Chronicles 4.

Until next time…

Proverbs 22 – 24

Today, if nothing else, we learned what leads to riches, honor, and long life: True humility and fear of the Lord. We also learned that the borrower is the servant to the lender. Makes you think about the tremendous debt our country owes to various entities, including Communist China.

We also learned more about feeding and/or oppressing the poor – a recurrent theme of Solomon’s. He also told us not to cheat a neighbor by moving boundary markers and not to take the land of defenseless orphans. After all, their Redeemer is strong and he himself will bring their charges against you.

He discussed how important it is to listen to the wise and what will happen if we don’t. He also says “The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. Solomon gave a lot of insight into and advice about dining with a ruler.

He tells us we should not wear ourselves out trying to get rich because riches can all disappear in the blink of an eye. If you don’t believe that, consider what happens when the stock market unexpectedly crashes or when the Facebook IPO takes a dive.

Solomon also talked more about disciplining your children:

• Proverbs 22:15 – “A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.”
• Proverbs 23:13 – 14 – “Don’t fail to discipline your children. They won’t die if you spank them. Physical discipline may well save them from death.”

Tomorrow, it’s back to the historical books for a few days à I Kings 5 – 6 and II Chronicles 2 – 3.

Until next time…

Proverbs 19 –21 and A Busy Day

Proverbs 19 -21

There is so much truth in these three chapters that it is hard to pick which ones to discuss.

Did you see Proverbs 19:2; I think it was Benjamin Franklin who restated this as “Haste makes waste.” The next verse is so wise: “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.” Quite a few verses are devoted to the importance of telling the truth and not lying and also about using false weights, unequal measures and double standards. Didn’t you love Proverbs 19:13? Have you ever been driven crazy by a dripping faucet? Obviously, Solomon has. And I wonder how he knew that “It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.” (Proverbs 21:9

Do you help the poor? If so, remember that you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you. Much is said about lazy people, including that they take food in their hand and don’t even lift it to their mouth. That’s pretty graphic, isn’t it? He also warns (Proverbs 21:13) that “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.” Or, also Proverbs 21:19: “It’s better to liove alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.”

When I read Proverbs 20:1, I couldn’t help but think of Brad Paisley’s song “Alcohol.” It starts out like this:

I can make anybody pretty
I can make you believe any lie
I can make you pick a fight
With somebody twice your size

Listen to this song sometime; it will bring home the truth of Proverbs 20:1.

Proverbs 20:19 should give all of us pause: “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.” If someone is sharing gossip with you, you have to believe they are sharing info about you to others.

Do you believe in physical punishment? Solomon sure did. He said it “cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.” I don’t think this means it should be excessive, but I was physically punished when I was a kid (I know you can’t believe I would do anything that would result in punishment) and it didn’t kill me or scar me for life, but it did teach me some valuable lessons.

The recurring theme in Proverbs 21:3 is powerful: God delights more in obedience than in sacrifice. And, in case there was any doubt, Proverbs 21:4 tells us that haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin.”

Once again he warns about keeping your mouth shut: Proverbs 21:23 – “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”
The last verse of these three chapters is one we should all remember: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs top the Lord.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 22 – 24.

A Busy Day

Today was a very busy day. My cousin Richard and I went to Tampa and had lunch with my sister-in-law Esther, my niece Jane, her husband David, and my great nephews James and Brad. My nephew Steven arrived about the time we cut the belated birthday cake for Brad.

The Birthday Cake

 

My Cousin Richard

 

My GREAT-nephew James

Esther, Jane and James

My Great-nephew Brad

  

The birthday boy blowing out the candles

Somehow, I missed getting a picture of David and Steven, but the rest turned out pretty well. Also, the breeze was blowing so hard we were not able to light the candles.

We had great food and great fun.

After we finished lunch, Richard and I went over to Largo to visit his cousin Vivienne, her mother Irene, Viv’s two sons and their families, including Abner, a dog rescued from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. On Sunday, Viv’s husband Bill of 46 years passed away. Viv is having a lot of health problems, but she seems to be doing well. It’s always good to get to together with the people we love.

Until next time…

Proverbs 16 – 18

These next three chapters are different in that most of the proverbs listed here are not comparative/contrastive. Instead, they mostly make their point by making affirmative statements. For example, Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Did any speak to you specifically?

Proverbs 16:1 and 9 sort of cover the same topic, but just a little differently: verse 1 says, “We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.” While verse 9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

There are quite a few proverbs specifically regarding the king and many on pride and humility, notably Proverbs 18:12: “Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.”

I loved Proverbs 16:24: “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” If you have ever been the recipient of kind words, you know how true this is. Many times in my life, my whole day has been brightened by a few kind words spoken by a friend.

I found the two verses about bribes somewhat puzzling. The first verse seems to be endorsing bribery, while the second implies it is not a good idea.

Proverbs 17:8 says, “A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper.”

Proverbs 17:23 says, “The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.”

In much of the Bible, context helps us understand the meaning of difficult-to-understand passages. In Proverbs, there is mostly no contextual help. When this doesn’t help, I turn to other translations, such as:

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
A precious stone is beautiful in the eyes of him who owns it, and wherever it turns it is notable.

Note the use of “bribe,” “gift” or “precious stone.” The word “bribe” has a certain connotation we don’t see in “gift” or “precious stone.” I think we also have to consider other parts of the Word. For example, in Exodus 23:8 we are told: "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.”

One of my favorite Proverbs is Proverbs 17:28: “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” Proverbs 18:10 is my life verse: “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 19 – 21.

Proverbs 13 – 15 and Various E-Mail Selections

Proverbs 13 – 15

Solomon continues his proverbs, comparatives saying that impart a truth by use of contrasting points. Which of these spoke to you? He speaks more on the words we say in Proverbs 13:2 – “Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous appetite for violence.” And continues in verse 3 – “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” Proverbs 15:28 – “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.”

He also speaks more about the wise verses the the fool and the godly versus the wicked. I especially like his further reference to the importance of who we hang out with – Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” So simple, so succinct, and so right on the money.

What did you think of Proverbs 13:25? “The godly eat to their hearts’ content, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.” Or Proverbs 14:4 “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a stong ox for a large harvest.” I chuckled at that one.

On a more sobering note, Proverbs 14:9 says, “Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” And, so important, Proverbs 14:31 says, “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.” Proverbs 14:34 should give our nation pause: “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Proverbs 15:1 is great advice: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” I especially liked Proverbs 15:25 – “The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 16 – 18.

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT This is the scariest election we as Christians have ever faced, and from the looks of the polls, the Christians aren't voting Christian values. We all need to be on our knees. Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders unfold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do that. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime. 2 Chronicles 7:14. 'If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.' During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill, who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute, to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect, as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America . The United States of America , and our citizens, need prayer more than ever!!! If you would like to participate,each evening at 9:00 P. M. Eastern Time (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific), stop whatever you're doing, and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the upcoming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land, and that Christianity will grow in the U. S. If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along. Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Thank you. May God Bless You!!!

Only in America

1) Only in America could the President talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000 a plate campaign fund-raising event.

2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when we have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal work force is black while 12% of the population is black.

3) Only in America could we have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.

4) Only in America can we have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the President and the media react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.

5) Only in America would we make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just become American citizens.

6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be mocked by the President and labeled "extremists" by the media.

7) Only in America are you required to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.

8) Only in America could the President and the media blame oil companies for gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a most major oil companies is less than half that of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).

9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, but still spend over a trillion dollars more than it has per year while the President complains that there is not nearly enough money to do what he wants.

10) Only in America could the people who pay 86% of all income taxes be accused by the President of not paying their "fair share" on behalf of the people who don't pay any income taxes at all.

AND ONE LAST, BUT NOT LEAST REMARK:

11) Only in America can we have the last two Democratic Presidents who are called "Commander In Chief Of The Armed Forces" not have served one day of his life in any form of military service to his country.

......And only in America are we privileged to have a lawful way to change these things. November draws near.

Boys and Girls,

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

As you open your pocketbooks for the next natural disaster, please keep these facts in mind:
The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $951,957 plus expenses.

The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $675,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits .

UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,900,000 per year (158K) per month, plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE.

Less than 5 cents (4.4 cents) per donated dollar goes to the cause.

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.

The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
· The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary .

Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
· The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary .

Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
· The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary .

Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
· The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary .

Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

No further comment is necessary.

Please share this with everyone you can.

Until next time…

Proverbs 10 – 12 and Finding God in Commercials

Proverbs 10 – 12

The title of chapter 10 is “The proverbs of Solomon:” How would you define a proverb? According to Wikipedia, a proverb is “a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity...” According to thefreedictionary.com, a proverb is “. A short pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a basic truth or practical precept.”

The book of Proverbs, especially beginning with chapter 10, contains a number of comparative sayings, most of which are separated by the word “but” or with the sense of that word. There is no way we could discuss each of these proverbs, most which do not have any bearing on the one before or the one after. There are, however, some common themes in the proverbs listed: being a wise child, the importance of right living, the importance of hard work, the contrast between the wicked and the wise, the contrast between the wise and the fool, the contrast between the rich and the poor, etc., etc.

Which ones spoke to you specifically? Do you see why I suggested it would be a good idea to read through the book of Proverbs every month, one chapter per day? For example, Proverbs 10:3 says, “The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.” While the Lord will not let the godly go hungry, we see that the craving of the wicked will not be satisfied. The wicked could have everything they need and then some, but they will never be satisfied, regardless of how much they have.

Didn’t you love Proverbs 10:19? It says, “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” Words to live by, wouldn’t you say? I also loved Proverbs 11:26: “People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.” Animal lovers would really appreciate Proverbs 12:10: “The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 13 – 15.

Finding God in Commercials

 

Fifth Grade Assignment Wouldn't this be great if it was taught in every school. A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look At TV commercials and see if they could use them in 20 ways To communicate ideas about God. Here are some of the results: scroll down.

God is like...

BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.

God is like...
A FORD
He's got a better idea.

God is like...
COKE
He's the real thing.

God is like...
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like...
TIDE
He gets the stains out others leave behind. ...

God is like...
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.

God is like...
WAL-MART
He has everything.

God is like...
ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you'll like Him

God is like...
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.

God is like...
DELTA
He's ready when you are.

God is like...
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.

God is like...
VO-5 Hair Spray;He holds through all kinds of weather

God is like...
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?

God is like...
The U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from
His appointed destination.

God is like...
Chevrolet. . . .the heart beat of America

God is like...
Maxwell House. .... .
Good to the very last drop

God is like...
B o u n t y . . . .
He is the quicker picker upper. . Can handle the tough jobs. ..
And He won't fall apart on you

BLESSINGS FROM
MY HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE
Peace, Love and Prosperity to all !

God is like...
The Energizer Bunny
He Keeps Going, Going, and Going

"HAVE A GREAT DAY"
IN GOD WE TRUST!

Until next time…

Proverbs 7 – 9 and Class Always Shows

Proverbs 7 - 9

Do you have tricks you use to help you remember things? A string around your finger, turning your watch backwards, and turning your ring backwards are a few favorites of mine. In Proverbs 7, we see Solomon telling his son to tie his commands and instructions on his finger as a reminder. He then gives another warning about immoral women, even citing an example of a young man who fell prey to one who was roaming the streets seeking out young men to corrupt..

Proverbs 8, on the other hand, talks about how wisdom is calling out. She takes her stand at the crossroads – now, this may be a physical crossroads or a spiritual crossroads. If you choose her way and follow her, you will receive wholesome advice, have good judgment, discover knowledge and discernment. She touts common sense and success, insight and strength. Note wisdom says God formed her from the beginning before he created anything else, that she was his constant delight. The chapter ends with a wonderful promise: “For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.” It doesn’t get any plainer than that.

Proverbs 9 compares the wise and the mocker/wicked, making it clear that “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” She also contrasts Wisdom and Folly.

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 10 – 12.

Class Always Shows A doctor had his TV on in his office when the news of the military base shootings at Ft. Hood , TX came on. The husband of one of his employees was stationed there. He called her into his office and as he told her what had happened, she got a text message from her husband saying, "I am okay." Her cell phone rang right after she read the message. It was an ER nurse, Im the one who just sent you a text, not your husband. I thought it would be comforting but I was mistaken in doing so. I am sorry to tell you this, but your husband has been shot 4 times and he is in surgery." The soldier's wife left Southern Clinic in Dothan, AL and drove all night to Ft.Hood. When she arrived, she found out her husband was out of surgery and would be OK.  She rushed to his room and found that he already had two  visitors there to comfort him. He was just waking up and found his wife and the visitors by his side. The nurse took this picture: What? No news crews and cameras? This is how people with class respond and pay respect to those in uniform. I sent my cousin in Fayetteville , N.C. (Retired from Special Forces) that picture of Geo. W. visiting the wounded at Ft. Hood . I got this reply: What is even better is the fact George W. Bush heard aboutFort Hood, got in his car without any escort, apparently they did not have time to react, and drove to Fort Hood. He was stopped at the gate and the guard could not believe who he had just stopped. Bush only asks for directions to the hospital then drove on. The gate guard called that "The President is on Fort Hood and driving to the hospital." The base went bananas looking for Obama. When they found it was Bush, they immediately offered escort. Bush simply told them it was o.k. and to let him visit the wounded and the       dependents of the dead. He stayed at Fort Hood for over six hours, and was finally asked to leave by a message from the White House. Obama flew in days later and held a "photo opportunity" session in a gym, and did not even go to the hospital. All this I picked up from two soldiers here who happened to be at Fort Hood when it happened. This Bush/Obama/Ft.Hood story is something that should be sent to every voter in the US . Those who wanted "change".  You certainly got it. Someone, PLEASE, show me anything that will tell us that Obama has ANY respect for the country he leads! I'm looking for just a little sign of respect.

Until next time…

Proverbs 4 - 6

Chapter 4 goes into a great deal of detail about why children should listen when their father corrects them. I think we get some insight into Solomon’s relationship with his father. He talks about being “his father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.” He speaks of how his father taught him, told him to get wisdom and develop good judgment, not to turn his back on wisdom, “for she will protect you.”

One could summarize chapter 5 by quoting verse 15: “Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife.” He even talks about the gruesomeness of disease which might befall you if you do not heed this advice.

I think Proverbs 6:6 is probably the source of the story of the grasshopper and the ant. Solomon’s advice to take a lesson from the ant, to work hard all summer and gather food for the winter, not to participate in “a little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.” In addition to that, we are told about the seven things the Lord detests:

Haughty eyes

A lying tongue

Hands that kill the innocent

A heart that plots evil

Feet that race to do wrong

A false witness who pours out lies

A person who sows discord in a family

He also advises not to ignore one’s parent’s advice, that their words will lead you, protect you and advise you.

Words to live by…

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 7 - 9.

Until next time…

Proverbs 1 – 3 and Important Read

Proverbs 1 - 3

We could easily spend an entire year or even a decade on the book of Proverbs. There is so much wisdom, common sense and spiritual advice in this little book of 31 chapters that it would be advisable to make it a practice to read this book every month – roughly one chapter per day, to make it an integral part of our lives.

It’s easy to see from the first verse of the first chapter that these proverbs were those of “Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.” Solomon tells us right off the bat why he is writing these proverbs:

• To teach people wisdom and discipline
• To help people understand the insights of the wise
• To teach people to live disciplined and successful lives
• To help people do what is right, just and fair
• To give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young
• The wise who listen to these proverbs will become wider
• Those with understanding will receive guidance

What is the foundation of true knowledge? It is fear of the Lord. By contrast, fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The first bit of advice Solomon gives is to listen to your parents. In other words, honor your father and your mother – the fifth commandment – the first commandment with promise – that you will live a long, full house. Solomon says doing this “will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.”

The second bit of advice is to watch who your friends are, who you hang around with. Don’t succumb to peer pressure, regardless of what they use to entice you.

Is wisdom available to us? According to Solomon, she shouts in the streets, cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street. We just have to listen to her counsel; she’ll share her heart with us and make us wise. Solomon also gives us insight into why people don’t have wisdom: “For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord.” This goes right along with what he said earlier: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

We know wisdom was important to Solomon. It was what he asked for when God offered to give him anything. According to chapter two, we should cry out for insight and ask for understanding – “then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord and you will gain knowledge of God.” So, it seems that this is a bit cyclical. If we seek wisdom, we will understand what it means to fear the Lord and if we fear the Lord, we will begin to be wise.

Look what the Lord grants: wisdom, knowledge, understanding, a treasure of common sense to the honest, a shield to those who walk with integrity. In my opinion, common sense is lacking in most of our political leadership. They don’t seem to fear the Lord – perhaps that is why.

A wise person knows the value of loyalty and kindness. The wise person is not impressed with his own wisdom. We are advised to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

What else is important? We are not to be impressed with our own wisdom and we are to honor the Lord with our wealth and with tht best part of everything we produce. We are not to lose sight of common sense and discernment. We are to help our neighbor when we can, not pick a fight without reason. Remember: “The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame.”

Tomorrow, it’s Proverbs 4 - 6.

Interesting Read

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh,had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.

From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship." "The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years.

During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;

From spiritual faith to great courage;

From courage to liberty;

From liberty to abundance;

From abundance to complacency;

From complacency to apathy;

From apathy to dependence;

From dependence back into bondage."

The Obituary follows:

Born 1776, Died 2012

It doesn't hurt to read this several times.

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul , Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the last Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Obama: 19 McCain: 29

Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million McCain: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Obama: 13.2 McCain: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's - and they vote - then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

If you are in favor of this, then by all means, delete this message.

If you are not, then pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom..

This is truly scary!

Of course we are not a democracy, we are a Constitutional Republic .

Someone should point this out to Obama.

Of course we know he and too many others pay little attention to The Constitution.

There couldn't be more at stake than on Nov 6, 2012.

If you are as concerned as I am please pass this along.

Until next time…