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Thursday, December 3, 2020
Michael DeNatale is reminding you to join them on MeWe!
Thursday, November 26, 2020
I Want You To Join Me On MeWe
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Friday, July 8, 2011
I've Moved
Hey- in-case you are wondering where all the awesome posts are I've moved to
Go there right now! If you are still reading this go right now! OK.... NOW.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJ 17. pray without ceasing, That's it. Whole verse. Pray without ceasing.
This directive is actually just one in a list given to the Thessalonians by Paul at the close of his letter. By my count there are fourteen requests given in this flurry by Paul. It almost seem like something you my hear a caring mother say to her son as he leave the nest for college. "Be safe, study hard, make sure you don't forget to call, get plenty of sleep and so on. Remember, Paul is writing a letter, not chapter and verse of the cannon of Scripture. While we no longer (at least in most western societies) "greet each other with a holy kiss" we do accept the principle and also take the rest of Paul's instructions as good advice today.
I have wondered though sometimes verse 17. pray without ceasing is what most people quote on a regular basis. My belief is that while all the requests make perfect sense praying on a regular basis requires us to form a habit. The other requests seem to start out from being somewhat passive in nature (more based in principle). Then, move to very active in nature but not habitual. 12. recognize those who labor among you. 19. Do not quench the Spirit. 20. Do not despise prophecies. 21. Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22. Abstain from every form of evil.
Once principles are ingrained in us they do not fade away easily. That is why we are told to Proverbs 22:6 NKJ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Even modern research states that while a child may rebel from his parents in the adolescent years. They tend to return to the values they were taught as children later in life. (I intend to write about this later and provide some references)
The more active requests made by Paul like 25. Brethren, pray for us. 26. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. are meant for the readers of Paul's letter. Not for the reader of Scripture.
Habits on the other hand can be formed and lost in a matter of days. My youth pastor used to teach us that a habit can be formed or lost in 21 days. We need to continually encourage each other to "pray without ceasing". Otherwise we can easily fall out of habit.
Part two coming soon to a computer screen near you.
This directive is actually just one in a list given to the Thessalonians by Paul at the close of his letter. By my count there are fourteen requests given in this flurry by Paul. It almost seem like something you my hear a caring mother say to her son as he leave the nest for college. "Be safe, study hard, make sure you don't forget to call, get plenty of sleep and so on. Remember, Paul is writing a letter, not chapter and verse of the cannon of Scripture. While we no longer (at least in most western societies) "greet each other with a holy kiss" we do accept the principle and also take the rest of Paul's instructions as good advice today.
I have wondered though sometimes verse 17. pray without ceasing is what most people quote on a regular basis. My belief is that while all the requests make perfect sense praying on a regular basis requires us to form a habit. The other requests seem to start out from being somewhat passive in nature (more based in principle). Then, move to very active in nature but not habitual. 12. recognize those who labor among you. 19. Do not quench the Spirit. 20. Do not despise prophecies. 21. Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22. Abstain from every form of evil.
Once principles are ingrained in us they do not fade away easily. That is why we are told to Proverbs 22:6 NKJ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Even modern research states that while a child may rebel from his parents in the adolescent years. They tend to return to the values they were taught as children later in life. (I intend to write about this later and provide some references)
The more active requests made by Paul like 25. Brethren, pray for us. 26. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. are meant for the readers of Paul's letter. Not for the reader of Scripture.
Habits on the other hand can be formed and lost in a matter of days. My youth pastor used to teach us that a habit can be formed or lost in 21 days. We need to continually encourage each other to "pray without ceasing". Otherwise we can easily fall out of habit.
Part two coming soon to a computer screen near you.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
National Day of Prayer
Today is the National Day of Prayer. Have you prayed yet?
I have been aware of the controversy surrounding this day since I was in Jr. Hi. Not much has changed. I do not want to delve to deeply into the political sphere. I keep up to date on politics but I have decided not to blog for the purpose of sharing those ideas at this time. On occasions where politics and religion intersect though I will reserve the right to blog when it strikes my fancy. As it does now.
Most in the religious community know that many of the colonists came to this country seeking freedom to express their religious views without reprisal from Government or Church. They came seeking tolerance. Today it seems that tolerance is under attack. When the National Day of Prayer was passed all who voted were in favor.
Here is a little history about The National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer was created by congressional resolution in 1952 and signed into law by President Harry Truman. It has no government funding, and organizing is left to private groups.
What drives people whose way of displaying tolerance is to attempt to erase religion from society. The latest group to attack the National Day of Prayer is the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). Here is what they stand for. "The nonprofit Freedom From Religion Foundation works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state"
As I looked more at the site I found that they believe they are on the cutting edge of societal evolution. I have taken this directly from their website's about page:
The history of Western civilization shows us that most social and moral progress has been brought about by persons free from religion. In modern times the first to speak out for prison reform, for humane treatment of the mentally ill, for abolition of capital punishment, for women's right to vote, for death with dignity for the terminally ill, and for the right to choose contraception, sterilization and abortion have been freethinkers, just as they were the first to call for an end to slavery. The Foundation works as an umbrella for those who are free from religion and are committed to the cherished principle of separation of state and church.
WOW... This is what drives them. It's about fear of religious minded individuals being apart of the government in any way. They see people free of religion as freethinkers. And, it will take a society of "freethinkers" to fulfill their agenda. I won't to go into all of their so called achievements, but it was the church and not them to take the lead on prison reform, voting rights for women i.e. the Wesleyan Church, and slavery (William Wilberforce another Wesleyan/Methodist) . I'll concede abortion to them. The church loves kids.
While I said I do not dedicate this blog to writing about politics I strongly believe that Christians must be politically active. Or, we will watch our freedoms erode away. Unfortunately, there are many people in our society who believe like The Freedom From Religion Foundation. While the first groups who crossed the pond came over for freedom of religion, people like the Freedom From Religion want exactly what their name says. They seek a world absent of religion and they are praying each day for just that. They just pray to judges and politicians instead of God.
If Christians will not be active in government the prayers of groups like The Freedom From Religion will come true.
I have been aware of the controversy surrounding this day since I was in Jr. Hi. Not much has changed. I do not want to delve to deeply into the political sphere. I keep up to date on politics but I have decided not to blog for the purpose of sharing those ideas at this time. On occasions where politics and religion intersect though I will reserve the right to blog when it strikes my fancy. As it does now.
Most in the religious community know that many of the colonists came to this country seeking freedom to express their religious views without reprisal from Government or Church. They came seeking tolerance. Today it seems that tolerance is under attack. When the National Day of Prayer was passed all who voted were in favor.
Here is a little history about The National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer was created by congressional resolution in 1952 and signed into law by President Harry Truman. It has no government funding, and organizing is left to private groups.
36 U.S.C. § 119 : US Code - Section 119: National Day of Prayer
"The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals."
What drives people whose way of displaying tolerance is to attempt to erase religion from society. The latest group to attack the National Day of Prayer is the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). Here is what they stand for. "The nonprofit Freedom From Religion Foundation works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state"
As I looked more at the site I found that they believe they are on the cutting edge of societal evolution. I have taken this directly from their website's about page:
The history of Western civilization shows us that most social and moral progress has been brought about by persons free from religion. In modern times the first to speak out for prison reform, for humane treatment of the mentally ill, for abolition of capital punishment, for women's right to vote, for death with dignity for the terminally ill, and for the right to choose contraception, sterilization and abortion have been freethinkers, just as they were the first to call for an end to slavery. The Foundation works as an umbrella for those who are free from religion and are committed to the cherished principle of separation of state and church.
WOW... This is what drives them. It's about fear of religious minded individuals being apart of the government in any way. They see people free of religion as freethinkers. And, it will take a society of "freethinkers" to fulfill their agenda. I won't to go into all of their so called achievements, but it was the church and not them to take the lead on prison reform, voting rights for women i.e. the Wesleyan Church, and slavery (William Wilberforce another Wesleyan/Methodist) . I'll concede abortion to them. The church loves kids.
While I said I do not dedicate this blog to writing about politics I strongly believe that Christians must be politically active. Or, we will watch our freedoms erode away. Unfortunately, there are many people in our society who believe like The Freedom From Religion Foundation. While the first groups who crossed the pond came over for freedom of religion, people like the Freedom From Religion want exactly what their name says. They seek a world absent of religion and they are praying each day for just that. They just pray to judges and politicians instead of God.
If Christians will not be active in government the prayers of groups like The Freedom From Religion will come true.
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