Don't Destroy Life (The Logical Extreme ?)

Support Life 

Chew on a Rock

History - Its Importance and Use

 A perspective on the importance and usefulness of history:

History informs us first concerning our starting point, then the path taken from that starting point to where we find ourselves today.  Having an adequate knowledge of our history, we are armed to make today's decisions – Armed to make the decision that will most properly guide our path into the future.

Decisions affecting the future must be based on the proper historic foundation – like the upper floors of a tall building, which are aligned with the foundation, and not simply on the floor below, and then built in accordance with an appropriate plan.

In making today's decisions, we should first ask if we can identify any past decisions, which in retrospect may have been erroneous and, therefore, ought to be corrected lest we propagate that error into the future by basing today's decision on the results of that previous error.

Once satisfied (either by acceptance or correction of past decisions) with the path our history has taken to bring us to where we are today, we are in a healthier position to make good decisions that will direct our path into the future.

To Ignore the past when planning for the future is like building a tall building by ignoring the foundation and adding each additional floor by working only from the floor you are currently on.  Eventually, the building will be so far out of alignment from the foundation that the entire structure will fall over and collapse in a useless heap of rubble and dust. 

Two Pleas in Heaven's Courtroom

     They had been born on the same day in the same small town.  They had not known each other, but went through the same schools.  Both had married, been relatively successful in their occupations, raised their families, loved their grandchildren, attended different but similar churches - They had done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.

     They had died on the same day in the same small town.  They had not know each other, but passed into the death that comes to all men the same way.  Both had married, been relatively successful in their occupations, raised their families, loved their grandchildren, attended different but similar churches - They had done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  And, they each entered death alone.

     They had entered Heaven's courtroom on the same day to stand in the presence of the awesome and majestic creator and sustainer of heaven and of earth, of all that is living and that is inanimate, of all that is material and that is spiritual.  Both had married, been relatively successful in their occupations, raised their families, loved their grandchildren, attended different but similar churches - They had done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  And they each stood before their maker alone.

     They had stood with their souls naked, their inner hearts open to His all-knowing scrutiny – their thoughts, their memories; the visions of all their actions done, the unfettered awareness of all the undone, ignored and wasted opportunities; all laid bare and open to His eyes.  Both had married, been relatively successful in their occupations, raised their families, loved their grandchildren, attended different but similar churches - They had done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  And they each in their turn heard the question:

     Son of Adam, resounded the Creator's voice, as if coming from everywhere at once. Son of Adam . . . . .  disobedient rebellious guilty sinner, because of whom, BOOMED THE VOICE, My glory has been defamed.  Why should I let you into My heaven?!

     They each in their turn stood transfixed, knowing that there was no escape, no place to hide, no way to delay or avoid responding ­– The look was penetrating, knowing, loving, caring, but fearful and awesome to behold.

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     The first had married, been relatively successful in his occupation, raised his family, loved his grandchildren, attended church - Done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  He appealed to all of this, his good intentions, his earthly reputation, the understanding nature of this loving God.[1]

     Son of Adam, resounded the Creator's voice, as if coming from everywhere at once. Son of Adam . . . . .  disobedient rebellious guilty sinner, because of whom, BOOMED THE VOICE, My glory has been defamed.  You have been judged already, because you have not believed in the Name of my only begotten Son.[2]  Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness![3] 

     The first had married, been relatively successful in his occupation, raised his family, loved his grandchildren, attended church - Done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  However, tragically he was cast into the lake of fire because his name was not found in the book of life.[4]

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     The second had married, been relatively successful in his occupation, raised his family, loved his grandchildren, attended church - Done all the normal proper things that people did and were expected to do.  He hung his head, dropped to his knees and confessed, "I am a son of Adam.  I am indeed a disobedient rebellious guilty sinner, and because of me the glory of the awesome and majestic creator and sustainer of heaven and of earth, of all that is living and that is inanimate, of all that is material and that is spiritual has been defamed."  He then humbly cried out, "I appeal to your mercy and your justice – for I have placed my only hope in your sure promise of salvation and blessing[5], which one of your faithful servants shared with me.  I have trusted in Your only begotten Son, Messiah Jesus, and the payment of the penalty of death which You Yourself completed through His sacrifice on the cross for me."[6]  I have cast myself on your mercy, for you promised that whoever puts his trust in you will certainly never be disappointed.[7]  And I know that you are not a man that you would lie.[8]

     My child, come into my heaven.[9]  I have a banquet prepared for you, and eternal life, and unbroken fellowship with me and with my only begotten Son.[10]  Come, I the Living God welcome you with open arms into my heavenly city where my Son has prepared a wonderful place for you.[11]  Welcome to the heavenly Jerusalem to live and celebrate and worship along with myriads of angels, and the assembly of the First Born who also are enrolled in heaven, and all the righteous who have been made perfect.[12]

     Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.[13]

     Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.[14]  Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God, the almighty who was and who is and who is to come.[15]   Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.[16]

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[1] Romans 3:10, 23; 1 John 1:10

[2] John 3:18

[3] Matthew 7:23; Hebrews 10:26-27

[4] Revelation 20:15; 21:8

[5] Hebrews 6:13-19

[6] John 3:16; 1 John 1:9

[7] Romans 10:11

[8] Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2

[9] Revelation 19:9

[10] Hebrews 12:24

[11] John 14:2

[12] Hebrews 12:22-23

[13] Revelation 19:1

[14] Revelation 19:5

[15] Revelation 4:8

[16] Revelation 4:11

Playing the Pipes in the Right Key

Scotty Mac picks the right key to pipe his favorite tune.

Take up Your Cross O Disciple

Luke 14:27

A large and varied crowd of people were walking along with Jesus one day, and He was talking to them about what it means to be a real disciple of His.  

Then Jesus pointedly said, "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

Consider this critical condition of true discipleship a-fresh - from a slightly different, and perhaps more personal perspective.  

"If you want to be able to be a true disciple of Jesus, you must carry your own hanging rope with you all of the time, and be ready and willing to let the enemies of Christ hang you with it if following Christ in full obedience to Him were to lead to that."

Luke 14:27

This statement of Jesus's really is something to mull over - and consider seriously.

In the mid 2nd century (about A.D. 155) Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, was martyred in Rome by being burned at the stake.  He had been challenged several times to swear allegiance to Caesar and deny Christ.  He stood firm in his allegiance to his Savior, Christ Jesus.  After his martyrdom, his Christian friends in Asia Minor asked witnesses of Polycarp's death to send them an account.  That account is documented in a letter known today as "The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna Concerning The Martyrdom of The Holy Polycarp".*  This letter includes the following description of a conversation between the proconsul, before whom Polycarp had been brought for trial, and Polycarp just before he died as a witness for His Lord:

Polycarp (AD 69-155)

     "'Swear, and I will set thee at liberty, reproach Christ;' [demanded the proconsul.]  Polycarp declared, 'Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury:  How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?'"

     "And when the proconsul yet again pressed him, and said 'Swear by the fortune of Caesar,' he answered, 'since thou art vainly urgent that I swear by the fortune of Caesar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian.  And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, appoint me a day, and thou shalt hear them.'"

     "The proconsul then said to him, 'I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast thee except thou repent.'  But he answered, 'Call them then, for we are not accustomed to repent of what is good in order to adopt that which is evil....'  But again the proconsul said to him, 'I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, seeing thou dispisest the wild beasts, if thou wilt not repent.'  But Polycarp said, 'Thou threatenest me with fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but art ignorant of the fire of the coming judgement and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly.  But why tarriest thou?  Bring forth what thou wilt.'"

* "The Ante-Nicene Fathers"; Vol. I' Ed. Rev. Alexander Roberts, et al; 1885; COSIMOSCLASSICS, 2007; p.41.  (Italics have been added for clarity.)

Don't Mess with An Old Man

It seems that this elderly gentleman was pulling into a crowded and busy parking lot in his big old Cadillac.  There were not many parking spaces, but he had spotted one, and was slowly making his way toward it - carefully lining up and planning a careful entrance into that narrow space.  

Behind him was a very impatient young fellow driving a brand new fancy-dan, and very expensive car - A BMW I believe.

So this young guy finally just can't stand the slow pace of this old fellow.  He hits his gas peddle, zooms around the Caddy, and steals the old man's parking place.  

The young kid jumps out of his highly polished car, wipes a bit of dust off of the door, and shouts triumphantly back at the old man, "See, old man, that's what you can do when your young and fast!"

The old man simply backs up a few feet, puts his car in gear, pops the clutch and floorboards the gas peddle.  The caddy hits the back of the fancy, spotless BMW, screeches clear up on top of it and comes to rest.  The young kid just stands there with his mouth hanging open like a broken gate on rusty hinges and with eyes as big as manhole covers.

The old man opens his car door and climbs down from the top of the mess.  As he casually walks away toward the store, he looks back over his shoulder and calmly says to the shocked kid,  "And that's what you can do when your old and rich."