BELIEVING-TRUSTING

 But stop and think about it.

            I'm remember flying home from Atlanta, Georgia, and thinking about believing and trusting. I live about 100 miles in Portland, and my flight goes right across where I live. Usually, in coming home, the airplane flys at above 40,000-foot altitude of most of the flight, but then goes into a long approach descending to PDX the airport in Portland, Oregon. In that descent, we fly across one side of Mount Hood and really it's a spectacular sight if you have a window seat. Looking out this time and thinking to myself the only thing between me and a drop of about 10,000 feet was what at the best would be probably 6 inches of material and yet I had no problem--I enjoyed looking out looking down at the country.

            Why? Six inches to the outside that airplane was certain death. I would freeze to death for one thing but if not much earlier than that I would have a long fall in which I would never-never survive I would certainly die. But I still have no problem even in looking out in thinking about it.

            Why, because I trusted in that airplane I trusted in the pilot flying the plane. I trusted with my life.

            It's a matter of fact that I know anything about the pilot or the airplane. What did I base my trust on?

            Before I got on the plane I was in a waiting room that had windows in it but and I could see the airplane from the outside but I certainly didn't examine it. I didn't know what to look for anyway. There are records on the plane and pilot I imagine, but no one does any research like that. Why?   

            Waiting in that waiting room, the only thing I knew about this airplane and pilot was when they were leaving and when they arriving. I totally trusted in the airplane and pilot.

            Why? Obviously, everybody around me in the waiting room was doing the same trusting. Did they have knowledge about the airplane and piloting? Not likely. But we were all  willing to be trusting in something we knew nothing about.

            "Faith (trusting) is a substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen." HEBREWS 11:1

LIKE A TALE THAT IS TOLD: JOHN THE APOSTLE'S LIFE AND WRITINGS

LIKE A TALE THAT IS TOLD: JOHN THE APOSTLE'S LIFE AND WRITINGS

 THE APOSTLE JOHN 'S EARLY LIFE REVOLVED AROUND FISHING IN LAKE GALILEE.
Mark's Gospel has Jesus calling John and his brother James directly as followers right out of \their jobs as fishermen. (Mark 1:19)   John was not considered as "learned' (Acts 4:13)  John was a Jew and would have some religious training including their native language Hebrew. Everyday living would have required that he know Greek and some Latin.

DEALING WITH OUR AGING

DEALING WITH OLD AGE

               Psalm 90:10 tells us: "As for the days of our life, they contain three score and ten years or if due to strength they be fourscore yet their pride be labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away"

So what's old age? God's Word--the Bible is telling us that three-score and ten years (70 years) is old, and four-score (80) years is due to extra strength than we are indeed in a special time-period because it is becoming more common to reach four-score and ten (90) or five-score (100) years old.
(see the page titled: SPURGEON'S WRITING)

2Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we don`t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
while we don`t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

	PSALMS 90:
12	So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13	Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants.
14	Satisfy us in the morning with your lovingkindness, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15	Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, For as many years as we have seen evil.
16	Let your work appear to your servants; Your glory to their children.
17	Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; Establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

A WORLDVIEW

WORLDVIEW by George Barna

"A worldview is a mental and spiritual lens through which we interpret reality. Our worldview is the filter we use to put things into context and facilitate an appropriate response.  It enables us to make sense of the world by organizing information allowing us and us to make choices consistent with what we believe to be true and significant.  That worldview enables us to distinguish right from wrong., good from bad, useful from useless, and  appropriate from inappropriate. This is not simply an academic exercise. 

Everybody has a world view--we have to have one in order to put that one or to put everything we experience into perspective and to respond in a manner that is consistent with who we are and what we believe.  Our world view drives what we do because we take action based on what we believe.  Every behaviour is a direct outgrowth of our world view.

Many different worldview reflect  the combination of perceptions and beliefs that people have developed.  The most common  worldview in America today is postmodernism, which is unbiblical in most of its foundations.  The alternative is to develop a Biblical worldview,  which is a means of experiencing,  interpreting,  responding to reality in relation to biblical principles and narratives. If we embrace a0 biblical worldview, then our  every thought, word, and deed can be consistent with God's principles and commands.

A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW

In essence,  possessing and living in concert with the Biblical worldview provides us with a capacity to think like Jesus, in order to then act like Jesus.
Blending a biblical worldview with the pursuit of transformation results in Christlike living. We must think like Jesus before we can act like Jesus and we must be saved, broken surrendered and submitted in order to love God and others fully." 

  Location 2482 AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS,  George Barna

IMPORTANT BIBLICAL DISTINCTIONS

In both incidences below Jesus was viewed after His resurrection.

Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." None of the disciples dared inquire of him, "Who are you?" knowing that it was the Lord.

Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples, after he had risen from the dead

JOHN 21:17-19 NOTICE JOHN'S REACTION TO SEEING JESUS When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don`t be afraid. I am the first and the last and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. World English Bible 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. 4 He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 8 Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. 1

OBAMA AND HIS RED LINE

All Obama’s ‘red line’ is … an empty bluff.

Kerry ‘fesses up about Obama’s ‘red line’

Taken from a December 5th article by Post Editorial Board

 A painful truth, Secretary of State John Kerry admitted,  President Obama’s “red line” fiasco in Syria “cost us significantly”--leading other nations to see his weak America.

“We have been very clear to the Assad regime … that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized,” he said, also calling “chem” use a “game-changer.”

It was universally seen as a threat of massive consequences for Bashar al-Assad if he crossed the line. 

Assad did launch chemical attacks a year later, and Obama stalled.

He tried to get allies on board with a campaign of airstrikes. 

Britain declined, but France said yes — yet Obama then asked Congress to OK the bombing. Congress signaled reluctance to “buy in” — and then Obama accepted a diplomatic lifeline from Moscow to negotiate a deal for Syria to (supposedly) turn over all its chem munitions.

US allies and enemies were on notice that America might not live up to its word.

Russia took control of Crimea within the year--intervened to save Assad. Iran virtually dictated the terms of its nuclear deal with Team Obama.

Kerry argued that it was a “misperception” that Washington had been weak, after all Assad did give up (many of) his chems. But then admitted: “it doesn’t matter.  Perception can often just be the reality.”

Actually, the evidence of Obama's actions, or lack of action, gave credence that his was only empty words--a meaningless threat. In the year following his drawing the red line, Obama,never laid any groundwork with Congress (or with America’s allies) for enforcing it. Although, he did scapegoat Congress for their hesitation in not immediately OK’ing the use of force when he did ask. 

Obviously, if you're president, making threats, especially in such a high stakes game, then you had better "carry a big stick", or, at the least, show some preparation, signaling your intent of making good on it. Otherwise, all you’ve really made is … an empty bluff, showing a grievous disregard of America's prestige.

'Islamic Money--U.S. Politics

 'Islamic Money in U.S. Politics 

Home | Newsfront

Tags: 2016 Elections | Democrats 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Money | Religion | islamic | money

Thursday, 20 Oct 2016 07:46 PM

 "Islamic Money in Politics" list of campaign contributions for 2015-16, 


Clinton Leads Left-Leaning Top 10

 Council on American-Islamic Relations, the forum reported.

Clinton took in $41,165, including $19,249 from senior officials of the Muslim advocacy group,

 Former Democratic presidential primary candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders accepted $9,285, the fourth most among the top 10, the forum reported.

Green Party nominee Jill Stein, who accepted a $250 contribution, is the only other active 2016 presidential candidate on the list.

The complete top 10 of recipients:

1.      Clinton, $41,165, Over twice as much as next such donor receivers.

2.     Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who accepted $17,370

3.     Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., who accepted $13,225

4.     Sanders, $9,285

5.     Pramila Jayapal, a Democratic candidate for a House seat from Washington, $6,957

6.     Former Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., $3,500

7.      Dwight Evan, a Democratic candidate for a House seat from Pennsylvania, $3,500

8.     Rep. Donna Fern Edwards, D-Maryland, $2,900

9.     Democratic Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., $2,850

10.  Rep. L. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., $2,835

Home | Newsfront

Tags: 2016 Elections | Democrats 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Money | Religion | islamic | money