Thankful

Do You Know How to Trust?

I believe that my Heavenly Father will provide for me as His child.

I believe that Jesus the Good Shepherd will meet my needs as one of His sheep.

I believe that the Comforter will do exactly that for me.

I believe all that because the Bible tells me so.

But I still struggle against doubt and fear and…well, never mind.

What do you know about trust?

Do you believe this chapter (from a book my friend Steve H loaned me)?

He Always Provides for Our True Needs

Have you asked the Lord to fulfill all your needs? This mighty request requires no intercession from others, for God will provide for all of your needs in Christ Jesus without their asking Him to do so. He is your heavenly Father, and as such, He has obligated Himself to meet your necessities.

Any anxiety we have concerning temporal necessities issues from unbelief. We need never worry about what we shall eat, drink, or wear. These things our Father knows we need, and so we must not fret about them as do those who are not in living union with the Lord.

The reality is that if I do not have something, I do not need it. God is meeting all of my needs at every moment. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack. That is always true. Read it all

Waiting (on the Lord?)

Sometimes the wait seems…

…so long.

…and fruitless.

…and pointless.

…and well-deserved.

So I keep on waiting.

What else am I to do?

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

He brought me up . . . out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. —You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world. We all had our conversation in times past in the lusts our flesh.

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. —Out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. —We went through fire and through water: thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.

—PSA. 18:16. —Psa. 40:2. -Eph. 2:1,3.Psa. 61:1,2. -Jon. 2:2,3. -Psa. 66:12.Isa. 43:2.

Source: Daily Light on the Daily Path

Mangling the First Amendment

Cal Thomas published yesterday,

Intellectually, I understand the Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision that the First Amendment protects the most violent of video games.

Well, I don’t understand.

Because I thought the First Amendment was intended to protect political speech.

But I can’t see that it says so expressly:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

So we’re “stuck” with going by what it actually says.

I still say the modern-day usage of the First Amendment has become mangled, perverted, and distorted.

And inconsistent. For example, how does the government get away with fining broadcasters for using certain language on the air waves? And for another example, how come imaginary hate speech isn’t protected?

Politics.

Humanity.

Imperfection.

Oh well.

I must say, though, that I’m very thankful for the First Amendment.

And I’ll also say that I agree with Mr. Thomas’ closing statements:

In a perfect world, children would listen to, respect, and obey their parents. But this is far from a perfect world and parents could use occasional help from the state in preventing violent culture from undermining what’s in the best interest of the child, and the country. This ruling by the Supreme Court does not achieve that end.

Fog, Fog, Burn Away!

I stood at the kitchen sink.

Early this morning — just before (or was it just after?) five.

Carefully slurping hot coffee.

Looking out the window.

Drearily considering the circumstances.

Pleading with God.

Trying to have faith.

(Drearily, God, faith — is something out of place there?!) 😯

When I noticed what I was seeing:

Fog in the Pudding River bottoms

Somewhere down there in the Pudding River bottoms are cows.

In the fog.

They can’t see clearly.

For all they know, the whole world is foggy, bleary, dreary.

But the rising sun will fix that in short order.

Can I believe that God sees me and my fog in remotely similar fashion?

Can I believe that the Risen Son will fix my problems?

Sure.

I’m thankful.

Above all, love God!