"Idiots" and Politicians...disagreeing with ancient Greece

I read recently that in ancient Greece,  an "idiot" referred to anyone who was NOT a politician".  These days, I'd say that in  modern English, the definition should be the other way around!  So far, it's been rather disappointing, and even disgusting sometimes, to follow the electoral campaigns.

I really like this cartoon. (Baloocartoons.com).  Not that many people appreciate politicians, and neither of the front runners in this primary are all that popular, according to the polls.  It usually has to do with what they say (or don't say)...and the way they say it (or avoid saying it).  The mother of one of them even said that her son wouldn't make a good president, because he always had to have everything his way!
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I had some fun finding these verses that seem appropriate:

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions."  (Proverbs 18:2)

"He who trusts in himself is a fool..."  (Proverbs 28:26)

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."  (Proverbs 10:19)

"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless."  (Titus 3:9)
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Although it's almost impossible that this would happen in the U.S., wouldn't it be awesome if it did?

"If my people who are called by my name...will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  (II Chronicles 7:14)
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Fortunately for us who believe in the Word of God and have trusted in Jesus, "our citizenship is in Heaven."  (Philippians 3:20

And when we come to the End Days, there will be One who will show the world what a true, perfect, incomparable leader should be like:

"He will delight in the fear of the Lord.  He will not judge by what He sees with his eyes, or decide by what He hears with his ears,  but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth."  (Isaiah 11:1-4)
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Until then, I guess we have to live with whoever God allows to become the president and government of America, remembering that one day our Leader will sit on the eternal throne...
                                   
                                King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Getting rid of our enemies...?

A Spanish general, who was on his death-bed, was asked by a priest if he forgave his enemies.  The general answered, "I don't have any enemies.  I've had them all shot."

Well...that's one way to do it!  On the other hand, someone has declared that the best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him your friend.  Much better!  But not always possible, as some enemies have absolutely no desire for our friendship, and there's no way they're going to give up their driving ill-will or even hatred.

So if our sincere attempts to establish a friendly relationship with an "enemy" are rebuffed, remember what Romans 12:18 says:  "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." That way if, in spite of our efforts, the other person refuses to work for a positive outcome, it's not our fault.

 Still, it's not a good idea to think: "Well, I did my part, and he still doesn't want peace...so I can treat him like he treats me!" (Even if we think he deserves it!  If he needs to be "taught a lesson", let God take care of it - He'll do a much better job!)  It may be hard to hold onto our resolve to control our words and actions, but we'll be obeying the Word of our Lord if we do:

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice."  (Proverbs 24:17)  (That can really be hard to live by!)

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing so, you will heap burning coals on his head."  (Matthew 12:20)

"But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  (Matthew 5:44)
 
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Isn't it wonderful to think that in Heaven, there will be no need of these instructions? There won't be any enmity or jealousy or pettiness...or anything that causes strife and pain.  Revelation 21:4 says:

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
                   
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                              Definitely something to look forward to!


                                         
                                                                     

"Broken Joy" - a poem. How to un-break it?

    I have a friend I sometimes call "Smiles".  She and her family have been going through difficult times...times of broken joy.  I'm sharing this poem with her and with every one of you who is also finding that your joy has been broken.


                       Broken Joy

            Our Father plans our happiness,
            as mercy He deploys,
            yet now and then its comfort
            man's imperfect state destroys.

                                       When smiles dissolve in teardrops
                                       and songs become just noise;
                                       when daydreams lose their luster
                                       and confidence its poise,

                                       as a child who trusts his father's skill
                                       to mend his broken toy,
                                       so I may trust my Father's love
                                       to mend my broken joy.
                                                                                          --Becky Rhon

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He promised to do that, you know!  God's compassion and tender love know what each of us needs to be healed, our joy "fixed".  He knows how weary we can become, and Jesus understands - from personal experience!

He was "...a Man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering."  (Isaiah 53:3)

And here are a few of the promises:

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  (Psalm 147:3)

"A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out."  (Isaiah 42:3)

"I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow."   (Jeremiah 31:13)

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    Our hearts are filled with gratitude for your unsurpassed mending skills, Father,
    and the love and wisdom that are behind every step You take to make us whole!

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Scratching my acnestis...

There's actually a word for it!  "Acnestis" is the place where it seems impossible to reach so that you can scratch the itch (usually between the shoulder blades).  So the next time you're thus afflicted, ask someone to "please scratch my acnestis", and see what he/she says!  You might get a few weird looks, too.
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This made me wonder about Job, who was struck "with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.  Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes."  (Job 2:7-8)  He was hurting all over, so we can assume his back was stricken, too. Do you think maybe he handed the shard to his wife, asking her to please scratch his acnestis?  (Or whatever it was called in whatever language Job spoke...)  It must have been frustrating to not be able to quite reach those one or two places that itched!
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Sometimes we have an emotional/spiritual/mental "acnestis" that we can't figure out how to "scratch". It bothers us, but we don't know what to do.  As with the physical version, the best remedy is to ask someone else to help ease the "itch". 

"Two are better than one...if one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)  How about a paraphrase?  "...if one can't reach his itch, his friend can scratch it for him.  But pity the man whose acnestis bugs him and has no one to help scratch it!"
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The very best Friend we can ask to do for us what we can't do for ourselves is named in this cool passage:  "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us...in accordance with God's will."  (Romans 8:26-27)  He knows exactly what and who is needed for our relief.  He can reach the places that are impossible for us to reach! We just have to ask Him to do it, and then allow Him to do it.

Father, help us to remember that...

                  "Since we live by the Spirit,
                    let us keep in step with the Spirit."    (Galatians 5:25)
                        

                    

The house shook...and shook...and shook...

It went on for 50 interminable seconds.  The earthquake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. Going through our house when it had stopped shaking, we found nothing damaged, nothing fallen; nothing had even shifted its position.  (Just a small stack of disposable cups ended up on the floor.)

But how different those 50 seconds were for so many people on the coast of our country. So far the death toll is over 500, and keeps rising.  Pictures of the disaster break our heart. Coffins are filled and buried by mourning family.  Some people wait for what seems like forever for any sign of a loved one who hasn't been found...yet.  Houses are crushed, possessions smashed.
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God knows all about earthquakes.  They can be so frightening!  In Revelation, a number of earthquakes will accompany the "activities" of the last days.  Even Isaiah said:  "Suddenly, in an instant, the Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise..."  (29:5-6)

No one in his right mind would actually desire to be smashed under tons of debris...right?  Well, apparently, in the last days, some people might do just that!  Revelation 6:15-17 says that kings, princes, generals, mighty, rich, free and slave:  "...hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.  They called to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'"  Imagine!  Knowing that they will not pass the judgement favorably, they would prefer to be crushed and obliterated rather than face the Judge.

We've wondered how many of the more-than-400 people who died on the coast were our brothers and sisters in Christ. They are with their Savior!  But how many of them, having perished, will realize that they've lost their chance to be there, too?
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In the wake of such a tragedy, we draw comfort from the psalmist's declaration:  "For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.  The sea is his, for He made it, and his hands formed the dry land."  (Psalm 95:35)

And we have this promise from our loving Lord:  "'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed', says the Lord, who has compassion on you.'"  (Isaiah 54:10)

      LET OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN HIM NEVER BE SHAKEN, EITHER

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But the Final Graduation will the best, by far!

I hadn't thought of graduation as a "rite of passage", but I guess you could call it that. "Rite of passage: a ritual that marks a change from one stage of (social) life to the next".

So here's my son Dan, just turning 5, passing from one stage to another?  Hardly!  It's his kindergarten "graduation" ceremony.  We enrolled him in a tiny private school (in Quito) when he was 4, and they lumped the pre-kinders in with the regular kindergarteners.  Being one of the top students, he graduated with the rest of them, this beginning his sequence of diplomas.

Curious about the origin of the cap and gown, I found that universities in the 12th and 13th centuries used them.  The teachers were usually clerics, who wore long gowns, hoods, and other head-wear, and the students came to use them, too.  (They were worn during the school year, also, not only at the ceremony celebrating the completion of their studies.)  A good reason for wearing robes was that the stone buildings were cold, and the attire helped both teachers and students stay warm!

(This painting is of a 13th century medical school class.)
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We go through different rites of passage - marriage, school graduations, funerals - but the most awesome "change from one stage to another" will come when we have "completed our studies" of Life here on Earth, and reach Heaven to receive our "diploma"!  Eternal life!  (Although for those who never registered for class at the Narrow Way, the final reward won't be so awesome!)

Revelation gives us a glimpse of the rewards we can expect...IF we don't "drop out of School" before we finish the course.

"He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never erase his name from the book of life."  (3:5)
"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on my throne."  (3:21)

"He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.."  (21:7)
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Paul gives us a good illustration:  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."  (II Timothy 4:7,8)

          So, "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  (Hebrews 12:1)
                          The end result will definitely be worth it!


 

"The closest one can get to God on earth"... (Really??!)

Did you know that you can write a letter to God, and it will be "delivered"?  Just address it to "God, Jerusalem" and it will arrive at His post office box. 

Every year, over 1000 letters arrive in Jerusalem addressed to God (although once in a while they get one for Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, King David, or a dead relative).  They come in many languages and from many countries.   Most ask for something, but occasionally there's one like this sweet postcard message: "Dear Jesiu, I love you.  I think of you.  I thank you." On the other hand, there was this message from someone who must have watched televangelists: "I want to thank you very much for the opportunity to participate in your television offer regarding the Christian faith, and for your counsel and awards."  (It was accompanied by a check for one cent!)

What happens to all those letter?  Periodically, all those addressed to God Himself are taken from their envelopes, folded up, and placed in cracks in the "Wailing Wall"...supposedly "the closest man can get to God on earth", to accompany the many other petitions left there.  At intervals, they are removed (to make room for more) and buried on the Mount of Olives.          

The tradition of placing notes in the Wall dates back about 300 years.  Fortunately, we believers in Christ know that for millennia, there has been a much better, much more reliable way to communicate with God ...just talk to Him!  Anywhere...any time...about anything.

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The poetic psalmist observes:  "Where can I go from your Spirit?...if I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."  (Psalm 139:7,8,10)

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."  (Psalm 145:18)

 So much easier, don't you agree?  Besides, the Wailing Wall method lacks an extremely important factor:   the senders never get a direct, personal answer; they never get a letter back from God.

We, on the other hand, have at our disposal the most complete, most outstanding, most up-to-date Letter that ever existed: the Bible.  It leaves us no doubt as to His love and His desire to be in constant, direct communication with us, His children. He will speak to us. He will act on our behalf.  He will listen to us, and...
                        
                                                He will always answer!