Head-dibs

Psalm 119:9-16 [continuous text with footnotes]: How can a young man keep his way pure? By a keeping it according to Your word. With a all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me b wander from Your commandments. Your word I have a treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord; a Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have a told of all the b ordinances of Your mouth. I have a rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, 1 As much as in all riches. I will a meditate on Your precepts and 1 regard b Your ways. I shall 1 a delight in Your statutes; I shall b not forget Your word. a 1 Kin 2:4; 8:25; 2 Chr 6:16 a 2 Chr 15:15; Ps 119:2, 145 b Ps 119:21, 118 a Ps 37:31; 40:8; Luke 2:19, 51 a Ps 119:26, 64, 108, 124, 135, 171 a Ps 40:9 b Ps 119:72 a Ps 119:111, 162 1 Lit As over all a Ps 1:2; 119:23, 48, 78, 97, 148 1 Or look upon b Ps 25:4; 27:11; Is 58:2 1 Lit delight myself a Ps 1:2; 119:24, 35, 47, 70, 7...

loves' pure light randiantly beaming from Thy Holy Face . . . Thank you.

"The Bible alone explains the state of things that we see in the world around us. There are many things on earth which a natural man cannot explain . . . the amazing inequality of conditions, the poverty and distress, the oppression and persecution, the shakings and tumults, the constant existence of uncured evils and abuses--all these things are often puzzling to him. He sees, but does not understand. But the Bible makes it all clear. The Bible can tell him that the whole world lies in wickedness--that the prince of the world, the devil, is everywhere--and that it is vain to look for perfection in the present order of things. The Bible will tell him that neither laws nor education can ever change men's hearts, and that no man will do much good in the world, unless he always remembers that human nature is fallen, and that the world he lives in, is full of sin." (J.C. Ryle, "Inspiration" 1877) See also " Ministerial Confessions " by Horatio Bonar.

This last Sunday, my wife, three of our five children and I had the opportunity to visit a special Sunday School class. The class was held at a home/hospital/detention center for children who, for one reason or another, have been removed from their regular home situation and are under a level of specialized care (another blog entry may possibly serve to deliver the details of that event). One child in particular was very quick to provide good answers to about every question asked, racing ahead of the almost-flustered volunteer who brought the lesson. At one point, the young boy (perhaps no more than 10 years of age) thought to impart some information he felt we all should know, volunteering loudly, “I know what the Bible is!” He had my attention! He proudly recited, “The Bible is: B asic I nstructions B efore L eaving E arth” I could only sit agape as for a brief second as I flew through the corridors of time , catching a glimpse of Jesus sitting in the temple amazing the teachers...

“What’s on your mind?” the psychiatrist asked. “It doesn’t matter,” replied the physicist. “What is matter?” prodded the psychiatrist. “Never mind” replied the physicist. ************** “Does it matter what I believe? If I love Jesus, isn’t that enough?” These are questions that seems to echoing through the age. But are these good questions? Perhaps the first question is inadequate. What is “it” that “matters?” Perhaps a better way to ask the question would be, “If I love Jesus, what I believe matter?”; or, “Is my love for Jesus enough to have a bearing on what I believe?” If one were to ask Jesus, He would say that belief has everything to do with love that is bound up in Him. Jesus answered this question three times, saying plainly: “ If you love Me, keep My commandments . ” (Jn 14:15); “ He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him . " (Jn 14:21) " If you...

When I saw the following, I could not help but think of some words G.K. Chesterton (think of him as a Victorian Francis Schaeffer) published in 1912 (found below article): Police warn author over gay comments By Sally Pook(Filed: 10/12/2005) An author and broadcaster condemned as "sinister" yesterday an inquiry conducted by police over comments she made about homosexuals on a live radio programme. Lynette Burrows [picture on right], an author on children's rights and a family campaigner, took part in a discussion on the Victoria Derbyshire show on Radio Five Live about the new civil partnerships act. During the programme, she said she did not believe that homosexuals should be allowed to adopt. She added that placing boys with two homosexuals for adoption was as obvious a risk as placing a girl with two heterosexual men who offered themselves as parents. "It is a risk," she said. "You would not give a small girl to two men." ...

Stage Presents: Keneisha Chee, 4, smiles at family members as the pre-school students performed a dance during the Tobe Turpen Elementary Christmas Concert Monday in Gallup. [Photo by Julie Peña/Independent] See more Christmas in New Mexico public schools here. O' Nizhoni, eh?

When you think of David of the Bible, what comes to mind? I like to ask this question when I teach a on a psalm or a passage that quotes a psalm. I am very interested in people’s answers. Once we are reminded of traits and attributes of the person, I then turn back to the passage and highlight this: in many cases we can’t tell when David is writing—is he writing as a shepherd or a king? Is he writing before or after Goliath? Is he writing while being pursued by Saul (some of these psalms are more obvious)? Is he writing before or after Bathsheba? I like to stretch the thought process out to see how these situations have any bearing on understanding the text . . . but I digress . . . Psalm 40 is a Davidic psalm addresses “for the Choir Director.” When I see this my knee-jerk reaction is, “As lead worshipper, what am I glean from this that others who worship God must also understand?” Thinking of celebrating Christ, I cannot help but make the following observations: Verses 6-8 [1] : “ Sa...

Grinch. That name is fingernails on the chalkboard of Christmas. Or so it seems, depending how one thinks of Christmas. "Oh no, not another boring blog about the 'true meaning of Christmas'" and all that. Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps. We'll see. I am going for an "effect" that depends on not my writing, but your reading. Knowing that my comments section remains (for the most part) unused, I am going to assume not many will be reading this either, so I know I'll not be upsetting anyone. So here it goes! I'm going to Grinch and, if you are reading this, you can go find some other blog of worth to read--or hang around. The choice is yours. >>>>>>>>>>>> Christmas brings out the worst in people. Of this I am thoughourly convinced. One needs not step back too far to survey the scene: stress levels are high in deck-adent halls, as the brass and silver are polished, feasts prepared and spreads arranged all for the show of...

Years ago I developed a strange obsession. I was determined to understand all I could about astrophysics and the workings of the universe. This led to many hours of late night conversations, notebooks filled with notes and computations, which all seemed to funnel into theories of time travel and lesser scientific and greater science fiction topics. If one could choose an example of most desirable method of time travel, one must consider a few models known, breaking them down to personal and corporate devices. Personal devices would include those such as H.G. Wells’ “Time Machine”, the first and most recognized. The rider sits in a generator-enhanced (dynamo) electric couch, spins dials, flips switches and away one goes. Another well-known devise is less a devise but an exertion of strength; namely, such as that demonstrated by Superman who can reverse the spin of the earth and subsequently, adjust time. And of course, the great Christmas chronological cowboy Ebenezer Scrooge who galliv...

[Everyone sing!] On the 1st day of Chanukah my true love gave to me . . . A parsing for every verb! On the 2nd day . . . 2 begadkephats and . . . On the 3rd day . . . 3 Hebrew profs . . . On the 4th day . . . 4 Chala breads . . . On the 5th day . . . 5 Gold-steins! On the 6th day . . . 6 Priests a'praying . . . On the 7th day . . . 7 Rabbis teaching . . . On the 8th day . . . 8 Prophets preaching . . .

Why do churches close on Sunday? ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, FAMILY TRUMPS WORSHIP AT SOUTHLAND, OTHERS By Frank E. Lockwood HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER "Central Kentucky's largest church will break with tradition and close its doors on Christmas Sunday so that staff and volunteers can spend more time with their families. Southland Christian Church near Lexington, where more than 7,000 people worship each week, is one of several evangelical megachurches across the country that are opting to cancel services on one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar." Read the rest of this here

O, Ichabod Crane, O, Crane Ichabod! Finds glory for self, Steals glory from God. The thin pedagogue from New England's coast, Stuffs himself full of what pleases him most. Skyward sail-born masts a-jut, Arks slip by that hollow of Connecticut, where Ichabod makes his fun in the day by delighting his senses (yet wasting away). Distracted by tales that give him the rise, our dear Mr. Crane at night must devise a safe way to go from this place to that, and not lose his way, his nerve, or his hat. Encouraging youth down the pathways of knowledge, our chief tutor's days, weeks and years in the college give him no comfort (O, poor Ichabod) for the day he would stand alone before God, who would say, "Look at this! Here one stands outside heavenly bliss! Why did you keep for yourself all my glory? You act as if headless! You know my story! My life among men was to save all the lost, yet you lived all your life as if you were the boss." And Ichabod Crane would be turned away--...

What comes to mind when you hear of "Ebenezer?" I think also of "Ichabod" and "Ishmael". What are these, names? Yes. These are names. But who bear these nomen? What is their meaning? From whence came they and wither do they go? I venture in these next installments to discuss my brief thoughts on these personages so-named and what their monikers impose on my Christmas preparations. *************** What think ye of Ebenezer? I think of remembering . . . and forgetting. Do you remember the first time you heard "Ebenezer?" More than likely, you first heard the name about this very time of year. Charles Dickens has introduced us to a name that embodies the cold, one bent and set in his ways-a very old man, one Ebenezer Scrooge. He is most remembered because he has forgotten and because he has forgotten, he became someone he had not planned to be. We meet him at the bottom of his deep forgetfulness, a place so dark and isolated that it takes the visit...

He tried and he tried hard, but despite his determination and effort, despite his good intentions, he just could not do it. He was not trying to break a world record, nor demonstrate some marvelous feat of ingenuity or intelligence. He was just trying to be, well, morally perfect. Benjamin Franklin, the great American inventor, philosopher and statesman had been reading from a sundry of works that directed his thinking concerning virtue. Franklin collected from these works a list of virtues that, he felt, could help him become morally perfect, provided he mastered them: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquillity, chastity and humility. His plan involved a 24-hour, 7 day system with his “intentions being to acquire the habitude [sic] of all these virtues”. There are many presuppositions concerning the meaning of a Christian life and the presuppositions reflect this same kind of attitude. Some feel that being Chr...

Luther Burbank, an American horticultural scientist who developed the sturdy Burbank potato, is quoted in the January 22, 1926 publication of the San Francisco Bulletin, as saying, “The God within us is the only available God we know and the clear light of science teaches us that we must be our own saviours.” This statement reflects the concept of what modern man conceives to be true of himself and his relationship to God: man needs salvation of some kind, but is the only one able to save himself. How can the one who needs help provide the very help he needs? Despite his attempt to declare autonomy, Burbank finds himself wrestling other truths as well: there is something or someone known as “God”; man needs to be saved; and, there is a savior. In the present time there are many concepts of “savior”. In literary circles, Isaac Asimov won’t refer to God, Jesus or use the name “Lord” or any other related term and has reduced religion down to a business venture. [i] To Asimov, the univers...