TWO FOR TUESDAY

Link: [Sawyer Brown]

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

Link: [On YouTube]

The Walk

Sawyer Brown

Down our long dusty driveway

I didn’t want to go

But I set out with tears in my eyes

Wondering

Daddy took me by the hand

Looked out at the school bus

And his little man

And said

Don’t worry boy

It’ll be all right

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

You can’t hold back the hands of time

It’s just something you’ve got to do

So dry your eyes

I understand

Just what you’re going through

‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Down our long dusty driveway

I set my mind to go

Well I was eighteen

And wild and free

And wondering

Daddy took my by the hand

Looked at the world

And at his grown man

And said

Don’t worry boy

It’ll be all right

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Well you can’t hold back the hands of time

It’s just something you’ve got to do

So dry your eyes

I understand

Just what you’re going through

‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Down our long dusty driveway

This time we both would go

Well he had grown old and gray

And his mind

Was wandering

Daddy took me by the hand

Said I know where we’re going

And I understand

Don’t worry boy

It’ll be all right

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Well you can’t hold back the hands of time

It’s just something you’ve got to do

So dry your eyes

I understand

Just what you’re going through

‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Yes I took this walk you’re walking now

Boy I’ve been in your shoes

Link: [On YouTube]

800 Pound Jesus

Sawyer Brown

I saw a garage sale

Pulled up in the yard

Found a statue of Jesus

That was eight feet tall

He held out his arms

And he seemed all alone

So I loaded him up

And I drove him home

Out by my driveway

He looks down the street

Long hair and sandals

Made of rebar and concrete

I painted him white

With a long purple robe

He’s the rock of ages

On a gravel road

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

Standing taller than a tree

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

A bigger man than you or me

I thought losin’ my job

Was the end of the world

‘Til my best pal

Ran off my best girl

I felt suicidal

With no real friend

So I walked outside

With a rope in my hand

Out by the statue

There’s a big oak tree

So I stood on his shoulders

And counted to three

I had every intention

Of buyin’ the farm

But when I jumped off

He caught me in his arms

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

Standing taller than a tree

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

A bigger man than you or me

I wanted to return

The favor to him

‘Cause I never had

A more solid friend

So I planted some flowers

All around his feet

And I bought him a flock

Of ceramic sheep

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

Standing taller than a tree

He’s an 800 pound Jesus

A bigger man than you or me

He’s a bigger man than you or me

Yeah

Lyrics From: [Cowboy Lyrics]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

Come Monday...Porpoise Driven Life

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

My health continues to deteriorate, and the past few days have been especially rough. Subsequently, I have nothing prepared for this edition of Come Monday…

Therefore, I offer this filler piece instead. However, it does leave room for much discussion, and I hope you will take advantage of it—regardless of which side of the issue you may want to stand at this time.

Link: [On YouTube]

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. [2 Corinthians 2:17 NIV]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again. The link below the image is to the site itself, and the image is linked to the post it was first included in here.

Link: [A Lil Enchanted...]

Link: [Author Blog: Glynis Smy]

Link: [Black Woman Thinks...]

Link: [Give Us This Day]

Link: [Graphic-ExchanGE]

Link: [HDRcreme]

Link: [Life Reflections]

Link: [My Foliage Diary]

Link: [Ricky Yates]

Link: [Talk At The Table]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

Mysterious Ways Repost

The following is another chapter from [Bittersweet Refinements].  Since each part is connected to the rest, it would do you well to keep reading (and listening for our Heavenly Father's explanations, of course).

Mysterious Ways

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” [Isaiah 55:6-9 NIV]

It is often said that the God works in mysterious ways, which is understandable.  For if His ways truly are much higher than our own, how could we understand them without His help?

What is not understandable is why our Heavenly Father’s ways are still such a great mystery to such a great many.  For if He really does want to have a very close and personal relationship with His children by faith, would He not want them to understand what He is doing to at least a certain extent[1]?

No, this is not to say that it is the same for all.  For it all depends upon what our Heavenly Father wants to accomplish in and through someone that determines when, and to what extent, He will allow and enable them to enter into His absolute truth[2].

In other words, some are given a lot at a very early age, such as in the case of the Prophet Jeremiah[3].  Whereas others will have to wait until just before the end of their time as a part of this world before they are given very little in comparison, which is the way it was for “the thief on the cross[4].”

Tragically, the problem is not that our Heavenly Father has not been forthcoming.  The problem is that far too many just do not want to hear what He has to say[5].

Take the greatest mystery of them all for an example.  For theologians and philosophers have been wondering out loud for thousands of years about what the meaning of life (or the reason for our existence, to get more specific) could possibly be, and He has been giving them an answer too simple for most to accept.  For we were created in order to give our Heavenly Father opportunities to freely receive a very special kind of love from us, and everything about this world is for that purpose.

Alas, there are not any Bible verses that say that.  Well, at least not in so many words[6].

Nonetheless, this is not to say that we are not provided with written confirmation.  For all of our Heavenly Father’s Holy Scriptures testify to who we were all created to be and why this world is as it is[7].

No, that is not good enough for far too many.  For unless they have a Bible verse or passage that says just exactly this or that, they refuse to listen, and even when they are presented with such, if it does not match what they have been taught by others not so unlike themselves, the result remains the same[8].

Yes, it is written that we should not go beyond what is written[9], but then we are faced with those mysterious ways again[10].  For who can understand the ways of the Lord God Almighty without His help, and that means that there must be more than just a long, hard study of a book involved[11].

Thankfully, that is provided, and for those humble enough to learn from our Heavenly Father’s Holy Spirit[12], it should not be very hard to accept what He wants us to.  For aside from His witness, our Heavenly Father also allows and enables us to have some hands-on experience from both sides of the matter[13].

You see, is it not relatively easy for most to love someone very attractive, in one way or another, and always does, or at least tries to do, what is desired of them?  So, it is for this reason that our lives in this world are meant to be full of pain and suffering—even for those whom appear to be absolutely wonderful in our eyes.  For in comparison to the worst of lives in His Kingdom of Heaven, the most wonderful of lives in this world is an excruciatingly slow and painful death.  For it takes a very special kind of love to want to hang in there with someone who appears to be treating us very badly[14].

The reason for why our Heavenly Father partially hid Himself from our sight is also part of that.  For our Heavenly Father has never wanted any of us professing their love for Him because of being either too afraid or too greedy not to[15].

Too afraid?  This has to do with the awesomeness of our Heavenly Father’s glory, and the fact that many would want to bow down and worship Him just because of being too afraid not to[16].

Too greedy?  This has to do with the indescribable splendor of our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom, and the fact that others would want to bow down and worship Him just because of what it could profit them[17].

No, there are not many amongst us (if any at all) who really care about why someone claims to love them, and generally seeks to do what is pleasing in their sight.  For all we usually care about is that they keep on doing what we want them to do[18].

Woe be it to all who never really want to know the difference between what is real and what is coerced.  For a love that is coerced[19] is really no love at all[20].

{1}Jeremiah 33:3; {2}1 Corinthians 2:6-16; {3}Jeremiah 1:4-10; {4}Luke 23:32-43; {5}Jeremiah 6:10; {6}Matthew 13:1-30; {7}Romans 8:18-25; {8}John 5:31-47; {9}1 Corinthians 4:6; {10}Job 11:7-9; {11}1 Corinthians 4:7; {12}John 14:26; {13}Romans 8:28; {14}Romans 11:32-36; {15}1 Corinthians 1:18-31; {16}Exodus 15:9-12; {17}Revelation 21:10-21; {18}Jeremiah 17:9; {19}Psalms 32:8-9; {20}1 Corinthians 13:4-13.

 

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

Sites To See

The SOLE purpose of this weekly series is to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Just to be clear, inclusion in this series is not necessarily meant as a recommendation, and I have included sites that are rather disturbing to me. The link below each image is to the site itself, and each image is linked to the particular post from which it was taken when applicable. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [2012 The End of the World]

Link: [A View from the Green Barn]

Link: [A Wizard and an Angel...and Kirby too]

Link: [Alcanzar Paz Interior]

Link: [AML Appaloosas]

Link: [Love, Life and Relationships]

Link: [The Note]

Link: [The One About...]

Link: [The Padrino]

Link: [The Passionate Blogger]

Link: [The Skeptical Believer]

Link: [Venison Joe's]

Link: [Working Moms Corner]

Link: [Writing On Life]

Link: [YouAreBeingDeceived.com]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

Jennifer Bon Jovi?

Link: Jennifer Nettles of [Sugarland] & Jon [Bon Jovi]

Link: [On YouTube]

Who Says You Can’t Go Home

Bon Jovi (with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland)

I spent twenty years tryin’ to get out of this place

I was lookin’ for somethin’ I couldn’t replace

I was runnin’ away from the only thing I’ve ever known

And like a blind dog without a bone

I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone

I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold

I’ve been there

Done that

Now I ain’t lookin’ back

On the seeds I’ve sown

Savin’ dimes

Spendin’ too much time on the telephone

Who says you can’t go home

Who says you can’t go home

There’s only one place

That calls me one of their own

Just a hometown boy

Born a rollin’ stone

Who says you can’t go home

Who says you can’t go back

Been all around the world

And as a matter of fact

There’s only one place left

I want to go

Who says you can’t go home

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

I went as far as I could

I tried to find a new face

There isn’t one of the lines

That I would erase

I left a million miles of memories

On that road

Every step I take

I know that I’m not alone

You take the home from the boy

But not the boy from his home

These are my streets

The only life I’ve ever known

Who says you can’t go home

Who says you can’t go home

There’s only one place

That calls me one of their own

Just a hometown boy

Born a rollin’ stone

Who says you can’t go home

Who says you can’t go back

Been all around the world

And as a matter of fact

There’s only one place left

I want to go

Who says you can’t go home

It doesn’t matter where you are

It doesn’t matter where you go

If it’s a million miles away

Or just a mile up the road

Take it in

Take it with you when you go

Who says you can’t go home

Who says you can’t go back

Been all around the world

And as a matter of fact

There’s only one place left

I want to go

Who says you can’t go home

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

Who says you can’t go home

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

Who says you can’t go home

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

It’s all right

Who says you can’t go home

Lyrics From: [elyrics.net]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Redemption]

MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Man Overboard

WhiteHeart

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Feels like we’re drifting

For some dark uncharted land

Don’t know where we’re going

But it’s not where we have been

Did we think that we could sail

The waters of this storm

We can’t control the rudder

And the sail’s getting torn

I’m afraid for me

I’m afraid for you

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Everywhere I turn

I feel the power of the sea

To think that we are drowning

In our own hypocrisy

Devoured by the mouth of all

The things that we create

We thought we were creators

Now we’re eaten by our fate

I’m afraid for me

I’m afraid for you

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Man over me

Man over you

Man like a fist

Man wanna rule

The crystal ball

Predicts the fall

Man overlord

Man overboard

Man overboard

Man overboard

Man overboard

We’re falling

Man overboard

Link: [WhiteHeart]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

TWO FOR TUESDAY

Link: [Sugarland]

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

Link: [On YouTube]

Something More

Sugarland

Come on

Monday

Hard to wake up

Fill my coffee cup

I’m out the door

Yeah my freeway’s

Standin’ still today

It’s gonna make me late

And that’s for sure

I’m runnin’ out of gas and out of time

Never gonna make it there by nine

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Gotta be more than this

I need a little less hard time

I need a little more bliss

I’m gonna take my chances

Takin’ a chance I might

Find what I’m lookin’ for

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Five years

And there’s no doubt

That I’m burnt out

I’ve had enough

So now boss man

Here’s my two weeks

I’ll make it short and sweet

So listen up

I could work my life away but why

I got things to do before I die

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Gotta be more than this

I need a little less hard time

I need a little more bliss

I’m gonna take my chances

Takin’ a chance I might

Find what I’m lookin’ for

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Some believe in destiny

And some believe in fate

I believe that happiness

Is somethin’ we create

You best believe that I’m not gonna wait

‘Cause there’s gotta be somethin’ more

I get home

7:30

The house is dirty

But it can wait

Yeah ‘cause right now

I need some downtime

To drink some red wine

And celebrate

Armageddon could be knockin’ at my door

But I ain’t gonna answer

That’s for sure

There’s gotta be somethin’

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Gotta be more than this

I need a little less hard time

I need a little more bliss

I’m gonna take my chances

Takin’ a chance I might

Find what I’m lookin’ for

There’s gotta be somethin’ more

Gotta be somethin’

Got to be

Got to be

Gotta be somethin’

More

Link: [On YouTube]

Just Might (Make Me Believe)

Sugarland

I got miles of trouble

Spreadin’ far and wide

Bills on the table

Gettin’ higher and higher

They just keep on comin’

There ain’t no end in sight

I’m just holdin’ on tight

I’ve got someone who loves me

More than words can say

And I’m thankful for that

Each and every day

And if I count all my blessings

I get a smile on my face

Still it’s hard to find faith

But if you can look in my eyes

And tell me we’ll be all right

If you promise never to leave

You just might make me believe

It’s just day to day

Tryin’ to make ends meet

What I’d give for an address

Out on easy street

I need a deep margarita

To help me unwind

Leave my troubles behind

But if you can look in my eyes

And tell me we’ll be all right

If you promise never to leave

You just might make me believe

I used to believe in us

When times got tough

But lately I’m afraid that even

Love is not enough

But if you can look in my eyes

And tell me we’ll be all right

If you promise never to leave

You just might make me

Oh you just might make me

You just might make me believe

Lyrics From: [elyrics.net]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

Come Monday...Sheldons Amongst Us

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

It is said that it takes all kinds to make a world. There are some we could do without, however.

More specifically, we could do without the Dr. Sheldon Coopers of this world. Be assured, they are out there with no other purpose but to make your existence all the more miserable. For it is usually when you need help with something that you know virtually nothing about that you encounter them, and they take great pleasure out of driving that point right through one temple and out the other side.

If you have no idea who I am talking about, [Dr. Sheldon Cooper] is the name of one of the main characters from [The Big Bang Theory] on [CBS], and he is the epitome of an anti-social geek, which makes for great comedy on a television show. On the other hand, it is not so funny in real life.

Okay, if you insist, this is about some help I needed with how to stop following some blogs through [Google Friend Connect]. If you are still not sure what that is, you can see my widget over on the sidebar between the widget for [NetworkedBlogs] and [HighCallingBlogs].

Anyway, several blogs I have been following through Google Friend Connect have either been removed or gone private in the last few weeks, and it was driving me nuts that there appeared to be no way to remove them from my list of subscriptions through [Google Reader]. For when you start following a blog through Google Friend Connect, the [RSS feed] for that blog is added to your Google Reader. That is, unless you don’t use the service, of course.

If you don’t use Google Reader, I would highly recommend it. For it is a great way to keep up with the new (and old) posts from your favorite sites.

Anyway (again), it was really bothering me that I couldn’t just unsubscribe from the blogs that I was following through Google Friend Connect. For after I would go through the regular process to do so, there they would be back again the next time I opened my Google Reader.

When I searched for an answer, the only reasonable way (in my opinion) that I found was to click on my icon on the Google Friend Connect widget on their site, and then follow a few more steps. Yeah, it sounded simple enough, but it really isn’t an option when you no longer have access to the widget on their site.

Aha! It dawned on me one day (in the middle of night, actually) that one of the sites that I am subscribed to in the regular way (because they don’t have a Google Friend Connect widget on display) is run by someone who is supposedly an expert on all things [Blogger], which is owned by Google. Therefore, it made sense to me that they would probably be very knowledgeable about the subtle nuances to Google Friend Connect.

Oh, but what I did not take into account was that I was attempting to deal with a real-life Dr. Sheldon Cooper. For after taking the time (we’re talking about a while here, folks) to try to leave a comment with a clear explanation of my dilemma, I have it on good authority that it was ignored because I left that comment on a post about a totally unrelated topic. Hey, I even started the comment off with an apology for it being off-topic, but in the mind of nerdy narcissists, an unforgivable sin had been committed.

Thankfully, I was shown how to stop following a blog through Google Friend Connect, and it had been there, right in front of my eyes, every time I would click on one those sites on my Google Reader. For that annoying yellow bar that appears every time on these “followed” blogs includes a link to where I can manage the blogs I am following, and a few clicks later, all of those defunct sites were history.

No, I suffer no delusions of shaming the Dr. Sheldon Coopers of this world into wanting to be more likeable, but this has sure made me feel a lot better. Hopefully, it has been good for you, too.

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again. The link below the image is to the site itself, and the image is linked to the post it was first included in here.

Link: [Action Flick Chick]

Link: [Art Of Marjon Stey]

Link: [Ghosting Miranda]

Link: [Oh Fer Cryin' Out Loud]

Link: [Robynn's Ravings]

Link: [The Dialogue]

Link: [The Motorhome Diaries]

Link: [The Zoo Crew]

Link: [Voice of Pentecost]

Link: [Window Into Palestine]

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Droppings]

And Go Seek Repost

The following is another chapter from [Bittersweet Refinements].  Since each part is connected to the rest, it would do you well to keep reading (and listening for our Heavenly Father's explanations, of course).

And Go Seek

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” [Matthew 7:7-11 NIV]

It is quite natural to think of other things, but be assured that the greatest gift that our Heavenly Father has to offer is knowledge and understanding of Himself.  For it is written: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.  Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” [Matthew 6:19-34 NIV]

No, this is not to discount the immeasurable value of the gift of eternal life[1], but the point that keeps getting missed at best, and ignored at worst[2], is the very close and personal relationship that we were all created to have with our Heavenly Father.  For it is written: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.  Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.  And this we will do, if God permits. [Hebrews 5:12-6:3 NAS]

Yes, it is true that what we can have in this world is just a foretaste of what it will be like in our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom of Heaven[3], but if it is indeed true that His Holy Spirit truly lives within the hearts and minds of His children by faith, how can we not have so much more than what most have been led to believe[4]?  For it is written: For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now, we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. [2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NAS]

Although it is really nothing new[5], a lot has been made of seekers lately.  In fact, many churches now advertise that they are “seeker-friendly.”

Oh yes, it sounds so very exciting—especially to those who hope to see a great revival sweep across this troubled land[6], but the trouble with far too many “seekers” is that this is who they are.  For it is written: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. [James 1:5-8 NIV]

In other words, “seekers” seek, and far too many of them do not have any expectations of ever finding anything.  For if they did, they would no longer be “seekers,” and it is in this respect that they are actually nothing more than doubters.

Alas, that sounded so very harsh and unrighteous[7], but it still needed to be said.  For it is written: First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, “Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”  But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.  But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.  That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.  He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.  Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. [2 Peter 3:3-18 NIV]

Yes, it would be different if our Heavenly Father was really hard to find, but He is not.  For it is written: “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.  To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’  All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations.” [Isaiah 65:1-2 NIV]

Be assured that 2 Peter 3:3-18 speaks as much to the other side of the seeker coin as it does to those who refuse to “find” our Heavenly Father.  For far too many in the Christian community are content with what they think they already have[8].

Furthermore, many “Christian” leaders have made a very good living out of encouraging the members of their congregations to be content with what they have.  For it is written: But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.  For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. [2 Timothy 3:1-7 NAS]

No, this is not to deny that when you have Christ Jesus that you have it all.  MAY IT NEVER BE!!!  For as it was with the Apostle Paul, so is it also with me—even now in this day and age of post-modern sophistication.  For it is written: My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. [Colossians 2:2-4 NIV]

It is just that far too many in the Christian community have any idea what it really means to truly be in Christ.  Do you[9]?

{1}Ephesians 2:8-10; {2}1 Timothy 1:5-11; {3}1 Corinthians 13:9-10; {4}2 Corinthians 1:21-22; {5}Ecclesiastes 1:9-11; {6}2 Chronicles 7:14; {7}James 2:12-13; {8}1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13; {9}Hebrews 12:6.

 

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