Excerpt: The Pursuit of God, The Human Thirst for the Divine, A.W. Tozer

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, The Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wondered so long. In Jesus' name. Amen
Excerpt: The Pursuit of God, The Human Thirst for the Divine, A.W. Tozer

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The Good Old Days

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
How is it that the first month of the new year is gone already??  WOW!  This statement mom and dad always made sure has proved to be true:  "The older I get the faster time flies by!"  AMEN to that!

Not much happening on the home front today.  Tim and I went to Walmart to pick up a few groceries.  On the way back, I snapped some pictures for my photo prompt of the day:  A street.  Did you guess the one I would chose from the list I gave you in yesterday's post?

So, I know the prompt was for "A" street, not several, but I took several, anyway!  Just because I could, LOL!

Going south on Peterscreek from Walmart towards home.

Bridgton

Corner of Bridgton and Follansbee

Follansbee

South Main Street.  Guess what day it is?  Now you know the route we take to Walmart (or at least the route back home).
I forgot to share this in yesterday's post.  A sweet friend tagged me on Facebook and told me this was her prayer for Tim.  Thank you, sweet Gayle!



Tim's mom sent me an e-mail in response to yesterday's blog post:

"Murt and I were discussing the fact that she does not eat fast food or drink colas.  Can you imagine??  She was raised on a farm in Minn., no electric and she remembers taking a bath Sat. nite in a copper tub  in the kitchen.  But of course there was no fast food place on every street corner and you made your own fun as you described.  I would wheel my doll buggy around, play house with berries and leaves and make ballerinas with hollyhocks flowers and I was so happy  playing by myself and coloring and reading.  Mom would put a sheet over the table to make me a little house, put a lamp in and sometimes have a tea party with me in there,  She knitted or made doll clothes by hand for me.  My sister was 9 yrs older  so I was basically raised as an only child and it was so much fun.  Those were the days, how simple  and safe playing hide and seek and making our own fun .  Those really were the good old days."

Ah, yes!  THE good, old days, indeed!  The days when you didn't have to worry about everyone being offended at the drop of a hat!  The days when you were held accountable for your actions.  The days when you were not afraid to walk up and down the street with your friends for fear of being abducted or killed in cold-blooded murder.  The days when everyone, even the lost, had respect for the Lord's Day.  The days when "the day of rest" meant just that.....no public work was attended.....places of business were closed on Sunday.  The days when people respected one another and were courteous to one another, no matter your political persuasion or your religious persuasion.

The days when children were taught sportsmanship, and that it was OK to lose when you put your best effort into the task!  Someone wins and someone loses!  There is no shame in losing, unless it is because you didn't give it your best.  You just buckle down and practice more and keep trying to do your best!  What happened to the feeling of satisfaction in knowing you did the best that you could?

The days when sin was sin and not labeled with some "alternate lifestyle."  The days when, "Thus saith the Lord" meant just that, no questions asked!

Yes, we do live in "perilous" times.  Those are words prophesied in God's Word:
2 Timothy 3:1-17   "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,  7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.  9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.  10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,  11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.  12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

Here is a different version I found that might make more sense to those of you who do not like the KJV.  I've never heard of this version, but I read it and it is OK.  I grew up on the KJV (and I will always prefer it), so I am used to reading it and understanding it, for the most part.  One thing about God's Word, no matter how many times you read it, you will always glean something else you "didn't see before."

2 Timothy 3Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Many People Will Stop Loving God

Remember this: There are some terrible times coming in the last days. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud and boast about themselves. They will abuse others with insults. They will not obey their parents. They will be ungrateful and against all that is pleasing to God. They will have no love for others and will refuse to forgive anyone. They will talk about others to hurt them and will have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. People will turn against their friends. They will do foolish things without thinking and will be so proud of themselves. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. They will go on pretending to be devoted to God, but they will refuse to let that “devotion” change the way they live. Stay away from these people!
Some of them go into homes and get control over weak women, whose lives are full of sin—women who are led into sin by all the things they want. These women always want to learn something new, but they are never able to fully understand the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres[a] fought against Moses, these people fight against the truth. Their thinking has been confused. The faith they have and teach is worthless. But they will not succeed in what they are trying to do. Everyone will see how foolish they are. That is what happened to Jannes and Jambres.

Last Instructions

10 But you know all about me. You know what I teach and the way I live. You know my goal in life. You know my faith, my patience, and my love. You know that I never stop trying. 11 You know about my persecutions and my sufferings. You know all the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—the persecution I suffered in those places. But the Lord saved me from all of it. 12 Everyone who wants to live showing true devotion to God in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 People who are evil and cheat others will become worse and worse. They will fool others, but they will also be fooling themselves.
14 But you should continue following the teaching you learned. You know it is true, because you know you can trust those who taught you.15 You have known the Holy Scriptures[b] since you were a child. These Scriptures are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching the right way to live. 17 Using the Scriptures, those who serve God will be prepared and will have everything they need to do every good work.

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Timothy 3:8 Jannes and Jambres Probably the magicians who opposed Moses in Pharaoh’s court. See Ex. 7:11-12, 22.
  2. 2 Timothy 3:15 Holy Scriptures Writings that Jews and followers of Christ accepted to be from God—the Old Testament.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International

Well, if you've stuck around to the end of this post, thank you!  Your friendship and love and support means more than you will ever know this side of heaven.....assuming you will be in heaven with me.  And, I pray you will!    If your question is.......Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30).  My answer is.......Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).  And, as many as receive him, to them he gives the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12)  What's holding you back?

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