Dumb and Dumber Is Not Just a Movie

Two articles in the USA Today made me think. They had an emphasis on sexual exploitation and assault on college campuses. One article quoted a counselor who said, “IF you plan on overindulging, talk to your peer group about having somebody responsible look out for you.”

That probably hits at least a level two on the dumb, dumber, dumbest scale. Just planning to overindulge seems a little counter productive. I am going to a smorgasbord and eat two pounds of BBQ ribs. And fries and other stuff as well. Not because I will enjoy it, but because I can. “I paid for this and I’m going to get my money’s worth.” The tummy ache we got as a kid when we binged out on candy, cookies, or ice cream, or all three, seems to be forgotten.

Overindulging on inebriants is even more stupider. First it is a poison. People have and do die from alcohol poisoning. And, not in personal experience, but second hand testimony has  informed me that if you do survive, the aftermath makes you wish you were dead.

But the final level of dumbosity, that is one higher than dumbest, is “having someone responsible look out for you.” Think on this for a nanosecond. You all are going out to “par-tay!” The “responsible” person will be in a similar condition to the one being “looked out for.” Jesus said that if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14) I would surmise that a drunk, watching out for a drunk, will be a little less than worthless. Maybe a lot less.

Nuff said. Then an article farther down the page reported that “Tainted alcohol worries travelers.” It went on to note that several tourist destinations, particularly in Mexico and Puerto Rico have had “guests” poisoned and even killed by methanol also know as wood alcohol that they consumed at a resort. (Maybe they should be signed in as “Victims,” instead of guests.) The first time this happened, it was a surprise. The twenty or thirtieth time is getting deep into the dumb scale.

My dad used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” You can make the application here. In both of our stories, we see a level of repeated foolishness that is unnerving. Why are people so dumb? And why are they repeating that folly?

Another thing that Dad taught me was, “What is this for?” Is college or vacation a place to go to get hammered? That is not a sports term referring to how Clemson treated U of A in the  last college super bowl. That is a slang term for losing your senses, as in being whacked up side the head by a hammer. If you want to booze it up, stay home where it is relatively safe, providing you have someone to call 911 when you get into life threatening territory.

Or better yet, imbibe a great cinnamon spice tea–hot or cold. It “tastes great and is less filling.” And does not lead to assault or death. Just think of how many news reporters would be out of work if we all did that.

That is “nuff said.”

More on David

We looked at David’s Psalm to his little rescued lamb last time. Further meditation on that story brought up another line of thought. We commented that David cited his rescue of the lamb to Saul when he, David was attempting to convince the King to allow him to challenge the Giant.

Just before this encounter, David’s brother had rebuked him, charging that David was merely curious, looking for some entertainment. (1 Samuel 17:28) He belittled David’s contribution to the family by asking what had happened to the “few sheep in the wilderness.” Actually, David had responsibly left them in the care of another keeper, so he was “doing his job.”

The ironic thing is, that Eliab, the elder brother, was not “doing his job.” Goliath had come out and challenged the men of Israel to battle for 40 days. No one, including David’s soldier brothers, had responded. Then David arrived and was anxious to confront the Philistine who was belittling Israel and berating the God of Israel. This is the point at which Eliab charged David with dereliction of his duties in caring for those “few sheep.”

Based upon Eliab’s response to Goliath, we can surmise that had Eliab been the one in the wilderness with the sheep when the lion and bear attacked, the “few” would have been a couple less in number. David was not a coward. He did not run from lion, bear, or giant. His father Jesse may have not sent him to keep the sheep based only on his being the youngest and thus assigned the more menial tasks, but the father may have recognized the bravery inherent in his youngest son.

Whether David felt fear in his encounters is not known, but bravery is not a lack of fear. Rather it is acting in spite of fear. David not only “acted,” it says that he ran toward the encounter with Goliath. (V. 48) This is an interesting tactic and it possibly unnerved Goliath, causing him to hesitate just a second. A second too long, that is. And you know the rest of the story.

One other interesting sidelight is that this battle tactic was employed by Alexander the Great when he conquered the known world. His soldiers ran toward the enemy, again unnerving them and contributing to the successful defeat of enemy armies. This was even prophesied by Daniel in his dreams. (Daniel 7:6)
After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

Daniel’s vision was of four beasts that would conquer the world. First was Babylon, the nation in power as he lived. His vision occurred during the reign of Belshazzar, before Daniel saw and interpreted the “handwriting on the wall.” Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persia which, in turn, fell to Greece represented by the leopard. Then a fourth, a “dreadful and terrifying” beast gained power, and we know that as Rome.

Greece, under Alexander, had overcome enemies by the tactic of running into battle, represented by a leopard with wings. This was reinforced by another vision two years later in chapter 8. This time, the kingdom of Babylon was not represented, but the successor, Medo-Persia characterized by a ram with two horns, one more prominent and larger than the other. (“Medo,” the lesser country and “Persia” the greater.) It “butted” west, north, and south, taking control of all of the land around it. History now identifies this entity as Medo-Persia, the consortium that overthrew Babylon.

Then in v. 5, we find the successor: a goat from the west.
While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

Note that the conquering force was “flying,” or moving rapidly. Again a leader is identified by a “conspicuous horn.” The confrontation between the two forces follows in v. 6. (The goat...)
He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.

The specific detail of “charging or rushing” the enemy is specified. And the kingdom of Persia was completely destroyed, just as Daniel had predicted about 300 years earlier. (A summary of the decisive battle may be found here. The final analysis was that Alexander lost about 100 men while killing over 300,000 and capturing many more. 301 BC)

David’s and Alexander’s strategy was also seen in the “blitzkrieg” unleashed by Hitler in WWII. Back to David. This teenager, of 16 or 17 as far as we know, began his career by protecting sheep from predators, then battling to the death, a nine-foot-tall opponent. He inaugurated a battle plan that led to many successful campaigns throughout history. And his brother had the temerity to challenge him and his courage.

Seems like the obvious is not always so obvious.

A Shepherd’s Psalm

A young lamb lies in the arms of his shepherd. The lamb’s legs dangle below the supporting forearm and his chin nestles into the crook of the shepherd’s elbow. He is a little bloody and mangled, but he is safe. The shepherd fondly gazes down on the helpless little bundle of wounded wool resting there.

He thinks back a few minutes. As he was tending his father’s sheep, to his horror a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock. 35 (He) went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against (the shepherd boy), (he) seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 (He) has killed both the lion and the bear. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)

“Just be quiet, little lamb. I will take care of you. You have nothing to fear.”  As he ruminated a little more, he mused, “I have a Shepherd too, you know.”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Then he switches his focus to the Shepherd. Now he is comparing his own care for the lamb to the care that the Good Shepherd affords to him. This is particularly poignant to both the young man and the sheep.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The lamb has it pretty good, with a brave and dedicated care giver. But our friend, you have surely identified him as David, is comparing his own care with what he offered his flock. Even all the lovingkindness that he could lavish on his sheep could not compare to the prospect of living in the house of his Lord forever. (Psalm 23) Amen. Glory.

“The LORD is my shepherd.”  Is He your Shepherd too? Today is the best time to begin the relationship and let Him care for you–forever. If you are already there, just relax and praise Him.

How to build a wall

Building The Wall

Nehemiah 3 is one of those chapters that you start to read, then think, “I should just skip over this to the good stuff.” Let me show you why.
Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

Booorrrriiing. And this goes on for 32 verses. Verses 31 and 32 cap off the chapter.
After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner. 32 Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.

Are you asleep yet? Then I noticed something interesting. Each family or individual was identified, not only by his parents, but by his occupation. In verse 1 the high priest and his brothers the priests built. The men of Jericho built next to them.

My curiosity was sparked and I scanned the whole chapter. Look what emerged, like a submarine surfacing in the ocean.
Verse 5: the Tekoites made repairs; v. 7: the Gibeonite and the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs; v. 8: the goldsmiths made repairs; v. 9: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs; v. 10: (some guy) made repairs opposite his house; v. 12: the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters; v. 13:  the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the Refuse Gate; v. 14:  the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. V. 15: the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. V. 16: (the) official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. V. 17:  the Levites carried out repairs; v.17, 18:  the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 After him their brothers carried out repairs under (the) official of the other half of the district of Keilah. V. 19:  the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle; v. 22:  the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs; v. 26: the temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower; v. 27: the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel; v. 28: above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house; v. 29: the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs.

Notice anything? The list started with the high priest and ended with goldsmiths. In between we find not only other professions and officials, but many “ordinary” people, each contributing his part to the overall project. Did you miss the official of Jerusalem who worked with his daughters? (V. 12) People from all walks of life and even places outside of Jerusalem joined in the united effort to build the wall and secure the city.

It is also interesting that the list of names and people completely surrounded the city. The link for a map is included and you can see that the list of workers began at the Sheep Gate (v. 1) and ended with the project building to the Sheep Gate. (V. 32)

The “crew” included people from all walks of life and different locations. Sounds like a church at its best, doesn’t it? And they completed the job. What a fantastic testimony. You can read the whole chapter, and with the attached map, trace the entire outline of the city.  And some archeologists believe that they have found remnants of the wall built over 2500 years ago. (Circa  445 BC)

What a stimulating account. Aren’t you glad you didn’t skip to chapter 4? If you want to read the whole thing, follow the link. Not only is every person valuable in God’s plan, every chapter, verse, and line in His Book are too. Happy reading.

Pithy Pronouncements from Adrian Rogers

Pithy Pronouncements

Adrian Rogers: We spend more time praying to keep saints out of heaven than we do to keep sinners out of hell.

Praise

All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Doxology

You just have to praise.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6IdQNsFUEw&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=General+List&utm_campaign=4fe98c48b6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_04_02_12_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34c1eea318-4fe98c48b6-102080817&mc_cid=4fe98c48b6&mc_eid=5b0480756c

ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
TUNE: OLD 100TH

"All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.

O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure."

Miracles

“If only I could see a miracle, I would believe.” How often have you heard that from people who are “on the fence?” This is not to minimize anyone’s true seeking spirit, but often what they say is just not factual. We see many examples in Scripture.

Jesus in Matthew 16:4 commented on those who asked Him for a sign.
An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
Luke 11:29
As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
(And they did not believe that sign, like Ninevah did.)

Jesus again Mark 8:11, 12
The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

John 6:26 
Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

And the quintessential, in the negative sense, can be found in the Old Testament. The Jewish nation, in general, and King Solomon, in particular, did not believe because of wonderful signs. We all know the sad story of the Jews just days out of Egypt, having passed through the Red Sea, and through most of their history, that they refused to believe.

Perhaps the saddest story is found in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3. King Solomon has just finished the dedication of the Temple and...well read it for yourself:
Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
He saw fire fall from heaven. At other times this had happened, the text notes that the people “gave a shout, and fell on their faces!” No surprise there.

Yet Solomon drifted away from the Lord. Turn to 2 Chronicles 8:11-13.
Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered.” 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch; 13 and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.

Why would Solomon keep his wife separate from “the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered?” I think we find the answer in 1 Kings 11:4 
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

Syncretism is a big and bad word that fits this. It is the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. In other words, Solomon merged his belief in Yahweh with the beliefs of his wives, perhaps thinking that this would be an improvement. It was not.

But, in the end, he came back. Perhaps the memory of what God had done kept him in touch and eventually pulled him back into the harbor. I like the example of John, discussed below, better. I want to be like John. There is an old spiritual song, referring to Revelation that goes, “Walk in Jerusalem, Just like John.” Walk, just like John. (Link below.)

So why did Jesus do miracles? Look at Mark 2:10
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Jesus did not do, nor does He do miracles now to just impress people. The purpose is to prove that He can “heal” souls. He can forgive sins and give us real life, eternal life. And those changes are permanent. They do not fade with time.

For a truly seeking soul, miracles can and will have a profound effect. In spite of seeing the Lord perform miracles for three years, all of the disciples, except John, doubted and ran away. But, once the risen Lord Jesus appeared to them, they became immovable stalwarts of belief. Peter changed from a cowering coward, denying that he knew Jesus to the megaphone broadcasting the message to the temple mount and leading 3,000 others to believe. In the end, he died for his belief in and devotion to Jesus.

The rest of the band were no less transformed. James died for his stance. In fact all of them did, except John, who was persecuted for over 60 years. He, as his fellow disciples, did not yield.

Paul was another notable exception to our miracle seekers. He also met the risen Christ and was moved even farther than Peter was. Peter was mediocre, or lukewarm follower such as the ones in the Laodicean church which Jesus chided, but Paul was a ranting, raving dynamo of persecution and even murder. No believer was safe, that is until he, Paul, met Jesus. He also died for his testimony after he took the  message to a major portion of the world.

That is why the Lord still does miracles. They are not for the “gee whiz” value of amusing people, but to ratify the faith of those who are faltering or sincerely seeking.

Should we pray for miracles? Absolutely. We never know the state of a person’s heart. He or she may be at the cusp of belief and the miracle will be the impetus to drive them the final step.

Isn’t God great? He meets our needs all the time. All the time, He meets our needs.

You get a choice.
Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John
(Tennessee Earnie Ford)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Walk-In+Jerusalem+by+the+Jordanaires+YouTube&&view=detail&mid=6846AD9DD43BECDBA4256846AD9DD43BECDBA425&rvsmid=833F37CC5CC0594FD899833F37CC5CC0594FD899&FORM=VDQVAP

Golden Gate Quartet Scratchy–old recording)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+golden+gate+quartet+walk+in+jerusalem+just+like+john&docid=608025483834950117&mid=D2454454E0D07F82253CD2454454E0D07F82253C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Or I have a recording of the LeTourneau College Quartet. Great! :>)