God - God versus religion

Can we give thanks on Thanksgiving 2020?

2020 has been a difficult year. COVID is all over the world. With it comes various restrictions that make people upset. What seems to get lost is the more than 1,000,000 (1 million) people who’ve died from it. So far. There will be more. As you read this, more people will die. Also apparently forgotten or ignored are the healthcare workers. They tirelessly risk their lives, including for people who selfishly get sick for their own pleasure. These same healthcare workers also get sick. And they add to the number of dead and dying. But still, this is Thanksgiving. How do we give thanks?

Can we give thanks on Thanksgiving 2020? More

A healthcare worker dies from COVID. Does anybody notice?

A look at ourselves

A healthcare worker dies from COVID. Does anybody notice? I tried to find out how many healthcare workers died from COVID so far. Even Google, who knows pretty much everything, can’t answer that question. The numbers of dead healthcare workers related to COVID isn’t tracked. And so, in some respects, the answer to the title question is, “No, people don’t notice.” But that’s not quite true. People do notice. Some people. Notice certain deaths. But at the same time, no one notices how many deaths.

A healthcare worker dies from COVID. Does anybody notice? More

Darwin and COVID – Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive.

A look at ourselves

I heard a restaurant owner on the news this morning talking about Darwin and COVID. He was talking about how Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive. Rather, Darwin said it was the most adaptable who survive. And this particular person wanted to be one of the adaptable ones who survive.

There is, of course, a problem with that. Well, a few problems. The first one is that Darwin never actually said it was the most adaptable who survive!

Darwin and COVID – Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive. More

So in love with two – Jesus and ???

Government & Politics, Religious Freedom

You may remember So in love with two. It comes from a song about a girl in love with two boys. But I look at it as a Christian, in love with Jesus and someone or something else.

Ultimately it’s not up to us to decide what Jesus is asking of us.

It’s up to us to decide whether we want to do what He is asking.

If we decide which things we want to do and which we don’t – the result will be like that camel going through the eye of a needle – it’s not gonna happen.

If we do what Jesus asks – then all things are possible – including that camel making it through the eye of the needle.

So – what did Mikaila’s song choose?

Hey, hey, hey

I choose the both of you

Uh Oh.

So in love with two – Jesus and ??? More

How did Christianity get to be like this?

A look at ourselves

How did Christianity get to be like this? You ask, Like what? Let me answer, initially, with a hint, rather than a direct answer. Some think one of the worst things to happen to Christianity was when Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. As history is showing, that’s more significant that most people probably realize. The parallels to what’s going on in the U.S. today are incredible.

Historians now debate whether “the first Christian emperor” was a Christian at all. Some think him an unprincipled power seeker. What religion he had, many argue, was at best a blend of paganism and Christianity for purely political purposes.

How did Christianity get to be like this? More

What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like?

A look at ourselves

What happened to Christian transformation? You know – becoming more Christ-like? It used to be important. But now, does it mean anything more than switching to a church that we like better? One that supports our view of God, the way we created Him? That’s as opposed to a church that teaches and helps us to become more like Jesus. The Jesus Christ who’s the namesake of the Christianity.

What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like? More

Mourning over the loss of in-person church services

A look at ourselves

Do you mourn over the loss of in-person church services? If so, you’re not alone. But my question is actually more about the mourning. The process. The reasons why you mourn. That’s because the Bible actually gives us lessons, of a sort, on how and why to mourn. They’re in one of those Old Testament books that we don’t really like to read.

Lamentations is all about mourning. Grieving. All the gory details of what happened to Jerusalem, Judah, Zion, the Israelites when they were defeated by Nebuchadnezzar and sent into exile.

I believe they can help us today as well,
with COVID and the loss of in-person church services.

Mourning over the loss of in-person church services More

But then, who am I to complain?

Learning from a dog

I’ve been so tired the last month or so. Donnie, the little guy in the picture, has to go out and do his business every hour or two, pretty much 24-7. I get so little sleep that I’m constantly exhausted.

But then, who am I to complain? Donnie’s the one whose kidneys are failing.

But then, who am I to complain? More

Does anybody really care? About what?

A look at ourselves

Does anybody really care? Did you ask, “Care about what”? Or did you just answer? If you answered “Yes”, what do you care about? Maybe the top five things? If you answered, “No!”, why don’t you care? On the other hand, if you answered, “I don’t know”, are you still alive?

Take those cute Koalas in the picture. Do you know, they probably don’t care about much of anything? They’re so spaced out on Eucalyptus leaves, that’s about all they care about.

Are we the same way? So spaced out on whatever our favorite escape thing is that we don’t care about anything? Not about ourselves? Not about each other?

Does anybody really care? About what? More

Will the beast in Revelation be able to deceive Christians?

A look at ourselves

There’s no reason to think the actual beast in Revelation exists today. There are prerequisites, events that must take place before the antichrist makes his or her appearance.

So why go through all this if the beast doesn’t exist yet? Well, because it matters. If we can be deceived today, what hope do we have when the events in Revelation start to unfold?

Given that we’re so easily deceived today, it’s critically important that we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. In church-speak, to be able to discern the difference between truth and lies. Not on our own, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at a few examples of things that deceive Christians, even today
As I said, these examples are important. The things that deceive Christians today are from “ordinary” people. In other words, they aren’t from the antichrist. Not from the beast in Revelation.

Will the beast in Revelation be able to deceive Christians? More