Righteous Lot

I’m glad Lot is in the Bible. He is listed as righteous, though obviously not perfect.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.
2 Peter 2:4-10 ESV

In Genesis 13 Abram and his nephew Lot go their separate ways. They were too rich to live together. The land could not support both of them dwelling together. Lot decides to move to Sodom. This proves to be a very bad decision. I can relate. I have made bad decisions too. Later, Abram rescues his Lot.

So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
Genesis 14:11-16 ESV

Lot continued to live in Sodom, though it bothered him greatly, 2 Peter makes clear.

Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.
2 Peter 2:8 NLT

I think Lot probably had a bad marriage. In this post I talk about how I left three careers mostly for conscience. Internal turmoil can make people make major life changes. Lot was tormented by the evil, and he had been captured and taken prisoner. Why did he stay in Sodom? The reason that makes the most sense to me is his wife wanted to stay. The fact she looked back as Sodom was being destroyed and was turned into a pillar of salt is evidence of this to me.

Righteous Lot offers his virgin daughters to a homosexual mob. I don’t follow his thought process at all.

“Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”
Genesis 19:8 ESV

Lot didn’t have much credibility with his future sons-in-law. I can relate to people not taking me seriously.

So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
Genesis 19:14 ESV

After the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah Lot is afraid to live in Zoar though he has very recent, dramatic proof God will protect him. Then he chooses to get drunk and unknowingly gets his older daughter pregnant. The next night he gets drunk again and gets his younger daughter pregnant, unknowingly. I have had a little practice tipping bottles. I’m quite sure those weren’t the first two times he got drunk. Newbies tend to throw up before they get drunk enough to pass out. It takes practice to train/damage the body enough to get passed-out drunk. Righteous Lot may have had a drinking problem.

Righteous Lot. Not perfect Lot, but righteous in God’s eyes. I think about him quite a bit. I came to believe these are the end-times because of widespread wickedness, and the sorry state of planet earth’s ecology. It is nice to know I’m not the only one sick and tired — tormented — by evil.

Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.
2 Peter 2:8 NLT

Righteous Lot. I’m not a Biblical genealogy expert, but it appears Lot is in Jesus’ bloodline. Lot is the father of the Moabites.

The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Genesis 19:37 ESV

Ruth was a Moabite.

These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth.
Ruth 1:4 ESV

David is her great-grandson.

And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Ruth 4:17 ESV

David is an ancestor of Jesus.

Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
Matthew 1:6 NLT

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
Matthew 1:16 NLT

Righteous Lot. Not perfect, but in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. I’m glad he’s in the Bible.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 NIV

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Even the Disciples Had Doubts

When I was a baby Christian I had huge doubts one night. I prayed, though I felt I might already be lost. While praying, this scripture popped into my mind and “came alive.” Every one of the disciples had doubts. Comforted, I fell asleep quickly. I remember it vividly 37+ years later. It’s my “go to” passage when I start to doubt.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said,Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
Matthew 26:20-22 KJV

Just passing on some comfort. 🙂

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

The HalleluYah Scriptures

I heard about the HalleluYah Scriptures from Scottie Clarke. I have seen him use it in his videos. I ordered a copy today. I was aware that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is often mistranslated in 1611-and-after English versions, but I had no idea how few seem to get it right. Hopefully the HalleluYah Scriptures are more accurate. From their description they have put a lot of thought into the translation:

Due to the fact that the term “spirit” in English carries so many confusing possibilities from ghosts to alcohol, HalleluYah Scriptures renders the Spirit of Yah in it’s Hebrew form Ruaḥ or Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh.

HalleluYah Scriptures Uses The Words On The Left

Ruaḥ ha’Qodesh vs Set-apart Spirit*

Ruaḥ vs Spirit

Ruaḥoth vs Spirits

The passage that made me want to get another Bible translation deals with the end-times.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 KJV

The verse that is the subject of the rest of this post.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

The passage is important because it is talking about things that indicate “the day of Christ.” Prior to the KJV, the English translations used words that meant the rapture of the church. With the KJV and most translations after, the text talks about the falling away of the church. That is a big, big difference. My conclusion is rapture is much more likely to be the correct interpretation.

I read the Red Moon Rapture blog. This quote comes from the post That Day Will Not Come Until… I suggest you read the whole post.

The Greek noun apostasia is only used twice in the New Testament. In addition to 2 Thessalonians 2:3, it occurs in Acts 21:21 where, speaking of Paul, it is said, “that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake (apostasia)Moses.” The word is a Greek compound of apo ” from” and istemi “stand.” Thus, it has the core meaning of “away from” or “departure.” The Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon defines apostasia first as “defection, revolt;” then secondly as “departure, disappearance.”[1]

What precisely does Paul mean when he says that “the falling away” (2:3) must come before the tribulation? The definite article “the” denotes that this will be a definite event, an event distinct from the appearance of the Man of Sin. The Greek word for “falling away”, taken by itself, does not mean religious apostasy or defection. Neither does the word mean “to fall,” as the Greeks have another word for that. [pipto, I fall; TDI] The best translation of the word is “to depart.” The apostle Paul refers here to a definite event which he calls “the departure,” and which will occur just before the start of the tribulation. This is the rapture of the church.[4]

So the word has the core meaning of departure and it depends upon the context to determine whether it is used to mean physical departure or an abstract departure such as departure from the faith.

This is a screen capture of BibleHub. Most translations use words similar to rebellion, apostasy and falling away. Only two use the departure. Image

This graphic shows up on Facebook.

My online searching pretty much agrees with this chart.

No man disseyue you in ony manere. For but dissencioun come first, and the man of synne be schewid, the sonne of perdicioun,
2 Thess 2:3 Wycliffe

Let no ma deceave you by eny meanes for the lorde commeth not excepte ther come a departynge fyrst and that that synfnll man be opened ye sonne of perdicion
2 Thess 2:3 Tyndale

Let noman disceaue you by eny meanes. For the LORDE commeth not, excepte the departynge come first, and that that Man of synne be opened, euen the sonne of perdicion,
2 Thess 2:3 Coverdale

Let no man deceaue you by eny meanes, for the Lorde shall not come excepte ther come a departynge fyrst, and that that synfull man be opened, the sonne of perdicyon,
2 Thess 2:3 Great (Crammer per wikipedia)

Per wikipedia, the Breeches Bible is a variant of the Geneva Bible.

Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition,
2 Thess 2:3 Geneva

I didn’t find a “Beeza Bible.” I did find a Latin Bible with Theodore Beza as one of the translators. This screenshot is from page 472 of a PDF on this site. Image

IMO 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is talking about the departure of the church, the rapture. It is true that there appears to be a great falling away from faith. But when I think on this meaning nothing much happens on my inside. When I think about the departure of the church, however, I get excited and happy on the inside. I think the Spirit Himself is bearing witness with my spirit. 🙂

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Leaping Like Calves From the Stall

I suppose most Christians have heard or read the verse about how we will go out leaping like calves released from an enclosure.

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Malachi 4:2 ESV

But if you haven’t spent time around cattle, you probably have no idea of the complete exuberance this verse implies. I will attempt to describe it. Once upon a time my children were young, and for years I helped in preschool Sunday School classes. Broadly speaking, two and three year old human children have four states.

• Sleeping. Don’t they look darling? 🙂
• Crisis. They fell down or pinched their fingers or something. For them in this state, there is no problem in the universe more important than what has just happened. Mom, dad, or whoever needs to interrupt what they’re doing and provide comfort.
• Concentration. I have tried to avoid letting my brain harden as so many adults have. As a lesson in how to think I have often watched youngsters discovering their world.
• Overwhelming zest for life. At times, they are just bursting with happiness at being alive. They may run here and there, arms waving, and laughing. They may slip their feet into an adult’s shoes and run around quacking or meowing. In a classroom, whole groups may suddenly get happy all at the same time and run around in clusters. They are glad to be alive and are determined to show it by moving around and laughing.

Now imagine this same exhilaration, this same high-spirited behavior, in an animal weighing perhaps 40 to 100 pounds, and capable of running perhaps 30 mph.

You can be trying to drive a herd of cows and calves, and all of a sudden, one of the calves will just start running. Others may join in and they go tearing off in the distance, running and jumping. I have seen a group running flat out straight away from me suddenly decide to change and the group, one by one, peel off at 90 degrees, then 90 degrees again, come running straight back in my direction. Their movements make no sense. They’re not supposed to. They’re just having fun.

It can be a lot of fun to watch. Unless you’re trying to get the herd to a specific place by a specific time. Then their exuberant hijinks can be quite frustrating, as illustrated in the photo above. This calf was nearly in the corral when he decided, “Nope! I have some important running around to do!” And off he went.

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Malachi 4:2 ESV

Take the happiest, bounciest, bubbliest three year-old you have ever seen. Add the strength, grace and agility of Olympic-class high-hurdlers. Then add the complete abandon of someone who has never even had the thought of caring what others are thinking while he or she is dancing. This is the beginning of the excitement of calves released from a stall. God wants us to be happy, and enjoy being happy!

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Pre, Post and Mid-Trib Raptures?

Some raptures have already happened. Take Enoch, for example.

Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
Genesis 5:24 ESV

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
Hebrews 11:5 ESV

Then there’s Elijah.

And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2 Kings 2:11 ESV

The two witnesses, in the future.

Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
Revelation 11:12 ESV

And of course, Jesus.

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Acts 1:9 ESV

I stopped in the middle of the road to take this picture of modern-day grain harvesting.

The farmer decides when the entire field is ready to harvest. Then one or more of these acre-eating machines descend on the field, and a short time later the entire field is harvested.

If the air conditioner is working, modern wheat harvesting isn’t that bad a job.

The first one I operated wasn’t nearly as nice. Sitting sweating in the hot sun, the wind often seemed to be coming from directly behind, leaving me in a perpetual cloud of dust and chaff that itched its way everywhere on my body.

Harvesting a field was different in Bible times. They didn’t have huge, mechanized harvesting equipment. If one part of a field was ready to harvest, but the rest was still green, they would harvest the part that was ready. As the rest of field ripened they would harvest each section when it was ready.

No air-conditioned cab.

Consider:

• Grain harvesting in Bible times was more “just in time” than in modern times. Grain was harvested as it became ready.
• Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation people all appear to be able to interpret Bible verses to support their position. I really don’t disagree with anything I have read.
• The Bible record: Enoch, Elijah, Jesus, the two witnesses. These are “just in time” raptures.

I am of the opinion there may be multiple raptures of the church, as each part of the field is ready for harvest. Pre, post and mid-tribbers may all be right. Of course, I could be wrong.

I’m planning to be on the first bus out, whenever it shows up.  🙂

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Isaiah 55

When I first read Isaiah 55 as a Christian, probably 1979 or early 1980, I felt like God included it in His Book just for me. Though I have many other scriptures that have become very meaningful in the 37+ years since, Isaiah 55 remains in its own special category. I often have a feeling of nostalgia when I read it. It was the first whole chapter that spoke to me.

I prefer the King Jimmy.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Isaiah 55:1-13 KJV

Here are just a few comments. 🙂

Verse 1. The invitation. Nothing is needed except yourself.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Verse 2. Honestly consider your current life.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Verses 3-4. Though David committed adultery with Bathsheba, then killed her husband, God forgave him and still used him. It’s not too late for you either.

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Verse 5. Salvation is available for all people. A “What About The Heathen?” verse.

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Verse 6. Seek the Lord now. Don’t wait until it is too late!

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Verse 7. Repent and receive mercy and pardon.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Verses 8-9. God thinks on a higher level than we do.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Verse 10. Meditate on “that it may give seed to the sower.”

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Verse 11. God’s Word never fails!

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Verses 12-13. Are you following God’s plan for your life? You should. It’s a really, really good plan.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Isaiah 55:1-13 KJV

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Are You a Scoffer?

Beware this passage applying to you.

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
2 Peter 3:1-7 ESV

A lot of us believe something major is going to happen this September. This is not a case of one egomaniac doing some funky calculations and coming up with a date. The alignments of the stars and planets provide the major sign. No man set up those alignments. Have a look at these resources. My story is a little different. I came to believe these are the end times because of the great, worldwide wickedness, and the sad state of earth’s ecology. The Revelation 12 sign is just a confirmation of what I had come to believe. Image

This sign could not have been found without modern astronomy software. The sun is too bright to see the alignment. This is one reason many of us feel the knowledge that was sealed in Daniel’s time is now unsealed!

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.“

Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Daniel 12 ESV

Did you catch the part about the wise will understand?

“Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.”
Daniel 12:10 ESV

There are many other things pointing to the end of the age. Image

As humans, we have a natural bias to take our cues from each other. Beware the Normalcy Bias.

The normalcy bias, or normality bias, is a mental state people enter when facing a disaster. It causes people to underestimate both the possibility of a disaster and its possible effects, because it causes people to have a bias to believe that things will always function the way things normally function. This may result in situations where people fail to adequately prepare and, on a larger scale, the failure of governments to include the populace in its disaster preparations.

…

“With a normalcy bias,” writes one observer, “we project current conditions into the future. Normalcy bias is a form of denial where we underestimate the possibility and extent of a looming disaster even when we have incontrovertible evidence that it will happen. We assume that since a disaster never has occurred, then it never will occur. Consequently, we fail to prepare for a disaster and, when it does occur, we may be unable to deal with it.”^[1]

A famous observation by Patrick Henry can be seen as a reference to the normalcy bias: “We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.”^[2]

God’s pattern is to let His prophets know before He does things.

Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7 NIV

Blessing follows.

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
2 Chronicles 20:20 NIV

Investigate these things for yourself. Do not be destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Punctuation

The KJV of John 9:1-4 makes God seem like a child abuser to our modern ears.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:1-4 KJV

That is, God made the man be born blind just so Jesus could heal him later. This doesn’t fit very well with the God I have come to know in the rest of the Bible.

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:12 ESV

It is my understanding that the original texts did not have punctuation. Three of the four Greek texts I checked at this site have no punctuation in the Greek. Image

The translators added the English language punctuation. In this case I think they could have done a better job. This is my re-punctuation of the passage.

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The stage is set

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

The disciples ask a question

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus answers the question

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.

Jesus talks about His ministry

But that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day. The night cometh, when no man can work.

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This re-punctuation makes a lot more sense to me.

• The man’s blindness had nothing to do with sin. Period. Full-stop. End of thought.
• Jesus worked His works so the blind man could see.

Punctuation is the only difference in these two.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:1-4 KJV

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. But that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day. The night cometh, when no man can work.

I like my punctuation better. I don’t have to try to accept a child-abusing God.

Hat tip to Charles Nieman.

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Maturity Meter

This verse often comes to my mind when something or someone is getting on my nerves.

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Psalm 119:165 KJV

I consider this my maturity meter verse. When I’m irritated and lacking peace I’m reminded my meter is not reading in the maximum range. It is time to examine myself and improve.

But I have learned to check to check the words in the KJV. Some words have a significantly different common, everyday meaning than they did in 1611. I have had to discard some interpretations of KJV verses because the modern meaning of words did not apply to them in 1611. Most translations of this verse use some form of stumble.

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165 ESV

Taking a look at the Hebrew:

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance 4383. mikshol
caused to fall, offence, nothing offered, ruin, stumbling-block
Or mikshol {mik-shole’}; masculine from kashal; a stumbling-block, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement (specifically an idol), scruple) — caused to fall, offence, X (no-)thing offered, ruin, stumbling-block.

There is enough there I have no trouble using the KVJ nothing shall offend them as a valid warning of the danger of discontent, of irritation.

I’m glad that many things that used to bother me no longer do. I have reached some level of maturity in these things. But in other areas my needle is barely off zero. I admit to being rather a musical snob with definite musical preferences. If someone plays a song I do not like so loudly that the speakers can’t handle it — if the sound is distorted — my maturity meter rapidly drops to just above the bottom peg.

Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

The Cattle of His Pasture

Bummer. The Bible doesn’t say we are the cattle of his pasture. It doesn’t say we are the buffalo of his pasture. It says we are the sheep of his pasture.

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Psalm 100:3 NIV

Wait! Maybe the writers of the Bible didn’t know about cattle. … Oh, they did.

For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
Psalm 50:10 NIV

More comparisons of people to sheep. Double bummer.

For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Psalm 95:7 NIV

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 23:1 NIV

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
John‬ ‭10:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The reason it is a bummer to be compared to sheep is I have a ranch background and know a bit about sheep, cattle and buffalo. Cattle and especially buffalo can take care of themselves. I have been on horseback in a big pasture, far away from fences and trees, and had momma cows start looking at me through their nostrils. They were irritated that I was around their baby calves, and they were prepared to defend them. There isn’t the slightest doubt in my mind that if my horse had suddenly had a heart attack, the cows would have beaten me up really bad, and perhaps killed me. I couldn’t have outrun them, and there was nowhere to hide.

Sheep, on the other hand, are like meals-on-wheels for predators. They don’t protect themselves very well at all. They’re also the definition of followers, and are pretty, well, stupid. There was a blizzard and my dad and I were trying to get our small flock into the garage. We could not get them to go in. As the flock milled around it was as if each one looked in the warm garage, out of the wind-driven snow, and said, “Baaaa. I’ve never been in there. I’m not going in. Baaaa!” Then dad grabbed one and took it inside the garage. The rest of the sheep followed immediately. “Baaaa. It’s a good idea to get out of the blizzard. Baaaa!”

I will have a more successful life if I embrace my Biblical sheep-ness, and not try to pretend I’m compared to a species more capable of taking care of myself.

I’m a sheep. I need the Good Shepherd to protect me. By myself, I’m just dinner for predators. The closer I stay to the Shepherd the better off I will be.

As a sheep, I’m naturally prone to following the crowd. I’m very good at behaving like the rest of the crowd, just because they’re doing whatever they’re doing. Then we all decide that God is going to grade on a curve.

As a sheep, I’m a poor judge of where the good pastures are and how to get to them. I need to follow the commands of the Shepherd.

I might wish my survival didn’t depend so much on the Shepherd, but it does. I am created to require an intense personal relationship with God, where He is definitely in charge!

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P.S. (July 25, 2017) The Strange Sounds web site has too many ads for my taste, but it has an interesting article you can read if you like. One sheep jumped to its death, and 79 others followed right behind. 80 sheep commit suicide in Turkey

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Are you following God's plan for your life? 
   You should.
      Your plan sucks.
      It really, really sucks.
      Suckage Maximus.

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.