DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WORDS OF COMFORT

 WORDS OF COMFORT
Hosea 2:13-14
 
" 'I will punish her for the days of the Baals to which she burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers; but she forgot Me. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her.' "
 
Through Hosea, God told Israel the consequences of forgetting God. He would withhold His blessing; He would take away their material prosperity (grain, wine, wool, linen, grapes and figs) and also their joy (verses 9-12). He would take her into the wilderness where the would be more prone to hear His words of comfort to her. When I am in the wilderness – the dry, barren, painful places, where there is no joy, it is time to check to see if I have left God behind in my pursuit of other things. It is in the wilderness where all the other distractions have been removed that I am more attentive to listen to God's voice speaking words of comfort.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God takes His people into the wilderness, where they lose His blessings and their joy, so that they will listen to God's voice speaking words of comfort.
 
[end]
 
Have a listening day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S BLESSINGS

 GOD'S BLESSINGS
Hosea 2:7-8
 
" 'She will chase her lovers, but not overtake them; yes, she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, "I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me than now." For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold – which they prepared for Baal.' "
 
Israel was like many people. She forgot how many blessings she had received from God, and instead chased after other gods, thinking that life would be better. But the emptiness, pain, and bondage that she found prompted her to return to God. We are like that. We look at the things of the world and think that living for our own selfish desires would be so much better than serving the Lord – the greener grass syndrome. We chase after those things, and use the talents and treasures that God has given us to serve other gods, instead of using them to bless Him. But when we find that living to fulfill our own desires is not as good as we thought it would be, maybe we will return to Him. I need to appreciate all of God's blessings and remember that "every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17). I am just a steward of God's gifts and I need to use His blessing wisely instead of squandering them on my own selfish pursuits.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God blesses us with good gifts that we should use to serve Him instead of squandering them
on our own lusts.
 
[end]
 
Have a "blessed" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PAIN RELIEF

 PAIN RELIEF
Hosea 2:6-7
 
" 'Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and wall her in so that she cannot
find her path. She will chase her lovers, but not overtake them; yes, she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, "I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now." ' "
 
Pain is a great motivator. It causes me to avoid certain behaviors – like touching a hot stove, or makes me want to seek relief – like going to a doctor. Pass me the Tylenol!! God puts a hedge of thorns along my path to cause pain that will keep me on the straight and narrow, and return to Him for help. Saul experience that pain when we was rebelling against God and persecuting Christians. When Jesus appeared to him, He said, "It is hard for you to kick against the goad" (Acts 9:5b). The pain that comes from an unhealthy lifestyle or a hurting conscience is a blessing from the Lord. It causes me to look for the cause of the pain and find a remedy. Instead of enduring the pain of rebellion, I can return to Jesus and find rest and peace. He does not just cover the pain as aspirin does; He brings real pain relief when I come to Him in repentance.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus brings relief to people with a hurting conscience when they turn to Him.
 
[end]
 
Have a pain-free day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE CHILDREN

 THE CHILDREN
Hosea 2:4-5
 
[God said.] " 'I will not have mercy on her children, for they are the children of harlotry. For their mother has played the harlot; she who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, "I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink." ' "

Sadly, people who forsake faith in God – who go after other lovers rather than God to find fulfillment and satisfaction in life – are not the only ones who suffer. Their children also pay a price. Certainly, there are children of godly parents who go astray, and there are children of ungodly parents who come to faith and serve God. But as a general rule, children will follow the faith of their parents. Children who see their parents turn away from their faith in God are negatively affected. Children who are raised in a home where God is not honored will themselves not honor God. I believe that parents who forsake their faith and cause their offspring to walk in unbelief will be held accountable before God for not leading their children in righteousness, and will receive a harsh judgment. If they truly loved their children, they would lead them to faith.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Parents have a profound affect on their children – for good or for evil.
 
[end]
 
Bless you for setting the example of godliness before your children. Love you.

CHRISTMAS MEDITATION

 CHRISTMAS MEDITATION
They Call Him "Lord"
 
A baby nestled in the womb of a young maiden named Mary.
When she came to visit her Aunt Elizabeth, Elizabeth greeted her with the question,
"Why has the mother of my Lord come to me?" 1
Elizabeth called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
When that baby was born in Bethlehem and lay in a manger,
an angel announced to some shepherds tending their sheep in the field,
"Unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord." 2
The Angel called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
That baby grew into adulthood and was baptized by a man who said his mission was to "prepare the way of the Lord." 3
John the Baptist called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
As Jesus traveled about doing His ministry, He had followers who accepted Him as Lord. 4
His disciples called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
The sick were healed and possessed were delivered by Jesus, and they worshiped Him as Lord. 5
The people called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
After He was resurrected from the dead, people recognized Him as Lord. 6
Even an unbelieving Thomas confessed Him as Lord.
They called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
Saul of Tarsus met Him on the road to Damascus, and cried out, "Who are You, Lord?" 7
Saul (Paul) called Him Lord, and so He was.
 
Everyone who believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord
will be saved. 8
Believers call Him Lord, and so He is.
 
Someday this same Jesus will come again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is  Lord. 9
Everyone shall call Him Lord, and so He is forever and ever.

I call Him my Lord, for so He is.

 

1. Luke 1:43 2. Luke 2:11 3. John 1:23 4. Matthew 14:28-30; John 6:68; John 13:13 5. Matthew 8:2; Matthew 15:25; John 9:38 6. John 20:18, 25, 28 7. Acts 9:5 8. Romans 10:9 9. Revelation 19:16; Philippians 2:11

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MOTHERLAND

 THE MOTHERLAND
Hosea 2:2-3
 
Bring charges against your mother, bring charges [margin: contend with], for she is not My wife nor am I her husband! Let her put her adulteries from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked, and expose her, as in the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst."
 
Hosea's life continued as an analogy. The wife he had delivered from her prostitution has returned to her old life, and Hosea divorced her. Her innocent children were urged to plead with their mother to forsake her prostitution and return to her husband, or face dire consequences. The picture is this: God had delivered Abraham from an idolatrous society and formed a new nation – a motherland. But as a nation, they returned to the idolatries they were delivered from. The children, who were innocent, were urged to plead with the motherland to "put her adulteries from between her breasts," and return to their Father (God), or receive dire consequence. In the same way, God urges us to do intervention – to contend and plead with our motherland to return to Him. Will she heed the message?
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: In His love, God calls us to contend with our nation to forsake her adultery and
return to Him.
 
[end]
 
Have a "contending" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THERE IS HOPE

THERE IS HOPE
Hosea 1:10-2:1
 
" 'Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, "You are not My people," there it shall be said to them, "You are sons of the living God." Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel! Say to your brethren, "My people," and to your sisters, "Mercy is shown." ' "
 
It was a dark picture Hosea had painted for the future of Abraham's nation – scattering, judgment, being disowned. But even though things looked hopeless, God has a future planned for His people. God had made a promise to Abraham that his offspring would be a great nation, numbered as the sands of the sea (Genesis 12:2; 22:17; 32:12). God is faithful to His promises. Instead of being scattered, they would be united; in the place of judgment they would find mercy and salvation; instead of being disowned, they would be called sons of the living God. Things may look dark in the world around us – in our nation, in the culture, in my family, and in the church. But there is hope because God is in control and He has a plan. That is the essence of Christmas: God came down to give reconcilliation, mercy, sonship, and hope. "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God...." (Psalm 42:5).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Even when the future looks dark, the Believer has hope because God is faithful to His promises.
 
[end]
 
Have a hopeful day. Love you.
 

ABANDONED

 ABANDONED
Hosea 1:8-9
 
"Now when [Gomer] had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: 'Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people and I will not be your God.' "
 
How sad. This is such a tragic story. I don't like to think of being abandoned by God. Israel had known the blessings of Almighty God. But they chose to walk away from those blessings and from the God who gave them. The consequences just keep getting worse. First was Jezreel – scattered. Then was Lo-Ruhamah – not pitied or no mercy. Then came Lo-Ammi, which means "not my people." The nation had abandoned God so God abandoned them, and their future is bleak. I hear sorry stories of children who have been abandoned by their parents. Being abandoned leaves deep scars. But nothing can compare to being abandoned by God. When He says, "You are not my people and I will not be your God," there is a sense of total separation. I am so glad for God's promises to the person who continues to walk in His ways. To that person, God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). I can rest in the assurance of His faithfulness when I continue to walk in faith in the Lord Jesus, who said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b). I am His child and He will never abandon or disown me. Hallelujah!!!  But this serves as a solemn reminder of what can happen when a person walks away from their faith.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: People who abandon their faith will be abandoned by Him and suffer the consequences.
 
[end]
 
Have an accepted and secure day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MERCY ME!

 MERCY ME!
Hosea 1:6-7
 
"And [Gomer] conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him, 'Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword or battle, by horses or horsemen.' "
 
This is a difficult teaching: Even though God is gracious and full of compassion, there is a limit to God's mercy. The name Lo-Ruhamah means "not to be pitied." The northern kingdom, Israel, had so departed from the Lord that God removed His hand of mercy from them.  It is possible to become so degenerate that God withdraws His mercy, as with Sodom and Gomorrah or the people of Noah's day who became so wicked that God sent judgment. In the words of Paul, "God gave them over" to their uncleanness, vile passions, and debased minds (Romans 1:24-28).  Even though the southern kingdom of Judah was not guiltless, they had not yet crossed that line, and were still under God's grace.   God had mercy on Lot and Noah and Judah, even though they were not perfect people. And God has mercy on me even though I am not sinless. It is a sobering thought that "God's Spirit will not always strive with men" (Genesis 6:3). It is only because of God's mercy that we are not all consumed (Lamentations 3:22). I am so thankful for God's mercy through the Lord Jesus. But this is why it is so important to guard against harboring sin in my life.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is a line that can be crossed where God no longer extends His mercy.
 
[end]
 
Have a merciful day. Love you.

GOD'S WORD IS SURE

 GOD'S WORD IS SURE
Hosea 1:3b-5
 
".... and [Gomer] conceived and bore him a son. Then the LORD said to him: 'Call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel of the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. It shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.' "
 
There is a play on words in these verses. The story of Jehu is recorded in II Kings 9 and 10. Jehu was anointed king of Israel by Elisha. In his ascension to the throne, he killed Joram (son of Ahab), king of Israel and all of the house of Ahab to avenge the blood of Naboth the Jezreelite. (Remember that Naboth had been killed by Jezebel so that Ahab could have Naboth's vineyard.) In the process, Jezebel was killed, along with Ahaziah king of Judah, and many other people. Just as Jehu had destroyed the house of Ahab, so God would destroy the nation of Israel. The name Jezreel means "scattered," and coupled with the name Gomer (to cease or to end), the fate of the nation of Israel was sealed. As God had promised, Israel, the northern kingdom, was taken into captivity and the people were scattered. It ceased to exist as a nation. God's promises are sure and true. If God said it, it will happen. You can count on it.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's word is sure and will happen as He said.
 
[end]
 
You can trust God today to do as He said. Love, Dad.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NO MO

 NO MO
Hosea 1:3a
 
"So [Hosea] went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim ....."
 
Names in the Bible are often important identifiers. "Gomer" means "to cease or come to an end." "Diblaim" means "two cakes of figs." Put together, this was prophetic regarding the Jewish people. The Bible often uses a fig tree to picture the Jewish nation. At this time, they were divided into two parts – the northern nation of Israel, and the southern nation of Judah. These two "cakes" would come to an end when they were taken into captivity. I feel sorry for Diblaim. His name is forever associated with his daughter who was a prostitute. Parents who have children that don't turn out well suffer grief. Perhaps Diblaim had other children before Gomer who also brought him sorrow. So when Gomer was born, he may have said to his wife, "That's it. No more children!" My heart goes out to parents who have wayward children. I often think about the parents of sons who are rapists or robbers, or daughters who are featured in beer ads or involved in pornography. They must carry a heavy burden for their kids. It's like the man who had a dozen kids. When the last one was born, he named her "Nomo." When asked why he named her Nomo, he looked at his other children and said to his wife, "No More."  God must have suffered much sorrow over his daughter, Israel, and over his errant children today. 
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Wayward children cause parents much grief.
 
[end]
 
I am blessed to have such great children. Love, Dad.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD SPEAKS

 GOD SPEAKS
Hosea 1:2
 
"When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea: "Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the LORD."
 
What a shock that must have been to Hosea. Here he was, just living his life, when out of the blue God "began" to speak to him. The Scripture does not tell how God spoke – whether in an audible voice, or by an inner knowledge -- but  I can imagine that Hosea said to himself, "I must be dreaming. This can't be real – that God would speak to me! Is this God or is it my own brain on overload? God wouldn't tell me to marry a prostitute. Would He?" But God does speak to man, and sometimes it goes against what seems logical to human understanding. It may not fit my idea of what is proper, but God had a purpose. He wanted to give an illustration of how Judah and Israel had gone away from God to serve other gods. I want to be sensitive to listen for God's voice, even if what He says seems illogical.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's Word does not always make sense to human logic, but He has a purpose.

[end]
 
Have a listening day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PROPHET

THE PROPHET
Hosea 1:1
 
"The word of the LORD that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel."
 
Hosea, whose name is derived from the same Hebrew word as Joshua and Jesus, was a prophet who had a long ministry. The Bible does not say when he began or ended his service as a prophet, only that he lived through four kingships in Judah and a corresponding king in Israel. The four kings of Judah reigned a total of 113 years (see II Chronicles 26-32), while Jeroboam reigned in Israel for 41 years (II Kings 14:23). Uzziah, Jotham, and Hezekiah were good rulers who did what was right in the sight of the LORD. This does not mean that they did everything perfectly, but their hearts were set on serving the LORD Yahweh. But Jeroboam and Ahaz did not serve the LORD. But having godly rulers does not guarantee that a nation will be godly. For example, even though Jotham did what was right in the sight of the LORD, still the people acted corruptly (II Chronicles 27:2). A nation is blessed when there are godly leaders, but it is still up to the citizens to serve the Lord whether the leaders are godly or not. Hosea was God's voice to the people, and his message was, "Return to the LORD" (Hosea 6:1; 14:1). I think that could be God's message to the United States. I praise God for prophets who are faithful over many years. God used Billy Graham as a prophet, who was faithful to his message over many decades, and who advised 10 presidents and preached a message of repentance to the nation. I pray that God will send another prophet who will have a voice to call us to return to the Lord.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God uses faithful prophets to call people to return to Him.
 
[end]
 
Have a godly day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GROWTH

 GROWTH
II Peter 3:18
 
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."
 
As Peter closed his letter, he set before his readers a life-goal of growth, first in grace and then in experiential knowledge of the Lord Jesus. I will never in this life fully understand God's grace to me, that saved me even though I am unworthy. Nor will I ever comprehend the love that Jesus had for me that sent Him to the cross to pay for my sins. As Paul wrote: "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Romans 11:33), and,"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in His love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fulness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19). Growth in an evidence of life. I don't want my faith to become dead formalism where I just go through the rituals of performing the duties expected of me as a Christian. I want my faith to be alive and growing. I want to know Jesus better.  He is worthy of praise both now and forever in Heaven. "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection...." (Philippians 3:10).  Amen!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The grace and love of Jesus are so vast that they can never be completely comprehended, but knowledge of them can grow.
 
[end]
 
Have a growing day.  Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TWISTED

 TWISTED
II Peter 3:16-17
 
"... as also in all his [Paul's] epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ...."
 
Twisting God's Word is as old as the human race. In the Garden of Eden, Satan twisted God's word when he said to Eve, "Has God said?" And he did it again in the wilderness of the Lord Jesus' temptation. It is still one of Satan's favorite tactics today in his war against God – bending Scripture to mean something it was never intended to say. To be sure, some things in the Bible are difficult to understand. We need to stand firm in what is the clear message of the Holy Writ – "The main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things." Some people misuse Scripture out of ignorance. (I'm sure I have done this in innocence.) But some twist Scripture to justify their own sin, and lead people down the road to destruction. That's why Peter gave the warning: Beware! The best precaution to avoid being led astray by the wicked ones (as some translations render this) who are tools of Satan is to know the path so well that I can recognize deception. I need to know the
whole Book, and not just a few favorite verses that, out of context, can easily be twisted.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Be alert to the misuse of Scripture, which leads down the path to error.
 
[end]
 
Have a "beware" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD

 THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD
II Peter 3:15
 
"And considering that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation – as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you."
 
Peter's reference to Paul's letter is the epistle to the Romans, where he wrote, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). Truly and without doubt, I am saved only because of God's gracious forbearance and longsuffering.  He probably gets tired of putting up with me because I mess up so much. There is nothing I can do to merit salvation.  But praise His name, I am not saved by my goodness, but only because God imputes His righteousness to me because of my faith in the Lord Jesus. He accounts my faith as righteousness (Romans 4:1-9), and I am justified by faith (Romans 5:1).  Thank you Jesus for Your patience!!!! 
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Salvation is only possible because God is patient.
 
[end]
 
Have a grateful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DILIGENCE

 DILIGENCE
II Peter 3:14
 
"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless."
 
Peace with God comes from a clear conscience, knowing that I am spotless and blameless before Him because I am confident that all my sins are forgiven. When Jesus comes for me, whether by death or by the Rapture, I want there to be nothing between us that would strain that relationship. It is like marriage. Sometimes things come between a husband and wife that hinders intimacy. I know when there is something between my wife and I when there is no peace. It takes careful attention to keep the channel clear. This is diligence – "steady, earnest, and energetic application and effort" (Webster's Dictionary). I cannot afford to be sloppy in my attitudes or my living when it comes to eternal salvation. An old Gospel hymn says, "Nothing between my soul and the Savior, so that His blessed face may be seen. Nothing preventing the least of His favor. Keep the way clear, let nothing between." This is my part. It is my responsibility to be diligent, giving steady, earnest, energetic effort to keep my relationship with Jesus unhindered.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Each Christian is charged with being diligent in their relationship with the Lord Jesus.
 
[end]
 
Have a diligent day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHAT A PLACE!!!!!

 WHAT A PLACE!!!
II Peter 3:13
 
"Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
I can barely imagine what it would be like to live in a place of total righteousness – where everything is right, untainted by sin.
    No more devil or temptation to sin.
    No more sickness or death.
    No more getting old with its aches and pains, alzheimers, and wrinkles.
    No more strained relationships.
    No more weeds to pull.
    No more financial pressures.
    No more unwanted fat (goodbye, TOPS).
    No more broken-down cars.
What a wonderful place God has promised. "Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Corinthians 2:9). Bring it on!!!!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God has promised a wonderful future to His children.
 
[end]
 
Have a "looking forward" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HOLY LIVING

 HOLY LIVING
II Peter 3:11-12
 
"Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"
 
So what am I living for – this world which will is destined to be destroyed, or eternity which will last forever?  And what kind of person should I be? The answer is "holy and godly." Holiness is not a popular word from the pulpit, but it is still in the Bible. God gave Ezekiel a vision of a future temple with all its dimensions. Then God said, "This is the basic law of the temple: Holiness" (Ezekiel 43:12 , New Living Bible), because it is to be God's dwelling place on earth (vs. 7).   Paul picked up on this when he wrote, "You are the temple of the living God ... Therefore...let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Corinthians 6:16; 17:1). God calls me to holy living because He, the Holy One, lives in me. What an awesome challenge.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's people are to be holy in conduct because the holy God dwells in them.
 
[end]
 
Have a holy day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MISPLACED PRIORITIES

 MISPLACED PRIORITIES
II Peter 3:10
 
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."
 
There is some merit in the ecological effort to preserve the Earth. I recycle because we are stewards of this world that God has given to us, and we need to take care of it. It is our home; we live in it and should protect it. But ultimately, the green movement, Earth Day, and the rest of the environmental hype are misplaced priorities because they are focused on a material system that will ultimately collapse. It is temporary and will be destroyed, but not by human pollution. The greater priority is eternal – laying up treasures in heaven where there is no corruption or destruction (Matthew 6:19-21). If my focus is to preserve this world and "the works that are in it," my life will surely have been in vain.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The world we live in is a temporary home that will be destroyed.
 
[end]
 
Have a "priority" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S TIMETABLE

 GOD'S TIMETABLE
II Peter 3:8
 
"But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
 
I need this reminder often because I get so impatient when things don't happen when I want them to. Whether it is Christ's return, as Peter was writing about, or answer to prayer, or the salvation of a loved one, God is in control, and His timetable is different than mine. He is not constrained by my calendar because there is no time in heaven as we know it. God does not get in a hurry. The point is that I need to trust Him. He will accomplish His perfect will in His time. "In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time. Lord, please show me every day as You're teaching me Your way that You'll do just what You say, in Your time."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God does things according to His calendar, not mine.
 
[end]
 
Have a patient, trusting day.  Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD

THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD
II Peter 3:4-7
 
".... 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.' For this they willingly forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
 
The father said to his rebellious son, "Son, I made you and I can take you out!" The God who created the universe by the power of His word can also destroy what He has made by His word. He has the power to create, sustain, and destroy by His word. "By Him all things are created ... and are held together" (Colossians 1:16-17). People think that they can live in rebellion against God because they do not see His wrath. They think that this world will go on forever, just like it has for the millennia since creation (called uniformitarianism). But God is only delaying His judgment – keeping the earth in store and reserving it for His day of judgment. The earth will not be destroyed by climate change or other ecological disaster. It will be destroyed by the power of God's word, just has He has promised. It is His mercy that keeps this destruction from happening. "The Lord not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (vss. 9-10). I thank God for His longsuffering mercy and grace.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The world and ungodly people will be judged by the power of God's word.
 
[end]
 
Have a grace day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MY APPOINTMENT CALENDAR

 MY APPOINTMENT CALENDAR
II Peter 3:1-4a
 
"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?' "
 
My calendar is full of reminders of important appointments on my agenda. Peter wrote a "Post-It" note urging us to keep a fresh anticipation of the return of our Savior. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of daily living that this most important appointment gets lost in the shuffle. People may scoff at the notion of Jesus' return, but it is a sure thing. It will happen and I need to keep it "first" on my calendar.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus is coming, even if people scoff at the idea.
 
[end]
 
Have an anticipating day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RETURNING TO THE PIGSTY

 RETURNING TO THE PIGSTY
II Peter 2:20-22
 
"For if, after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it happened to them according to a true proverb: 'A dog return to his own vomit,' and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.' "
 
This is a solemn warning. It is difficult for me to imagine forsaking faith in the Lord Jesus to return to the filth of this world. To give up the freedom, cleansing, and peace of my salvation is unimaginable. But people do. Why would anyone want to return to living in the pigsty after being washed? And the picture of a dog eating his own vomit is truly disgusting. Some would argue that these people have never been truly born again. But the word "knowledge" (epignosis) and "known"  (epiginosko) indicate "being fully acquainted with" -- an experiential, relationship knowledge. It would be better for them to have never been saved than to turn away. Their judgment will be even greater in the end. This gives me great pause to take care to protect my faith in the Lord Jesus because without careful attention it could happen to me. May it never be!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: To turn from faith in Christ has dire consequences.
 
[end]
 
Have a careful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FREEDOM

 FREEDOM
II Peter 2:19
 
"While they promise liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also is he who is brought into bondage."
 
Freedom is a dangerous thing, because in my liberty to do something lies inherently the potential of being brought into bondage to that thing. For example, I have the freedom to drink alcohol, but in that freedom is the possibility of becoming addicted to it. It is better to have the freedom to not do something than it is to be unable to abstain. I choose freedom, even if it means denying myself a pleasure that could put me into bondage.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Liberty, unchecked,  carries with it the potential for bondage and slavery.
 
[end]
 
Have a "free" day. Love you.

THANKSGIVING DAY LETTER

 

THANKSGIVING

2015

 

Today, across America, people are appropriately giving thanks. We have so much to be thankful for. Many are thankful for their family. Others for financial prosperity. Others for the freedom and security we enjoy in our nation. Still others are thankful for food on the table and a warm place to live in.
 
I am thankful for all of these things, and more.  I am truly grateful. But I keep wondering what it would be like to be one of the thousands of refugees who have been displaced, who does not have the privilege of living in a secure and free nation, who has no guarantee of a good meal, who has lost his family as many have, who has no source of income, who has no place to call "home."  
 
I ask myself, "Could I still be thankful if I lost all the material blessings I now enjoy?"
 
My mind keeps going back to the words of the Lord Jesus. His disciples were exuberantly happy, walking on air because of their successes. Jesus put things in perspective when He said, "Rejoice because your names are written in heaven."*
All the material and social thing I enjoy are wonderful, but their importance pales in comparison to the true riches that I enjoy in Christ – the promise of eternal life.
 
Yes, if everything I have and all the pleasures of life were to disappear, I would still have something to be thankful for.
 
I thank God for that.
　
Love, Dad
 
* Luke 10:20

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- EMPTY TALK

 EMPTY TALK
II Peter 2:12, 18
 
"But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption .... For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped [margin: are barely escaping] from those who live in error."
 
Peter paints a portrait of false prophets  who do not speak truth in verses 12-19. They are like wild beasts who love to prey on people who are weak and unstable in their faith (vs. 14) and who have barely escaped from the sinful lifestyle (vs. 19). They criticize and attack Biblical truth that they do not understand (vs. 12). They live a double life, pretending to be righteous, but they are privately carousers and sexually promiscuous (vss. 13-14). They are covetous, like the prophet Balaam who loved money (vss. 14b-16). They are like empty wells, speaking great swelling words, but actually empty in themselves (vs. 17-18). They preach freedom but are themselves slaves to their own depravity (vs. 19). This pictures is given so that we can be aware and identify such blowhards. This applies not only to politicians, but also preachers and anyone who tries to impress me by sounding intellectual but their speech is empty. I need to beware of them. They are doomed for destruction, and I will be destroyed if I follow them.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: False prophets speak one thing but live another.
 
[end]
 
Have a discerning day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUNESS

 THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
II Peter 2:10-11
 
"...and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries [margin: glorious ones], whereas angels, who are great in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord."
 
These are not easy verses to understand. But one thing is clear: People who are presumptuous, self-willed egotists who refuse to accept authority – even God – live according to their own lusts. They think they are accountable to no one. Their motto is: "No one is going to tell me what to do." They are antinomians, who live by their own rules, and end up living unclean lives. In their rebellion, they go places even angels fear to tread. A godly person understands and submits to God-ordained authority with humility. This is the path of righteousness.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Godly people submit to God-ordained authority which leads to pure living.
 
[end]
 
Have a humble day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SIN AND SALVATION

 SIN AND SALVATION
II Peter 2:4-9
 
"For if God did not spare the angels who sinned ... and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah ... and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes ... and delivered righteous Lot ... then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment."
 
Sin is no small matter. Peter uses the rebellious angels and the cultures of Noah and Lot to demonstrate that those who imagine that they can violate God's holiness with impunity will be punished. These ungodly people are "examples to those who afterward would live ungodly" (vs. 6:b). But Peter also gives examples of God's deliverance of those who would live godly. Noah was "a just man, a perfect man in his generations [who] walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). And Lot is called a "righteous man [who] tormented his righteous soul from day to day" when he saw their lawlessness (vs. 8). God delivered Noah and Lot, and He will deliver people today who choose to live for Him in the midst of an evil and corrupt society. Sinners will be judged, but God will deliver those who walk with Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God judges and punishes sinners, but saves the righteous.
 
[end]
 
Have a godly day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FALSE PROPHETS

 
FALSE PROPHETS
II Peter 2:1-3
 
"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
 
So how do I identify a false prophet? The first evidence is heresy. A false teacher does not faithfully expound God's Word, but instead panders to what people want to hear. They can build huge followings by tickling peoples' ears. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables" (II Timothy 4:3-4). Secondly, they exploit (margin: merchandise) people for their own persona gain. They appeal for money from gullible people to pad their own pockets and to support their lavish life-styles. God will judge their destructive heresies with destruction. Sadly many people follow their destructive teachings and are themselves destroyed. The lesson: Be careful who I listen to and follow.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Beware of teachers who stray from God's Word, and who are prophets for their own profit.
 
[end]
 
Have a discerning day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DIVINE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE

 DIVINE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE
II Peter 1:20-21
 
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private (margin: origin) interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
 
The doctrine of the divine inspiration of Scripture is a cornerstone of Christian belief. The Apostle Paul wrote that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Timothy 3:16) – that is, it is God-breathed (theopneustos). And here, Peter said that the authors were moved by the Holy Spirit. So the breath of the Holy Spirit moved them to write God's Word. The Divine authority of the Bible is under attack as never before. A common statement by unbelievers is that "the Bible was just written by men." But the internal cohesiveness and lack of contradiction of a Book written by some 40 different authors show that the origin of the Book had to be from one Mind moving these men to write, and that Mind was God Himself. We have a "sure word of prophecy" (vs. 19, KJV) from God which can be trusted and believed.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The Bible is God's sure revelation to man.
 
[end]
 
Have a Word-centered day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

 LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
II Peter 1:19
 
"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts."
 
God's Word is a light in a dark world. It is a light unto my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:104). And Jesus, the Logos (the Word), lights every man who comes into the world (John 1:9). I can't imagine how dark my life would be if I did not have Jesus and God's Word, but I can see the darkness of people who do not have Jesus in their lives, and I see the darkness of nations who have outlawed the Bible and Christianity. I am so glad that the light of the glorious gospel has shined into my heart. "For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ " (II Corinthians 4:6). May that light shine in my heart until my day dawns in heaven where there is no darkness because Jesus is the light (Revelation 22:23).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's Word is light in a dark world.
 
[end]
 
Have a bright day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MAJESTY AND GLORY OF JESUS

 THE GLORY AND THE MAJESTY OF JESUS
II Peter 1:17-18
 
"For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mount."
 
Peter was an eyewitness of the majesty of Jesus (vs. 16).There were undoubtedly many times in the three and one half years when Peter walked with Jesus that he could have written about to illustrate the glory and honor given to Jesus – the many healings, the miracles of multiplying of the loaves and fish, raising the dead, and other times when God spoke from heaven. But one time stands out in Peter's memory above the rest when he personally saw the glory and majesty of the Lord Jesus. It was the time when Jesus met with Moses and Elijah to discuss His coming death, and He was transfigured – His appearance was changed and His clothes became glistening white (Luke 9:27-36; Matthew 17:1-8). And then came that booming voice from heaven. What a marvelous experience that must have been for Peter! It was indelibly imprinted in his memory. Although I have seen the wonderful things Jesus has done by His miracles and provision, I have never seen Him in His glory. But some day, I will see Him in all His majesty. As the song says, "We shall behold Him, We shall behold Him! Face to face in all of His glory." In the meantime, I want to see Jesus in the spirit. "Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Some day we shall behold Jesus in all His glory and majesty.
 
[end]
 
Keep looking to Jesus. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MYTH OR TRUTH?

 THE GOSPEL – MYTH OR TRUTH?
II Peter 1:16
 
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."
 
How can I be sure that Gospel of the Lord Jesus – His birth, life, death and resurrection – is not just a myth? I know it is not a fable because it is based on the testimony of people who lived it, people like Matthew, John, and probably Mark. Luke's account is second-hand, but is based on the witness of people who experienced it. It is also attested to by extra-biblical literature and historical records from that time. Unlike Mormonism, which has no credible verification of its story – not in history, not in the Book of Mormon, and not in archaeology, the Gospel of the Bible is well documented and is a sure foundation for faith. I can believe it.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is well-documented by eyewitnesses and can be believed.
 
[end]
 
Have a believing day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- REMEMBER

 REMEMBER
II Peter 1:12-15

"For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off this tent, just as the Lord Jesus showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease."
 
Peter knew that he was soon going to depart this life and go to be with his Lord Jesus, and he was concerned that his followers would stay true to the faith he had delivered to them. So he wrote this letter as a continuing reminder of what he had taught them. At times, I think these Dad's Ramblings are a broken record. I just keep saying the same things over and over again. I am confident that my flock is "established in the present truth" – that their faith is strong. So, I say to myself, why keep pounding the same nail? Peter's letter is an encouragement to me to keep reminding my flock of God's truth lest they stray. I don't want to be negligent to the task God has given me. And I hope that after I depart, I will have left a lasting reminder of the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for the generations that follow.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Reminding the flock of the truth of the Gospel is the duty of the shepherd.
 
[end]
 
Have a remembering day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- AN ABUNDANT ENTRANCE

 AN ABUNDANT ENTRANCE
II Peter 1:10-11
 
"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
 
There's that word "diligent" again (see vs. 5). Getting to heaven is the most important thing a person can do, but it takes effort, focus, commitment and persistence to live godly in this present world. Nothing in this world is worth stumbling over and causing me to miss heaven. And I don't want to slide into heaven by the seat of my pants. I look forward to an "abundant entrance" with bands playing and choirs singing when I walk through the gate. "Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face, there to sing forever of His saving grace.
On the streets of glory, let me lift my voice. Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice." I can be sure of my  calling and election as long as I am diligent.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Getting to heaven requires diligent living in this world.
 
[end]
 
Have a diligent day.  Love you.

CORRECTION: NEARSIGHTED

OOPS!  I really do know how to spell!!! 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NEARIGHTED

 NEARSIGHTED
II Peter 1:9
 
"For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."
 
A shortsighted or nearsighted person does not see the whole picture clearly. He can look in the mirror and not see the dirt on his face. He thinks he is okay, while others see his need to scrub with soap and water. To think that I am all I need to be and not see my own faults is to be blind. May I never forget that I was a filthy sinner who has been washed with His precious blood, and that I continue to need His cleansing. Lord, heal my eyes so that I can see the areas where I need Your work in my life to develop virtue, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness, and love so that I will not be barren nor unfruitful. I want to be all that You intend me to be.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: A nearsighted or blind person does not see his own faults.
 
[end]
 
Have a good-vision day. Love you.

FRUITFUL LIVES

 FRUITFUL LIVES
II Peter 1:8
 
"For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
 
The list of character traits Peter wrote about (vss. 5-7) resembles the list of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul identified, such as love, longsuffering or perseverance, self-control, goodness or virtue, and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23), and that fruit is a result of relationship with the Lord Jesus. Jesus said that to bear fruit, I have to abide in Him. Otherwise the branch withers (John 10:4-6). My relationship with the Lord Jesus is the key to bearing fruit. (The knowledge of our Lord Jesus is heart-knowledge (epignosis) as opposed to head knowledge (eido).) From my limited agricultural experience, I know that my fruit trees have to be nourished by watering, fertilizing, and pruning or they will die and produce no fruit. Every year, I clean out the dead branches in my citrus trees that do not bear fruit. They die because the sap quits flowing to the limb. My relationship with the Lord Jesus has to be nourished so the sap keeps flowing. I do not want to be barren and unfruitful.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The secret of a fruitful life is continuing relationship with the Lord Jesus.
 
[end]
 
Have a fruitful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A PORTRAIT OF GODLINESS

 A PORTRAIT OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY
II Peter 1:5-7
 
"But also for this reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self control, to self control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brother kindness love."

These character traits are a picture of the Lord Jesus that God wants to add to my life. Faith in the Christ is the starting point of the Christian life, but it is not the end. The goal is spiritual maturity – to reflect the life of Jesus. Spiritual maturity – virtue, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brother kindness, and love – does not just happen. It is the result of diligent effort. The word "diligent" carries the thought of earnestness. It is purposefully choosing to add these things to my life. It is like an artist painting a portrait. He begins with a sketch, but then purposefully adds color, dimension, and personality to his work to complete the finished picture. God is at work to complete my portrait because I am His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), but I am involved in the painting process. The portrait is not finished yet; the artist is still at work. I earnestly want to add these character traits to my portrait to reflect the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Godly character is the result of purposeful choice and takes effort.
 
[end]
 
Have a diligent day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLIGS -- LIVING GODLY

 LIVING GODLY
II Peter 1:4
 
"By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through them you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption (margin: depravity) that is in the world through lust."
 
Wow!! What a great and precious promise!!! As a child of God, born of God, I don't have to live on the depraved level of this world. I can live above it because of the precious promises that God has given to me. I am not God, but I partake of His divine nature because His seed was implanted in me when I was born again by His Spirit. In Peter's first letter, he wrote that we have been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible seed through the word of God (I Peter 1:23). John picked up this theme when he said that we can live above sin because of the seed of God that remains or dwells in us (I John 3:9). Through that seed, God's divine power has given me everything I need live to live godly in this world (II Peter 1:3).   I am not powerless against the lusts of this world. Sin does not have dominion over me (Romans 6:14). I can live a life of purity. Praise the Lord!!!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God has given His children His divine nature so that they can live above the depravity of this world.
 
[end]
 
Have a godly day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- REAL LIFE

 REAL LIFE
I Peter 1:3-4
 
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue."
 
This is a reminder that real life is not the abundance of material things but of spiritual blessings. Jesus said, "One's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). I can have all the toys in the world, but if I don't have grace and peace, godliness, glory, and virtue, then life is empty. Knowing God – not just the intellectual knowing about God, but the heart knowledge of a personal relationship with Him – is the well-spring from which flows true life, real life. Now that's living!!!!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Real life flows from knowing God personally.
 
[end]
 
Have a day of spiritual blessings. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LEVEL GROUND

 LEVEL GROUND
II Peter 1:1
 
"Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of God and Savior Jesus Christ."
 
Peter, who walked and talked with Jesus during His earthly ministry and was a leader in the Church, could rightly claim his status as a bondservant and an apostle of Christ. Yet when it came to his faith, he acknowledged that he and his readers were all on the same level. They had all received as a gift the same precious faith – "faith of the same value" (margin). In the Body of Christ, we all have our roles to play, but we are all on the same level – saved by the grace of God through our common faith. There are no "super-Christians" in the Kingdom. As the old saying goes, "The ground is level at the foot of the cross."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is no hierarchy in Christ's Kingdom; we are all on the same level through our faith in Christ.
 
[end]
 
Have a "precious faith" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LIFE AFTER FAILURE

 LIFE AFTER FAILURE
I Peter 5:13-14
 
"She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greet you; and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen."
 
John Mark had a long history in the early Church. As a young person, he was a follower of the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry. His mother was one of the Marys. He was there when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane, and he fled naked when the soldiers apprehended him (Mark 15:51-52). His mother's home was the place Peter sought sanctuary after the angel released him from prison (Acts 12:12). He was a protégé of Paul on a missionary journey, but Paul rejected him after he abandoned Paul in Pamphylia. So Barnabas took him under his wing and restored him to ministry (Acts 15:39-40). He became such a vital part of the Church that he penned a Gospel account of Jesus' ministry. Now he is in the company of Peter, and Peter considers him his "son."  Peter understood restoration because he experienced Jesus' grace after his own failure when he denied the Lord Jesus.  This is such an encouragement to me. There is life after failure. Failure is not the end of the road. God can use people even when they blow it. But it helps to understand God's grace, and to have people who believe in me even when I am not all that I should be.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Failure is shattering, but it is not the end of the road when there are people to help pick up the broken pieces.
 
[end]
 
Have a successful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- CONSIDERED FAITHFUL

 CONSIDERED FAITHFUL
I Peter 5:12
 
"By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this the true grace of God in which you stand."
 
Faithful!! I can't think of a better word of praise that a person can receive. What will people say of me when I am dead and gone? Will they say, "He was smart, brave, resourceful, and organized"? I doubt it. Anyway, they would be lying. I hope they can say I was faithful. As the song says, "May all who come behind us find us faithful." And what about when I stand before Jesus? He does not call me to be smart, brave, etc. He calls me to be "faithful until death" (Revelation 2:10:c). I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful in a few things....Enter into the joy of your lord" (Matthew 25:25).  I may not have a lot of talent, but  I do want to be considered faithful in the "few things" He has entrusted to me.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Faithfulness is the highest praise a person can receive, either from man or from God.
 
[end]
 
Have a faithful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ESTABLISHED AND SETTLED

ESTABLISHED AND SETTLED
I Peter 5:10-11

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Peter lifts their eyes above the earthly suffering to Jesus, to the glories of heaven, and to the work that God was doing in their lives by His grace. This world with its pain and suffering is not the end of the matter. Jesus proved that after suffering and death there is life forever and ever. When my life is shaken, that assurance is what establishes, strengthens, and settles my faith. All praise to Him.

TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The assurance that there are glories that await those who have faith in Christ is a source of strength in the time of suffering.

[end]

Have an established and settled day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- IN THE MIDDE OF THE FLOCK

 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOCK
I Peter 5:8-9
 
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."
 
I don't want to give the Devil much attention. I would rather focus on Jesus than Satan. But I must be vigilant because I do have an enemy. These verses follow the teaching about the shepherds and our responsibility to be in submission to the people God has placed around us and over us (see vss. 1-7). Jesus' called himself the "Good Shepherd," and He reminded his disciples that there is a thief whose prime objective is to steal, kill and destroy the sheep (John 10:10). It seems to me that the safest place is in the middle of the flock close to the under-shepherd and the Good Shepherd.  The lion looks for stragglers who are wandering away from the flock.  Loners who, in their pride, don't think they need anybody else are more vulnerable to the attacks of the lion than those who stay in the middle of the flock close to the Shepherd. Living in fellowship with the other sheep and in accountability to the Shepherd is a place of protection. That's where I want to be.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is protection from our adversary in the middle of the flock close to the Shepherd.
 
[end]
 
Have a "middle of the flock" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- I NEED YOU!

 I NEED YOU
I Peter 5:6-7
 
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
 
In the context, Peter seems to relate our submission to others to our submission to God. Perhaps the pride that keeps me from humbling myself before others is the same pride that keeps me from humbling myself before God. Pride says, "I don't need you. I can handle this alone." Humility recognizes my need for help. Pride keeps me from asking for help, so I bear my burdens
alone. I seem to think it is a sign of weakness to ask for help. But humility says, "I need help." And God says, "I will help carry your burdens because I care about you." Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" – those humble enough to know their need for God (Matthew 5:3). God's mighty hand is strong to help. O precious Savior, help me conquer my pride.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Humility is an attitude that recognized the need for help, and asks for it.
 
[end]
 
Have a "helped" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OLD FOGIES

 OLD FOGIES
I Peter 5:5
 
"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 
I suspect that the dismissal of the elderly by the younger generation has been a perpetual problem from the beginning. Cain rejected Adam's instruction regarding sacrifice as being archaic and old-fashioned. Killing an animal probably seemed so inhumane, so Cain did it his "new" way without bloodshed. And the young people ridiculed and mocked the elderly prophet Elisha, calling him "old baldhead" (II Kings 2:23), showing their disregard for his counsel. It seems in our current culture also, the older generation is often regarded as "old fogies," old fashioned, and out of touch with reality, living in the past. In their pride, young people do not want to hear the voice of experience that only age can bring. But old people can be proud also, rejecting the innovative ideas of young people. So they get stuck in the rut of "that's the way we've always done it," and become marginalized by the younger generations. God calls us to a humility that lets us appreciate the ideas and viewpoints of each generation as long as they do not violate God's eternal Word.  We can all learn from each other.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Humility understands that each generation has perspectives that the other generations can learn from.
 
[end]
 
Have a "humble" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE WILLING SERVANT LEADER

 THE WILLING SERVANT LEADER
I Peter 5:2-4
 
"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."
 
For many years, I did not understand the role of the shepherd as a "servant leader." I thought it was my job to make the sheep do or be what I thought they should. I now understand that I can't make anyone do anything. I can only lead, and it is the sheep's choice whether they follow or not. The shepherd does not drive the sheep; he leads them. He is not a dictator but shows the path by his own walk. His motivation is not how much he can gain from the sheep, but how much he can bless them. His reward is not in this world but in heaven. But here's the clincher. Each of us is entrusted with people we are to shepherd, whether as a church pastor, as a parent in a family, or leader of a study group.  These sheep are not given to me to bless me, but for me to bless them.  To be a shepherd is a great joy but also a great responsibility.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: A shepherd does not drive the sheep but leads them into green pastures.
 
[end]
 
Have a "willing" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SHEPHERDS

 SHEPHERDS
I Peter 5:1-2a
 
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you...."
 
Peter was not writing from an academic perspective but from personal experience. He had been there to witness the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus, and after the resurrection, Jesus – the Great Shepherd – gave him a personal commission to shepherd His sheep. In that exchange, it is clear that the ministry of a shepherd flows out of a love for Jesus. Jesus said to Peter, "Do you love Me? Feed My sheep" (John 21:15-17). We have a multitude of preachers, but a dearth of pastors who are not hirelings, but who love Jesus and His flock and are willing to lay down their lives for His sheep (see John 10:11-15). My heart cries out for a shepherd who truly cares about me and my soul. But my experience says that they are few and far between.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The ministry of the shepherd (pastor) is to love and feed the flock.
 
[end]
 
Have a "shepherded" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SCARCELY SAVED?

 SCARCELY SAVED?
I Peter 4:18-19
 
" 'Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?' Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
 
Taken out of the context of the total revelation of Scripture, the phrase "scarcely saved" could be misinterpreted to mean that my salvation hangs by a thread, that I am saved by the skin of my teeth. But Scripture is clear that my salvation is secure because the blood of Jesus for was abundantly sufficient to cover all sin (I John 1:7). What does this mean, then? Jesus said that there was a narrow road that leads to life, and there are few that find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Why is that? Because the broad way is easy, and the narrow way is hard. Another word to translate "scarcely" is "with difficulty." In fact, some translations render this verse, "If the righteous person is saved with difficulty...." Living for Jesus is not always easy. There may be suffering, pain, and deprivation that could cause my faith to fail. There is joy in living for Jesus, but I don't always enjoy what comes my way. The way
to get through these times is to commit my soul to Jesus. He is faithful even when my faith staggers. My trust is in Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The path through pain and suffering is to commit myself to God.
 
[end]
 
Have a committed day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BUSYBODIES

BUSYBODIES
I Peter 4:15-17
 
"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
 
At first glance, it seems strange to include being a busybody in the list of other horrible sins – like murder, stealing, and doing evil. After all, meddling in someone else's life can't be that bad, can it? The idea behind the Greek word for "busybody" seems to apply to people who try to correct other people's faults while ignoring their own. That's why Peter says that judgment needs to begin in the Church among Christians. Before trying to take the speck out of someone else's eye, I need to remove the log in my own (Matthew 7:3-5). God calls me to judge myself so that I will not be judged (I Corinthians 11:31). By judging myself, I take away the basis for other people to judge me. If my heart and my life are pure, then I remove the legitimacy of the accusations. If I suffer for my failures, I should be ashamed because I deserve it. But if I suffer innocently, then I need not be ashamed and God is glorified. In the end, sinners will answer to God for their own evil deeds.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Christian who judge themselves and live pure lives need not be ashamed when persecuted for their faith.
 
[end]
 
Have a "self-judging" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE JOY OF SUFFERING

 THE JOY OF SUFFERING
I Peter 4:12-14
 
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing has happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you also may be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the spirit of the glory of God rests upon you."
 
Any suffering I endure pales in comparison when I compare it to the afflictions of many Believers around the world who are being tortured and killed for the name of Christ. The most I suffer is some reproach from the ungodly culture. Suffering for Christ is not strange or astonishing when I consider that the Lord Jesus suffered at the hand of ungodly sinners. He endured the cross and counted the shame as nothing because He understood the future joy that awaited Him when His suffering was finished (Hebrews 12:2). So I should not be astonished when I encounter opposition. In fact, the Greek word translated "shame" also has the meaning of receiving and entertaining a guest with hospitality, I think in the sense of an unexpected visitor who just drops by. Persecution – whether physical or social – can be considered a blessing and a cause for joy when viewed as an opportunity to share in Christ's sufferings. That's why Jesus could say, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven..." (Matthew 5:11-12). And James could write, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (James 1:2). There is hope of glory when the trials of this life are ended. "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Persecution and suffering for the sake of the Gospel is not strange or abnormal.
 
 
[end]
 
Have a "normal" day. Love you

DAD'S RAMBINGS -- WHO SPEAKS FOR GOD?

 WHO SPEAKS FOR GOD?
I Peter 4:11
 
"If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
 
Chuck Colson wrote a book entitled, "Who Speaks For God?" The short answer is "the preacher." Ministers used to be held in high esteem and were honored by the parishioners and the community. Not so anymore. That position has been diminished, partly because many preachers have departed from speaking God's Word and instead have dabbled in  politics, psychology, and personal opinions. My heart longs to hear Jesus proclaimed, God exalted, His Word expounded, and my spirit expecting to hear a word from God.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The calling of the preacher is to speak for God and expound His Word.
 
[end]
 
Have a listening day. Love you.
 
P.S.:  Thanks to all of you who sent me birthday greetings.  I had a wonderful birthday.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MANIFOLD BLESSIINGS

 MANIFOLD BLESSINGS
I Peter 4:10
 
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
 
The common attitude among Christians is that God blesses us for our own person benefit. Scripture is clear that the gifts God gives us are intended to be a blessing to others – to the Church (see I Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:13). Peter does not list these gifts as the Apostle Paul does. He only says they are "manifold" or of various sorts, and grace is an unearned gift. These could be spiritual gifts, financial prosperity, good looks, intelligence, an outgoing personality, good health, or a hundred others. The point is that I am only a steward of these blessings that God has intended to bless others by (forget the good looks and intelligence). To only heap these blessings on myself is to misuse God's gifts. Just as an exhaust "manifold" on a car is a channel to disperse the fumes from the various pistons away from the engine, so I also am a only channel to disperse God's manifold blessing to other people.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The blessings God bestows on His children are given to bless His other children.
 
[end]
 
Have a blessed blessing day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HOSPITALITY

 HOSPITALITY
I Peter 4:9
 
"Be hospitable to one another without grumbling."
 
It seems to me that hospitality may be on its way to join the dinosaurs – headed for extinction. In past times, people would feel free to just drop by for a visit on the spur of the moment. And the host would say, "Why don't you stay for dinner?" In the present society, you must phone to make an appointment. And if there is a meal, it is at a restaurant. I almost feel like I am imposing on people if I just stop to visit. I can almost hear the grumbling and complaining because people feel forced to let me in their house as an obligation. Hospitality does not depend on a clean house or a well-cooked meal. It come from an open heart that makes others feel welcome in my life.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's people should be hospitable to others with an open heart.
 
[end]
 
Have a hospitable day. Love you.
 
P.S.: Sorry I missed yesterday. I had a house emergency that took about 9 hours to fix.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- STRETCHED-OUT LOVE

 STRETCHED-OUT LOVE
I Peter 4:8

"And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.' "

The Greek word Peter used which is translated "fervent" (ektenes) primarily means to be "stretched out." When I feel violated by other people, it stretches my love to the limit. Fervent love does not carry grudges for offenses.  It buries them with forgiveness..  However, tepid love does not stretch a cover over transgressions, but is quick to uncover them so that everyone knows I have been offended. They do not lie buried, but float on the surface of my memory. The love of Jesus is "stretched out" love. I'm so glad that Jesus does not continually throw my transgressions in my face but He forgives them, covers them with His blood, and remembers them no more (Hebrews 8:12; 11:17-18; I John 1:7-9). Lord Jesus, help me to love fervently – stretched out.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The test of my love is how much it can stretch to cover offenses.
 
[end]
 
Have a "stretched out" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SERIOUS PRAYER

SERIOUS PRAYER
I Peter 4:7
 
"But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers."
 
None of us knows how much time we have left in this world. We think life will go on forever. So we procrastinate and put thing into the future. Manana! Tomorrow I will get serious about my prayer life. When I retire, I'll have more time for devotions. But, as the old saying goes, tomorrow never comes. I need to be serious about my walk with God today, because I may not have tomorrow.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Today is the only day we have to serve the Lord.
 
[end]
 
Have a "serious" today. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT

 ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT
I Peter 4:6
 
"For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."
 
This verse is a little difficult to understand, but I think it is concluding the passage that began in chapter 3:18-19 where, after His resurrection, Christ preached to those Old Testament saints who died and were in Paradise, and He took them to Heaven. They had died in a physical sense and were judged in the flesh according to the sin of Adam. Everyone dies because of the judgement on Adam's sin. But physical deaTH is not the end. There is spiritual life even after death. In a figurative sense, I was dead in my sin but by faith in Gospel I have been made alive (Ephesians 2:1-2), and I now live according to God in the spirit. And even though I may die as all people in the flesh do, I have eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord. Hallelujah.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is life in the spirit even though the flesh may be judged.
 
[end]
 
Have a lively day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HERE COMES THE JUDGE

 HERE COMES THE JUDGE
I Peter 4:5
 
"They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."
 
God is love. But He is also holy, righteous, and just. It seems our society has focused on the love of God and neglected the judgement of God. It may seem that evil goes unpunished in this world. But God will judge the evil people and deeds of this world and it won't be pretty. That's why I need a Savior. I will not face the judgement of God because the Lord Jesus has already taken that judgment for me on the cross, and I do not fear.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God is just and He will judge evil.
 
[end]
 
Have a forgiven day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE

 SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE
I Peter 4:3-4
 
"For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you."
 
Nobody like to be considered strange, odd, different, peculiar, or weird. I like to fit in and be accepted as normal. Peculiar people are the focus of pity at best and jokes, derision, and ridicule at worst. But if I do God's will (verse 2), I will be different because the will of the Gentiles (in this context, heathen) is contrary to the will of God. If my goal is to please God, I will be a square peg in a round hole. I just won't fit in. I am indeed a "peculiar people" (I Peter 2:9 KJV).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: When a person lives according to the will of God rather than will of the world, he will be considered "strange."
 
[end]

Have a "strange" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MIND OF CHRIST AND THE WILL OF GOD

 THE MIND OF CHRIST AND THE WILL OF GOD
I Peter 4:1-2
 
"Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."
 
Having the mind of Christ means to forsake my own fleshly desire, ambitions and rights to submit myself to the will of God. Jesus did it. He set aside his own position in heaven to come to earth as a man in the flesh, knowing that he would suffer horrible treatment at the hands of sinful men. The Apostle Paul echoes this same thought: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8). I am called to have the mind of Christ which is in obedient and humble submission to God's will, even if it means suffering and depriving myself of my own pleasures.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The mind of Christ is humble submission to the will of God.
 
[end]
 
Have a "mind of Christ" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NEWNESS OF LIFE

 NEWNESS OF LIFE
I Peter 3:21-22
 
"There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right had of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
 
Baptism is a beautiful picture of death and resurrection. Noah went through a water baptism (vs. 20), when the earth was cleansed of its wickedness by water. The old world with all its sin was dead and he came out of the ark to live a new life in a brand new world. Noah's baptism was a type of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus who died for the sins of this world so that through His death and resurrection we can live a new life in the spirit. Water baptism cannot save me; only the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin. But my baptism was a public witness that I have a good conscience toward God because my sins are cleansed by Christ's blood, and I live a new life in Christ. Water baptism is a picture of my death with Christ and my new life in Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE – Water baptism does not cleanse from sin, but it is a picture of dying to sin and being raised to newness of life.
 
[end]
 
Have a "good conscience" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S CLOCK

 GOD'S CLOCK
I Peter 3:19-20
 
"...by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."
 
Noah was a just man who walked with God and found grace in the eyes of the Lord in the midst of a corrupt and wicked culture (Genesis 6:9-10). God, in His longsuffering grace, waited 120 years until the ark was completed before sending judgment on the earth by the great flood. Noah was saved from the destruction of the flood, but he was still a sinner who needed a Savior to pay the penalty for his sin. When he died, he could not go to heaven because of his sin. So he went to Paradise until Jesus died and was resurrected and led those Old Testament saints who were captive in Abraham's Bosom in victorious procession to heaven (see Ephesians 4:8-10). All of this speaks of God's longsuffering patience. He is not in a hurry. His clock may seem to move slowly, but it moves surely. Whether it was Noah's salvation, or the first coming of Jesus (see Galatians 4:4 – the fulness of time), or His the second coming, what God said will happen will certainly happen. God does things in His time, and not according to my schedule. I just need to be like Noah – obedient to do what He has asked me to do.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God is infinitely longsuffering and patient, but what He said will happen will happen when everything is prepared.
 
[end]
 
Have a patient and trusting day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS, THE CENTERPOINT

JESUS, THE CENTERPOINT
I Peter 3:17-18
  
"For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sinners, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit."
 
The suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus seem to be the center-point of Peter's letter to a people going through unjust suffering (see 1:18-21; 2:21-24; 4:1, 13). Jesus "went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38). Yet, in spite of His good life, by the will of God, He was beaten and crucified. When, in God's will, I go through unjust treatment by others, I should remember Jesus's suffering for me. It makes my small afflictions seem insignificant. After all, I have not been killed. "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your soul. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed (death), striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:3-4). I need to keep Jesus and the cross of Calvary as the center-point of my life.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The unjust suffering of the Lord Jesus makes my suffering seem trivial.
 
[end]
 
Have a "Jesus-centered" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MY ONLY DEFENSE

 MY ONLY DEFENSE
I Peter 3:15-16
　
"... And always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."
 
The Greek work translated "defense" is apologia, from which we get the words apology or apologetics. (The discipline of Apologetics is the reasoned argument in justification of an action or belief, not something to apologize for.) The only defense of my faith is that Jesus died and rose again for my salvation. He is my hope, not my goodness. My hope of eternal life is not based in pride of how good I am, but in humility and fear of God. I have nothing to add to what Christ has done. However, the boldness of my witness is affected by my conscience. If I am consciously living in sin, it hinders my ability to speak of a Savior who saves from sin. Living a godly life may cause sinners to be ashamed and cause them to ask about my faith. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation" (Romans 1:16). I am sometimes ashamed of the way I live.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The only justification for my faith is that Jesus died and rose again.
 
[end]
 
Have a good-conscience day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME

 QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME
I Peter 3:13-14
 
"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled."
 
Question: "What kind of person would repay your goodness with evil?" Answer: The godless sinner. Peter acknowledges that sometimes the reward for doing good is suffering. We have examples in the good old USA of people who are going to jail for their righteous deeds because there are ungodly people – inspired by their father Satan – who do not like God's way. So I can expect to pay a price for pleasing God. But I need not be afraid of them because I will receive God's blessing, which is better than praise from the world-system.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's blessing for doing what is good outweighs the abuse by ungodly people.
 
[end]
 
Have a God-pleasing day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GOOD LIFE

 PURSUIT OF THE GOOD LIFE
I Peter 3:10-12
 
"For 'He would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.' "
 
Ahhh, the good life!!!! We all want it. Contrary to common opinion, the good life is not marked by financial security and a life of easy, or as our founding fathers said,  the "pursuit of happiness."  Rather, it is a life of peace. Peace does not just happen; it is the result of intentional pursuit – the striving to live pleasing to God. When I pursue God's way, He sees me and listens to my prayers, and I can rest in peace with that.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The "good life" is the result of living at peace with God.
 
[end]
 
Have a "good life." Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HARMONIOUS LIVING

 HARMONIOUS LIVING
I Peter 3:8-9
 
"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this that you may inherit a blessing.
 
Here are some common sense practices that promote good relationship.
1. Of the same mind – agreeing, but sometimes agreeing to disagree agreeably.
2. Compassionate – sumpathic (sympathetic) – encompassing a suffering person by wrapping your arms around them.
3. Loving – philadelphos -- living as a family, united by a mutual Father.
4. Tenderheartedness – having a tender spirit.
5. Courteous – gracious words and deeds,  the oil that reduces friction.
6. Not reviling but blessing – absorbing the blows of mistreatment with grace.
When these attitudes and actions are present, relationships runs smoother and life is better.

TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Life is better where harmony prevails.
 
Have a harmonious day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HUSBANDS

HUSBANDS
I Peter 3:7
 
"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered."
 
Learning to understand how a woman ticks is a lifelong educational experience. Knowing how a woman functions – physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually – takes effort. It begins with the understanding that men and women are different, that we are both weak and infected by sin, and that we are only saved by grace. This is so important because it impacts my relationship with God. When there is disharmony and disruption in the marital relationship, it affects my communion with God. I'm so glad that God understands me intimately, and deals with me with grace as a weak vessel. I must admit that I am still in elementary school in this area and have a lot to learn.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The relationship between husbands and wives affects their relationship with God.
 
[end]
 
Have an understanding day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RELEASING THE STEERING WHEEL

 RELEASING THE STEERING WHEEL
I Peter 3:5-6
 
"For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror."
 
The essence of submission is relinquishing control. It is so tempting for wives – and husbands – to want to control everything and do it their way. We are afraid that things won't be done right so we grab the steering wheel. I think the key words are not submission and fear, but "trust in God." Trusting God to work things out according to His divine way and time is the basis of submission. When I trust Him, I can do what is good and right without fear that there will be a disastrous wreck. As the Psalmist said, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You" (Psalm 56:3). There is a place of rest when I submit my life to God and turn the steering wheel over to Him, even when things seem out of my control. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). "Therefore submit to God" (James 4:7).   This is not always easy, but it is the way to peace. 
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Submission to earthly authority is grounded in submitting to God, the highest authority.
 
[end]
 
Have a trusting day. Love you.