1Th 5.23
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly…”
* TRINITY * (5.)
Rom 15.16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
“…Carnal worry involves my integrity as a holy man;
it disconnects me from God by my doubtfulness and complaints.”
– H A Baldwin, /Holiness & the Human Element/
said with utmost respect
Happy Father’s Day – to God the Father! (said with utmost respect.) My earthly Dad, Clyde D Bryan died when I was but 33, but my Heavenly Father lives forever. Dad was limited – my Heavenly Father is unlimited (except as He limits Himself). Dad was finite – my Heavenly Father is infinite. Dad was smart – my Heavenly Father is ALL wise! Dad loved me (never doubted it) – my Heavenly Father loved me when I was yet in sin, loved me into salvation & holiness, & will love to/through Eternity. What a Father!
– eab, 6/13/18
WHY DAD, WHY?
A father may assent to a certain belief,
(Be it ten volumes long or half-page brief)
Daily touting its precepts to the sky.
He may claim to live by its law every day,
Say that he agrees with it in every way,
But if children follow not–I’m tempted to ask “Why?”
Be his doctrine in theories austerely fiscal,
Or universally educational,
Or so pragmatic as to just “get by.”
If a son does not follow his distant sails,
If his daughter never walks his distinct trails,
It’s natural to ask, to ask a solemn “Why, dad why?”
He may have convinced a friend, some fellow student
And many more he claims are very prudent,
Have a million “sheep” when he comes to die.
But if the family who knew him; knew him best,
Doesn’t belong to the great flock, like the rest,
Should it be painted so wrong to voice a little why?
A creed, theory, grandiose idea unique
If truly lived-out in dad’s life every week,
Even by ultra quiet “Mr. Shy,”
May find a few followers among close friends
But if not one child “sees” him right when life ends,
Not one agrees with his lifelong creed-Why tell me why?
Did they see it “impractical,” to say the least?
Some weird life that was all fast (maybe all feast),
Or all hilarity or some wild cry.
Did they see him champion a cause long dead,
Or see him as “la cabosa” in the head?
Why did his offspring not follow dad? Do you know why?
The above could be written ‘bout business or money,
‘Bout facets of life; bad or “sweet as honey,”
About slow plans or deals that “really fry.”
Religion?! If it was important to him
If he lived it in plenty and when years were slim,
Yet not a child walked his road – it’s no sin to ask “Why?”
Yes, sons are free moral agents; they’re free to choose.
Yes, daughters have wills; wills to win, wills to loose.
All souls must buy the truth or buy the lie.
But if dad really lived up to what he taught,
Practiced that for which he supposedly fought,
Why didn’t son believe? “Can anyone say why?”
Not all sons follow farmer daddies, or do law
Nor weld, teach, paint, nor build like him (without flaw)
Not choose the trade of that “Grand-OLE-Guy.”
True religion is no trade nor profession,
It’s about a constant, growing relation,
Did kids see dad’s religion as unreal, is that “Why”?
God says, “Train up a child in the way he should go.”
Training’s not easy, its not “Go with the flow.”
It was attached strings, and knots, bows, and ties.
(Even lowly ball has “Three strikes and you’re out!”)
Training sees big goals beyond tuck-head or pout.
No training?! Does that explain unexplainable “Whys?”
It matters not how a man may teach (even preach),
If his life did not touch his children; Reach Each!
Words/deeds must agree to solidify.
Right’s always right; though evil may appear strong,
Dads must positively, lovingly, oppose wrong.
To silence his children’s every seriously poised “Why.”
– eab, Summer 1998
Luk 10.29
“But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”
When you sense you have given a fair amount of Praise in prayer (we can never praise too much) you can move to petitions. “Pray tell for whom would I pray?” The neighbor North of you, the one South of you (if your house faces west, the northern one, is to your right, the southern one, too your left). “I don’t know their name.” Learn it. “How?” Ask them point-blank or ask a neighbor. Pray for the guy across the road from you. Pray for your family, by name. Pray for a boss or former boss, your fellow-workers, etc.
– eab, 6/13/18
“…Seize the one truth which the parable is intended to set forth…&
let the parts of the parable that are explained, be explained in harmony with this one truth.”
– Samuel Green, /Handbook/
Time after time miracles use words. Magic uses numbers. (Several mathematicians are also magicians – words even sound somewhat alike. L) Both “words” of good miracle workers & superstitious numbers of magic workers prove the source of their power. (Jesus is the Word, satan’s man already has an assigned #.)
– eab, 6/14/18
Separate-Holy 