Rom 6.23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“Those who are still afraid of men have no fear of God
& those who have fear of God have ceased to be afraid of men.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Variety #1. There are no two people (far as I can see) in the OT who are alike; 1000s of men & women but all different. Do you like that? I hope you do – I love it. Again, there are no two NT characters alike. Being followers of the Lord may be The. Only. Thing. some had in common. The hailed from different villages; held different professions or jobs; spoke different words within their native tongue & chattered in languages slightly related or having little connections. Glorious variety but all minding God! – 1/1/23
“The actor who had to play the part of pagan gods & heroes, the teacher who was forced to teach pagan mythologies in pagan schools, the gladiator who had to take human life for sport, the soldier who wielded the sword, the policeman, & the judge all had to renounce their heathen professions if they wanted to be baptized.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
FINAL SUN
When the sun goes down on your final day
When family has turned from your corpse away
There’s one Book by which you’ll be judged.
You have a Copy of this greatest Text
Can name the Gospel which comes next
But sadly Its truths you’ve gladly “fudged.”
Stop, O friend, please. Cease & desist.
Stop imagining Holy Truth to be in some “mist”
This is the God of heaven’s Book on earth.
Remove it from is honored place on night stand
Sit down with It, lovingly in your hand
Read again this Tome of eternal worth.
The Bible is high, is higher, is the highest Book
In which you can – now or ever, ever – look
Its held that position since Moses picked up his “quill.”
And it will hold Its spot at the apex of Writing
When heaven & earth end in thundering & lightning
Come back to it, Sir/Ma’am come back if you will.
– eab, 12/16/22
You should pre-read every – make that EVERY – book you read to your child/grandchild. “I don’t have time to do that.” Take time. Their mind is very pliable. You may stumble across a word, term, idea (in a book you did not pre-read) & have to explain it or try to erase it from their mind. Too many fiction stories were penned by sinners – – – perhaps sinners with evil motives. You only have NOW to attempt to keep these little minds pure. Re-read a few (only), rather than pollute precious children. – 1/9/23
“…Sanctification keeps us in that fellowship in Christ…the Christian’s separation from the world until the second coming of Christ…sanctification enables him to abide in Christ to persevere in faith & to grow in love.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
WORSE & WORSE #1. eab has observed holiness churches, schools & to a lesser extent, mission orgs for about 65 years. Our holiness groups have been blessed with many pastors, evangelists, school leaders / teachers & mission men who were sanctified men. Some were undeniable genuine. Charlatans seemed rare. A few men had the manhood to move to organizations where their slipping theology or life-style changes more readily fit. I’m sorry they went left, but glad they were big enough to leave. – 1/11/23
2Ti 3.13
“But evil men & seducers shall wax worse & worse
deceiving & being deceived.”
WORSE & WORSE #2. In these 6.5 decades there has been changes. A church loses its praying, pious pastor & a “good” (we use this word too freely) but more shallow man replaces him. A dead-to-the-world college stalwart dies & his replacement is more academic than spiritual. The man who was a mission pioneer leaves earth – his burden for holiness in his fields is not carried on by the new guy. A hypocrite showed up, was (Thank God) at times detected & hopefully soon ushered out. – 1/11/23
“The sanctification of the Church means
its separation from all that is unholy, from sin.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Separate-Holy 