~This side of the 'glass'~

[Bingo]

"GOD'S WORK HAS BEEN DONE."
"And until the scope of these words are fully accepted, acknowledged and comprehended
many lives may continue to live in an illusionary state of mind, being that of something that is not real
but is perceived and/or believed as being real. It is an erroneous perception of reality."

"You can’t change the fact that we’ve all grown up in different worlds, and different experiences.
Although we may be an encouragement from our own perspective of life experiences and bring about
curiosity about the veracity of life experiences from others."

" Reminders of pertinent experience from 'this side of the glass'...
https://christianchat.com/christian-family-forum/this-side-of-the-glass.182929/page-23

('Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
'Bingo'...Believe I need God, Ok)

 

[Bingo]

(Sharing a thoughtful message)


Three Sieves

In Ancient Greece, Socrates had a great reputation of wisdom. One day, someone came to find the great philosopher and said to him:
- Do you know what I just heard about your friend?
- A moment, replied Socrates. Before you tell me, I would like to test you the three sieves.
- The three sieves?
- Yes, continued Socrates. Before telling anything about the others, it's good to take the time to filter what you mean. I call it the test of the three sieves. The first sieve is the TRUTH. Have you checked if what you're going to tell me is true?
- No, I just heard it.
- Very good! So, you don't know if it's true. We continue with the second sieve, that of KINDNESS. What you want to tell me about my friend, is it good?
- Oh, no! On the contrary.
- So, questioned Socrates, you want to tell me bad things about him and you're not even sure they're true? Maybe you can still pass the test of the third sieve, that of UTILITY. Is it useful that I know what you're going to tell me about this friend?
- No, really.
- So, concluded Socrates, what you were going to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful. Why, then, did you want to tell me this?
"Gossip is a bad thing. In the beginning it may seem enjoyable and fun, but in the end, it fills our hearts with bitterness and poisons us, too!"

 

[Bingo]

The Scripture says in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private 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 Holy Spirit revealed to the prophets the messages of Scripture. The writers of the Bible wrote not according to their own will or whim, but only as they were moved, or controlled, by the Spirit of God. The Bible is God’s own book!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, *correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Holy Bible affects human beings so profoundly, because “all” the Bible is “God-breathed.” It’s more than a nice collection of moral principles; it’s more than a great book; it’s an inspired document, God’s book. The prophets who wrote the Bible related what they saw and heard in human language, but their message came directly from God.

*(It would appear MANY fail to recognize correcting refers to self.)

(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')
'Bingo'...Believe I need God, Ok)

 

[Bingo]

"Now of eight decades, I am a witness to the end of the time that was, disturbing...absolutely!
The factors that have contributed to this drastic change, are endless. For years, changes have been
of a subtle nature, thereby, allowing society to absorb and to adjust in managing and accepting the changes.

Communication, being essential for human survival in society.
"Now of eight decades, I am a witness to the end of the time that was, disturbing...absolutely!

The factors that have contributed to this drastic change, are endless. For years, changes have been
of a subtle nature, thereby, allowing society to absorb and to adjust in managing and accepting the changes.

Communication, being critical for human survival in society. Technology has and is the great life changer.
Society has gained much yet lost much. Society has collided into conflict and opposition, this... we are all witness to.
It is foolish to put the blame anywhere, we are all a part of this abomination.

According to the Bible, our purpose, the reason we are here, is for God's glory. In other words, our purpose is to praise God,
worship him, to proclaim his greatness, and to accomplish his will. This is what glorifies him. Therefore, in this we find
that God has given us a reason for our existence, a meaning for our existence.

God's people, now being more focused and busy making money, accumulating things, and practicing their religion. But
The vast majority of Americans have become so far removed from God that they lack the eyes to see and the ears to hear the
warnings He sends. Educated in a system that fundamentally denies God, they lack understanding. They interpret God's
warnings as natural events—just nature running her course. An earthquake or flood or drought is viewed as "nature doing
her thing."

And the 'nature' of attributes that describe God cannot be applied to us.


(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

"A beginning but no end to such a disturbing diversity of 'self-proclaimed Christians' and the
dialog of intolerant and contemptuous language against one another pertaining to the Divine 'words'.

"And upon digesting the full scope and depth of the following words of wisdom.... MANY are perhaps far
past due for a serious inventory of precisely how it is to become such knowledgeable authorities.

"This being presented due to the word 'antichrist' that appeared from 'someplace'.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The antichrist is not merely one individual person or entity, for the Bible says that there are “many antichrists.” (1 John 2:18) Rather, the term “antichrist,” which comes from a Greek word meaning “against (or instead of) Christ,” refers to anyone who does the following:

Denies that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) or denies that he is the Son of God.? —1 John 2:22.

Opposes the Christ, God’s Anointed One.? —Psalm 2:1, 2; Luke 11:23.

Pretends to be the Christ.? —Matthew 24:24.

Persecutes the followers of Christ, since Jesus views what is done to them as being done to him.? —Acts 9:5.

Falsely claims to be a Christian while practicing lawlessness or deception.? —Matthew 7:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 11:13.

Besides speaking of individuals who take such actions as being antichrists, the Bible also refers to them collectively as “the antichrist.” (2 John 7) The antichrist first appeared in the time of the apostles and has been active ever since. Bible prophecy foretold just such a development.? —1 John 4:3.

How to identify antichrists
They promote false ideas related to Jesus. (Matthew 24:9, 11) For example, those who teach the Trinity or that Jesus is Almighty God actually oppose the teachings of Jesus, who said: “The Father is greater than I am.”? —John 14:28.

Antichrists reject what Jesus said about how God’s Kingdom operates. For instance, some religious leaders say that Christ works through human governments. Yet, this teaching contradicts Jesus, who said: “My Kingdom is no part of this world.”? —John 18:36.

They say that Jesus is their Lord, but they do not obey his commands, including the one to preach the good news of the Kingdom.? —Matthew 28:19, 20; Luke 6:46; Acts 10:42.

~the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand~
~Spiritually Inspired~

(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

"And read this again and again for the truth is often 'a hard pill to swallow'!


How to identify antichrists
They promote false ideas related to Jesus. (Matthew 24:9, 11) For example, those who teach the Trinity or that Jesus is Almighty God actually oppose the teachings of Jesus, who said: “The Father is greater than I am.”? —John 14:28.

Antichrists reject what Jesus said about how God’s Kingdom operates. For instance, some religious leaders say that Christ works through human governments. Yet, this teaching contradicts Jesus, who said: “My Kingdom is no part of this world.”? —John 18:36.

They say that Jesus is their Lord, but they do not obey his commands, including the one to preach the good news of the Kingdom.? —Matthew 28:19, 20; Luke 6:46; Acts 10:42.

(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content."
Intended solely as informative and subjects to reflect on.)

 

[Bingo]

Good News for a Change (A rare commodity in this restless world)




Late afternoon. The grocery store was busy. It was a big weekend, hurried customers played demolition derby with shopping carts.
I saw two young men shopping together. Their basket was overflowing with bachelor food. Microwave dinners, hotdogs, potato chips, Mick Ultra, spray cheese.
The youngest man was wearing cargo shorts. His right leg was disfigured. Below the knee, his leg was mostly shinbone without any visible muscle, covered in scars.

I followed the men around the supermarket because I am a writer, and writers are intrusive people.
When they reached the self-checkout lane, I was a few customers behind them in line.

An old man approached the men. They had a brief conversation. I tried to listen to their words, but their voices were too quiet.
The only thing I heard the elderly man say was: “Where were you stationed?”
“Afghanistan,” the young man answered. Also, I heard the words, “ambush,” “explosion,” and “physical therapy.”
When the young men finished scanning items, the old man removed his wallet and swiped his credit card.

The young men tried to stop him, but they were too slow. The man replaced his wallet, then winked at them and said, “You snooze, you lose, fellas.”
I can still see that old man when I close my eyes. Some things stick with you, I guess.

Just like the time I saw an elderly woman in Franklin, Tennessee. Her car wouldn’t start. Three men from inside the gas station rushed to help her.
They were large men with long beards, dirty clothes, and work boots. They crawled over her car until they figured out the problem beneath the hood.
“It’s her serpentine belt!” one man finally shouted.
That was all it took. They leapt into their truck and left. After a few minutes, they returned with a new belt from the auto parts store.

The woman tried to pay them, but they refused. I heard one of the men say:
"Hey, I know how you could repay me, you could let me take you to dinner, ma’am.”
It was only a joke. This woman was old enough to remember when Colonel Sanders was still a private. But it made her laugh.

Here’s another: A few weeks ago, someone wrote me about an old man in ratty clothes who was asking for money outside Walmart.
He wasn’t there long when a man wearing a Navy-blue uniform came striding toward him. The old man got spooked. He darted away when he saw the uniform.
But the man in uniform was not there to run the man off. He was a fire-medic. He called after the elderly man, “Sir! Don’t leave! Please wait!”
The old man stopped. The fireman handed him a white plastic bag full of Chinese take-out. He asked the old man how he was feeling, and if he had any health problems.
The old man shook his head and said he was fine.
Then, the fireman handed the man a business card. “If you ever need any help, sir, come find me, I’ll hook you up.”

They tell me the old man ate fried rice and sesame chicken with both hands until he was wearing most of it.
Anyway, yesterday morning was a beautiful sunrise. I woke up early. I watched the colors over the highway. I drove to meet my cousin at a breakfast joint.

The restaurant parking lot was full. Inside were truck drivers, young professionals, families, and working-class men getting a caffeine fix.
At the table behind my cousin were men in police uniforms. They were quiet, middle-aged men with plates full of bacon. The officers were interrupted by a small blond girl who approached their table and said, “‘Scuse me, are you guys' policemen?”
The men exchanged looks and smiles.
“We certainly are,” one officer said.
"I like policemen,” she said.
She was as cute as a duck in a hat.

The officer said, “Do you want to be our new deputy, miss?”
She grinned big and nodded.
One officer removed a plastic badge from his pocket. He stuck it on the girl’s shirt. Then, he told her to hold her right hand up.
He swore her in, officially. The girl’s mother took a picture with a cellphone.
The officer added, “If you ever need us, sweetie, we’re always here to help you.”

When it was time to pay our bill, my cousin whispered to our waitress, “I want to pay for those officers’ breakfasts, ma’am.”
Our waitress only laughed at us.
“There sure are a lotta good folks in this world,” she said. “You’re the third guy this morning who offered to do that. Sorry, but another customer beat you to it.”
Well.

You snooze, you lose.

(Anonymous)

 

[Bingo]

" Today may certainly be the time to reflect from YOUR SIDE OF THE 'GLASS'.
" Mirror Mirror on MY wall, what is it that I see!"

'Changeable humans do not have the power or authority to change God’s Word, and only the foolish will try.'

'Do you ever wonder if what you believe is actually serving you well?

'Taking time for self-reflection can help you determine which thoughts and beliefs are working against you.
Then, you can do the work to change them.

'Wanting comes out of a longing or desire for something. It’s like a wish.

'But willing something means commitment. It means action and intention.

'Having the willingness to change means you’re ready to commit to action and take full responsibility.

'No more “I’ll try” or “I wish” or “I want” or “I don’t know how”. Stop trying to fool yourself,
and instead acknowledge that these are just different ways to say, “I am unwilling”.

'Owning your unwillingness is the first step toward a willingness to change.

'And when you can honestly say, “I’m willing”, you set in motion, hopefully a spiritual power to change your life.

'Perhaps now is the time to seriously contemplate the longstanding beliefs you have about yourself
in relation to God. Have you ever thought to challenge your thoughts about your true and honest relationship?
'Do you ever wonder if what you believe is actually serving you well?

And perhaps now more than ever before, the time alone for some serious 'HOMEWORK'.

"(This content is for informational use and is not a substitute for 'spiritual' advice.
Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content."
Intended solely as informative and subjects to reflect on.)

 

[Bingo]

(The wisdom and truth of these words are profound)

Wolves in the Flock
The problem is that people in general do not like the Truth of God’s Word. People do not like to feel guilty, and people do not want to change their behavior. Recognizing you are walking in sin is unpleasant and changing behavior that you enjoy is even less pleasant.

So, in order to draw in large crowds, many churches have distorted the Word of God by skipping verses, changing the meanings, or placing very strong emphasis on some and very small emphasis on others. This makes it much easier to draw in very large crowds of people because by doing so, one of the major parts of the conviction-repentance process is bypassed: the conviction. If you are not convicted by the Word of God about your behavior, then you will not repent of the behavior and there for the entire conviction-repentance process is bypassed.

The Bible warns us of these churches in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 where it states:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Also, in Acts 20:28-30 it states:

~ “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” ~

'As can be seen in the verses above, the Bible warns us of a time where people will find teachers that will allow them to follow their own lusts and they will turn from the Truth. The Bible also warns that wolves will enter in among the church and will draw men after them.

'In other words, they will appear to be Christians. They will appear to be godly because they will even come from amongst the church. However, they are wolves and will not spare the flock. This is why it is very important that every Christian reads the bible daily. We cannot simply trust that our pastors are teaching us the truth because the Bible itself warns that some of them will be wolves.
' We must know the Bible for ourselves and know the Truth and the Word of God. If we study daily and go in with a sincere heart and turn from our sins and change ourselves into the image of God instead of changing God into an image of us, we can avoid creating an idol that we call Jesus.

Summary
I believe that the single most dangerous idol is the idol we create that looks like Jesus and then call Jesus but is not Jesus. In fact, Romans 1: 23-25 warns us precisely about this:
“And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

'If we create an image of Jesus that we call Jesus but is not Jesus, then we are worshipping an idol. However, we may not recognize it as an idol because we have called the idol Jesus. Doing this will include us in the crowd in Matthew 7:21-23 that thought they were If we create an image of Jesus that we call Jesus but is not Jesus, then we are worshipping an idol. However, we may not recognize it as an idol because we have called the idol Jesus. Doing this will include us in the crowd in Matthew 7:21-23 that thought they were saved but were not.

('This content is for informational use and is not a substitute for 'Spiritual' advice.
Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content."
Intended solely as informative and subjects to reflect on.')

 

[Bingo]

"And it has been declared that of a time to be of the time to be bold and stern,
but also, with love and concern of those on a dark path....and so it is!

(Surrounding a 'supernatural encounter' subject)

Copied content: (" Mysteries surrounding God, 'a higher power' are completely out of the jurisdiction of
the human mind to comprehend. And attempting to resolve the mysteries through intellectual
worldly 'thinking' most likely will lead to harmful illusional and erroneous perceptions!")

"And being witnessed precisely of the profound and harmful illusional and erroneous perceptions
being put forth via the Bible forum 'arena' across many of internet outlets, bringing cause of
great confusion, deception, hypocrisy and untold falseness leading to a great 'falling away from God'...
and this too has been warned of...to be!"

('Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

‘Heaven’ and ‘hell’ are not static ‘locations’ in some afterlife realm where you end up on account of your doings here on Earth. They are states of heart and mind – or more accurately, viewpoints we consciously or unconsciously choose to ‘operate’ from in our everyday lives.

The way I see it, heaven is created on Earth when you are in alignment with your source: fulfilling your desires and dreams, living your full potential and creating consciously by knowing what you want and who you are.

What you see depends on your perspective...
Heaven is when you understand that you are a deliberate, conscious creator of your own reality: manifesting for the joy of it, living from a love-based perspective, imagining your life the way YOU want it to be and acting consciously by giving yourself time to think in every situation. In short, experiencing heaven is about consciously creating what YOU desire to explore in your reality.

Hell is the opposite. It is when you are out of alignment with your source: ignoring your dreams and passions, not living your full potential and not knowing what you want or who you are. ‘Hell’ on Earth is perpetuated by a negative state of mind nurturing limiting beliefs that ‘tell’ you that you are insignificant, and that the reality ‘out there’ is dictating the way your life unfolds.

It promotes an existence in which you create your reality from a fear-based perspective – avoiding pain, aimlessly reacting to outer stimuli and often being a victim – instead of creating a life where you are in control and actively seeking joy and abundance. In short, experiencing hell is characterized by the unconscious creation of what you do not want in your reality.

And while we are talking about hell and heaven, let’s talk about sin. What is sin? If you are the embodiment of your desires and you are here to explore who YOU are in time and space, then wouldn’t it be fair to call ‘hurting’ yourself by not following your desires and pursuing your dreams, a sin? Not fulfilling your purpose in life is a violation of the God-given intention of your life. It is to go against the meaning of your existence.

('Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

(Good read!)

'It may be impossible for modern readers to understand how truly shocking Jesus' statement in this, and the following verse is. Little children had no status in the very status-conscious culture of the Jewish, Greek, and Roman worlds of this day. Children may be loved and valued and dearly cared for, but they had no say in the choices that impacted their lives. Compared to adults of any age, children were powerless.'

'The disciples had asked Jesus a question that came from their own disputes about who among them was the greatest. They wanted to know who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus begins by telling them that they need to "turn" to become like children or they would not even enter the kingdom of heaven.'

'In other words, entrance into heaven's kingdom cannot be gained by defeating all opponents or demonstrating personal accomplishment. Those who would enter must make themselves humble by recognizing that, like little children, they are powerless over the circumstances of their own lives. They are completely dependent on God to provide for them what they need and to protect them from harm. Only with that kind of honest humility and dependence on God can anyone come into His kingdom.'

'Jesus is not pointing to children as the ideal of maturity. He is not suggesting that they are sinless or innocent or noble, necessarily, only that they are without hope of providing for themselves and making themselves great. They understand that they are dependent. The disciples had not yet reached that level of humility in relationship to faith in Christ and their total dependence on Him to work through them to accomplish what was needed.'
Context Summary
Matthew 18:1–6 describes Jesus' surprising answer to a question from the disciples about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He calls a child to Him and puts that child in the middle of the group. He says they must become "like children" in order to enter the kingdom—a reference to humility and sincere obedience. The greatest is one who humbles himself in this way. Those who receive children like that in Jesus' name receive Him. Using the metaphor of drowning, Jesus warns anyone who would cause one of His followers to sin.'

"This content is for informational use and is not a substitute for 'Spiritual' advice.
Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content."
'Intended solely as informative and subjects to reflect on.'

 

[Bingo]

"But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit."

~'The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. ~

"Praise God"

 

[Bingo]

The Eagle
"For those who say I represent power and might, I tell you that is not true. I stand more for harmony, peace, and height, freedom, soaring spirit and simple joys. Yes, I have strength, but it is so I can nourish my children nested high in the hallowed arms of Earth.
"Let me be for you a living reminder, a messenger of Unity from the ancestors of this land, and for all who would transform the red dust into the sacred circle. This is the meaning of the Latin words on the scroll I carry. E Pluribus Unum, Out of Many, One. You are one with your ancestors, one with your descendants, one with all the creatures of land, sky, and water - even with the rooted ones. Remember this, and your heart will soar with the spirit of the Eagle."

 

[Bingo]

24 Questions That Only You Can Answer
Are You an Addicted Computerholic in the 21st Century?
To find out, ask yourself the following questions,
and answer them as honestly as you can:

YES-NO

1. Is your reason for not staying in touch with family because they do not have Email addresses?

2. Do you have a list of 15 phone numbers and E-addys, or more, to reach your family of three?

3. Do you call your children's beepers or send them an Email to let them know it's time to eat?

4. Do they Email you back from their bedroom, "What's for dinner?"

5. Does your daughter sell her Girl Scout Cookies via her web site?

6. Do you chat several times a day with a stranger from South Africa, but you haven't spoken with your next door neighbor

yet this year?

7. Have you checked the label on a can of chicken noodle soup to see if it contains a web address to report your

dissatisfaction for the little lump of chicken included?

8. Has your grandmother asked you to send her a JPEG file of your newborn so she can create a screen saver?

9. Do you pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to call or send an Email to see if anyone is home?

10. Do you notice if every commercial on television has a web site address at the bottom of the screen?

11. Have you bought a computer and 6 months later became angry and frustrated because it is out of date and now sells for

half the price you paid?

12. If you leave the house without your cell phone and laptop, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 years of your life, is it

now a cause for panic, and do you turn around to go get them?

13. Do you use real money, instead of credit or debit or computer bill-pay, to make a purchase? Of course, real money is a

hassle and takes time and planning.

14. Does cleaning up the dining room mean getting the fast-food bags off the top of the computer desk and up off the floor?

15. Have you ever tried to enter your password on the microwave?

16. Do you consider second day air delivery of snail-mail letters painfully slow?

17. Is your dining room table now your flat filing cabinet?

18. Is your idea of being organized multiple colored post-it notes stuck on the monitor?

19. Do you hear most of your jokes via email instead of in person?

19. Did you get an extra phone line so you can get phone calls?

20. When you disconnect from the Internet do you get this awful feeling as if you just pulled the plug on a loved one?

21. When you get up in morning, do you go online before getting your coffee?

22. When you wake up at 2 AM to go to the bathroom, do you check your Email on your way back to bed?

23. Have you ever burnt food in the kitchen because you were sitting at your computer and forgot about what you were

cooking?

24. Have you started tilting your head sideways to smile?

To find out how you did, count your "YES" answers,

Are you an addicted computerholic?

If you answered YES to one of the questions, this is a warning that you may be addicted.

If you answered YES to any two, there's a good chance that you are an addicted computeroholic.

If you answered YES to three or more, you are definitely an addicted computerholic.

These test questions are a useful help in determining whether or not a patient or family are definitely addicted to cyberspace and

are computerholics.

Don't Sweat It - Most of us by the time we get around to answering these questions average more than 15 yes answers . . . but I, for

one, am determined to stay in denial!!!

 

[Bingo]

Jefferson, concerned about the future, wrote: "Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction."

"They" that he refers to are " we." And the future is now. Freedom, Jefferson knew, would produce "plenty," and with "material abundance" it's easy to forget the responsibility the citizens of a free society must assume if freedom and prosperity are to continue. The key element for the Republic's survival for Jefferson was the "character" of the people, something no set of laws can instill. The question today is not that of abundance, but of character, respect for others, their liberty and their property. It is the character of the people that determines the proper role for government in a free society.

Samuel Adams, likewise, warned future generations. He referred to "good manners" as the vital ingredient a free society needs to survive. Adams said: "Neither the wisest Constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt."

The message is clear, if we lose our love of liberty and our manners become corrupt, character is lost and so is the Republic.

('Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

THE AWAKENING
-The Moment of Clarity-

A time comes in your life when you finally get it. . . when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks
and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough of fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to
subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening . . .

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping
over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that you are neither Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always
fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the
process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are
... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing
yourself...and in the process a sense of newfound confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only
thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and
that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself...and in the process a sense of safety
and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human
frailties. And in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, are as a result of all the messages and opinions that
have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you've picked up from the garbage dump of others
about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a
living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the
importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what
you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown ... and in
the process you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing, and you stop
maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds
together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about LOVE. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that
feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that
sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced
diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body,
laughter fuels our soul. So, you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that much of life truly is self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working
toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone....and that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and
through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live
life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to
unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the EGO.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected, or they will suffocate the
life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon
the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself. You make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never,
ever settle for less than your heart's desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you
make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life
you want to live as best you can.

(Be sure to do your own careful 'inventory' before taking action based on anything you find in this content.
Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

- FOUR PREPARATIONS -

Assume right attitudes toward life.

'Stop being an escapist or a surface-liver as these attitudes can only cause inharmony in your life. Face life squarely and get down
below the froth on its surface to discover its verities and realities. Solve the problems that life sets before you, and you will find that
solving them contributes to your inner growth. Helping to solve collective problems contributes also to your growth, and these
problems should never be avoided.

Live good beliefs.

'The laws governing human conduct apply as rigidly as the law of gravity. Obedience to these laws pushes us toward harmony,
disobedience pushes us toward inharmony. Since many of these laws are already common belief, you can begin by putting into
practice all the good things you believe. No life can be in harmony unless belief and practice are in harmony.

Find your place in the Life Pattern.

'You have a part in the scheme of things. What that part is you can know only from within yourself. You can seek it in receptive
silence. You can begin to live in accordance with it by doing all the good things you are motivated toward and giving these things
priority in your life over all the superficial things that customarily occupy human lives.

Simplify life to bring inner and outer well-being into harmony.

'Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. Many lives are cluttered not only with unnecessary possessions but also with
meaningless activities. Cluttered lives are out-of-harmony lives and require simplification. Wants and needs can become the same
in a human life and, when this is accomplished, there will be a sense of harmony between inner and outer well-being. Such
harmony is needful not only in the individual life but in the collective life too.

('Intended solely as informative and subjects of 'Reflections of Life'...'This side of the glass')

 

[Bingo]

(Reality: 'The state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be.')

By Jordan Burgen
QUESTION:
"I have a question that I have been struggling with ever since it popped into my head. I'm not sure where to go to ask this question,
but figured I would start here.
I want to start by saying that I believe in God and that He is the one true God. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and is the son of
God. However, I have a problem understanding the bible. The bible is supposed to be the word of God, but it is not written by God,
but by man. God communicated to these men through vision/dreams/angelic messages/etc. and then it was written down by these
men to later (not with intention) be put in the bible.

In the bible it states many times that man is fallible. If men are fallible, how can we hold faith to the bible without knowing if these
men didn't misinterpret a message, or add/remove things from the message based on their own desires/bias/views/etc, or be false
prophets (saying they heard God when they didn't, but they wrote a compelling story, so it was taken on faith)? It all comes down to
faith, I know, but faith has been used by men in the past to corrupt and lie and hold power.

Not only can the stories of the bible be inflicted with this, but the bible as a whole was put together from different texts and
scriptures, by man. How do we know certain texts/scripts weren't excluded or included (falsely) (especially based on the views and
culture of the world then)? How do we know that, even if someone misinterpreted a message, that God didn't speak to someone else
to try and get the correct message out there, but these people were called fakes/frauds/false due to the bible already being published and everyone having faith that the messages in the bible are infallible BECAUSE of faith.

I'm sure that the entirety of the bible isn't this way and most of it holds true to what it claims to be, the word of God, but when men
are in control, and not God, because God works through us, not Himself, how can we have faith in something that may not be true
or not ACTUALLY be the word of God, but the word of man?

In the end, I'm torn between what it says about having faith (taking the bible at face value) and realizing that God also gave us free
will (and the ability to do what we want, good or bad) and how would we know if a bad apple didn't get put in there? We rely on the
bible being infallible, but I struggle with knowing if this is what God wanted.
I'm hoping you can give me guidance on how I should go forward with thinking about the bible based off the above criteria. I may
be completely wrong and ignorant, and honestly, that would be a relief. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing back
from the church."

Thanks for reaching out! First, I just want to provide you with an answer I gave for a very similar question previously that may
address some of your concerns: https://www.flatironschurch.com/sermon/good-question-is-the-bible-really-gods-word/
That doesn’t answer all of your questions (though the links provided in there may), so I do want to address a couple more things.

First, I want to talk about how the Bible that you currently hold in your hand came to be, also known as the canonization. Basically,
the image we have in our minds of a group of people voting on which book is in and which book is out isn’t exactly accurate. The
canonization was more of a legitimizing of a list of books and letters that were already being widely read in the early church. The
Old Testament, of course, is just the Hebrew Bible, which was in circulation during the time of Jesus.

The New Testament consists of early writings by eyewitnesses to Jesus and the early church, including some of the apostles. The
reason some writings were left out of the official canon was because they were not seen as legitimate by the people of the early
church and were not widely read or distributed. Take the gospel of Thomas, for example. This book is radically different than the
other gospels and written substantially later than the evidence suggest the others were written. As biblical scholar F. F. Bruce says
in his book The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? “One thing must be emphatically stated. The New Testament books
did not become authoritative for the Church because they were formally included in a canonical list; on the contrary, the Church
included them in her canon because she already regarded them as divinely inspired, recognizing their innate worth and generally
apostolic authority, direct or indirect…what these [canonization] councils did was not to impose something new upon the Christian
communities but to codify what was already the general practice of those communities.”

Canonization also had to do with setting out the larger narrative that Scripture as a whole tells. It is one continuous story that has
its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Another biblical scholar, N.T. Wright says in his book Scripture and the Authority
of God: “…canonization was never simply a matter of a choice of particular books on a “who’s in, who’s out” basis. It was a matter
of setting out the larger story, the narrative framework, which makes sense and brings order to God’s world and God’s people.” In
other words, the coherency and consistency of narrative, theme, and direction of the entire Bible (namely the salvation of the world
by God through Jesus, the Messiah), of which the stories and writings span thousands of years, speak to the Bible as a whole not
being either a random collection of writings or the work of a single culture with an agenda other than God’s agenda."

As for if a “bad apple” got in there, it does come down to faith. But not faith in humanity or fallible men or society as a whole. It
comes down to faith in God. If God is who the Bible says He is, is He capable of inspiring fallible men to write exactly what He
wants them to and preserving those words for thousands of years? If He is the God that created the entire universe, I would say this
is completely within His capability.

How exactly did it work – speaking to and inspiring prophets and apostles and shepherds and slaves to write what He wanted? I
don’t know for sure. But there are some clues. Scholar Walter C. Kaiser Jr. writes in the book Hard Sayings of the Bible: “But 1
Corinthians 2:13 is the most definitive statement that we have on the nature of inspiration and how it took place on most occasions.

Paul argued there that just as no one knows the thoughts of a person except that person, so no one knows the thoughts of God
except the Holy Spirit. Now it is the same Holy Spirit who takes the inner thinking of God and makes it known to his prophets.
He does this by “expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” Thus, it is not a mechanical symbiosis [puppet-like control]
between the divine and the human, but instead a living assimilation between the skills and personality of the writers and the mind
of God takes place. Accordingly, all that has gone into the preparation of that writer, the vocabulary, the metaphors of life, the
occupation entered prior to the call of God; all play a real part in the “teaching” experience of preparing the speakers for their
roles as prophets.”

So, it comes down to having faith that God is capable of inspiring people to speak and write His truth, sometimes in their own
words, and preserving his Word in written form throughout history (as archaeology and textual scholarship have shown has been
done remarkably well). And yes, people have free will, and yes, people have tried to add things to the Bible that should never have
been there, but that does not mean that God cannot and will not intervene when it comes to His revelation to humanity. He
continues to inspire people to be used by Him to protect Scripture like I believe He did when the Bible you hold today was officially
canonized.

('Articles in this thread are compiled from various governmental
and other public domain sources.' Intended solely as informative
and subjects to reflect on as.)
(Intended solely as informative and subjects to reflect on.)

 

[Bingo]

Reality: 'The state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be.'