The Last Day of September Rains on Snoopy

 

A Voice is Calling...

Isaiah 40 

“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.

“Speak kindly to Jerusalem;


And call out to her, 

that her warfare has ended,


That her iniquity has been removed,


That she has received of the Lord’s hand
 Double for all her sins.”

A voice is calling,


“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;


Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

 

“Let every valley be lifted up,


And every mountain and hill be made low;


And let the rough ground become a plain,


And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,


And all flesh will see it together;


For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

A voice says, 

“Call out.

”
Then he answered, 

“What shall I call out?”


All flesh is grass, 

and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,


When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;


Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, 

the flower fades,


But the word of our God stands forever.

Get yourself up on a high mountain,


O Zion, bearer of good news,


Lift up your voice mightily,
 O Jerusalem, 

bearer of good news;


Lift it up, do not fear.


Say to the cities of Judah,


“Here is your God!”

Behold, the Lord God will come with might,


With His arm ruling for Him.


Behold, His reward is with Him


And His recompense before Him.

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,


In His arm He will gather the lambs


And carry them in His bosom;


He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,


And marked off the heavens by the span,


And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure,


And weighed the mountains in a balance


And the hills in a pair of scales?

 

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,


Or as His counselor has informed Him?

With whom did He consult 

and who gave Him understanding?


And who taught Him in the path of justice 

and taught Him knowledge


And informed Him of the way of understanding?

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,


And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;


Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,


Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

All the nations are as nothing before Him,


They are regarded by Him as less than nothing 

and meaningless.

To whom then will you liken God?


Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

 

As for the idol, a craftsman casts it,


A goldsmith plates it with gold,


And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.

 

He who is too impoverished for such an offering


Selects a tree that does not rot;


He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman


To prepare an idol that will not totter.

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard?


Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,


And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,


Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain


And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

 

He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,


Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

Scarcely have they been planted,


Scarcely have they been sown,


Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,


But He merely blows on them, and they wither,


And the storm carries them away like stubble.

“To whom then will you liken Me


That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high


And see who has created these stars,


The One who leads forth their host by number,


He calls them all by name;


Because of the greatness of His might 

and the strength of His power,


Not one of them is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,


“My way is hidden from the Lord,


And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard?


The Everlasting God, 

the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth


Does not become weary or tired.


His understanding is inscrutable.

He gives strength to the weary,


And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired,


And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait for the Lord


Will gain new strength;


They will mount up with wings like eagles,


They will run and not get tired,


They will walk and not become weary."

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A Blameless, Immaculately, Clean Conscience

Living a clean life in this evil world is difficult among sinners.

You mind your own business, living for the LORD, and yet someone else is secretly desiring and conniving to attain what is most precious to you. 

Unknown to you they are weaving their evil web in secret to acquire what is yours.

When all is "said and done"---they have acquired your most preciousness -more precious than anything else.

You approach them in righteousness, but they "laugh and snicker" behind your back, and to your face, claiming they did nothing wrong--(...their evil plan has worked...)

What was our preciousness... has now become theirs; what was our preciousness is are now conniving, thoughtless, hurtful, evil...just like those who caught them.

Our preciousness is gone; We have the LORD, He hears our cries, softens our pain, lifts our heads, and we continue with our lives each day living for Him. 

Our conscience is Immaculately Clean. 

Glorifying the LORD for carrying us through this fire!

1 Timothy 1:5-11,18-19

..."But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted."...

..."This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith."...

Titus 1:10-16

..."For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed."

Acts 24:16

..."In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men." 

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"My brother's dog"

A Small World

I live in a small world. It is the same one you live in...maybe smaller :o)

We love the LORD and live for Him. This is the only way to live, and even more so in a sinful world, which is only becoming more and more evil.

Driving on an interstate this week we saw mostly polite, good drivers, but every now and then we would encounter unbelievably dangerous, angry, rude drivers. The dangerous moves we witnessed could have caused all of the cars to be involved in horrendous crashes, lives lost, or dramatically changed forever.

Ecclesiastes 8:10-13

..."So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. 

But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God."...

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Sometimes they just know what to do...kitties

~MUTTS

C.O.L.

(Cat On Lap)
 

Consider the lilies and how they grow...

 LUKE 12:22-59

..."And He said to His disciples,

“For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 

For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span?

If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? 

You men of little faith!

And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.

For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.

But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.

Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.

Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”...

...Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 

Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 

But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more...."

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We Can Rejoice And Be Glad...even in today...

 

The Intricate Things in Our World...

from the smallest to the largest were created by God.

Matthew 6:25-34

 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not worth much more than they? 

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? 

Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? 

You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’

For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

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Remember these things as today turns into tomorrow.

Too Pretty to Eat!

 -fancyflours

Autumn Cookies!

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These are Things I've Learned

 --Charles Schulz knew about people and humor, but he also knew about the human condition and could put it into his comic strip so poignantly.

-Thankful

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Never Forget

 Psalm 73

"Surely God is good to Israel, 

  to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.

For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

 

They have no struggles;
  their bodies are healthy and strong.

They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.

 

Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence.

From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
    their evil imaginations have no limits.

 

They scoff, and speak with malice;
    with arrogance they threaten oppression.

Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.

They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

 

This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.

 

All day long I have been afflicted,
    and every morning brings new punishments.

If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.

When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply

till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground;
    you cast them down to ruin.

How suddenly are they destroyed,
    completely swept away by terrors!

They are like a dream when one awakes;
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.

 

When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

 

Those who are far from you will perish;
    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds."

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Those were the days...

 

Truth Matters

 

Jealousy: A Noisy Gong, A Clanging Cymbal, Nothingness...

 A basic sin: Jealousy.

Jealousy comes out in different ways, in different people.

Some destructive people, though, must "WIN".  

They don't care about you - they only think of  themselves and how to get what you have.

Their thinking is evil and devious as they plot and they plan and, eventually, they bring others into their evil plots.

The others join in with the leader of the plot, maybe not knowing what is transpiring, but soon they too relish the leader's devious plot and follow along for themselves.

Evil, jealous people become fixated on how to get what the certain other people have. There is no thought of the innocent people because evil people only care about themselves and getting all which they desire.

This all ends in sorrows for the innocent ones. LORD have mercy!

LORD have mercy on those who covet...bring them to repentance...

PROVERBS 14:30

..."A tranquil heart is life to the body,

But passion is rottenness to the bones."...

Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

..."I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. 

The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 

One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind."...

1 Corinthians 10:6-13

..." Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” 

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."...

1 Corinthians 13

"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

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A Genuine Need for godly Fathers

From the Beginning the LORD gave fathers and mothers a role in their raising up of children.

Both mother and father are important for each child to learn what love is, what faithfulness is, kindness, duty, honor, etc.

This comic is poignant as it significantly points out this little girl's touching emotions of how her father loves and treasures her as his own little girl. Because of her father she knows who she is: a dearly loved daughter - who will grow up into a dearly loved woman.

Our world desperately needs genuine godly fathers and mothers to bring up the next, and the next, and the next generation in righteousness.

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"Parents, whether they intend to or not, teach their children by example. While giving the correct instruction and dispensing appropriate discipline is important, parents must demonstrate godliness in their own lives. No matter what parents try to teach their children, if they do not live it themselves, their children likely will not listen. Children must be able to see their parents walking in integrity (Proverbs 20:7) and engaging in good works (Matthew 5:16) so they can follow their example."

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I need one of these!

 

Something Symbolic

 

LIfe goes by so very fast...

 Ephesians 5: 1-2,15-17

..."Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma...

...Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."...

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So Little and So Sweet

-internet

"Bookends" 

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'An Estranged Child Should Think About This' - Dennis Prager

"It is harder on the parent to have a child who does not talk to them -

 - than it is to have had a child who loved them and died."

~Dennis Prager, Our Broken Culture is Getting Worse 

(A.I. Isn’t Helping)

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