Wednesday, December 30, 2009

CUTE

I stumbled upon this video while looking for something else.
I thought it was a hoot.

You may have already seen it.
If so, sorry to bore you.
If not, enjoy....

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Good News and Bad News

The bad news -
It is Winter.
Winter is cold and windy and this Winter is setting up to be a particularly cold one.

There is lots of good news.
First, a savior was born, to save his people from their sins, and to take away the sin of the world.
We are celebrating that event (even if it does not coincide with the date of the actual event).
and
While it IS Winter, the days are getting longer.
This is a good thing.

In God we trust.
.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Yes, I am paying Attention

I have not said much lately, but I am still paying attention to the political events taking place around me.
This morning I sent the following email to one of my local representatives:

Dear Senator Shelby,
I was extremely disappointed to see that you voted in favor of the recent spending bill. I realize that several programs of local interest were included, but you and your fellow senators have already spend us into a debt level that defies the imagination. You need to be working on how you can reduce federal spending, not increasing it. I don't want to hear from you about how much you have "done for Alabama" by increasing the spending of money we do not have. It is MY money and you did me no favors by approving more spending without offsetting cuts. By one estimate we are now $12,000,000,000,000 in debt.

So just to remind you (again), I urge you to vote AGAINST any "health care" proposal currently before the Senate. I urge you to vote AGAINST any "energy conservation" bills that may be submitted that include "cap and trade" plans (by this or any other name), federal aid for ethanol production, carbon taxes, utility taxes, etc.

You do not need to reply to this message.

............................................

I like the good ol boys in Washington to know that I am paying attention to their doings.

In God we trust.
.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Stuff For Sale

Due to recent acquisitions and adjustments, the following items are for sale:

Solid/veneer oak entertainment center - 55 x 45 x 18. Asking $200.00 Or Best Offer.

17" Hyundai LCD monitor. Excellent condition. Asking $100.00 OBO

17" Optiquest CRT monitor. Good condition. Asking $50.00 OBO

Windows PC, 2gb ram, 80gb hdd, 40gb hdd, AMD K6 processor. Asking $100.00 OBO

28" Sanyo CRT television set. Great picture. Asking $100.00 OBO

Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress, twin size. Excellent condition. Asking $100.00 OBO



You can email me at steev45@gmail.com if you are interested in any of this stuff.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

A New Bible Study

I am posting this both here and on issuu.com.
While I have not written much on the subject of "religion" that will change in the next few months.
The longer/larger studies will be posted only on issuu.com, the shorter ones will be posted on both sites.
.......................................................

INTRODUCTION

Several days ago I heard a preacher on the radio quote 2 Corinthians 10:4 during his sermon. He quoted it, mentioned the small portion that related to his main point and went on. I, however, was flooded with thoughts about how much we can derive from this verse. I have heard this verse quoted and expounded upon many times. I am sure I have never heard anyone dissect these verses in the following way.

Wording quoted here is from the New King James version of the Bible.

THE UNDERSTANDING

2 Corinthians 10:4-6

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,


1 The word "for" indicates that the following statements are the logical result of statements that immediately precede this verse. (see v.3)

2 "Weapons" indicates that we are engaged in a battle or struggle which we cannot win without assistance. This fight requires tools or implements to assist us in overcoming that which opposes us. And we have more than one weapon.

3 "Our warfare" indicates that this is not a single event. It is not a battle, it is a war. It is a process. It will take effort over a period of time. "Warfare" implies an ongoing struggle. It implies that this is not a simple task, it is an extended conflict involving many people. "Warfare" is translated from "strateias", (Greek), a campaign, expedition, or military service. It implies the gathering of many fighters for a common purpose; the movement of armies from one place to another; the engagement of many fighters against many other fighters; the goal of victory over or defeat of the enemy; and the threat of death or loss if they fail.

4 "Not carnal" indicates that this is not a conflict with an enemy that can be defeated with earthly weapons. The word "carnal" is translated from the word "karkeekos", (Greek), of the flesh, bodily, temporal, animal, unregenerate.

5 If our weapons are not "carnal" they are not physical weapons.

6 Our weapons do not have the same limitations that physical weapons have.

7 If our weapons are not carnal or earthly or physical, then our enemy must not be carnal, earthly or physical.

8 If our enemy is not of the physical earth, then it must be spiritual.

9 "But mighty" clarifies the strength and value of the weapons we have. They are "mighty", translated from the word, "doonatos", (Greek), able, powerful, capable or possible. This confirms the superiority of our weapons over physical weapons.

10 "In God" ("through God" - KJV) further explains the type and source of our weapons. A weapon in God implies a spiritual weapon, for a spiritual battle, against a spiritual enemy.

11 "For pulling down", further explains the purpose and use of our weapons. "Pulling down" implies that something is built up against us. Our weapons will help us undo what has been built up.

12 "Strongholds" describes the nature of the enemy we face. It is established. It has taken territory. It has constructed a stronghold - "ochuromaton," (Greek), a fortress, a strong place of safety, a castle. Our enemy has a place of protection from its enemies. It is prepared to defend itself. It expects to be attacked.

This next verse further clarifies the nature of our warfare and the use of the weapons we have been given by God.

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

1 The war also involves "casting down", "kathairountes", (Greek), taking down, pulling down, destroying, debunking, discrediting, refuting, showing as false, the spiritual or intellectual strongholds we face.

2 The strongholds are thoughts and ideas, "Arguments" ("imaginations" - KJV), "logismous", (Greek), speculations, reasonings, ways of thinking, ideas. But these are not just any thoughts or ideas.

3 These ideas are "every high thing", "upsoma", (Greek), high thing, lofty, lifted up, highly thought of, revered, respected, exalted by other people.

4 But these "high things" are of a particular sort. They are ideas and concepts that exalt "epairomenon", (Greek), raised up, "against the knowledge of God". These are thoughts that oppose the evidence, logic, concepts, and principles that God has given us to live our lives as he wants us to.

5 One way we battle and overcome these thoughts and ideas is bring them into "captivity", to control, limit, subject, or restrain them, such that they conform to and submit to the "obedience" of the anointed one on God - Christ.

6 One way we do this is to ignore and not respond to thoughts and ideas that would cause us to think or act against the will of God we already know and understand.

7 Basically, this is how we are to deal with temptation. If we see temptations as a kind of warfare, we will take them more seriously and apply ourselves more earnestly to resist them.

Next, we get a glimpse of the duration of this warfare.

6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

1 We are "ready", on guard, prepared, equipped and inclined, to oppose, contradict, refute, and reject, any thought or idea that is unlike that which we have learned from God or his word.

2 We "punish", "ekdikesai", (Greek), to vindicate, avenge, punish, opposing thoughts and ideas by rejecting them, opposing them, and offering and supporting alternative thoughts that support and defend the knowledge of God we have been given.

3 We will continue to withstand and "punish" these opposing thoughts and ideas until we die, when our obedience to God will be "fulfilled", completed, filled up.

4 Ultimately, those spirits and people who oppose God will be sent to hell where they will be punished forever.

CONCLUSION

Wow. That is a lot to get out of three little verses, 54 words.

The end.

ON BEING A JANITOR

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