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God I Miss That Man - Update

Posted by Debra Kline on July 2, 2008 at 12:04am
"TO GOD BE THE GLORY GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE".It's God who saved us and led us and hopefully still leads us all. God has placed members in the body, Dr. W. was one part of the body. No part is greater.It amazes me that this lesson is not fully absorbed yet. ONE BODY.
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Baby, bathwater, bathtub, shower curtain...

Posted by Michael Schiano on June 26, 2008 at 6:19am
from what i've read poking around here, it seems like most people here have retained at least some of their christian belief system. i'm wondering how many have not. my experience was, once i allowed myself to ask any of the questions i'd been suppressing for all those years, it wasn't long before i found myself pretty much back where i started. in fact, i was amazed at how quickly so much of what i'd been stuffing into my head and heart just fell away.i'm not looking for a fight here. i'm just curious. any other ex-christians out there?
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“Faith as a grain of mustard seed”

Posted by Ken & Sue Brown on June 20, 2008 at 9:00pm
“Great faith” and “little faith” are spoken of in the book of Matthew.Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?Mat 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.Mat 8:25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?Mat 15: 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. …27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.Mat16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.The only two other records in God’s Word of “great” or “little” faith are in Luke 7:9 and 12:28. These records parallel the records in Matthew 8:10 and 6:30 and offer no additional information relative to the considerations at hand.Great faith, little faith; it all seems so clear until we come to the “faith as a grain of mustard seed” in Mathew 17:20.And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.The mustard seed is known for being very small. Some varieties produce a large plant for the size of the seed. It has been suggested that the comparison here is not to the smallness of the seed but to the tremendous power latent in such a small seed. Even if this is the case, the mind picture is none-the-less one of comparing “faith” with something very little, a very little thing with great power in it.As is clear from the references above, “little faith” as opposed to “great faith” does not have great power associated with it. The “faith as a grain of mustard seed” cannot be this faith as opposed to some other faith (great faith). Yet, that is exactly how the King James and other versions read.In English, a “restrictive clause” limits the word or phrase it modifies. For example, we might say, “I prefer swimming at a beach where there are no sharks.” The clause, “where there are no sharks”, limits the word, “beach”. Some beaches have sharks. We want one that does not. Restrictive clauses are not set apart by commas. They are considered essential to the meaning of the sentence.A “nonrestrictive clause”, however, is set off by commas. This clause is set apart by commas to show that it is not crucial to the meaning of the sentence; it does NOT limit the word or phrase it modifies. Rather than restricting the word or phrase, it merely gives additional information. For example, we might say, “I prefer swimming in a chlorinated pool, where there are no sharks.” No chlorinated swimming pool has sharks. We are not limiting which ones of such pools we prefer. We are merely giving additional information about them; thus, the comma.In the phrase “faith as a grain of mustard seed”, the clause “as a grain of mustard seed” is not set apart by commas. It is presented as a restrictive clause. It limits the word “faith”, describing “what faith” as opposed to some other faith. The mind picture of the smallness of the mustard seed (even with great power) is inescapable. With small, or “little”, faith as opposed to some other faith (bigger, great, faith) you can say to this mountain. “Remove hence to yonder place…etc.” It just does not fit the previous records.However, had the translation read “faith, as a grain of mustard seed,” we would have a nonrestrictive clause. It would not be describing “what faith” as opposed to some other faith; but rather, giving additional information about “faith”. Faith is as a grain of mustard seed. It is just a small thing (with great power). If you had it (rather than your unbelief) you could say to this mountain, “Remove hence to yonder place…etc”. Now the phrase fits with the rest of God’s Word.The wording of the King James Version (and the many other versions which are identical for this phrase) is perfectly sound. It is only the punctuation here that is the difference between truth and error. Oh the difference a little comma can make!
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Be still and know that I am God.....

Posted by Diane (Trosclair) Luebbers on June 20, 2008 at 6:51am
It was a gorgeous, sunny day - I had just moved to Montana a couple of months before. Now I was sitting in the bright sunshine on a gravel bar, the Gallatin River babbling happily beside me, fly rod in hand, a small fly tied securely to the hook at the end of my fly line.I had already tried casting a few times, but knew that if you make a commotion while wading up to your fishing spot, you need to wait awhile and get out of sight. 15 minutes, 30 minutes - no one could really say how long to wait - the fish you spooked might possibly decide it was safe again to feed and come out from hiding. So I sat down and willed myself to look away from the dazzling waters, training only my ears on the task at hand.I'd been told that a feeding fish made small splashes as he came up to nab a bug on the surface. You had to listen carefully, though. There was a lot of noise already - the river was garrulous that day - telling its secrets, babbling about sunshine and big fish hiding in the next hole upriver - but I tried not to listen. All I wanted to know was where the fish were in my little spot - "I don't care how big they are", I said out loud - "I just want to catch a fish - I mean trout", I added quickly. Yes, I had become a trout snob. No other fish would do - all I wanted to see was one of those marvelous,bejeweled creatures - lovely, linear, graceful, colorful. Rainbow, Brook, Brown or Cutthroat - I'd settle for any of the above.I sat there baking in the sun for awhile, looking at the wildflowers, watching the cottonwoods on the bank sway gently in the breeze. Then, a quick splash. Different from any other river sound I had heard until now. I smiled and carefully shifted my weight and got to my knees. A quick, simple flip of my line and my fly was in the water, floating naturally I hoped, but had no idea for sure....Nothing.Another quick flip of my line where I hoped I'd heard the sound coming from....A tug! The line resisted! A rock? A fish? I pulled my rod up like I'd been taught, taking the slack out of the line. The line moved around in the water...A fish??!!!"If it was snagged", I thought, "the line wouldn't be changing locations now would it?" I let the line/fish run a bit, then gently reeled it in, little by little. Don't want to break my line and let it get away. Easy now....there! I saw its nose, then its eye, then the rest of its sparkling, splashing, fighting-for-life-and-freedom little torso. Soon I was cradling it in my hand, marveling at its beauty. A brookie, small but gorgeous, shimmered there in my hand. I snapped a picture with the camera that dangled from my neck, then awkwardly eased the hook from its mouth. Before I was ready to say goodbye, the little fish had a big surge of strength, leaped from my hand and disappeared beneath the waters.I smiled up at the cottonwoods, and nodded, agreeing with them. Its a great day to be alive in Montana.
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Like A Zeus Bearing Aegis

Posted by Billy Britt on June 19, 2008 at 8:47am
The word Aegis (from the Greek) entered our modern English to mean a shield, protection, or sponsorship.In later Classical mythology, the aegis was the shield of the god Zeus, he is described in the Iliad as the “Aegis-bearing Zeus.”In Greek mythology, when the Olympians would shake the aegis, Mount Ida would become wrapped in clouds as thunder rolled and men where struck down with fear.Today, we have a clear concept of doing something “under someone’s aegis” meaning to do something under protection of a powerful, knowledgeable, or benevolent source.News organizations at their best are protector of the public interest.The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of the press also implicit in our laws is a freedom from the press. This one, however, is greatly ignored.Everyday writers, as well as, editors are faced with decisions as to what is news worthy, what is in the public interest. While we strive to make these choices based on wisdom and understanding many are made arbitrarily based on time to complete a story, physical space within the paper and, yes, sometimes, whim.However, when it comes to public trust we all take a serious and measured view of what is reported and how it is reported. As an editor, I labor under a great personal weight every time a story concerns matters of public trust.Reputations, lives and institutions can be reformed or destroyed by such stories. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all who wear the mantle of journalist to consider, with great care, the validity of a story.This brings us to the realm of the whistle blower.A whistleblower is usually an employee, former employee or member of an organization who reports misconduct. These wrongdoings fall into the common categories of a violation of law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health and safety violations, and corruption.Many find the whistleblower to be a hero while others see them as the villain. Whatever the case, news organizations rely on them to “break the big story.” These big stories have had positive effects as well as negative ones.One of the most profound negative effects has been to make the journalist a celebrity and, as a follow-on, make him or her rich as well.While Watergate was a crime and the ensuing cover-up a national scandal, this story ushered in the era of the rich and famous reporter. Not that notoriety and wealth had not been apart of the game before Woodward and Bernstein, it was, however, expanded exponentially afterwards.And who was the man behind the story that destroyed a presidency and forever-changed journalism, as we know it? Who was the man known as “Deep Throat?” It was Deputy Director of the FBI William Mark Felt, Sr., a man who admitted that he became a whistleblower as a result of being past over for promotion.In other word, a disgruntled employee which is so many times the case. It is not that these people have good intentions, generally their aim is revenge not public good. So a true journalist must be weary of the informant and take into consideration the intent. Of course, this does not mean the information should be discarded. It, however, should be aggressively scrutinized.From a personal stand point, I loath the disgruntled employee bent on revenge. They seek only to tear down not to build for the better. Therefore, the so-called whistleblower is, to me, the lowest form of information and generally has as much to hide as they do to expose.As an editor, I believe there is an obligation to protect people from the press.The press is often referred to as the “Fourth Estate.” The term goes back to Thomas Carlyle in the first half of the 19th century.Novelist Jeffrey Archer, in his work, the Fourth Estate observered: “In May 1789, Louis XVI summoned to Versailles a full meeting of the ‘Estate General.’ The First Estate consisted of three hundred clergy. The Second Estate, three hundred nobles. The Third Estate, six hundred commoners. Some years later, after the French Revolution, Edmund Burke, looking up at the Press Gallery of the House of Commons, said, ‘Yonder sits the Fourth Estate, and they are more important than them all.’”As the Fourth Estate we are advocates as well as defenders. We should, at our best, provide accurate, unbiased information to frame the issues in a way that allows citizens to make good decisions. We should hold those in power accountable and to expose the rats and cockroaches that infect all corners of public life.It is naïve to think that all or any public man or woman has clean hands, by omission or commission there is dirt.The great failing of journalists is to think that we are the heroes of the story. The truth is we should never be in the story, not our ego, ambition or desire. We are mechanics who should work in earnest to make clear information that shields against tyranny and promotes liberty.
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Faith, Values and Public Policy

Posted by Billy Britt on June 19, 2008 at 8:44am
It seems in the last several years that we have heard a great deal of talk about faith and values among political candidates. As everyone knows, talk is cheep and it is more about walking the walk than just talking the talk. A person’s actions should speak so loudly that it gives voice to their beliefs not the other way around. There are many who profess spiritual values but this is a charade to deceive the uninformed and beguile the innocent. This begs the question; if a lawmaker says that their faith and values are the guiding principle in their life, we must ask and they must answer how are those beliefs and morals reflected in your public policies they enact?Is it not a lawmaker’s prime responsibility to enact or enforce laws or governance?So, a politician should be able to show, in specific, how they would take a policy position based on their belief system.Sadly, what we usually hear are vague references to broad and incomplete ideas. However, as voters who are electing someone to represent our values, shouldn’t we expect and even demand clear positions?Of course, this is a difficult question for most to answer and even more complex when asked for specifics.Let’s look at an example in the Ten Commandments we are told, “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee….”Now, the question for the lawmaker becomes, what is your public policy or what laws will you promote that will foster the honoring of one’s parents? Surely, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are not enough.Are we going the teach morals in school? That might be a nice idea but that ship has sailed. So tell me what will you do?Most likely, there is nothing that can be done.While this is a cherished value to me and many others, there seems little a politician can do, policy wise, to promote this commandment.There are, of course, some values that can be used as guidance for laws. Take for instance Paul’s admonition in Thessalonians, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” But even if you apply this to welfare, there are many ways that this command can be used and abused.While these notions are challenging institutionally as well as intellectually, it is still important that we look for our elected officials to answer them honestly or we reserve the right to help them retire from office.We hear much lately about unity, bi-partisanship and, of course, change.Our very form of government is not based on unity it is based on conflict, competing parties hammering out compromise for the best possible outcome for the citizenry.Yes, there is corruption. Yes, there are some bad politicians. But our system was designed with this in mind and the onus is on the voter to be aware and be involved. Representative government does not exempt the citizen from responsibility. Far from it, representative government makes the voter more accountable and places liability by omission on the non-voter.The United States is not a country like Sweden or Germany. These are countries primarily made up of people who share a single, common ancestry. They are Swedes. They are Germans. Now, we call ourselves Americans, but we come from many different ancestries. While I personally do not like the hyphen-American tags that seem to be daily employed with pride, I do understand it. E. Pluribus Unum is a goal, not a fact. But, just what is it that makes us Americans? I submit that it is our common agreement to follow the Constitution of the United States and to obey the laws that are based on it. (And resist and change the ones that are not).So, this leads back to the question of how faith and values can be manifested in public policy.Even Gospel truth can be used as a dangerous elixir by an intemperate mind.It is the sober-minded citizen who must stay informed and involved voting our values to insure that those who represent us are of good character and not just good actors.
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It's a beautiful day to be a son of God!

Posted by Diane (Trosclair) Luebbers on June 19, 2008 at 5:32am
Howdy!Just a note from Big Sky country. It's been cold and snowy here in Montana up until last Thursday - I kid you not! But finally the sun has come out and the temps have risen to a reasonable level. The rivers and creeks are roaring - we had a ton of snow this winter and now all of it is melting - JUST when I thought I was going to get to go fishing, I look at the rivers and know that I couldn't get a fish's attention even if I hit him on the nose with a big honking streamer (that's a large lure for you non-fishing types).So I guess fishing will have to wait for another month - in the mean time, my husband and I are planning to go camping in Yellowstone. Since spring is just barely started, the animals should still be pretty active and about - as it gets hotter they retreat to more remote areas - someone told me a few weeks ago they took a guest to Yellowstone for a day trip and saw tons of wildlife - the usual bison herds, elk herds, and occasional coyote, as well as a few wolves and 9 grizzly bears!Wow! I can't wait to get out there - it is so amazing to see God's creation in action - what an amazing Heavenly Father we have who would think up all these creatures to bless us and make our lives that much more interesting. He didn't have to create such a plethora of creatures and plants and birds and trees.....He just wanted to show us how much he loves us and what great abundance He wants to bless us with.I think about that sometimes when I look at all the different vegetables and fruits we have to choose from - the variety of foods God put on this planet we call home so that we have a variety of things to eat - He could have just put a few foods, a few plants, a few birds for us to look at and called it good. We wouldn't have known we were missing anything. But He chose to show us in every way possible how much he loves us and that He wants us to have a more than abundant life in every way, shape and form. What a cool Daddy!Have a wonderful day - This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!Love,Diane
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Rajun Cajun moves to Big Sky Country

Posted by Diane (Trosclair) Luebbers on June 17, 2008 at 10:29am
Hi everyone!I live in Big Sky Country now - what a change from the swamps of Louisiana where I'm from.....it is just gorgeous out here! My husband and I have a house on a mountain near Bozeman, Montana. We have Moose trotting through our back yard as well as elk herds and coyote. The former owner of our house told us that we would see a few of our neighbors in the spring and summer - black bears, that is.....He gave us firecrackers to light and toss in the direction of the bears when they got too near the house - not to hurt them, mind you - just to scare them off so they don't decide to hang out and ambush us when we walk out our door! :0)It is truly Big Sky Country out here - there is a town and a university here in the Bozeman area, but no real skyscrapers or traffic jams - there is every outdoor sport you can imagine, from flyfishing (my personal favorite) to skiing, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, hiking, hunting, you name it, we've got it, just about! Oh, did I mention that Yellowstone National Park is only an hour and a half from my front door???I miss being able to fellowship with like-minded believers, so if you have a hankerin' to visit Montana or Yellowstone Park in particular, contact me and let's talk about a visit - better call soon, since our guest rooms get booked quickly by friends and family! :0)God bless you!Diane (Trosclair) Luebbers
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from Kyra Lowder

Posted by Steven E. Lowder on June 12, 2008 at 6:12pm
Dear fellow followers of Christ,My name is Kyra Lowder, I am 17 years old and I graduated from High school this year.As I am about to go out into life (and college), I need a firm foundation to begin on.This is why I have decided to go to The Honor Academy next year, starting in August.The Honor Academy was created for building up the next generation for Christ, giving teenagers the tools they need to form a deep foundation in God.Did you know that over 50% of teens leave their faith after going to only one year of college?That is a tough battle to fight against and I want to be ready. I want to be able to stand strong and not grow weary.Honor Academy is built for this and this is where God is leading me to go, so I can help win back our country for Christ.For more info on the Honor Academy visit http://www.honoracademy.com/The last month has been very difficult and life changing.My mom passed away, I graduated high school and I moved back home with my dad.I feel, all the more now, that this is the right next step for me.The cost for one year at The Honor Academy is $7800.I am asking for your help in reaching this goal.By a one time gift, or by helping out with monthly donations for the next year.And, of course, your payers.I am a long ways from reaching this goal, but I know that God will supply all my needs. Please be praying for this and about what you can do to help me.Thank you all for your support.In Christ,Kyra LowderTo donate online you can go to www.honoracademy.com/donate.phpUnder name search type in Kyra Lowder and 4807222814 and follow directions from there.Or to donate by phone you can call my lovely Rep. Cassy Wright.Her number is: 1-800-863-6306 ext. 7118Just tell her you would like to donate to Kyra Lowder.Thank you so much!
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YOUR GARDEN

Posted by Betsy Baum on June 9, 2008 at 9:59am
FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING,PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:1. Peace of mind2. Peace of heart3. Peace of soulPLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:1. Squash gossip2. Squash indifference3. Squash grumbling4. Squash selfishnessPLANT FIVE ROWS OF LETTUCE:1. Lettuce be faithful2. Lettuce be kind3. Lettuce be patient4. Lettuce really love one another5. Lettuce pray to God making our specific requests knownNO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:1. Turnip for meetings2. Turnip for service3. Turnip to help one anotherTO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:1. Thyme for each other2. Thyme for family3. Thyme for friendsWATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
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