Help Defend Right: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. “Appealing to be allowed to help fight for the Union, or the condition in 1863.” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 31, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47df-d5ce-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
So how can we learn about absolute truth and what it is? I can answer this as a Christian: I believe in absolute truth by faith in GOD; I believe GOD and what I can learn about GOD and GOD’s standards from the Holy Scripture: The Holy Bible reveals GOD’s truth to me.
How can this be you may wonder?
As an ordinary human, in order to do this I must overcome my own self interests, tendency to do wrong, and oppose what evil influences I encounter in “The World” – even from within me. Philosophically the mind GOD gave me, struggles with many illusions and what appeals to my senses, discrepancies in reality and false doctrines; imperfection is the term best describes our milieu, reality and the expectations humans have. So how are we to learn about what is “The Good”? From GOD’s word; because GOD loves us and has provided us with a way to know about “The GOOD” which is derived from the absolute truth GOD is the creator of. OK then, if we all tried to do a better job reaching for the seemingly lofty goals expressed within the Bible, think of what that could do for the character of life on Earth for more people – Christians and non-believers as well.
Poverty – image from pixabay.com
No or less Poverty
Shortages – image from pixabay.com
No or fewer Shortages
Unwanted – image from pixabay.com
No or fewer Illegitimate Babies
Broken Home – image from pixabay.com
No or fewer Broken Homes
Forsaken – image from pixabay.com
No or fewer Forsaken People
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No or fewer Prisons
GOD’s Truth is Absolute
Look to GOD – image from pixabay.com
Gods plan is rooted in love, with guidance, provisions and a wonderful eternity for believers.
Start here: BELIEVE GOD
Believe GOD – image from pixabay.com
This coming Sunday, Palm Sunday, we remember Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem but in less than a week seemingly all the people will have abandoned Jesus when He is betrayed, abused and crucified. This is a sad testimony concerning the nature of people yet, if He had not suffered and died for the sins of all there wold not be any hope for humanity’s eternal salvation.
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Even a blank ballet is voting – image from pixabay.com
This may seem counter intuitive when many times not every citizen votes . . .
You should vote- image from pixabay.com
That is just it in a nutshell: casting a ballot or not casting a ballot results in the same thing, a vote. When we actually vote, or abstain, and no matter what the outcome, democracy is in action; yet by our not casting a vote (our abstaining) is in effect deferring our vote to the winning side in an election – even if we are opposed to that agenda it (or they) may win. When GOD’s people do nothing to oppose evil, sin or apostasy, in effect their action (or non-action), gives approval to what or whom we should oppose. Vote for a candidate who shall work for the good of all. Do we have the right to complain if those we oppose win an election but we did not participate by voting?
Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Ballot- image from pixabay.com
Giving Evil People Free Reign Equals Approval of Their Agenda and Actions
Elections – image from pixabay.com
Take care or the host of pitfalls that await unsuspecting citizens will lead them astray when it is time to cast their vote, some are: a hidden agenda, the use of a hot blinding agenda to woow citizens, the use of half truths and misleading statistics, hyperbolic rhetorical language, issues that tickle the ears of people and unsubstantiated accusations of the opposition candidate (even accusing them of the very negatives they themselves are guilty of). Of course there are many more possible devious tactics to watch out for. Seeking accurate information about a candidate takes time and effort and so does a conscious effort to avoid personal biases that result in self deception. One important action to take before an election? Pray in earnest that you will cast your vote for one who is not evil.
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
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After all that the Hebrews experienced during Exodus and beyond who would expect these people to break up into separate Nations.
After living 400 years in Egypt the Hebrew people descended from a favored people living in Egypt to a lower slave class. Moses instructed by GOD to confront Pharaoh and secure their freedom. A favorite story from the Bible resulted in their eventual release but freedom came at a cost: for spiritual failure and sin (even Moses was not to enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience), the freed generation wandered for forty years in the wilderness. After all these trials and tribulations when the 12 tribes entered the land lead by Joshua one would think these people would be permanently bound to each other into one indivisible nation; this only lasted for a time. Eventually for many reasons born of human imperfection The United Kingdom of Israel broke into Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Yes even people in direct contact with GOD are flawed. What hope can there be for all the people of the Earth agreeing on what is right and wrong since differences has divided us into so many countries and nations?
The Hebrews became Israel and Judah is it possible for the United States of America to break apart into several separate nations?
Israel and Judah PART OF: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Map of Persia, Turkey in Asia, Afghanistan, Beloochistan ; Palestine, or the Holy Land [inset].” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 8, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-0882-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99Provinces PART OF: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Map of the United States of North America” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 8, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47da-ee5f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
1 Kings 12 (ESV)
13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him,14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”15 So the king did not listen to the people . . . .
16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents . . .
You can read all the details concerning the Kingdom dividing into Israel and Judah if you visit the Bible and read 1 Kings 12 for your self.
It was a surprise when The Berlin Wall came down and The Soviet Union Dissolved and also when Britain decided to leave the European Union.
Now for Graffiti Art Only- image from pixabay.comAbandoned in Europe – image from pixabay.com
I once believed gradual unification of the entire planet was possible now I am not even sure the United States will always remain united.
If you live long enough life on planet Earth will yield some unexpected events and developments: in my lifetime I never expected the U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ruled by Russia) to dissolve. More recently I never expected that the United Kingdom’s people would vote to leave the E.U (European Union). I came to believe the the unity and economic success of The United States of America was so desirable and so emulated that eventually the whole world would imitate us. Looks like I was wrong.
The rise and fall of empires and nations will probably continue until Lord Jesus returns and the transformation to The Kingdom of GOD is accomplished.
Idle Factory – image from pixabay.comDecline – image from pixabay.com
There are accounts of Empires ending, the weak rising up and the might falling within the Bible . . . here is an example:
The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet: “Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.’ “For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it; both man and beast shall flee away. “In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’ …
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There have been depictions of the scientist who cannot change a flat tire or cook an egg in cinema or theater.
Professor: The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. “Kriegsbeschädigten-Fürsorge. Professor Dr. Höftmann vom Hindenburghaus in Königsberg mit einem Kriegsbeschädigten, der Messer und Gabel hält und damit bequem essen kahn.” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 4, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47de-01c9-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Then in a few extreme cases an individual who can tell you what the weather was like at 9 am on a day forty years ago but may need help making everyday choices. These are not the examples I am referring to in this article, instead, evoke things like this: what if a star quarterback threw an interception in a big game,
The Best Make Mistakes – image from pixabay.com
or a very successful investor choosing an obviously dubious product to back, or a
Invention Too: Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library. “Patent steam carriage, by Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney, of Argyle Street, London, 1826” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 4, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/c3f3864f-e4f4-2b9d-e040-e00a1806642b
heroic general sending the army into a winless battle.
Look Out – image from pixabay.com
Ok, these easily fit the theme yet there is a more universal aspect that applies to many more people: leaders, authorities, you or even me.
A Mistake? – image from pixabay.comOh No – image from pixabay.com
We all should at times know better before we make a poor choice.
Decision – image from pixabay.com
The Bible has examples and explains why, if only we would just take time to read it and digest the information.
And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.”
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” …
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Using my life’s worth of experience and knowledge I find it improbable that humans can accept perfection in anything.
First: Comparing an ideal of anything imparts value to what it is; we compare or contrast it to what it is not.
Second: The very nature of the reality we observe, study and seek to explain is not without exceptions or anomalies and, humans are subjective.
Third: GOD promises eternal life to believers who accept Jesus Christ’s redemption ultimately being given a new body and a new world.
Christ Transformed – image from pixabay.comAdam and Eve: The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. “Adam and Eve Hide Themselves” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed January 13, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6bee0690-2efe-0133-cbda-58d385a7b928
We most probably can only realize perfection with a new body living in a new place for our current inherited body and mind, cannot accept perfection: Adam and Eve dwelled in the Garden of Eden and it seems to many that this was a Utopian or perfect place. They also had ‘free will’ like us and, chose to disobey God by eating a forbidden fruit thus were ejected out of ‘paradise’ passing down the consequences all the way to us.
We are their equivalent and probably would do the same rebellious thing that they had. This rational leads me to believe we humans cannot accept a Utopian existence.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
There is hope
Evangelize – image from pixabay.com
God sent his son Jesus to take our place and receive the punishment for sin. When we accept this and acknowledge Him we gain eternal life and the ultimate restart with a new body able to live in heaven with GOD after our transformation modified to accept perfection forever.
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
I believe it will take this transformation with the promised new body and our OWN TRANSFIGURATION in oder to be part of a perfect existence.
Utopia – image from pixabay.com
So, Should we Give in Let Evil Reign Freely now?
Of course not. We Christians are to strive to do good, give the world a view of GOD’s goodness and love and, do everything we can to appose and diminish evil as we live in this current disposition.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
We discover that the Holy Bible has several references and lists revealing the lineage of important people depicted in GOD’s Word. The interesting point I see reveals that many people in the linage list were not significant in themselves but, because their progeny was, importance is also granted to them.
These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters. When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Shelah. And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. …
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, …
Family Tree – image from pixabay.com
You may be part of a list of people that will become a genealogy of a future great person.
This possibility makes you important; you may consider yourself insignificant but you ultimately may not be.
5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab*, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth*, and Obed the father of Jesse,6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
*Note: Rahab was a prostitute and Ruth was a foreigner (also, each being a woman was contrary to the cultural norm when women were less important than men.
GOD knows our future and GOD has a plan for all of us.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: …
I could list such causes from history or even from contemporary sources in abundance: tyranny, crime, cults or sinister movements but, I need only give one monstrous example: radical religion (pseudo religion).
Contemporary global news is often dominated by this.
Psycho Terror – image from pixabay.com
Terror, bombings, attacks and unspeakable horrors appall civilized people everywhere. The cause itself or its wily leaders seem to have little trouble recruiting people for their agenda. What does this say about people? I often think if only those causes for good could be as effective the causes for evil. I hope it is only an illusion because bad things seem to command more interest than good things. One day Jesus shall return and that day will be the beginning of the end for evil.
Explosion Damage – image from pixabay.com
If more Christians had great zeal the World would be a different place.
Billy Graham – image from pixabay.comShare – image from pixabay.comEvangelize – image from pixabay.com
I do believe there are Christians zealous for accomplishing “The Great Commission” so why do they often seem less successful that those with evil agendas? I have come to understand some things, having lived almost seventy years: People want to belong to something; people want to accomplish something; people want to be part of great change. The impulse for such things is normal and part of life and the following excerpts from GOD’s WORD the Holy Bible may help you understand and lead you to better things: what is good and what is pleasing to GOD. These are truly great and worthy of devotion and I hope my life will help lead others to this great thing: Eternal life with GOD because they accept Jesus Christ for their Lord and Savior.
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Since no one can claim to be perfectly sinless and sin is counter productive and even worse, just a small percentage of any population inspired by pure evil can do a great deal of harm, how does the civilized world even exist?
Demon or Devil – image from pixabay.com
Furthermore, from my experience in living a long life rich in diverse experiences I suspect even the best people, families or nations are dysfunctional to some degree, again, how do many people live in relative peace and safety, have adequate shelter and at least sufficient food to survive? GOD.
Whole Earth Peace – image from pixabay.com
A fellow Christian once said to me The Holy Spirit sustains whatever level of civilized life we currently enjoy.
Humans like to say things are relative: this person is relatively good, that event seems relatively bad or despite flaws our United States of America is the best place to live in the entire world relative to a number of selected less fortunate nations. Yes I live in The U.S.A. and experienced a few other countries and I tend to agree that we have it good; more important though is our Nation’s influence upon the rest of the world. Advances in human rights, healthcare and freedoms are just some of these influences – this despite imperfection in some places of our land. So how did and continues to be the case? GOD.
Angel – image from pixabay.com
GOD’s blessings and help from GOD’s Holy Spirit
Dove – image from pixabay.com
. . . sustains a Nation that once conducted itself more in accordance with GOD’s standards than it does today. GOD is patient. GOD is forgiving. GOD is just. GOD will not tolerate a decline in the number of believers, back-slidden believers or the increase of deliberate sinning forever: note the Biblical history of the Hebrews in The Old Testament.
It may not be the end times that destroys us.
Destroy Earth – image from pixabay.com
The cycles of obedience and disobedience and the ultimate handing over of Israel and Judah to conquerors indicated GOD will not be mocked and there are consequences for sin for Nations as well as for individuals.
Bird of Peace – image from pixabay.com
It is not too late for our Nation and our people to repent undo the disobedience and give GOD a reason to continue to bless The U.S.A. instructing The Holy Spirit to hold us together still.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
AMEN
Use of ESV Bible verses: https://www.crossway.org/support/esv-bible-permissions/
The people of The United States of America have demonstrated a high standard when it comes to the value our Nation places on human life. No, we are not perfect; we have some flaws and some people who abuse others. Yet when considering the World as a whole the U.S.A. has been, and is, a leader in helping others and acting as a force for improvement.
