Things I discovered today...while fasting Facebook.

I miss my MS Word. So, I went online to see if I could find one that I could download for free. I found several, but they want me to download all kinds of other stuff I don't need in order to get it. It's annoying, so I opted out. Then, I decided, since today is about NOT being on Facebook, I would explore my computer. Lo and behold, I found a Google Chrome shortcut on my desktop I haven't used. So, I clicked on it.

I was so excited to find the Google Documents area that had the equivalent of Word, and EXCEL! Not only that, Google provides a place where I can store my documents online so if this computer ever goes out, I can still access them! WOW! The computer age has come a long way.

I know, it sounds stupid for me to say that, since I haven't scratched the surface of all I have missed out on over the last ten years. I am just excited that I see the opportunity to grow with the internet...and am determined to take it.

Fasting today, and giving up Facebook for 24 hours has really opened my eyes. I am glad I did this. It has given me new perspective that I really needed, and shown me how obstructive Facebook has really been for me. Don't get me wrong, I still love Facebook. I am still going to be using it A LOT. But, I need to back away from it more regularly so I can see other things around me that I can use and grow with.

Success! I can feel my creativity starting to flutter again!

And, no more using email to save my work!

And I can save pictures now!!!

I spent all day experimenting with forms, making recipe cards, and even signed up for a Fingerhut account (waiting on approval), and then shopping Amazon, playing with my wish list. I answered all my emails.

For lunch I had pizza rolls and snacked on pimiento cheese sandwich, and a loaded potato. Topped the night with what was left of my ice cream and chocolate syrup.

I reviewed using HTML for web design, and read the news some, and listened to Christian talk radio, and played a little bit of Fallout. I even wrote in two of my blogs.

I mopped my kitchen floor and cleaned the cabinets and sink with bleach. And, I reprimanded Milo a lot. He didn't mind. And, he didn't mind.

I made out a list of things to do and updated my grocery list, and made fresh tea.




Email me your comments

Texarkana Freedom Rally

(This was originally written on October 21, 2012 by Shonda M. Ponder)

The Freedom Rally in Texarkana was very inspirational. The purpose of the rally was to encourage conservative Christians to vote. I had to attend, being a volunteer Patriot media representative, and I am happy to report on the events:

At 1:38 p.m. I arrived and sat on the lawn across from the post office and watched as people started to trickle in. The Texarkana Post Office straddles the State Line between Texas and Arkansas. Because of it’s unique location, it doesn’t have an address. It is simply listed as Texarkana Post Office, the United States of America.

There was Christian music playing through the loudspeakers in front of the post office. The Little River Patriots had set up an awning tent. Their mission statement was posted in front as “Recruiting, Educating, and Electing Christian Conservatives.”

Mike Landers, who was running for sheriff was campaigning in the next awning with shirts and buttons. “Mike Landers for Sheriff” yard signs permeated the grounds around the post office.

Slowly, more cars drove up and parked. People set up lawn chairs and were gathering in small groups, getting ready for the day’s activities. It didn’t look like a huge gathering, but I was encouraged by this morning’s Sunday School lesson on Judges 6-10. Gidean led an army of 300 men and defeated two kings, in spite of people who mocked him for being so small. God never uses large armies to do His will, only a small, very loud minority.

As the crowd thickened, I made a small mental note to be sure and have business cards made up when I get my new web site started. They sure would have come in handy, today.

The announcer welcomed everyone and said that a few of the speakers were still en-route and to just hang on and hang out with everyone for a few minutes longer.

Another red, white, and blue table was being set up under an awning with hats and flags. Ted Cruz for Senate was being promoted at one of them.

It was a very patriotic atmosphere. There were everyday people in shorts and t-shirts, sunglasses and smiles, laughing and shaking hands with the people around them. One man sat texting on his cell phone, on the steps of the Korean War Memorial, while children climbed on it and sat in the rafters with the statue. While more motorcycles, cars and trucks drove up, cameras and binoculars came out.

Pastor John Miller, of the Church on the Rock, gave a brief speech about the history of the flag, then led everyone in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Then there was a prayer and one lady sang the National Anthem.

A Cuban immigrant named Raphael Cruz spoke of his journey to America, why he came here, and why he was so outspoken today. His story touched my heart. He spoke of his son, and how he would tell his son, Ted, when he was eight or nine, that, “I lost my freedoms in Cuba. If we lose our freedoms here, then where is there left to go?” He told the story of what his son did as a result, and how it has led him to running for the senate. Ted Cruz sounds like someone worth watching in politics.

To hear a Cuban immigrant speak so highly of my country, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution was more than inspiring to me. It made me be proud to be an American by birth. As if that wasn’t enough, he then exalted our God and made me proud to be a Christian by choice.

Then Rick Scarborough of Vision America spoke. He told his story of how he got involved preaching politics from the pulpit. He advised that if you are part of a church in which the pastor is afraid of preaching about politics, fire him. Get one that will. He said it was time that preachers, who so love to be the light of the world, also be the salt. He finished by advising us to find a friend who shares our values and encourage them to vote. If we have a friend that doesn’t share our values, pray that he sleeps on election day.

Rick brought up the point that homosexuals only took up 3.4% of the population, yet they are pushing their agenda successfully on
(This was originally written on October 21, 2012 by Shonda Ponder)

America. If they are such a small minority and can get so much done, then we should have no problem taking America back. All it takes is a small, VERY LOUD, minority.

Again, I thought of Gideon and his army of 300 men who did nothing more than make a bunch of noise that frightened the enemy so bad that they panicked and killed themselves. I thought of Abraham using pots and pans to make a large noise and do the same thing when he rescued Lot.

Then a young man who majored in Political Science at A&M University, Noah Jackson, spoke. He quoted facts and poll results. He encouraged us to vote for Freedom. He’s another young man planning a future in politics that needs to be watched, and encouraged.

Curtis Coleman spoke next, encouraging us, as citizens, to stand up. “This election is not about choosing from right and left,” he said, “It’s about choosing from right and wrong!”

The last speaker was media personality Jan Morgan. She started her speech quoting George Orwell: “In times of great deceit, speaking truth is a revolutionary act!” Then she told us about how others have made threats on her life for speaking the truth to the public. “In order to speak truth in America today, you have to be willing to lay your life on the line!” She continued to speak, inspiringly, about how we are giving our freedoms away, and that it’s time to stand up and take back what our founding fathers gave us.

Morgan boldly advocated protecting our 2nd Amendment rights. “If we allow the government to strip away our 2nd Amendment rights, then we will have no way of protecting the rest of them!” She told us that, throughout the world, 170 million people have been annihilated AFTER the government disarmed them.

Morgan then spoke about Islam and our religious freedoms here in America. “I believe your religious rights stop when it advocates the murder of innocent people in order to promote it.”

She ended her speech with, “If you are afraid of your government, you are already a slave.”

I wasn’t planning on staying for the whole thing, but I’m glad I did. I even made it a point to shake Raphael Cruz’s hand and tell him, “Thank you.”

For those of you who didn’t show up, you missed a great gathering and some good messages. For those who did, I hope you are motivated to take what you have and use it to keep what you have been given.

An Alzheimer's Poem

I pray I don't have to go through this. It scares me, getting old...and, working at the hospital doesn't make my fear subside any at all. I can only trust that however I end up, it is God's Will, and where there is God's Will, there is God's Purpose.

Getting Paid For On-line stuff

What a dream life it would be if all I had to do was get up, fix breakfast, take Milo (my dog) for a walk and then sit down at the kitchen table in my pajamas and turn on the computer in order to make money to pay the bills! Well, that is a good dream, but it isn't reality. However, on-line money-making is great for a little Christmas money here and there. It's also great for going out money every now and then. Best of all, it's great for trying new things and socializing with people you normally don't get to visit often, and building a business. In the end, if you make a lucrative investment of your time and your effort, you may, in fact, be able to pay the bills.

I have done it all. The best way I've found to make money on-line is through a well-known and well-worked business website and affiliate marketing. But, this does not stop me from completing surveys (they give out gift certificates as well as cash rewards), or getting paid to read emails (those emails have lots of great information on where to make money online in them), or any other project that I may find interesting enough to try. If I am going to waste my time on the internet, I may as well get paid something for doing it -- even if it isn't much at all.

So, if you want to join me in the effort to make more productive use of your time, here is a list of places you may find interesting enough to sign up for:

Donkey Mails
Email Cash Pro
Email Pays U
Inbox Dollars
Genesismails
paidtoread
PayperMails
RichGoPTR

When God Talked Back

Reading the book, "When God Talks Back", by T.M. Luhrmann, I thought back to the first time that I "heard God's voice" and "recognized" it as a clear concise answer to a question.

I was a lonely child with few friends and lot's of trust issues. One day, when I was twelve years old, I looked around the school yard and wondered why I was so alone, and others always had companions around them. I felt that God must have wanted me to go through this loneliness for a reason. I wrote a little poem on my book cover to commemorate what I was feeling. It started like this:

I look my eyes up to the sky

and ask the Lord above so high

"Why me?"...

At this point I remember imagining myself in front of God, demanding an answer. I continued to write, without thinking,

Then came from the blue

"Because, my child, you are YOU."

When I finished writing I remember this instance of feeling puzzled. I had never written a poem before, and certainly have never thought of one so fast. Then, I read, again, what I had written:

I look my eyes up to the sky

and ask the Lord above so high

"Why me?" Then came from the blue

"Because, my child, you are YOU."

A sudden realization came to me that I had an answer to my question.

"Because I'm me?", I asked God, a little perplexed. "What do you mean by that?" But, I couldn't shake this feeling that it was God who put those words down.

Because I'm me.

I decided to put that answer away in the back of my mind and wait for God to explain Himself to me. Over the years, I believe He has.

I am me. I am the only me God made. I have talents and abilities that were given to me for a purpose; and, only I can fulfill that purpose for God. I may not know or understand the purpose for which God created me, but my goal should ever be to live my life to glorify God as if no one else can live my life -- because no one else can.

And finally, I wake up each morning now, and I thank God for creating me to be who I am. I look back on my life and I am thankful for all of the experiences I have had. I feel special, because those experiences, good and bad, were my own and no one else's.

God gave them to ME.

Hypocrite

I have noticed that when people use the term "hypocrite", it is usually because they do not fully understand it's meaning and wish to insult the person to whom they are referring. A hypocrite is someone who claims to be sinless while judging others for the same sins that they, themselves, are guilty of.

As a matter of practice, I personally have never claimed to be sinless; nor do I judge others. I do, however, state facts. I do not dare tell someone who is homosexual that they are going to hell. As a matter of fact, homosexuals are just as qualified to see the Kingdom of Heaven as I am, if they have accepted Christ into their life and are seeking to better themselves and lead others to Christ. However, I will tell them that practicing homosexuality is a sin. The Bible says it is a sin. That is not judging, that is stating a fact. I could tell a good, Bible going woman that homosexuality is a sin and it would not offend her. Then why is it that if I tell someone who is a homosexual that homosexuality is a sin they get offended? Truth is truth, whether you want to hear it or not.

On the same note, I am not judging the homosexual by saying that homosexuality is a sin. What he or she does with that information is entirely their business. I am to love the sinner and hate the sin.

When I refer to the Bible, I am pointing as much to myself as I am anyone else. I am constantly working to better myself. God may not expect me to be perfect or sinless (after all, we wouldn't NEED Jesus if that were the case), but He does expect me to strive to achieve perfection. So, when I quote the Bible, it is usually to remind myself that what I am saying is backed by Biblical principle.


Proverbs 11:9 says, "The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." Therefore, someone who calls someone a hypocrite is, him or herself a hypocrite because he or she passes judgment on someone else.

The righteous are not people without sin. They are people who are doing their best to be without sin, yet being imperfect are humble enough to admit their own faults and attempt to right their evil ways. Their dependence is more fully on Christ's redeeming power and God's Grace because of their imperfection. Only one who is immature in their walk with God would dare try to pull a speck out of someone else's eye when they have a plank in their own. (Matthew 7:3)

One who is mature is willing to accept their limitations, and then glorify in God's infinite lack of them.

Conviction of Conscience

Have you ever been convicted? Have you ever had this "sudden realization" that you've been doing things all wrong, and the strong urge to stop what you are doing wrong to make things right?

If you have, then you have experienced "conviction". Conviction can happen at any time. The word "convicted" is related to the word "convict". To convict someone denotes an active participation in causing someone else to become convicted. On another note, a "convict" is someone who has been found guilty of a crime. Therefore, if you are "convicted", then you have been found guilty of some action you know is not right and deserves changing in your life.

The word "convicted", although used liberally in Christian circles, is only used one time in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. It is at the part of the story about the prostitute who was caught in the act of sinning. When they brought her before Jesus in order to try to convict him of blasphemy, or false teaching, Jesus told them, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." One by one, from the eldest to the youngest, they walked away. In John 8:9 it says that they were "convicted by their own conscience, and walked away."

What is conscience, then, that it should convict anyone?

I have heard it argued that the conscience is the Holy Spirit convicting you; but, according to the Bible, you can have a good conscience or a bad conscience. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul seeks to use food that has been offered to idols as a example. As Christians, we know that idols are nothing; therefore, we have no problem eating food offered to them. However, those who were raised in idolatry revere idols as holy. If they see you eating food offered to idols they may be offended. Someone who is offended by you may not want to listen to you when you tell them about Jesus, or what is right or wrong. Paul calls their conscience "weak". Therefore, it is diplomatic form, to say the least, to learn their customs and seek not to offend them in order to keep their minds open to your teaching of the Gospel.

To Titus, (Titus 1:15), Paul writes, "To the pure all things are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure: but even their mind and conscience are defiled."

In Hebrews 9:14, Paul explains how a person with a defiled conscience gets a clean start to rebuild their conscience to God's glory: Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

When you accept Christ into your life your slate is wiped clean. All of your sins are forgiven. From that moment on, you do your best to keep your heart and mind pointed toward Christ, walking in his precepts and laws. From that day forward, your conscience will convict you when you turn down the wrong paths.

June 2013 Comments

June 29

I am returning two movies to the library and am going to check out two more. Last night

I watched The Wilderness Family. It kept me on the edge of my seat during the whole movie. It was a refreshing visit to a more pure time in movie-making history. I recommend it.




June 28

I am at the library. Just checked out three books by Edward Abbey: The Monkey Wrench Gang, Hayduke Lives, and The Brave Cowboy. I figure I'll end up reading every book in the library before long, starting with Fiction, since I have nothing better to do. I also checked out some movies: Act Your Age, Air Force One, The Adventures of the Wilderness Family and the first season of The Adventures of Jim Bowie. Am looking forward to nice peaceful opportunities to read and watch TV.

I didn't make much on my check this payday. Just enough to pay $300 on rent and talk my landlord into working with me so I won't get evicted. He is willing, as long as I pay him $300 every two weeks until I am paid a month in advance. But, after buying 10 bus tickets and $15.00 worth of phone minutes, I only have $25.00 left. I am so broke. And, I have no food in the house.

On the bright side, I am losing weight. But, even that poses a problem, since I can't afford to buy new clothes.

Today, I ate at the Friendship Center. 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a bag of chips, a pack of cookies and a fruit cup. I was hungry. I saved my cookies for later. Later, I may go and eat supper at the Salvation Army.

I spent some time on the internet at the library.

When someone tells me it is not polite to talk religion or politics, then I assume that they believe it is polite to force ignorance on people. If you don't talk, you can't learn. If you don't ask questions, you can't get answers. I like being impolite if that is what it takes for me not to be ignorant.

It's Time to Wait.

by Shonda M. Ponder

It's time to wait. We've been waiting forever for "the time to be right", for when the "SHTF", for the right people to be elected. It's all we've been doing anyway; so, why not wait for the right reasons?

I believe that we are wasting our time if we think that we can place a new party into the political arena that will help us. Too much has already been lost. People are just too shocked and/or ignorant to admit it is too late.

We went over the hill and started the downhill slide the moment that God was taken out of our schools. That was His first slap in the face. This last one is Allah being put in schools where God once was, in the name of tolerance, which no one had for those who worshipped God.

Then they made it legal to murder unborn babies. This was and is the last generation of freedom seekers, crying out from the womb for their right to life.

Since then, we have made it a crime to display manger scenes in public places. Schools refuse to sing Christmas Carols with Christ in them. Christmas has become so commercialized that Christ is no longer even seen in Christmas.

Add to that the systemic taking away of our freedoms, as written in the Bill of Rights, starting with the 2nd Amendment. In order to have the right to defend yourself, you have to have permits to carry a gun, and they aren't allowed even in the most dangerous places. In order to buy a gun, you have to withstand a background check. Our privacy has been stripped from us in the name of safety and security. To top it all off, you can only buy the kind of guns they say you can own.

This war on Terror has made it mandatory that the government have permission to spy on it's own citizens. They listen to our phone conversations, read our emails, follow our work history and private club histories.

Our Churches aren't even allowed to endorse a candidate, even though it's okay for planned parenthood, which is supposed to be a non-profit organization, to do so.

We can't even protest without permission from those we are protesting against. Our right to petition our government may as well not exist, since they pay no attention to those petitions anyway. Our right to assembly depends on where we are assembling and what for. I just don't think the founding fathers had all this in mind when they wrote the Bill of Rights.

We are forced to pay taxes to help women kill their babies. We are forced to pay for healthcare we don't have. We are forced to pay fines if we don't have insurance. And, the IRS can destroy your life if you disagree with the government.

This is not America the Beautiful, Land of the Free and Home of the Brave anymore. We have systematically become Amerika the Oppressed, Land of the Dependent and Home of the Cowards who bend to government rule. Even our Rule of Law is Dependent on who is in office.

I don't see it getting any better. I think it's time for a new plan. As a Christian, I think it's time to focus on getting to know our Creator and our Savior, and stand ready to die for Him, because that is just where this is all heading.

Oppression leads to persecution, genocide, and annihilation. It has already started. Most are just too blind to see it. When people in Michigan are getting stoned and the stoners are not getting charged with the crimes in the name of religious freedom, which Christians apparently don't have, it's over. Why can't people see that?

I don't mean to be pessimistic about our future. I just don't see it getting better. We are never going to get rid of all the laws we already have. We fight one law, only to be blindsided with a worse one that we have to fight. While we are doing that, we have left the one we were fighting in the first place so that it can grow stronger and more oppressive, and give birth to new, even more dangerous ideas against our liberty.

So, if we are going to wait, then I suggest we start waiting in the right waiting room. The only thing that can save us now is God, and I've read the book. It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Thought for the Day:

You are not here to tell your church and your Christians friends how much you love God and why. You are here to stop the drug dealer on the street, to talk to the homeless, the sick, the hopeless, the prostitutes, the needy and the other lost; to tell them how much you love God and why. Jesus came for THEM. You do not have to relate to them. You only have to love them.

Memories of a lived life: Justin Williams Birthday

Twenty-two years ago today, God blessed me with another son who would never cease to amaze me. Back then, I was young and scared. This son was given to me to remind me that God was still with me every step of the way. Happy Birthday, Justin Seth Williams. I pray that God blesses you and that you feel His presence with you even more than He's shown Himself to me. Momma loves her baby boy.

Computer Problems

My computer crashed and I can't even get the darn thing on. So, I pulled a few strings and a friend sent me his old computer, but without a monitor. Right now I have no monitor, and even if I did, I'd have to get internet access to use it. I don't have the money and am hanging by a thread to keep a roof over my head right now. So, be patient. I'll get it all worked out soon enough.

NEW WEBSITE

HI! I haven't updated my blog in awhile because I've been really busy updating my new web site. So, I probably won't be back here for awhile...but don't go away! In the meantime, check out my new web site! It's called "The Ponder" and you can get there by going to http://www.shondaponder.com

No One's Fault but Your Own...

I was arrested and taken to jail in 1997 for failure to ID an 18 year old who bought a six pack of beer in a convenient store where I worked. I lost my job and became greatly in debt for not being able to pay my bills and using credit to get by. I finally got up the nerve to go back to work at another convenient store that sold beer in 1998. I learned the law and determined I would not go to jail for the same crime again. The law says you have to be over 21 to buy alcohol AND you have to have a VALID TEXAS ID. So I carded everyone, even if they were 50.

One day, the line at my register was terribly long and I was the only cashier on the premises. An older man had his beer and I carded him. He did not have his ID so I said, "I am sorry, sir. I cannot sell you that beer." He threw a tantrum in front of all the people in line. I still refused saying, "I am not going back to jail for you."

As he was cursing and walking out, I stopped him with, "Sir?" He stopped and looked angrily at me. I asked, "Before this law passed, did you know it was on the table to be voted on in the Texas Legislature?" He said, "Yes. But I didn't think it would pass." I said, "Did you write or call your state representative and tell him how you felt about it?" He said, "No, I didn't think it affected me." I said, "Then don't get mad at me for following a law you could have prevented."

Everyone in line clapped and cheered.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 16

After Pekah had ruled for seventeen years, Ahaz ruled Judah. He was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Rezin, king of Syria and Pekah, king of Israel went to war against Ahaz. They besieged Ahaz, but was unable to conquer him. It was during that time that Rezin took back Ahath and drove out the Jews.

Ahaz allied with Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, and he asked for help from the besiegement by Pekah and Rezin. He gave all the gold to Tiglath-pileser he could find from the temple and the king's house. So, Tiglath-pileser killed Rezin and took Damascus captive.

King Ahaz saw an altar in Damascus that he liked, so he had Urijah the priest make one like it and place it in the temple for the king's personal use. Then, Ahaz died and his son Hezekiah became king.

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My Comments
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All of Judah's gold, and all of Israel's gold is steadily being depleted in order to gain political allies and maintain their independence. Slowly, God is exacting His punishment for their failure to follow Him. They still have an opportunity, but will they take such opportunity to turn from their sins and receive the blessings of God and live in the peace and splender that Solomon had enjoyed, or will they continue down the road that will eventually lead to their demise and utter destruction?

Compare this with the America of today. We started as a blessed nation. We won the favor of all the world. Then, over time, because of our tolerance of other gods and other beliefs; and, as we continually let other viewpoints conform us and change us, we put God on the back burner and now we are faced with enemies that get paid to be our allies and terrorism around every corner. Our country, which once was the richest country on earth is now over $16 trillion in debt. Our credit is steadily maxing out, and slowly we are being sold into slavery. There is corruption in every level of our government.

We still have the opportunity, but will we take such an opportunity to turn from our sins and receive the blessing of God and live in peace and splender that God gave us after the Revolutionary War, or will we continue down the road that is steadily leading us to our eventual demise and utterly be destroyed?

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 15

When Azariah began to reign, Jeroboam, who was king of Israel, had been reigning for 27 years already. Azariah followed God, but like his forefather, he didn't take down the high places where some of the people of Judah still worshipped. So, God struck him with leprosy. Because Azariah had to remain separated from the people, Jotham, his son, judged Israel for him. After 52 years reigning Judah, Azariah died and Jotham became king.

During Azariah's 38th year as king, Jeroboam of Israel died and his son Zachariah became king. But Zachariah only reigned for six months. He was evil in his reign. So Shallum conspired against him, killed him, and took the throne. Zachariah was fourth generation, So God had lived up to his promise of letting Jehu's sons rule until the 4th generation. Now there was new blood on the throne.

Shallum reigned only a month before he was killed by Menahem, who then became king. When the people of Tiphsah refused to acknowledge him in business, Menahem killed all of them and ripped open the women who were withchild, killing their posterity as well. He was evil in God's eyes, but he ruled for ten years.

When Pul, the king of Assyria came against Israel, Menahem collected taxes from the wealthy in Israel and gave Pul one thousand talents of silver (or $10,760,000) so that Pul would be his ally. Pul then left Israel alone.

When Menahem died, his son, Pekahiah, ruled. He, also, was evil. After two years, Pekah killed him and took the throne. He also was evil.

While Pekah was king, Assyria took eight of Israel's cities and made the people captives. Then Hoshea conspired and killed Pekah.

When Pekah had been king over Israel for two years, Jotham became king of Judah. He followed God, except that he, too, failed to take down the high places. So, God began subjecting Judah to attacks from both Syria and Israel.

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My Comments...
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In Leviticus Chapter 26 God sets before the Israelites the consequences He has planned for their actions if they obey, and if they disobey. Israel and Judah's disobedience was reaping the consequences of those promises in 2 Kings 14.

America, today is also reaping consequences. We still have a chance. We still have a choice as to who we wish to follow, God or the secular world. Jesus did not come to take away the consequences. He came to provide a graceful sacrifice so that we could afford to turn away from our sin. He became the last payment. But, in Leviticus, it says that when we make our sin sacrifice and repent, we still will have to live with what we've done. We still have to pay for our past mistakes, but our way becomes easier and more blessed over time. Paul, in the New Testament, says that God can take our failures and use them for His good and His purpose, and turn them into blessings.

If it was easy, it wouldn't be life. The difference is that we have to pay for what we do while we are here, and then when we are in God's kingdom after we leave this earthly life, we will have all the blessings without any more consequences.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 14

Now, when Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, was king of Israel, Amaziah, the son of Joash of Judah was king. Amaziah did well in the sight of the Lord, except he didn't take down the high places of he idols of Judah and some of the people still worshipped there.

He killed the servants that had conspired and killed his father, but he did not kill their children. He followed God's law that the children should not be put to death for their father's sin, only for their own. He defeated Edom, then he invited Jahoash to visit him.

Jehoash said, "Yeah, right. You defeated Edom and now you are feeling cocky and want to try your hand at me." But Amaziah finally convinced him. Jehoash defeated Amaziah and broke down the gates of Jerusalem, took all the treasures of the temple, then returned to Samaria.

Jehoash died and his son, Jeroboam, took his place.

Then Amaziah was conspired against and slain in Lachish. Judah made Azariah, his son, king. He was only sixteen years old.

Jeroboam did evil in the sight of the Lord, but God let him restore all of the lands that were lost in his father's day.

When Jeroboam died, his son, Zachariah, took his place.

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My Comments...
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A famous movie director, Steven Spielberg, once sported a quote from Shakespeare in his movie Something Wicked This Way Comes. It said, "O, what a wicked web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive." The web was getting more and more wicked as Israel and Judah continued to sin. The consequences were growing worse with each passing king, and continual refusal to repent.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 13

After Jehoash had reigned for 23 years, Jehu's son, Jehoahaz took the throne of Israel. He was evil and this made God angry. So God let Hazael, king of Syria, take Israel. Then, Jehoahaz prayed to God to help them; so God, being a God of mercy and forgiveness, sent them a leader to help break the bonds of Syria, then they went back to their former lives. They continued in their old ways.

Jehoahaz died, and his son Jeroboam reigned.

When Israel was taken by Syria, it was Elisha that Jehoahaz went to for help to talk to God. Elisha told Jehoahaz to beat the floor with his staff. Jehoahaz hit the floor three times, and Elisha reprimanded him for his lack of determination. "If you had hit the floor at least five times, you would have drove the Syrians away for good! But, you will only be able to defeat them three times now."

Elisha was old and sick. He soon died. They placed him in a tomb. Later, the Moabites invaded the land. Once, when they were in a funeral procession for another man, they saw a band of men coming that they supposed were enemies, so they quickly put the dead men in the tomb with Elisha's bones. When the dead man touched the bones, he immediately came back to life.

Hazael, king of Syria, oppressed Israel until he died. Then, his son Benhadad became king. Jehoahash took back all the lands Hazael had taken when Benhadad became king.

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My Comments:
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"I'm sorry" only works if you turn from your actions that you are sorry for and determine not to do it again. If you say you are sorry, and ask for help, you may be helped. But if you turn back to your old ways, the one who helps you may be more likely to let you wallow in your misery. God has patience, to a point. After a while, though, He determines to practice "tough love" by letting you wallow in your misery until you learn why you should turn from your sin and determine to sin no more.

God doesn't want to hear His children cry. But, if they fail to learn from their mistakes, the only option He has is to let them suffer the consequences.

When God asks you to do something that will help you, then you should do it whole-heartedly. If you just half-heartedly do it, you will only get a half-hearted result, and the problem could come back at full force later. It's best to whole-heartedly take care of the problem once and for all.

Elisha had so much faith and spirit in him that the power God gave him even permeated his decaying body.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 12

When Jehoash of Judah began his reign, Jehu had been king of Israel of seven years. Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord, except he never took down the high places of t, he idols of the land, and some of the people still worshipped other gods there.

Jehoash ordained that taxes and offerings should be made to the temple, to be set aside for repairs on the temple that age had set in disarray. After he had reigned for 23 years, he noticed that the repairs had still not been made. In a meeting with the priests, it was settled that he would no longer collect taxes from the people if it was not going to be used where it was supposed to be used.

At this point, Jehoiada put a bucket in the temple on the right side of the altar and asked for donations to be placed in that bucket. After a while, there was found quite a bit of money in that bucket, and they took it to the king and told him that they found the money in the temple and started the repairs.

Then Hazael, king of Syria, took control of Gath and started toward Jerusalem with intentions of taking it, too. So, Jehoash took all the dedicated treasures from his forefathers houses and gave it to Hazael to keep him from invading Jerusalem.

Some people didn't like how Jehoash handled the problem, or the kingdom, so his servants conspired and killed him.

His son, Amaziah, took his place.

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My Comments:
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Just like today, there is corruption in the highest offices of the land. No matter who is the leader of our people, there are going to be people who are constantly criticizing how he handles things. People are so full of hatred, they can't tell the difference between truly good intentions and outright attacks on our beloved system.

Ecclesiastes says it best when it says "There is nothing new under the sun." Maybe the way that things are carried out is different, but the reasons behind it are one and the same.

Jehoash was doomed to die anyway because of his neglect to take down the high places of the gods. But, God was merciful on Israel with his leadership for awhile because he tried to be a good person for God in spite of his failure.

God won't let your failures go unpunished, but He is more tolerant of those who try, and He gives them more room to come to their senses.

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Learning to Trust Him

Years ago, I spent every hour I had every day to update a web site and make people who came there aware of the evil being perpetrated on our own people by our own government. I spent so much time doing it, in fact, that I lost track of what I was doing it for.

When I finally started longing for the things I was missing -- time with my family, smelling the roses, appreciating the stars in the sky, just simply taking time out to commune with God and His creation -- I gave it all up. I even gave up television and radio. I didn't want to hear the news. I didn't want to see it. I wanted relationships with real people, real things, real life. I wanted to get to know what I was fighting for.

I spent ten years doing nothing but living. During that ten years, I lived. For the first time in my life, I found myself alive. I got to know people. I learned to love the differences in people. I learned to love as God does. I owned several businesses. I worked in several different places. I travelled the 48 states. I joined a church.

At one point, I found myself homeless and learned that God was watching me, wondering how much faith I still had in Him. I never waivered. I remained positive. And, over and over again, I saw Him bless me.

I met some really great people with nothing. I met some really great people who had everything. I learned that material possessions have nothing to do with a person's character. I learned that only those who knew how to give were the ones who were really living. I learned that the ones who took without ever giving back were the ones who were most ungrateful and bitter with their lives. They were not living at all.

The whole ten years was a lesson on stewardship. In the end, I came to understand that God had given me chance after chance in this life. If I took the opportunities and used them wisely, I was blessed. If I failed to use those opportunities to work with-in His will, what little I had was taken away. My patience, my sanity, and my faith were tested over and over during this time, until I had learned well what it was He wanted me to learn.

Each time I failed, I went to the Father and inquired as to why? I sought to understand where I had gone wrong. I dug into His word, and stood tall on my knees declaring that I would not stop believing, and that I would trust Him, no matter what. I had a lot to learn.

Finally, I came to the realization of what it means when it says to completely trust in the Lord. I now understand that I can do nothing. He is really the one who does all things through me. When I take over, I fail. When I let Him take over and lead me, I succeed.

For the first time in my life, I am fearless. I know that no matter what I am going through, God will provide for all my needs according to His riches in Glory. If I have no food, somehow, He gives me food. If I am bored, somehow He stimulates my senses. If I have no clothes, somehow, He clothes me. If I am without shelter, He protects me. I have never done without, and I know now that He will never let me. All I have to do is keep trying, keep working toward whatever goals He sets for me, and keep seeking to be more like Jesus every day.

He does not do all this because I deserve it. He does this because I am His child. He does this because I believe in Him. He does this because He loves me. The most precious thing He has ever given me was His son, Jesus. If He would give me His only son, who died so that I could live, and then turn around and adopt me as His own child, how can I not fully trust Him?

My journey is far from over. There is still a lot my Father wants me to learn. This is evidenced by the fact that I am still here, on this earth, with you. Each experience I have brings me closer to Him, and teaches me to be a better person to you. I look forward to where He will take me next and what experiences I am destined to have. I hunger to see His every day miracles, and how they will affect me, which will in turn affect you. This is what the "abundant life" is all about.

Finally, I invite you to take this journey with me. It's simple: all you have to do is trust in Him. Let Him lead the way. Listen to what He says in His word. Live according to the example of Christ. Learn from your failures. Thank Him for your blessings. Give Him credit for where you are and who you become without blaming Him for your mistakes. Accept the offering that He made for you in His son, Jesus. Then, let Christ live through you.

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