Category Archives: Christian

Christian

Sabbath Log

I recently asked for prayers to live the Sabbath more faithfully, so I thought I would start a log to show how I’m doing.

8/19/23 Cleaned the kitty litter as usual, fed the cats wetfood for breakfast, I emptied the dehumidifier, cleaned up two cat messes

Planning to do better. I will plan to fill cat food and water on Friday afternoon before dark. I will also clean the kitty litter at the same time and then leave it till Saturday after dark.

I think the cats can go without wet food one day a week, so I will plan on skipping Saturday morning breakfast for the cats.

Messes can wait till Saturday after dark.

There is a reason they call Friday the Day of Preparation.

Overall I think I did better and I thank you for your prayers. How did I do better? I didn’t go anywhere. I bought canned food earlier in the week and microwaved soup for lunch and dinner. I think I will try to have either pre-made sandwiches or canned food in the future.

8/26/23 I picked up some crumbs and cat hair, but otherwise a little preparation on Friday afternoon helped greatly. I refilled the cats’ food and water and cleaned the kitty litter on Friday and I had canned food for lunch and dinner on Saturday along with some chips and pretzels. I did watch Notre Dame football and am wondering if that counts as causing the stranger to work. I know the college kids don’t get paid, but the production crew does.

10/14/2023 Had a willful setback. I still watched television and football. However, I also ran some laundry, bought lotto at the gas station and an iced coffee and pumpkin/cream pie at McDonald’s. Even though I cleaned the kitty litter yesterday, I just cleaned it again because I thought it needed it.

10/21/2023 Went to McDonald’s this morning, watched television and football, picked up a mess, took trash out, and bought lotto this afternoon.

10/28/2023 Went to McDonald’s, the pharmacy, and the gas station. I also watched television and football.

11/04/2023 Went to McDonald’s, the gas station, Dollar General, and Family Dollar. I also watched football and television.

11/11/2023 Went to McDonald’s and the gas station. Did daily sweepstakes on my phone. Watched television and college football.

11/18/2023 Did daily sweeps, watched TV and football. Also went to McDonald’s and the gas station.

11/25/2023 Did sweeps on my phone, watched TV and football. Went to gas station, McDonald’s, and Piggly Wiggly.

12/02/23 Went to McDonald’s twice, the gas station, and watched football and television.

12/09/23 Did much better. I only watched tv.

12/23/23 I did some online sweepstakes this morning, watched tv, and I plan on watching the NFL games.

1/13/24 After a few better observed Sabbaths, I went to the gas station, Piggly Wiggly and Dollar General today.

1/20/24 Shaved, showered, did a load of laundry, cleaned up some cat messes, cleaned downstairs kitty litter, and did some sweepstakes online.

2/03/24 Did some stuff on my phone – emails and PCH (Publisher’s Clearing House) did a load of laundry, and scooped the kitty litter.

2/17/24 Did my daily sweeps on my phone. Texted my mom. Took a shirt out of the dryer. After sunset, but before dark I cleaned up the kitty litter and picked up a few things to throw in the trash.

2/24/24 Did my daily sweeps, checked my email a few times, and went on X. Texted my mom using my own words.

3/02/24 Did my daily sweeps, checked email throughout the day, and texted my mom using my own words.

3/09/24 Did daily sweeps on my phone and cleaned up some kitty messes. I don’t know if anyone has read this far, but I feel like I’m doing somewhat better. I fought the urge to go to McDonald’s and the gas station. I need to keep in mind that as so often is the case, it can wait till tomorrow.

3/16/24 Did daily sweeps on my phone.

3/23/24 Did daily sweeps on my phone and sent a few texts using my own words.

3/30/24 Did my daily phone sweepstakes and sent some texts. I also took some trash to the dump.

4/06, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/05 Still doing daily sweeps on my phone. On 5/05 picked up some messes. These things could wait till after dark, but I have had poor impulse control regarding them. They seem minor, but in my opinion have prohibited living a perfect Sabbath.

5/11/24 Carried out trash, bought lotto, bought a burger and fries, and cleaned up a kitty mess.

5/18/24 Cleaned cat mess, emptied dehumidifier twice, carried out trash, and bought lotto. Went to Burger King for lunch and got an iced coffee at McDonald’s.

5/25/24 Picked up a few things, did a few things on my phone.

6/01/24 Did a few things on my phone. Went out and got the mail. Handed the postman an incorrectly addressed letter as he drove by when I was at the mailbox.

6/08/24 Picked up a few things, adjusted my mattress, went out and got the mail.

7/06/24 After a few better Sabbaths, on this one I went to the gas station, picked up a few things, arranged my mattress, emptied the dehumidifier, and did some things on my phone.

7/13/24 Picked up kitty mess, did daily sweeps and email on my phone, adjusted my mattress and made my bed.

7/20/24 Picked up a few kitty messes, did daily sweeps and email, adjusted mattress, went to gas station and bought lotto.

7/27/24 Did my daily sweeps and email, cleaned a cat mess, bought lottery at the gas station, bought a pizza, went to an ATM.

8/03/24 Cleaned kitty litter and a small mess, adjusted mattress, emptied dehumidifier, got a ride to pick up my car, went to Piggly Wiggly, went to gas station for lotto, did my daily sweeps and email. Went to hardware store, Walmart, and Taco Bell. Admittedly, not my best lived Sabbath.

8/10/24 Did daily sweeps and email, adjusted mattress, checked snail mail.

8/17/24 Cleaned two cat messes, adjusted mattress – for some reason it slides to the left while I sleep, went to McDonald’s for an iced coffee, went to gas station for lotto, and did daily sweeps and email.

8/24/24 Cleaned cat messes and kitty litter, adjusted mattress and Christmas tree(out for testing or very early celebration), emptied dehumidifier, picked up some cat hair, got mail, went to gas station for lottery tickets, did daily sweeps and email. Basically I did what I wanted too which exemplified disobedience and poor impulse control.

8/31/24 Filled water pitcher, adjusted mattress, did daily sweeps and email, went and got U.S. mail.

9/07/24 It’s been about a year since my first post on this log. Overall I’m not sure if I’ve improved much. You would think it would be easy to do nothing – yet I have difficulty with it. Did daily sweeps and email, bought lotto at the gas station and an iced coffee at McDonald’s, checked US mail, filled up water pitcher and watched football.

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My Sin

The Lord has helped me to quit looking at porn. He has also helped me to quit smoking. However, I have not been keeping the Sabbath as I should. If you happen to be reading this, your prayers to do better are appreciated.

Exodus 20:8-11 KJV
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: [10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: [11] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isaiah 58:13-14 KJV
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: [14] Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

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Inescapable Synonyms

In this age of cancel culture, people are trying to redefine biblical words in order to make them undesirable or just weaken their true meaning. Definitions matter. If evil can change fear of the Lord to respect and awe of the Lord and confess your sins to simply acknowledge them the Devil is making serious strides in spreading misinformation and misunderstanding. What’s the truth?

  • Religion is another word for Duty
  • Legalism is another word for Obedience
  • Fear is another word for Terror. Terrible is a correct adjective used to describe God
  • Holy is another word for Righteous
  • Righteous is another word for Obedient
  • Love is another word for Caring
  • Caring is another word for Affection
  • Placing conditions on love and affection is natural and appropriate.

Before you believe those that say this word means such and such according to recent studies of Greek or Hebrew, learn what it means in English. If you have doubts on the meaning of a word check your Dictionary and Thesaurus before they too get changed and a new and so called better version comes out.

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Sure

Perhaps you’ve heard Jesus died on the cross for every sin you would ever commit.

Taken by itself this is an incomplete picture of salvation. The Bible tells us love covers a multitude of sins. It also tells us we are all sinners. Wouldn’t you like to be sure you are forgiven?

You are forgiven of sins past in water baptism. Baptism is immersion in water by another, a baptizer, who says I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost or I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ after you have accepted Jesus as Messiah and expressed repentance.

After water baptism the only sure way to be forgiven is 1 John 1:9.

Proverbs 28:13 KJV says He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

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Looking Back

Luke 9:62 KJV
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

I was thinking about this verse the other day and had a few insights I’d like to share.

What would a man looking back possibly think?

Look at all I have done.

I’ve done enough.

Both thoughts may put us at odds with following Jesus properly. It is a warning that we should heed and press forward to the prize as Paul suggests in Philippians 3:13-14.

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Evidence

The evidence of the Holy Ghost is not speaking in tongues.

If you yourself do not know what you are saying, how do you know you are not cursing the Lord or others?

Evidence of the Holy Ghost is hearing the truth and doing it.

The Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth. John 15:26-27 KJV says, But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: [27] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Further, James 1:22 KJV tells us, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

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Baptism: A Public Declaration of Faith

Is baptism about a public declaration of faith?

No.

There are only 2 people required for a baptism, the baptizer and the baptizee. There is no biblical requirement that baptism be a public declaration of faith. Witnesses are not a requirement.

The baptizee should have accepted Jesus as Messiah and acknowledge their sin with the understanding that baptism brings them into the family of God and washes away their previous sin which they have repented of.

The baptizer should submerge the baptizee in water saying either, I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ or I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There is no requirement that the baptizer be clergy, but this is often the case. In fact there is no requirement that the baptizer be a believer, but if you want them to say the correct words and submerge you completely in water it is recommended.

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Bad Medicine

Bad doctrine is like bad medicine. As bad medicine is harmful to the body, bad doctrine is unhealthy for the soul.

Christianity is not a religion. It might be popular to say, but that doesn’t make it true. I would suspect even the non-believers you are trying to attract realize this statement is simply false.

People who preach the law are purveyors of legalism. Legalism of course being a dirty word. Is law bondage? What does the Bible actually say regarding the law?

Hebrews 10:16-17 KJV
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; [17] And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

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Prayer Etiquette

It should be common sense, but don’t pray naked. Be aware of yourself and your surroundings. Does it seem respectful? I myself am guilty of praying in the shower or while sitting on the toilet. This should not be done.

In prayer you are coming before the presence of the most high God, Jehovah. He deserves the utmost respect.

Always and only come before him in prayer with Jesus. He is our Savior and Advocate. He is also the only mediator between us and God the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5.

Do this by opening or closing the prayer in Jesus name.

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A Gift

Salvation is a gift of God.

Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Like any other gift it matters how you receive it and if you decide to keep it.

When a gift is offered you have to receive it. This is known as acceptance. Do you accept Jesus as the Son of God? Do you accept his sacrifice on the cross as an offering for your salvation? John 3:16, John 3:18, Hebrews 7:26-27, Hebrews 9:14

Have you been baptized in water for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ?

Acts 22:16 KJV
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. See also Acts 2:38.

Have you decided to keep your salvation?

1 John 1:7-9 KJV
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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