Author: Have You Considered...?

I hadn’t driven very far when I remembered “he’s” coming to town.  Darn, and I’m going right through campus.  Too late now, maybe I can miss the traffic, maybe he hasn’t arrived yet or has already been here.  Then I saw it, the sign, “Bark for Bernie”, a young couple and their dog walking toward campus proudly displayed a large handwritten sign.  Nope, looks like it hasn’t started yet.

Bernie Sanders, the well-known 2020 Democratic presidential candidate was coming to our town today.  Welcome to town Bernie!  There are just a few things I’d like to ask you.  How’d you get here?  Were you keeping the Green initiatives in mind when you showered, dressed, and traveled?  Did you think of protecting my air and my children’s and grandchildren’s air?  What was your carbon footprint like today?

Bernie, did you ride in a limo, or a Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes, or a mere hybrid?  Still looks pretty good compared to my newest mode of transportation:  a 2007 Ford Escape, bought and paid for mind you.  Approximately 12 years old.

Bernie, did you have an escort?  When you needed coffee or a drink did you stop at the local “get-n-go” and run in and stand in line to pay for it?  Did you use the facilities because you couldn’t wait till you got to your destination to “go”?

Bernie, did you have armed guards?  You know, the ones that carry weapons like, (heaven forbid), semi-automatic rifles?

Bernie, did you mingle with the crowds of people that walked, drove, bicycled, scooter, or ran to see you?  Did you invite them to your home to visit?

You see, Bernie, I ask these questions for a reason.  While you stand up there on your podium well protected, financially secure, and catered to, my family is working and wondering if their car is going to make it to the grocery store.  We wonder if we can have the privilege of being armed for our own protection and our children’s.  Bernie, we are tired when we get off work, and yet drive ourselves to the store and wait in long lines.

When you talk about democratic socialism, free college, and free health care I don’t believe you one bit.  Just tell the truth, it’s not free, neither one will be free.  To the recipient it will seem that way but to the taxpayers no.  You and I know that we all will have to pay so no, it’s not free.  Just say it.  Why is that so hard for you to say?  Oh yes because you know that all those young 18-25-year old Americans will vote for you, and their population is growing, and they squeak a little louder than us older folks.  Squeaky wheel gets the grease!

Nothing’s for free.  Jesus is free, yet even that comes with a price or sacrifice on the recipient’s part (the bible tells us to count the cost).  If it’s too good to be true, it’s probably not true.  It’s not true that there will be free college and health care.

You see, I like the idea of free college and free health care.  I think yes if you want to pay for it, I’ll take it!  If you paid for my college and health care, would there be strings attached or “conditions”?  Am I going to get a quality education or quality health care?  Will I be indebted to you or feel that I am? Since you’re paying for my college and health care can you drop in on me anytime to check up on my “well being” invading my privacy?

My husband says you get what you pay for.  Might not be very good college or health care.

It just doesn’t fit, Mr. Sanders, you can fool some of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time.

I talked to my daughter once and asked her why we can’t have free college and health care without killing babies.  She responded (I paraphrase), you must give up something to get something else, or in other words, pick your battles.  You have accomplished your goal with her and many others that I know, but not me.  I neither trust you nor believe you.

Don’t play the little old man game with me.  Some people (mostly women) I know think that all rich white men are evil, so why don’t they think that about you?  You’re a white man, you’re wealthy (rich), so why do they hate President Trump and not you?  It’s very simple, you want to give them free reign to kill their babies and he doesn’t.  I don’t think President Trump acts like something he’s not.  He knows he rich, he knows he’s conceited, he knows he’s white, he knows he loves this country and he knows he a capitalist.  Do I like that about him?  Not all of it, but I think he is more honest than you.  You on the other hand you have rode on the wings of capitalism to get to the height of having the opportunity to have the power to take it away from everybody else.

Mr. Sanders, if I sit at home and crochet hot pad holders, (do you know what those are) then go open a store to sell those hot pat holders, I am capitalizing on my creativity.  I have earned wages for my hard work.  What’s so wrong about that?  Let’s say my mom gave me $100.00 to get the supplies to make the hot pad holders and I keep all the income from the business, it’s still a good thing.  If I make a billion dollars from my $100.00 hot pad holders it makes it no worse.  If the American people can’t capitalize on their creativity, keep the income, and spend it how they want, why do anything at all.  That’s one of the wonderful things about this country, capitalizing on an idea!

Bernie, I’m only slightly college educated, middle aged, I’m not classified as a genius, and even I know socialism, (or whatever you want to call it), is very dangerous for this country; those that swallow your lies, don’t really understand what freedom is.  Because, Bernie, they won’t be enjoying the same freedoms that you will be enjoying as leader of this country.  Like being escorted for your safety, like having armed security all around you, like not having to stand in the bread and cheese line while your children are crying for food, and like having to use the public facilities.  Having the money to send your children or grandchildren to a private college. This is the country that you want.  You won’t take advantage of the free college or free health care because it won’t be to your standards—you will be privileged!

Why do we have to try to be like other countries?  Let’s be our own country, with our own ways, and lead by example so others will want to be like us, not the other way around.  Which seems to be the reason why we have a border problem because we are prosperous and free, and others want that.  So maybe you really do want border control, just in a different way.

You should be ashamed of misleading the American people.  Using free college, climate change, and free health care to the young people as a vise to get them to do your will.  You are evil!  But are you really?

I have a few theories:

1. You really believe what you’re doing is the best for this country and its people.
2. You are very ignorant.
3. You really know what you’re doing and like being evil.

On top of those theories, you really can’t take credit for any of it.  Sorry to break it to you, but there is one who is much wiser than you, as much as I hate to say it.  He’s been around for a long time and is pure evil, that is Satan.  With all three of my theories he’s still the author of hating people and stirring up all kinds of trouble.  So, although you don’t believe in the One True God of the scripture, you are just a pawn that plays into what His prophesy already says.

Because of the above facts I find it to be necessary to forgive you, as hard as that is.  I just wish that you would wake up to the truth.

Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  NASB

          Revelation 22:11 “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”  NASB

M. Newberg September 22, 2019

By M. Newberg

I want to talk about violence against diversity.  Violence toward someone because they may be different.  Is it beneficial to anyone to be violent toward people that seem different?  Is it beneficial to God?  Is it beneficial to the victim?  Is it beneficial to the offender?  If I don’t react violently or in an aggressive way, am I condoning their diversity?

My daughter told me about such an incident recently at her cousin’s high school graduation.  My daughter picked up her cousin’s friend for the graduation.  This friend is having gender identity issues.  The friend, I’ll call Audrey, happens to have recently attended church.  This church also recently kicked her out of the congregation because of her issues.  At the graduation the pastor of the church confronted Audrey and told her that she was not allowed to be there.  The pastor had Audrey cornered, was very aggressive and used inappropriate language.  My daughter stepped in to protect Audrey and to defend her; the situation came close to ending in a fist fight!

How did this violent behavior benefit the pastor?

 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”  Galations 6:1 NASB

This pastor has failed to study her scriptures closely.  We don’t know why Audrey is struggling.  We don’t know what may have happened to her, or why she is tempted in the way that she is.  To approach her with violence and aggression does not fit with what God Elohim says!

 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17

We are to gently restore those that have fallen.  When we confront them, it should be in private not in a public place violently.  What about the biblical laws that call for stoning sinners?  I believe that all of God’s laws are still in place; however, what would supersede this stoning?

John 8:1-11 gives an account of a woman caught in adultery, which, according to the law, would be punishable by stoning.  The pharisees and scribes tested Jesus whether the woman should be stoned based on the law of Moses.  He responds with, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  One by one they all left who were accusing her.  She was left alone with Jesus who says, “I do not condemn you, either.  Go.  From now on sin no more.”

So why didn’t Jesus stone the woman?  He could have stoned her because He was without sin.  I submit that it was better for her to repent and to be saved than to die in her sin.  God’s grace.  It is better for people to be gently restored unto salvation than to continue in their sin or to die in their sin and perish forever.

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4

Audrey is left with fear, shame, and possibly hatred toward someone who supposedly is a “Christian”.  Has this drawn her closer to the Messiah?  Has it healed her?  I doubt it.  She may never trust a believer again.  More importantly she may never trust God Elohim again.  What kind of witness was this behavior to my daughter?

This time violence has not solved anything.  The scriptures teach us to be like Jesus.  Was this pastor lady being a good representative of Jesus?  Not according to Romans 2:4.

I’m sure you have heard the old saying, “you catch more bees with honey than vinegar”.  Just because I am not violent or aggressive towards someone because of their sin doesn’t mean that I condone their behavior.  I believe that I can be a better light with gentleness.  Talking to and witnessing to someone, I believe, involves listening to them interacting with them, and showing them the love of God Elohim.

Believers, have you considered how to react when you encounter diversity?  Something to think about!

Writer’s block.  Worse case I’ve had.  I was going to write about the over use of the word special but that fizzled out.  I was going to write about growing up and that’s fizzled out also.  How about I write about a .38 special?  Maybe time appropriate with the recent uproar about guns and school shootings?  Maybe not.  I could write about our government and how our newest president was able to collude with the Russians and how that was possible if our country’s security was at 100% under the previous administration?  Maybe not.  That would be taboo, right?

Speaking of taboo, why is it taboo to talk about religion or politics?  Why is it such a no no at work or in certain settings?  Wouldn’t it be easier to expose corruption by speaking about it openly?  Wouldn’t it be wiser to keep these subjects fluent in conversation?  Why is it that it is not “PC” to talk about these things?  Who said, in this supposedly free country, that we couldn’t talk about these subjects openly?  Who?  I’d like to know.  Shame on them for making us look over our shoulders every time the subject of our faith or political opinion comes up!  That’s just not American!  We should embrace our freedom.  These people or forces that want to tighten the lips of the american people are those that want to control the population!  Just remember they’re not afraid to openly talk about their opinions and ideas.  So what gives?  We are not supposed to be living in a country with censorship and book banning…what gives?

We need to take back our freedom to speak openly about our faith and our political views and other subjects.  Of course we should do so politely, professionally, and respectfully.  Those things that are hidden should be exposed.  What is hidden can become evil and dangerous.  Our government should be ran openly and transparent, with the exception of national security.  And I interpret that to mean the security of our nation and its citizens.  It should not mean spying on those citizens!

So that is what is so special…writer’s block…ho hum until another day..be kind and be free!

Who can know the mind of God?

Men have studied the human mind for centuries with stunning results.  Science and technology pushes us to reach deep into our minds (brains) to “discover” and invent new things.  I have heard that we only use 10% of our brain.  Upon further search this percentage is up for discussion.  So let’s say theoretically we use 100% of our brain, how does that match up to the mind of God?

100% of the human mind versus 100% of the Creator’s mind.  No comparison.  Contrary to popular belief we as humans do not “discover” anything.  We simply “find” that which God has placed here and knew about before the creation of the universe!  “Science” is only the study of what God has created and man thinks he is so smart that he figured it out.  You’ll always hear me say that God created science.

Our brains were created by God, therefore, we are not smarter than the Creator.  Does a painting control the painter or does the painter control the painting?

Our beautifully designed brains are still never going to be able to comprehend the mind of God.  We are not as smart as God!  Never will be.  Yet man has put their intellect above God; to be their own god so to speak.  They have reasoned their way out of needing God.

Job 38-41

1 Corinthians 2:11 “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13 “which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”

1 Corinthians 2:16 “FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?  But we have the mind of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

1 Corinthians 3:19 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.  For it is written, ‘He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS’;”

Reasoning their way out of needing God is only out of their resistance to authority.  Not wanting to give up their sin.  Not wanting to be accountable and not wanting to be humble.  If there is no God then we can do what we want, not care about others, not have to worry about consequences and believe that in the end you just die and that is that.  So no harm done right?  Scripture contradicts that belief system.

Have you considered the mind of God?  Is your intellect getting in the way of your faith?  Something to think about for sure.