Symbols for the Bible

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey from the honeycomb. I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Psalm 19:9-10; 119:25, 105, 118, 130).

This command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life (Proverbs 6:23).

As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces” (Jeremiah 15:16; 20:9; 23:29)?

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there while everyone stood on the shore. Then Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still, other seeds fell on good soil, producing a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:1-23).

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Therefore, take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 5:25-27; 6:17).

For the word of God is alive and active. So sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In fact, though you ought to be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 4:12; 5:12-14).

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:18, 23-27).

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Instead, like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 1:23; 2:1-2).

$22 million worth of God's goodness

The Nazarene Fund has raised $22 million in two days to rescue thousands of trapped Christians in Afghanistan and relocate them to safety in countries outside the United States since the U.S. is not currently welcoming them. We are only seven months into a four-year term for this President, and he is already one of the worst we have ever had. I literally shudder to think what this place and the world will look like by 2024 if his administration has its way. Of course, that's not to say we shouldn't have gotten out of Afghanistan. That decision was also long overdue, but leave it to Joe Biden--or whoever is thinking for him this week--to make a mess out of what could have been the only good thing his team has done since assuming power in January. But while the Biden Administration and everyone else on Team Great Reset are busy remaking the world in their own warped image, it has fallen on the everyday, not-so-average "Joe" (pun intended) in what is left of the real America to try to clean up the mess. And boy, did real America show off this week.

On Wednesday morning's show, Glenn Beck was joined by Rudy Atlallah, Chief Operating Officer of the Nazarene Fund, who detailed a dangerous mission his team is about to attempt to save the lives of thousands of Christians hiding and trapped in Afghanistan [1]. It was revealed that The Nazarene Fund would need $20 million in two days to accomplish everything their goal of rescuing approximately 5,000 Christians from the closest thing to Hell on Earth at the hands of the Taliban that has recently retaken control of Afghanistan. It seemed like a near-impossible task, even as Glenn pleaded with his audience to "give until it hurts." He and his wife backed up his words by donating $200,000 of their own money to the cause. But the best part of what has happened the last two days was not large, single-donor donations, but the countless smaller contributions that have made up the $22 million currently raised by The Nazarene Fund. From $10-20 to some people donating $1 because it's all they could afford, over the last two days, The Nazarene Fund has already gone over the fundraising goal.

On his show this morning, Glenn spoke directly to his audience again, saying, "I will tell you I have felt like George Bailey all week [2]. Everybody makes fun of Frank Capra. 'Oh, that America doesn't exist.' It does exist because I've just played the role of George Bailey! All I did was say, 'These people are in trouble,' and you went out and gathered money. You didn't even ask questions. You just went and gathered the money. Do you know how unbelievable it is? When people do fundraisers, they usually pad them. 'We got a big check for $50,000. We know that's coming.' We had nothing on Wednesday. Nothing. And you just went out and said, 'The people in Afghanistan are in trouble,' and look at what you've done. To Hell with those people who say Frank Capra and It's A Wonderful Life isn't a realistic look at America. Yes, it is, but it's a mindset. You have to choose to live that. And I want you to know you're going to be so blessed by this. You already are. If you're feeling like I am, you already are. I was at the end of my rope. ... Last Sunday, I said, 'I've really kinda given up hope. I don't see a way out.' ... But I thought more people were just past it. The worst thing that could happen to us, this is what will seal our fate, is if our hearts grow cold. When man's love for man waxes cold, we're done. When we lose our Judeo-Christian value on life and decency, there's nothing that can be saved, and we wouldn't deserve it. We will make Nazi Germany look like rookies if that grows cold in us. And for me to come to you, and you already knew, and say, 'The Afghan people are in trouble, and we gotta try to do something.' And I told you at the time, 'I don't know how this is gonna work.' Yesterday I told you, and I'm telling you this again now, but with much more optimism, there's no way this happens unless God is present. If this happens, it is because God has opened up doors because there are no doors. Yesterday, we were told that the airport is gonna be closed for 48 hours. I didn't even know if that was going to be opened up. I can't give you any of the details right now, but the first flight of Christians just took off. We have other planes going in very soon, and if all goes well, it will be a steady landing and taking off of airplanes. We could have thousands out by this time Monday, but boy, we need prayers. But I so want you to focus on the people because when we're focused on others, our problems don't seem so big. And I want you to focus on [the fact that] you are not helpless. Tell me any problem in our country that is bigger than what's happening in Afghanistan. Tell me that we can't accomplish anything we set our mind to. ... Everyone would tell us, 'It can't be done.' It can be done. And if we serve others, if we keep our eyes and our hearts open to the suffering of others and get out of our suffering, we will solve problems that people will say can't be solved. You will see miracles in your lifetime ... You will witness Moses-style miracles. And I'm telling you if we get [even] 3,000 of these people out, it's a Moses-style miracle. You don't know the briefings that I have had in the last two days. It will be a Moses-style miracle, and it happened because of you. Don't you dare give up hope. You know what's going on. Of all the principles we have, the one that makes [Americans] so noble is that we never leave people behind. ... Your heart is more open than I thought, and your heart is more open than mine. Thank you for giving me my hope in the future back" [3].

Glenn Beck on his radio show this morning

There are a couple of lessons to learn from all of this. God is light, and he shines brightest at the darkest times. But Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven [4]. I'm not saying everyone involved in this truly belongs to Christ. Only God knows that for sure one way or the other. But I am willing to go out on a limb and say that most of what has been accomplished here and what will be accomplished going forward is a direct result of the obedience of Christ-followers as the Holy Spirit prompted. May the whole world see what has been done here. May we believe for those Moses-sized miracles. And may the world as a whole see it and glorify our Father in Heaven in Jesus' name.

Here are all the ways you can donate:

Online: https://thenazarenefund.org

Phone: 972.499.4747

Check: PO Box 140489 Irving, TX 75014

SOURCES

1. Give to Afghanistan Until It HURTS: '30 Minutes That’ll Change Your Life’ Part 3 on the Glenn Beck website, August 18, 2021.
2. It's A Wonderful Life by Liberty Films (1947)
3. The Glenn Beck Program: Miracles happen, thanks to God, and you aired on August 20, 2021
4. Matthew 5:14-16

What keeps me up when I'm trying to sleep

This doesn't happen to me as often. That's not to say I never have times where bad memories keep me up at night. Sometimes they do, and boy, do I have some doozies do dwell on when it does happen. Don't we all? However, what keeps me up more often is not bad memories but "what ifs" about the future. That wasn't always the case. I can remember when absolutely no money came in for months, and I didn't worry one time because I trusted that the Lord would work it out some way. When I had the H1N1 (swine) flu and my temperature was hovering around 103, not only was I not worried, I was trying to bring calmness and assurance that I would be okay. And yet, there have been ridiculous times in the past and present where I have allowed worry to grip me and tear me apart. An earwax buildup on a Friday night worried me to the point that I thought I had some kind of sudden permanent deafness. Then I went to the doctor that Monday morning and all they had to do was flush my ear out. I was constipated for not even a full day and scared myself into thinking I had a kidney stone. More recently, I found out I was going to have to have some oral surgery. I went from feeling relieved by the time I left the dentist's office to make the one cardinal mistake you never do when facing a medical procedure: I started Googling. So I went from, "Whoo, dodged a bullet there" to thinking my life was over, I was going to have to voluntarily wear a mask for the rest of my life, not because of some stupid virus with a ridiculously high survival rate, but because I thought I would be too ugly to take it off. Or I thought that I was going to look 62 by the time I was 42 because my face was going to sink in. To be honest, because this surgery is still pending, I still struggle with these thoughts, though not nearly as much as I was the first weekend after I got this news. The other worst times are when I first wake up in the morning for some reason. That brings me to another side note I will mention before continuing on here. Don't just be careful about looking up information for yourself and diagnosing worst-case scenarios, but also be cautious about who you talk to about certain things. Even if you have terrific friends who aren't trying to add to your distress or discourage you, sometimes well-meaning people can do more harm than good.

And that brings me to the points I want to make with this post. Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. So if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:25-34). Worry is the real pandemic, and it's been a global problem much longer than March 2020 and after. Depths of worry, fear, panic, or whatever you want to call it may have been exposed by the COVID-19 response, but it didn't create it. These things have been in people's hearts since the fall of mankind (not Mick Foley, but humanity) in Genesis 3.

Not the fall of Mankind I was talking about (Photo courtesy of WWE King of the Ring 1998)

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid" (Genesis 3:8-10). Before the fall of mankind (okay, at this point, I just keep repeatedly using that phrase because of my AWESOME WWE pun), Adam and Eve walked in perfect, unbroken fellowship with God. There were no barriers in their relationship between them and God or between each other. After the fall, fear entered the picture. "I was afraid, so I hid." Before they even heard God, they covered up their nakedness and hid it from each other, and they were married! They had only ever seen each other naked from the very beginning, and they felt no shame (Genesis 2:25). But now, because of sin, they were worried. Their sin separated them from God, and their fear kept them from seeking reconciliation with him. It's interesting to think of the fact that sin caused fear because submitting to fear of anything except God is also a sin. Talk about a vicious cycle from the very start. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death (Revelation 21:8). That's quite the list of people who will end up in eternal Hell, but did you notice who was mentioned first in this list? It is cowardly and unbelieving people. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:36). Fear and unbelief are not the same things, but they are at least cousins. Not all fear is wrong, but all unbelief toward God can lead people to paralyzing fear, especially in times of crisis if the unbelief persists. What is the correct response when fear comes knocking at your door? There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18). So the proper response to fear is perfect love, and that only comes from God, which means you have to depend on him for it to flow through you.

Times of testing reveal what is really inside of us. So, dear brothers and sisters, consider it an opportunity for great joy when troubles of any kind come your way. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:2-4). Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test (2 Corinthians 13:5)? Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Of course, you don't earn salvation by having courage and not giving in to feelings of anxiety. But trials and times of testing are a way of showing us what is on inside of us. They are some of our best self-assessment tools. When you are squeezed, what comes out of you? When I am squeezed, what comes out of me?

I asked myself that question after my dental appointment a couple of weeks ago, followed by a total of four hours of sleep over the next two days. I didn't like the answer to that question. I thought to myself, "If I am reacting this way to news of oral surgery, how would I have acted had I been told I only had a limited time to live? What does this reveal about what is in me?" We need to be careful with such thoughts because there is a thin line between self-examination and condemnation. Self-examination and conviction says, "You are coming up short here. Take this to God and deal with it." Condemnation says, "You call yourself a Christian? Look how scared you are! You can't even sleep! You talk about faith and encourage others to have it, but look at you up all night worrying yourself to no end. You might as well give up. If you need any further treatment that isn't covered, you'll never afford it, and your life will be as good as over." God isn't all fluffy warm fuzzies, but even his chastizement is intended to bring correction, not hopelessness.

So whether you are like Kermit in this meme and your brain is keeping you up with your 10 worst memories or whether you have some concerns about your future, may I encourage you to do what I have been doing since that first weekend passed? Always answer fear with faith. But what if I don't have any faith? I'm glad you asked that because the Bible has the answer for that, too, as it does for everything since it comes from God himself. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). So if your faith is weak, go to the God-breathed Old and New Testaments he has provided for you and stay in it so that your faith will be strengthened. Then you will be ready to pass your tests with flying colors.