I have to link to this article by Imonk-
It is about piercings ,but the quote that stood out to me above all else was-
"God isn't obligated to any of our cultures"

Follow the link for a good read-
High Culture, Low Lifes and Judgement In The Household of God

Motorcycle Retired Mama

Well Hubby you sure can talk me into weird things.

I now have my m class learners permit.

Clean

John 13:10 �Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.


It is such a joy to know that through His blood we can have confidence.

Ephesians 3:12 �In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.


Does that confidence rest in us or Him? If in us it isn't much good. If in Him and His promises it is all one needs.

Publicans

Matthew 5:46 �For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Matthew 5:47 �And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?


They are either our brother or they are not.

The truth is they are as the publicans. What do we more than others? It would seem nothing at times.

There is the act of shaking the dust off from an unworthy house, but we can pray for them from a distance and greet them when we pass.

There is only one sin that should not be prayed for.

Divided Homes

Luke 12:52 �For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
Luke 12:53 �The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

This is the state of an average home.

If we beat the father(tare) of a home and the child (wheat)is divided from the father. The father then leaves and wheat is uprooted.

If we beat the mother(tare) of a home and the child (wheat) is divided from the mother. The mother leaves and wheat is uprooted.

If their prayers are so righteous then why does our Father not hear them?

James 5:16 �Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.


Do they have no faults to confess? Do they pray for themself only? Are they not healed?

Do they not believe that when they pray "Father your will be done", they need to work within the perimeter of that will with patience?

Then there are the houses where the mother is wheat and the child is tare. Do they allow the tare (child) to stay because of wheat (mother)? Is the wheat's prayers not heard for the divided child?

Cast them all out and call an end to it! We will not wait on the Lord! We will work our iniquity in puffed up splendor!

Sinking Sand

Thinking about the physical foundations of the city of New Orleans got me to thinking about this spiritual parable the Lord told..

Luke 6:47 �Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 �He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 �But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Jesus Swept

There was a picture in our local news today of a sign hung on a cast iron fence in New Orleans that said "Jesus Swept" with a broom hanging over the sign.

Not sure what the message was suppose to convey but it did seem strange.

An article written with the picture basicly stated that if NO is going to rebuild on a swamp, against all odds of nature, they are not considering the folly of the enterprise. Get to higher ground was the message.

I have to agree. Humans do the dumbest things.

Torment Issue

I suppose it is an issue of torment since internal evil is purged by the blood.

Matthew 8:29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Mark 5:7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Luke 8:28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

But it is odd that the spirits of Phaisees were not affected on an external level in like manner.
The Pharisees only plotted to kill Him, which they did, yet did not.

Even they, however, couldn't stand being around Him.

2 Chronicles 7:14 �If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Is our land healed? I have to say yes!

Praise God!

Principalities or Persons

Ephesians 6:12 �For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.


I puzzle over others that insist on destroying entire families for the sake of fighting wickedness. The Lord never destroyed a single person when He walked this earth. In His encounters the spirit was removed but the person made whole.

It is as if our instructions on handling evil is not enough. Do they believe the devil will flee?

James 4:7 �Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I guess they are their own judge.

Does the devil flee from us? I have to say yes!

Praise God!

Getting Younger

I do believe hubby is getting younger instead of aging!
He is doing it gracefully however! ..lol Hun I love you!

Pray for Katrina Victoms Faith to Fail Not

Sadly I can already see the makings of finger pointing against the calamities of the survivors.

Much like the friends of Job they point and wag and claim, if only you were not such a sinner God would have protected you from such a fate.

I believe many revel in calamities.

God never promised we would not endure trials so if you trust in Christ and have survived Katrina, please know that this trial of your faith is surely in my prayers.

I am reading so much about Katrina..

Was God in it? Was God not in it?

The heavens and earth as they were in the apostles days are reserved for fire judgement.

2 Peter 3:7 �But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

In keeping this in mind I might be more inclined to believe Katrina was God allowing satan to touch all they have as in the picture of Job.

Either way as I have said on various blogs..
God was either in it or allowed it. Not sure on my part but..

I know that either way there is no unrighteous act in our Father.

Amen!

iMonk has a piece about weird Christians-

Link

While I agree with it in part...I also know the Lord does lead us.

Not to the weird places. He gives us love and sound minds.

Nice article by Steven Camp-

The Worship Driven Church...the church that disciplines sin

The comments are worthy also. To think on discipline among persons who are not in line of relationship basis does seem off.

Check it out.

Abiding in Wrath

John 3:36 ?He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.


I can not phantom abiding in God's wrath.

Revelation 14:9 ?And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 ?The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Revelation 14:11 ?And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 ?Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 ?¶And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.


Fire and brimstone. Torment is forever. No rest day nor night.

Romans 1:16 ?¶For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 ?For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 ?For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;


Holding God's truth in unrighteousness.

The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.

How powerful and mighty and praise to your name Lord! The power of God!

Power!
God!

Amen!

Wear Your Salvation

When we as Christians put on our helmet of salvation and stand firm in that Word ,we will often have others try and convince us of what horrible sinners we are.

The thing is that if we are still such horrible sinnners then we are calling God's Word to none effect.

1 John 1:9 �If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When I stand up in belief that God is faithful, just, merciful and true, I will also come to understand that all my confessed sins are cleansed. I am righteous because of Christ's cross!

Let the devil come against that! He is not coming against my word...but God's.

Wear your salvation!

Hurricanes and Memories

I am sure that by now we have all heard of the tragedy they called Katrina. The damage left by this hurricane was beyond belief.

It saddened my heart greatly. The people hit are in the middle of suffering the aftermath and our prayers and donations should be directed as needful.

One of the areas hit was a city filled with originality and tradition. I had the good fortune to be able to visit New Orleans, LA. twice. I tasted one of the hottest jambalayas that has ever graced my lips right there on Bourbon Street.

One of my best memories however was a little fried square of dough they called Beignets.
Cafe du Monde, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, specializes in strong chickory flavored coffee paired with sugary Beignets. I don't know how badly this cafe was damaged but I do hope they will not be out of business long.

Here is a beignet recipe. Certainly not as good as the originals (forgive me Emeril), that come from the heart of New Orleans.



Sweet Beignets

Recipe By :Emeril Lagasse

Corn oil -- for frying
= (or another oil with high smoke point,
such as safflower or peanut)
3 1/2 cups sifted flour -- plus
extra for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs -- lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar -- for serving

Fill a large, heavy-bottomed, wide-mouthed pot halfway with corn oil and heat over a medium-high flame until oil reaches a temperature of 360 degrees.

While the oil is heating, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl whisk together sugar and eggs. Stir canola oil and milk into sugar-egg mixture. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture until a biscuit-like dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour and, using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut into 2-inch squares. You will have scraps leftover but do not try to remix these as that will cause tough dough; just fry as they are.

Use the dough scraper to lift dough squares off the work surface. Fry the beignets in small batches about 4 minutes, or until golden, turning several times to color evenly. Using a slotted spoon gently remove the beignets and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Place powdered sugar in a sieve and shake over the beignets to cover with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

This recipe yields about 2 dozen.

Source:
"ESSENCE OF EMERIL with Emeril Lagasse - (Show # EE-2D14) - from the
TV FOOD NETWORK"
Yield:
"2 dozen"