SelahV Today

TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE...my last post?

It's not an April Fool's Day joke.  I'm serious.  It's become a burning question in my mind, lately.

I've been thinking that I should just shut down this blog.   Even though I have managed somehow to accumulate a fairly strong readership, I am not all that sure that the whole world has need of my voice.

With all the mounting internet threats, I really don't feel safe anymore.  I've heard of stories where when you click on a certain site from somone who has left an url, that the second that site opens up, you have just opened the door for someone to enter your computer and gather any and all information you have stored in it.  They can add a magnet of a worm to be able to see your every keystroke.  I don't know quite how it's done, but there is software available to do that.

With the threat of computer viruses, destruction is commonplace. Even today, April Fool's Day, we have been warned of a virus being launched to worm its way into every computer it can.  Microsoft is actually offering a 250,000-dollar reward to anyone who can tell them how to destroy its capabilities. 

With the belief of many who think even a personal email should be viewed as public information the moment the button "send" is pushed, I am no longer as trusting as I once was.  That bothers me more than anything.  I do not like feeling like I should constantly be "watching my back", for fear private conversations could be placed in a book or given to the world with the "click" of a "mouse".  I do not want to be the next "fool" who trusted amiss. 

Just last week I googled my name.  And lo and behold, in the midst of all the posts that showed links to my site, was a private email I'd sent to someone.  How can google do that?  I have a password protected server.  Yet Google can somehow grab my email from somewhere--my computer?  another's computer?  cyberspace?--and then place it on a search engine's results page.  How can this be?  To my knowledge, I haven't given Google permission to grab my emails.  Nor have I given AOL permission to share them.  Yet, there it was in black and white...on my monitor screen.  They said it was only for my viewing, but people, come on.  If they can do that with an email, they can do that with anything in my computer.

With privacy being breached each and every day, I'm not so naive to believe there are not people who are devious enough to destroy a person's reputation and impugn another's character by simply buying software that can invade their lives.  It wouldn't surprise me at all (now that I've seen a private email lifted from my files and appear in a Google search of my name), to learn that someone knows every detail of my life.  From medical conversations to chatting about the weather and incontinence.  All of which has been taken straight from cyber-space.  Not a good feeling to comtemplate, is it?

So folks, I am thinking.  I am praying.  Is this worth it?  selahV

PROPHETIC UTTERANCE OF ADRIAN ROGERS AND OTHER MINISTERS

"There is coming an economic calamity that will make the great depression of 1929 seem like child's play."  Adrian Rogers 1995

Thirteen years ago.  Long before 9-11.  Long before the Dot-Com bubble burst.  Long before the Iraq War.  Adrian Rogers spoke those words.  He did not know the market collapse of 2008 would occur.  He did not know that a president could be elected who would turn back the clock to even more abortions in our country with a mere signature on Inaugaration Day.  Yet, he predicted a calamity of historical proportions.

Are we so blind we cannot see the signs of the times before our very eyes?  Are we so vile and wretched we are calloused to His Spirit's conviction?  Are we so deaf we cannot hear the Word of God?  Are we so self-saturated we cannot heed the warnings of a minister's words?  Are we so apathetic that our First Love is the least of all we treasure?

Australian minister, Steve Grosey, must be wondering just that.

Indeed, Southern Baptist minister, CB Scott, questions the lukewarm hearts of man as he contemplates President-elect Barack Obama signing the Freedom of Choice Act in January as his first act as president of the United States.

While I do not write too many posts of outcry, I could not sit here after reading the linked posts above and not moan a cry of my soul.  May God have mercy on us all.  May we turn from our complacent musings and self-absorbing fears and come before the throne of grace with a repentant heart.  Only He can heal our land.  Only He. 

"Come now, you rich [people], weep aloud and lament over the miseries (the woes) that are surely coming upon you.  Your abundant wealth has rotted and is ruined, and your [many] garments have become moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver are completely rusted through, and their rust will be testimony against you and it will devour your flesh as if it were fire.  You have heaped together treasure for the last days.  [But] look!  [Here are] the wages that you have withheld by fraud from the laborers who have reaped your fields, crying out [for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts, [Here] on earth you have abandoned yourselves to soft (prodigal) living and to [the pleasures of] self-indulgence and self-gratification.  You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.  You have condemned and have murdered the righteous (innocent man), [while] he offers no resistance to you."  James 5:1-6  Amplified.

"You have condemned and have murdered the righteous (innocent man), while he offers no resistance to you."  Abortion of innocents.  They cannot offer any resistance.  "Be patient, brethren, till the coming of the Lord." selahV   

 

WOE UNTO YOU WHO CAUSE ME TO STUMBLE!

I'm not the brightest lightbulb in the box.

  I've got a whole lot less education than most anyone who reads my blog.  I know less ecclesiology, theology, psychology, biology and methodology than the majority of people who happen by.  (Needless to say, I'm honored anyone would choose to read me.)  HOWEVER...

Since I became a Christian, the Good Lord in His all-knowing character saw fit to enlighten me on a few things from His inerrant, inspired Word.  One of the things was to "beware of the wolves dressed as sheep".  God warned me early on in my sanctification process that there would be those folks who'd come with every wind of doctrine and try to twist the Truth of God and lead me down a boulder-strewn path.  So I am ever-mindful of my Lord's prayer for me that I be protected from the evil one. (see John 17).  Nevertheless, occasionally I find myself persuaded to walk along after someone's pathway till I stumble across a boulder of ignorance and hypocrisy.  Oftimes I'm met with scrapes and cuts that sometimes heal easily--while others leave gaping wounds that take years to heal.  And even when they heal, they leave very noticeable scars as reminders to "beware of the wolves".  Whoa!

“Woe”.  I believe Jesus warns all Believers to be extremely careful with the knowledge, influence and power we have been given.  (All things are from God--you can't boast in your own success, you know.)  There are those who know a lot more than I, and those who know a lot more than you.  And sometimes, the Lord gets in one of His humorous moods and takes someone who knows less than you or me, and uses them to teach us a lesson or two.  He has great fun with those times, I think.  Sometimes God even sends in the kings of Babylon to enslave us, an Egyptian caravan to move us, a giant fish to reduce us to vomit to get us to follow after Him and His righteousness.

To prove His point, God is not all that concerned with our comfort.  Think about it.  Prisons of Rome.  Executioner's block.  Waterless wilderness.  Darkened caves.  Storm-tossed boats.  Hanging baskets.  Isles of Patmos.  No wonder Jesus warned us of the millstone; we can't all be Johns and Pauls.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin..."?  WOE UNTO THEM!

As I wrote today in my daily devotional blog, "It's not the unbeliever that will be held accountable, for he is condemned already."  It's gonna be better that a millstone be tied around my neck and tossed in the deepest sea, than it will be if I lead a single child of God to stumble and consequently sin.  I don't know about you, but I take that admonition quite seriously.  How about you?

Has someone tripped you lately?  Have you fallen into sinful behavior because of another's penchant to sin? Have you been provoked to arrogance because another was arrogant?  Have you given into your own pride because another was condescending toward you?  Have you used another's sinful behavior to excuse your own?  Woe unto us who have.

Given the Lord's "Woe-of-Warning", what should Christians avoid doing?  What should we avoid saying?  What should we avoid supporting, endorsing, condoning and validating?  How relevant are my choices to the "little ones" who believe in and cleave to Jesus?  What difference does my example mean in the scheme of things?

Is what I tolerate today, the validation of tomorrow?

"Frankly, Scarlett," I do believe so. 

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]

CHATTER, PRATTLE AND FUN IN THE SUN

While I am away from home, I venture onto my granddaughter's computer from Ocean Springs, Mississippi and catch up on some of my SBC friends' chatter.  I must say that a great deal is being said about things which could be less of a "deal" if all parties simply rest in the Son.  Son of God, that is.  Most of the chatter and prattle is a direct result of an inability to trust in God and a need to trust in man, in my own biased opinion.

A great deal of heartache in life can be avoided when one seeks not the counsel of men, but relies solely on the counsel of God and His Word.

Today I was privileged to go to the beach.  We had an abundance of sunshine and warm soft breezes.  The sand was plentiful; ocean waves tiptoed into shore as seagulls floated above us.  Conner was mesmerized by the gigantic sandbox at his fingertips.  He'd never seen sand before.  What a joy to watch him experience the wonder of God.  The sand was so fine it felt like ground flour in my hands.  As I sat there watching one-year-old Conner's expression change from fear to bewilderment, to timidity and then sheer joy and pleasure, I was reminded of God's promise to Abraham.  The promise was so profound and mindboggling--just like the billions upon billions of grains of sand that lay before Conner.

Abraham did not need to worry about sacrificing his son, Isaac.  He only had to obey God.  God provided the sacrifice.  God provided.  And just as God provided for Abraham, He takes pleasure in providing for us.  In our rejection from others.  In our accusations from others.  In our losses.  In our difficuties.  In our fears.  In our inadequacies.  In our helplessness.  In our moment of crisis and need.  God provides.  God multiplies.  And just as in Abraham's case, the blessings are too numerous to count. 

"In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore.  And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies." Genesis 22:17

The difference between Abraham and many in the SBC and faith community, is that Abraham's faith and obedience to God brought forth immediate provision.  Lack of trust and disobedience brings forth consequences of greater fear, greater heartache, and greater turmoil.

As sand seeps through my fingertips and the wind carries it away, I am grateful to know God provides and I don't need to concern myself with the enemies at His gate.  selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]      

LAST ONE IN...

IS GONNA GET WET!

FIRST THINGS FIRST!  I shall not be as attentive to this blog in the next couple of days.  My grandchildren are coming to visit!  We're having a party for my eldest granddaughter (in her twenties).  The one from Alaska who blessed me with my first great-grandson last March?  Yeah...her.  She's in for a week and we're gonna celebrate...

...but not just her birthday.  She's expecting again!

Hip, Hip, HOORAY!  Another greatgrandchild is on the way!

As for my parting words on this blog-- possibly for the rest of the day--don't forget that tomorrow is launch day at sbcIMPACT and dailyIMPACT.  What is cooking on your grill may not be as interesting as the conversations being served up over there.  We shall see.  You be the judge!

NOW....everyone ready to party?  selahV 

POINT OF IMPACT

IMPACT

The very word conjures up a myriad of pictures in my mind.  My grandson's head pummeling the earth and breaking his neck and back.  The school bus that almost killed my son when he was but five-years-old.  My brother's car hitting head-on with another on a dusk-darkened highway that claimed his life.  The gigantic stones my son later met when he was crushed beneath the weight of the young man driving a four-wheeler two years ago.  Impact.  A horrid thing?

NOT ALWAYS.  There is a positive impact as well as a negative.  A furrowed ground.  A seed sown.  A kind word, a generous action.  A repentant heart.

"God is working out all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose in Christ Jesus."

In fact I believe if we all took a few moments and considered the impact others make on our lives in any given day, we'd see far more positive things than bad.  Today I had friends email me encouraging letters because they knew it was the day my son would have been 36 years old had he survived that fateful Mother's Day in 2005.   Yesterday I went to my son's grave and there was a gold chain with one-half of a Mizpah hanging from the crossbar.  His dear friend, Chacon, had left it to honor their friendship and the promise of seeing one another again someday in eternity.  My son helped him study for his citizenship which he received two months after Chad died.   A little thing--a big impact.  I thought of all the times my son read scripture to him as they rode long distances to work together on a tile job.   

Seeing that chain and half of a prayer on the gold medallion, warmed my heart as I struggled with the loss of my son's absence today.  It showed me that Chad was still remembered to another--his life had been significant to Chacon.

I'm embarking on an exciting new venture with the Lord.  I've joined a group of Southern Baptist men who are seeking to challenge readers toward greater love and good deeds in ministry.  Geoff Baggett captured a vision to build a collaborative blog sbc IMPACT to accomplish this.  With it he and other contributors seek to write God-honoring posts that emphasize ways this can be done.

I shall be writing a daily devotional entitled DAILY IMPACT which you can access below the head banner of sbc IMPACT which leads to its own page.   I'd love it if you'd come by and leave a note of encouragement.

But more than that, I'd love for you to be a part of the vision I have for the daily devotional.  Please go read my Welcome to see how this can be done.  And as you go about your day, watch for those tiny little times in your life when someone makes an IMPACT that causes you to  pause a moment and reflect on the goodness of God and all He does through His people.  When you do, contact me and let me know.  I believe God wants me to share it with others so they can be encouraged, inspired and comforted, too.  Bless you.  selahV  

ROAD WORTH TRAVELING

Life is a two-lane highway

~~especially in blogging.  Which way one chooses to travel on the road is significant.  In fact, it is crucial to the believer.

A believer who is blogging has more influence than he or she realizes.  According to Rev. Michael Bresciani at the American Chronicle, "...it holds the single greatest potential for evangelism through the media since the advent of television."

And what are we Christians doing with such an opportunity?

Are our blogs pointing the way or blocking the way to Jesus?  Is our roadway clear of potholes, pitfalls, and detours?  Does it lead unbelievers to our Lord or away from our Lord?  Do our words bring honor to our King or dishonor?  Is our time well-spent or misspent?

When I began blogging, I wanted to use this venue to create a Christian conversational retreat.   My prayer was to impact the world with an encouraging message for the Lord.  Lately I have found myself retreating to blogs which are strictly inspirational and edifying.  (Yeah, they are out there.)  Some of my favorite writers have taken long sabatticals from blogging this summer and it's been tough reading at times.  But I've enjoyed reading several of those I have listed in my bloglists.

In mine, I try to imagine a seeker who might do a search on a word and come popping in unexpectedly into my site.  (can't tell you how many I've gotten through the Peanuts character post and the Sensodyne post) I want my blog to have a welcome mat that says, "Come on in, I'd like to meet you.  And there's Someone I'd like you to meet.  His name is Jesus."  I want folks who drop in to feel comfortable chatting with other commenters.  I know I'm probably living in a eutopian mindset, but I like to look on the bright side of possibilities.   Fortunately, I've had little digression from my hopes and goals.

This past week, I felt like stopping my little blogging roadtrip.  The traffic had slowed considerably and it seemed to me like the majority of interest was on landscapes of destruction rather than my panoramic view of meadows and pasturelands.  I even told a few folks that my traveling days were limited because I was running out of gas.  They weren't at all supportive of my thinking.  I told them I'd think harder.

Then I happened upon Rev. Bresciani's article at American Chronicle.  Odd how someone who doesn't even know you can influence your thoughts, huh?  Well, that's the point of this post.  Your words influence my thoughts.  They influence others' thoughts.  Sometimes what you post stimulates a post in my mind.  I pray about it and think about it and then write about it.  Sometimes it is a passing comment in a thread that catapults my muse into the sphere of cyberspace.  Sometimes it's a picture I take.  But for what it is worth, I try to honor Christ with my words.  I pray I meet the mark every time.   Do you?  selahV

NOTE OF INTEREST.  THESE ARE A FEW BLOGS I'VE READ RECENTLY THAT I RECOMMEND AS REST-STOPS ALONG YOUR HIGHWAY:

Rose's Reasonings

A Rambling Prophet

The Resurgence

Along the Shore.

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2007]

      

 

WHERE WORDS ARE STORED

THERE WILL COME A DAY

When every word we say--spoken or written--will be revealed to the world and to the heavens above.  As I was about to respond on a blog's comment thread today, the Lord spoke ever so gently to me.  "SelahV, dear SelahV, you may leave your comment.  This is the freedom I have given you.  But remember, it may take a moment for it to appear in the Kingdom of Blogland, but it has already been saved in the Kingdom of Heaven.  So, yes, leave your comment, my child.  Post what your mind leads you to post, but let My Spirit be seen as the fruit I've blessed you with."

That was one heavy thought that mingled with mine.  God is so great.  So good and so merciful.  His Sovereignty leaves room for we humans to follow any dictate of our will we so desire.  He allows our plans to go forward.  He lets us wander in our wildernesses, climb any mountain, and settle into whatever valley our paths take us to.  But He is still God.  And with all of our self-inflated wisdom, His is Supreme.  The ways of man are right in his own eyes, but God's ways are not man's.

Whenever I wake in the morning, I am reminded of Whose day it is.  It's not mine, but His.  He's allowed me a few more moments to walk in it, talk in it and enjoy it.  What I do in His day, what I say in His day, is really up to me.  He gives me that freedom.  However, with that freedom comes reward or consequence.  And someday in His Day of Completion, He will reveal to my eyes what was pure as gold and what was simply hay and stubble.

I am not so much wise in my own eyes as I may sometimes think.  I am not as discerning as I should always be.  But as I "leave my comments" in the Kingdom of Blogland, I am praying they are worth reading someday in the Kingdom of Heaven.  While they may only take a moment to appear today, they are stored in a place no one can delete or erase.  And thus I am grateful for the Lord's gentle reminder to be kind, loving, patient, encouraging and merciful.  Are you?  SelahV  [copyrighted, selahvtoday,2007]