#Chris Solaas

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 286 – They Shall All Know Me, From the Least to the Greatest

Read: Jeremiah 31:31-34

The 31st Chapter of Jeremiah is full of precious promises, dear Christian, and we have definitely been here before. In fact, our key verse is filled with no less than eight of them! But we will focus on only one of them today.

There’s a country joke I heard many years ago, about a man named Bubba. It seems that Bubba was playing guitar at a concert, and Elvis showed up. (it was an Elvis concert). That Bubba came to a rally with over a hundred thousand people, and one person turned to another and said, “Who’s that shaking hands with Bubba?” And the other one said, “Oh, that’s the President.” Versions of the same joke rattled around about the Queen of England, the Pope, and it seems every world-famous person. But the focus of the joke was always the same – EVERYBODY knew Bubba. NOT everybody knew the FAMOUS person. They knew Bubba like a best friend.

Many of us seek after fame and fortune, and want to be known and loved by thousands. Or millions. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll remember that fame is fleeting. For instance, I know who Alan Hale Jr. is, but you’d probably need to look that up. His day was long ago.

It’s crass to compare God to any of these famous people, much less a guy in bib overalls named Bubba. And God does not NEED to seek millions to know Him. He simply WANTS to have us know HIM. He already knows us intimately, every molecule. But there will come a day when we all will know Him too.

When Jeremiah wrote this prophesy, and this promise, he was writing to the house of Israel. This verse is even addressed to them. So, does this promise go to Israel, or US? Well, the short answer is, YES! It’s both. Because there will come a day when ALL Jews are Messianic Jews, and the Gentiles who believe will be grafted into the House of Israel. We will ALL know Him like a best friend. Because, dear Christian, He IS your best friend.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for wanting ME to know you. Help me to know you more, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

We're made in His image, and that includes our creative nature. For those who write, or paint, or sing, for anything we desire to create, from a symphony to a fantasy series, from a well-kept garden to a model car, it's a reflection of who is our maker that we make.

The Spirit of God has made me;the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job.33.4

[theobviousparadox]

Review: Through the Wormhole by Chris Solaas

Through the Wormhole (Life in Hyperspace #2)Chris SolaasPublished August 28, 2023 Amazon | Goodreads About Through the Wormhole: Humor, Hope, and Help from One Family with Autism to Another The call for help seemed to come from the wall, and I knew there wasn’t a secret room there. That’s when I spied two bare feet sticking out of a hole in the wall. Holes in the wall. Setting fires in the…

[filmofilias]

Cátedra Bergman: Reinventar los límites

¿Cuál es el margen de acción que tenemos ante un mundo que constantemente está en llamas? ¿Qué herramientas tenemos a nuestra disposición para hacer frente a esta realidad que parece una imparable guerra?

En su décima edición, FICUNAMplantea una hipótesis: si el mundo es un campo de batalla, el enfrentamiento se hará desde la insurrecta celebración. Hay una claridad política en su curaduría,…

[evoldir]

Other: Smithsonian.Internship.ButterflyAdaptation

Smithsonian Minority Internship/Award: A genomic view of habitat adaptation in Neotropical butterflies We are seeking an intern for a 3 month paid internship applying genomics to understand ecological speciation in the Neotropics, based at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. The intern will apply bioinformatic algorithms to analyse high-throughput sequencing data against a curated genome and identify genes under natural selection in butterfly lineages inhabiting different habitats. The candidate will review biological literature to develop their own hypotheses; curate a massive re-sequencing dataset (250 whole genomes); deploy software on a supercomputer using UNIX and R; run scans for natural selection; and interpret the results. The internship will take in a vibrant and international community of scientists studying all aspects of tropical nature, located in the spectacular settings of native rainforests and the Panama Canal. Although the internship will be primarily computational, the student will have direct access to the wilderness around Gamboa, and will be welcome to participate in occasional entomological fieldwork. The intern will be supervised by dr Krzysztof Kozak and dr Owen McMillan, head of the Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics group. Requirements: 1. fulfillment of the prerequisites http://bit.ly/2zrZBzq Minority Awards Program - Internship | Smithsonian ... http://bit.ly/1pAjHtk Notifications will be made via SOLAA mid to late April for summer and fall 2018. Background & Purpose. The Smithsonian offers these internships to increase participation of groups who are underrepresented in the museum field. http://bit.ly/2zrpKyg -program/ Minority Awards Program - Visiting Student | Smithsonian ... http://bit.ly/1pAjHtk Background & Purpose. The Office of Fellowships and Internships offers visiting student awards to increase participation of U.S. minority groups who are underrepresented in Smithsonian scholarly programs, in the disciplines of research conducted at the Institution, and in the museum field. 2. Experience with bioinformatic and analysis of genomic data (along the lines of genome assembly and mapping, population genomics, selection scans, etc). Deadline: October 1^st 2018. Contact K. Kozak ASAP: kozakk at si.edu Krzysztof "Chris" Kozak Biodiversity Genomics Fellow Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Gamboa, Panama http://bit.ly/2OQm7r1 "Kozak, Krzysztof" via Gmail

[writesaboutdragons]

Here's an interview I recently did with another author I met on Twitter.

Meet Chris Solass

Please welcome Chris Solaas to my blog. Hello Chris! It’s a chilly Sunday out there! 1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post. Chris: Hi, I’m Chris Solaas, a senior programmer analyst for a manufacturing company in Memphis. I’m a dad of 4 ADHD kids (2 with ASD) and on the high side of 60 now. I’ve written over 25 books now, and about 300 songs. I’ve been a lay worker in…

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God - Day 282 - There is Neither Greek nor Jew, Slave nor Free

Read: Colossians 3:1-11

Ever had to do one of those ‘compare and contrast’ papers in English? Well, I’ve loved to quote a verse very similar to the one for today, found in Paul’s letter to the Galatians:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28 NKJV)

I’ve liked the verse in Galatians, and never really noticed the differences with the verse found here in Colossians before. But let’s look at them now.

The verse in Colossians doesn’t mention male and female. It changes the order from Jew nor Greek to ‘Greek nor Jew’. He added ‘circumcision nor uncircumcision’. He adds Barbarian and Scythian. And instead of identifying all as one (promoting unity) it goes to a different focal point that Christ is ALL, and IN ALL. Pointing to sufficiency and identification. So, why are these differences THERE, and are they important? Well, the short answer is, of course they are.

Galatians was written early in Paul’s ministry, around AD 47, and was directed more toward the Jews in Galatia. Therefore, they were addressed first. Although Judaism treated women better than other faiths, they considered women little more than property. Thus, they needed to be instructed that Christ eliminates the gender gap, for all must come empty to be filled. And the Jews needed to be reminded that there was unity with the Gentiles in Christ.

Colossians was written from prison in Rome around AD 62, and was addressed primarily to the Greeks there, so they are named first. The Greeks had a better view of the equality of gender. There had arisen between the letters a teaching that the Greeks would need to keep the Law, at least to being circumcised, to enter heaven. And Paul had a hard time squashing that lie. The Barbarians were foreigners to Colossi, and the Greeks might have treated them with distrust. The Scythians were a conquered race from the East, whose dynasty was long over, and they doubtless were treated with contempt. The promise Paul was communicating in this truth was that all of those barriers are GONE!

We aren’t to treat others with distrust or contempt. Whether an employer or employee, a white collar or blue collar, whether that church member has tattoos or piercings or wears a suit and tie, we should love each other because Christ is IN ALL of us, and He must BE all TO us. Dear Christian, remember that these are your family.

Prayer:

Father God, may I love your children the same, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 300 – We Are Being Transformed Into The Same Image

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Co 3:18 NKJV)

Read: 2 Corinthians 3

A few years back I picked up a 3D printer and began printing toys and gadgets to use around the house. I was skeptical when I heard about a device that could print ANYTHING in 3D. I was wondering what kind of ink it used. But it doesn’t use ink. It melts plastic and squirts the melted plastic onto a sticky bed that becomes the stand for your object, and when it cools, it’s… well, it’s either a plastic replica, or a pile of plastic spaghetti, and you try again.

 I was impressed with the amazing concept of taking a drawing, converting it to a 3D picture, and then printing it in plastic. I printed custom guitar picks and even some puzzle boxes. I printed some clamps and jigs to repair items around the house, like a food processor.

Recently I discovered that engineering has taken this to the next level. For a VERY expensive charge, you can buy a device that will scan a 3D object you place in its range of vision, and without much more in the way of instruction, it can produce an exact copy of that item, in plastic. If you are willing to wait long enough, that is. My 3D printer takes hours to print a tiny brick the size of a matchbox car. I’ve printed items as large as a can of coke, and it’s literally taken DAYS. And that’s if it comes out right the first time. If it doesn’t, you have to start the printer again, and wait ANOTHER couple days.

In fact, the struggle was so painful, my kids bought me a T-shirt that said, “I’m sorry I was late – I had to watch my 3D Printer.” And that’s so true – because, if you are watching closely, you might be able to stop it from messing up that valuable two-day-long job.

I’ve learned some lessons from that experience that apply to this promise today. First, God is transforming us into the likeness of his Son, and this is a process that takes a very long time. You and I would never have the patience to WAIT so long to get a replica of anything, but GOD is willing to WAIT.

Second, that printer required HEAT. A HOT bed that caused the bottom layer to stick where it was supposed to. A nozzle as hot as your broiler to melt the plastic and allow it to apply to the work. God’s transformation also requires heat. You can expect that if you are being transformed into Christ’s likeness, that you are going to spend some time in the fire. Don’t be surprised when God applies some heat to your life. Just stick where you are planted and allow him to change you.

Third, 3D printing requires you to WATCH, in case a flaw or mistake occurs, and you needed to adjust the temperature, or apply a tool to help hold the work back to the heated bed until the replica surrendered to the heat and stuck there. God is always watching, dear Christian, and he cares very much how you turn out. He’s invested decades, perhaps, in crafting you, and you aren’t finished yet. Don’t be surprised if God puts people in your life that influence you to stay the course, to keep the faith. It’s what all of us Christians are called to do for one another, you know. We are called to encourage one another in the faith, and sometimes that’s going to be met with resistance, as our friend and fellow-laborer might desire to get out of the heat.

In our reading today, we find the Apostle Paul beginning with an admonishment that he doesn’t need a recommendation from them to allow him to speak to them of heavenly things. He has been given authority by Christ to preach to them, because they are his love letter to God. He reminds them of how Moses beheld God on the mountain, and then covered his face with a veil, because even that reflected glory of God’s presence was too piercing for the Israelites to look at.

And Moses had ministered to them on tablets of stone the message of the Law, which brings forth death. How much more glorious would be the ministrations and glory of the Spirit, providing grace and life, written on the tablets of hearts?

He ends this chapter with the promise that they ARE being transformed into Christ’s likeness, and this isn’t a transformation written in ink, or in plastic, but in love and grace and by the Spirit. And you know, dear Christian, that this promise isn’t just to them, but to me and you, too.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for this beautiful promise that you have the patience to wait, love enough to watch, and attention enough to provide people in my life to keep me where I need to be, plugged in and yielded to your loving transformation. May I be a willing servant, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 297 – Unless You Repent You Will Perish

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luk 13:3 NKJV)

Read: Luke 13:1-5

Ever imagine Jesus giving a facepalm? I sure do. I bet I’ve given him plenty of reason to have one. And today’s reading is no different. Jesus had just finished in Ch12 giving a discourse on being faithful to those put over you. Then he goes on to tell them that he’d come to bring division. And asks why they can’t judge among themselves rather than bringing each other to court.

These things seem random, but they are all connected, as we will see in a moment. The question that was presented to Jesus at this point was about a group of Galileans who followed Judas Gaulonites. Their sect believed that they had no sovereign but God, and did not recognize Caesar as king, refusing to pay any tribute or tax. They went so far as to endure suffering and death rather than call any man Lord. These men had been slaughtered by Pilate INSIDE the temple, and their blood had defiled the blood of the sacrifice, turning it into an abomination.

To those standing around, this seemed to them an indication of God’s judgement. They perished, and their sins could NOT be forgiven, because their own blood defiled their own atoning sacrifices. Surely God was condemning these vile sinners to hell, as evidenced by this tragedy. And frankly, the Jews in Jerusalem often thought those backwards people living in Galilee were bigger sinners anyway. Maybe Jesus was just like them?

It’s probable that this exchange was initiated because Jesus had discussed His own lordship in Ch12, and Peter had even called Him Lord. In fact, this word, kyrios, appears NINE times in Ch12. Would this multitude surrounding him call Him Lord? Eh, no, they missed the point to stab at him.

The men Jesus was addressing had condemned their brothers on circumstantial evidence. They turned the knife, so to speak, by pointing out that they were ‘Galileans’. But Jesus answers their question with a ‘question answer’. “Do you think these ‘Galileans’ were bigger sinners than all the other ‘Galileans’ because of this?” Normally, a ‘question answer’ isn’t rhetorical. But Jesus supplies the answer FOR them, because it’s critically important.

NO! They weren’t worse sinners than any other Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others for their misfortunes. Instead, look in a mirror and consider your OWN soul. Unless you REPENT, you will all likewise perish. Sadly, this was a prophesy and a promise. Because this tragedy DID happen to many standing there, in AD70, when Titus invaded Jerusalem to quell an uprising, and slaughtered a multitude there inside the temple where they’d taken refuge.

Jesus doesn’t stop there, though. He asks another question, much closer to home, about a tower in Jerusalem, overlooking the Pool of Siloam, that fell on and crushed 18 people. These weren’t ‘Galileans’. They were your close neighbors. Yet some random tragedy, an act of God so to speak, had happened, and killed them all. Were they worse sinners than all of YOU?

Again, he doesn’t leave the question unanswered. Away with your bigotry about the Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others. Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. And again, this is a prophesy that was fulfilled in AD70, when Rome, destroying Jerusalem, tore down towers, buildings, and walls, crushing the inhabitants of Jerusalem under the rubble.

Yet this sad promise doesn’t just pertain to the men standing there, does it? The statement Jesus makes here is critical for all of us to pay attention to. Hell is hot, and we are not. Unless WE repent, there’s outer darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and a lake of fire.

‘Repent’ is not a word we like. It indicates we’ve done something wrong. It tells us we are headed the wrong way, and need to turn around. Most of us would like to avoid that word. To pretend we are all ok, doing what we are doing, and that somebody else is the ‘bad guy’. But when we take a good hard look at the person in the mirror, we understand the truth. It’s only by His mercy and grace that we have any hope of avoiding the eternal ‘perish’ indicated here.

It's my prayer that this promise is NOT for any of us. But even if you, reading this right now, realize this promise is aimed at you, it begins with a sweet word. The word, UNLESS. The same word the Lorax left at the end of that Seuss classic, and it’s the same word left for you and me. That word gives us hope, that there’s a chance. A chance to avoid all that unpleasant eternal lake of fire. The judgement we deserve, but can avoid, through that simple word, repent.

This Greek word, metanoeo, is found 34 times in the New Testament, and each time translated ‘repent’. It means to turn around. Turn from sin to God. Agree with God that what you were doing was wrong. It’s so simple, yet so hard, sometimes. And everything depends on it.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for another chance. You are always giving me second chances. Lord, I repent of what I’ve been doing that wasn’t right and good and pure. Help me to follow you with all my heart, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 288 – Those Who are Troubled will Receive Rest

and to [give] you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, (2Th 1:7 NKJV)

Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10

As I’ve mentioned before, we had a serious house fire years ago. My wife made a comment while we were staying in supplied housing, that we were blessed that fire had not happened six hours earlier, while everyone was sound asleep in bed, or we likely would have died in our sleep before the fire alarm even went off. You see, our home didn’t come with a fire alarm in every bedroom, just ones in the living room and the hallway above it. When we were back in the home, I became rather obsessed with making sure my family would be safe if there was a repeat fire. So I installed fire alarms in every bedroom. And I decided to institute a periodic family emergency test. (without informing the family).

So, that night, at midnight, I went out into the hall and pressed the button on the upstairs fire alarm. I held it in while the crazy thing emitted ear-piercing shrieks. My wife came running out of the bedroom in her nightgown. I said, “You’re DEAD. The fire is out here, you should be using the emergency ladder in the bedroom.” My older son came running out too. I repeated the admonishment, adding that he should have carried his infant brother with him out the window onto the roof.

My older daughter came running out as well, and I repeated the warning, adding that you can feel the door for warmth and the doorknob for heat before opening the door, to prevent flames from rushing into the oxygen-rich room behind you. My younger daughter slept through the whole thing. I went into the bedroom and poked her awake. “The fire alarm rang for two whole minutes and you slept right through it. You’re DEAD.”

“GOOD,” she responded, and rolled back over, placing her pillow over her head. I let the rest of the family calm down and go back to bed.

As my wife and I settled back into our own bed, she turned to me and said, “If you pull that again, YOU’RE dead.”

There is a fire coming, one the firemen could never put out, described in our reading today. And it’s coming for every person who doesn’t put their trust in Jesus Christ. I can’t mince words here, dear Christian. That is the reason we MUST tell others. We must be a fire alarm for those who haven’t heard. But in this passage is a precious promise for YOU. That when the Lord appears, those of us who believe will find REST, and not FIRE, waiting for us.

Prayer:

Lord, I know I should be about the business of telling others about you. Help me to do that, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 285 – Your Joy May Be Full

And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. (1Jo 1:4 NKJV)

Read: 1 John 1:1-4

Almost 19 years ago, we had a tragic house fire. Tragic in that it destroyed the upstairs bedrooms in our house. Two of my kids were home, and downstairs folding clothes, when the fire alarm upstairs went off. My son’s bedroom was glowing an angry orange, and there was black smoke all over the vaulted ceiling above them. Gray smoke was cascading down the stairs toward them, as they fled out the front door and got a neighbor next door to call the fire department. The firemen were right around the corner, and came in through the back upstairs window to put out the fire. I got the call from an EMT who was crying, telling me she had tried, but she couldn’t save her.

Visions of my daughter flooded my eyes with tears. I choked out a question about who she was talking about. The woman told me our dog had died of smoke inhalation. The kids were all ok.

Those of you who know me clearly understand that I love animals. I don’t just tolerate them in my home. Oh, I threaten them with a stew pot when they’ve been bad, tearing something up or going potty indoors. But I’d never hurt them. They are family. But to me, in that moment, I couldn’t care about the dog we’d only had a couple months, when I realized my kids were safe.

A coworker drove me home and took hundreds of pictures of the damage, while I stumbled through the dark upstairs choking on the stench of charcoal and staring mutely at the black soot staining my hands from the banister rail. I was, frankly, in shock. My wife got home with the baby from his six months checkup, and after the initial shock was frankly ok with the whole thing. Our insurance agent showed up and handed me a check to cover the cost of a hotel and changes of clothes for everyone, and put me in touch with an apartment that quartered us for 3 months while our home was, essentially, rebuilt. Our insurance company tried to replace whatever we could prove was lost. But the one thing we could NOT find a replacement for was my son’s teddy bear. He needed it to be identical to the one he had lost, one that he had snipped the eyebrows off. We searched for weeks to find one online, to no avail. And I broke down and cried.

We managed to make it back into our home for Christmas, and celebrated with a tree being the only thing in our remodeled home.And life went on, for the rest of them. But somehow, all the FUN had gotten sucked out of my life, and I kept staring at my hand, remembering the soot all over it, and my daughter’s glasses sitting in the sunlight in a pitch-black room, the only splash of color being the spot where the glasses had sat. I sank into a deep depression over the course of the next twelve months. I went through the motions of work, eating somewhat mechanically, and trying to smile and engage with the rest of my family. But the bills didn’t get paid until there were threats of credit agencies. Birthdays went unremembered, and life just sort of ‘happened to me’ or perhaps ‘around’ me. I spent many nights a little fearful that we’d have another disaster. One worse. I found it difficult to sleep, and difficult to wake up. In fact, it was almost painful just going through those motions. And I knew I needed to snap out of it.

One of the things I couldn’t understand is how my wife simply snapped back. While I went through life in a fog, she seemed cheerful, upbeat, and positive. In some respects, I suppose she was being strong for the rest of us. But the honest truth was that I’d lost confidence in the love of God. That my circumstances were an indication of His favor, and the fire convinced me that he was unhappy with me and had destroyed my home.

My wife, however, was not focused on her circumstances. She found her confidence in who God IS, and the circumstances might not be understood, but God certainly doesn’t change. Her positive attitude came from a wellspring of JOY. Mine came from a stagnant pool of HAPPINESS, which had dried up in that inferno.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It’s GROWN, over time, and often through trials like this. After over a year of that clinical depression, I’ve come to realize that God didn’t change, and the fire wasn’t his judgement. With a lot more reading and praying, I’ve reached the point where I know God loves me infinitely, no matter what happens. Anything that He allows through is for my growth and benefit and His glory. And the knowledge of that fills my joy tank to overflowing.

The Apostle John was the last of the 12 to be martyred. And his first epistle was written late in life in Ephesus, around 95-110 AD. The gospel he penned, and that the other apostles wrote, were documents to encourage the budding churches in their newfound faith under extreme persecution. John knew that they were in the fire. So he wrote this little letter to remind them that these gospels were eyewitness accounts of the greatest figure in all of history, and the greatest hope of all of mankind. These weren’t legends and myths handed down by word of mouth over centuries. These accounts were testimonies from those who had been there with Jesus. The resurrection they all witnessed, the miracles Jesus performed, these statements about them were admissible in court. And that would fill their hearts with JOY, even in their trying circumstances.

So, whatever your circumstances, remember that God loves you, that He’s provided a hope and a future for you, and that he’ll never leave you or forsake you. That, dear Christian, should fill your OWN heart with Joy.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, fill my heart with JOY, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 303 – We Are His Workmanship

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10 NKJV)

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10

On January 27, 2014, a violin was stolen from top violinist Frank Almond. The violin was a Stradivarius, and was known as the “ex-Lipinski”. The violin was valued in excess of $5 million. The violin was nearly 300 years old. On Feb 6, a tip led the police to a Milwaukee home where they found the violin in a suitcase in the attic. The symphony had put out a $100k reward for information leading to the recovery.

On Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021, a Reddit member posted pictures of a Stradivarius he’d found in his grandfather’s attic. He wanted some idea what the violin was worth. The violin had a machine-stamped imprint inside which stated “Antonius Stradivarius Faciebat anno 1746” and had an official circular logo with a cross and A.S. underneath.

Responders to the post were pretty quick, that the fiddle was probably worthless, or possibly could sell for a few hundred. Or maybe $1000 if the sound was exceptional. The name on the inside represented the object as a forgery. It’s difficult to tell a forgery, but Stradivari always used a capital A for Anno. Also, he only printed the first digit in the year, and hand-wrote the last three digits. And finally, it was unlikely he would have made that violin in 1746, as he died in 1737.

The name on an instrument or painting is worth something, if the name represents a great craftsman. For example, the name Taylor on my guitar means I paid over a thousand for it, rather than the $350 I wanted to spend. Of course, the Taylor does SOUND better, to me, and to many who hear me play. And the same is true for a Stradivarius. The master craftsman was known for his phenomenal workmanship and the music they made.

So, the promise today is not just for the Ephesian church, but for all who are God’s workmanship. We bear His name, on the inside, and people will expect much from us, if we are legitimate. And don’t be deceived, there are many who carry the name but are cheap knock-offs, forgeries who call themselves Christians but don’t even really know what that means, or whose they would be if the name meant something. How can you tell the difference? By the sound they make. A true Christian can’t help but tell others how God changed their lives. You’ll see them singing praises in church not for show but because of whose they are. You’ll hear them encouraging others in their walk, admonishing others to keep to the path.

If you'd like to hear the story of the ex-Lipinski violin told well by Frank Arnold, follow this link: https://player.themoth.org/#/?actionType=ADD_AND_PLAY&storyId=20261

Prayer:

Lord, may the sounds I make be music to your ears, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God

Day 291 – Those who reproach and insult you will be destroyed

"Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart [is] My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation. (Isa 51:7-8 NKJV)"

Read: Isaiah 51:1-8

Persecution is not something anybody really desires, but if you are a Christian, and not just one in name only, then you’ve probably experienced some. After all, if you’ve really come to faith, it’s not something you can hide well, and it’s hard to keep quiet about it too. That often rubs people the wrong way, especially when they think you are trying to ruin their fun, point out things they or the world around are doing wrong, and especially if you are trying to warn them of the endpoint they are fast approaching.

It hurts, doesn’t it? To love somebody so much you want them to share the joy, the peace, the future that you’ve discovered. But they aren’t willing. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to have them drop you as a friend, push you away, belittle and laugh at you, even bully and harm you.

The people we rub shoulders with usually will warn us if we are pushing our faith too hard at them, and we should let the Spirit lead, and also let the Spirit deal with them. It’s not our job to bring them to the faith anyway, that’s HIS job. So we should pray for them in private, and let the Lord deal with them. But if they have persecuted you and made your life here miserable, if their efforts have resulted in job loss, shunning, financial ruin, destruction of property, damage to your person or your family, remember that God is in charge, and may be working on them through disasters coming to wake them up. And if they still don’t turn, eventually they will be destroyed.

Oh precious child, God’s promise here is that He’s got this. It’s an admonishment not to fear them. Not to fear what they can do, or will do, or ARE doing. God’s righteousness is going to win out, in the end. And either that means the moth and the worm will drive them to the cross, or to their own doom. But in the end, that decision will be theirs.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help me to wait on you, and follow you, and not fear what man can do, today. Amen

[writesaboutdragons]

Leaves Are Falling

October is here, time for another month, another season, and another Newsletter! Why not click through and subscribe so you can keep abreast of what I'm doing these days?

[writesaboutdragons]

About Me

To slice through any questions here, I'll just pin this to the top of my page. I'm a Christian Dad of 4 special needs kids, all adult now, four ADHD and two of them also on the Spectrum. My wife and I are also ADHD, so it's easy to see where all that came from.

I've been involved in Christian Children's Ministry as well, #AWANA primarily, and for the last 20 years or so I've been writing songs and books that entertain but also align with my faith.

I have about 250 songs written so far, and about 40 of those are published up on iTunes and Spotify. Here's a Magnet Link for one of my albums:

Many of the rest you can get to through my author page, www.Lynvia.com, along with the 30 or so books I've written.

There's something for most anyone in the things I've written - Fantasy, Science Fiction, Christian Devotionals, Advent Stories, and oh yes there are two hilarious real-life self-help non-fiction books I've written about our Life in HyperSpace (about #ADHD) and Through the Wormhole (About#Autism). These books are packed with side-splitting accounts of the crazy things my kids have done as we've done life together, but much more importantly, they represent years of in-lab research on what worked and what didn't in training up our kids.

SO, WHY AM I HERE?

Well, to drop devotionals I'm writing for whatever I'm cranking out today, to network with other Christians and encourage them, and to make these books and songs known so more families can find them.

Ping me if you want to talk, or find me on Twitter and Facebook through the icons at the top of my Author page. I tend to be much more active on those sites.

[writesaboutdragons]

365 Promises of God - Day 283 – There is One Mediator Between God and Man

For [there is] one God and one Mediator between God and men, [the] Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, (1Ti 2:5-6 NKJV)

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6

A friend of mine does a Sunday School class that I attend, and the other day he said something that gave me great pause. He said that when you sit down to pray, and your mind is not on who you are praying to, and your attitude is not gratitude, it’s almost guaranteed that your prayers won’t be heard. Because you aren’t praying to your loving father.

Suddenly, a voice in my head shouted, “That’s YOU! God doesn’t REALLY hear your prayers because you don’t care. Why should HE?” That inner accusatory voice isn’t unfamiliar. I’ve heard him telling me I’m evil. That God couldn’t love me. I’ve heard him ridiculing me. When we were late to church (when AREN’T we??) and we got those stares. When I’d messed up again in some besetting sin, and I was sure God would no longer forgive me. When I remembered my promise to read the bible every day, and I’d missed. Again.

That internal voice is the voice of my shame. And he’s an agent of the evil one. He tells me that God couldn’t love somebody like me. And his master, the devil, stands before God and accuses me of all the things I’ve done wrong. When he lists my failings, my secret sins, my forgotten promises and failed attempts, when he points out the times I’ve chosen to honor something else above God, those accusations aren’t lies. They’re true. Thousands upon thousands of them. And that could make me a very hopeless guy. The Judge would be extremely angry at me for all those sins. After all, they are sins against HIM. If I had to stand before God, alone, and face those charges, I’d be without excuse, and without hope. I’d be condemned in a heartbeat.

But, you see, I’m NOT alone. I have a Mediator. One who is a friend of the court, and related to the Judge. One who is familiar with all my failings and weaknesses. He knows every secret sin, every missed prayer time, every idol I’ve worshipped, every room I’ve kept locked… and loves me anyway. He stands there with me, and intercedes on my behalf. His blood paid for all of those sins, all of those forgotten promises, all of those broken vows.

Yes, God is the Judge of all creation, but He’s provided a Mediator for any who are willing to have him. Can you imagine someone caught red-handed in the act of murder, refusing a pardon? Saying, “I’ve got this. I don’t need any help.” Oh, beloved, God is quick to forgive, and His Mediator is there for you, too. Call out to Him today.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for being my Mediator. Be with me, today. Amen