I posted on my Facebook today...

I was reminded of this sermon today, and looked it up again. This link is to a video that was made to go along with the audio recording. (Lest you feel distracted by the background noises, remember the song we teach the little children, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands... shout, "amen!") How happy I am that my citizenship is in heaven, and I can, as a True Monarchist, say, "Long live the King!".

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

That's My King! - SM Lockridge

If you're not already familiar with S M Lockridge's "That's My King!" - then you should be! He speaks for six minutes about Jesus and it's impossible not to ...

For a transcript of the words only, see this blog: http://thatsmyking.wordpress.com/words/

Words

Michelle Sowers Maddocks Today I need to pray for those who hold up this world and its leaders as so important that they will lie for them, kill for them, or even hate and slander for them. I need to pray that their minds will be open to see what is truly important and Who is truly the King of all leaders. I need to pray that they will open their hearts to understand the needs of others, and the lives and situations of others who are different from their own; I need to pray that they will have a heart for the weak and the meek and the merciful and the peaceful, just as their King loves all people, no matter their background, no matter their creed. I need to pray for them to be good parents and friends, to be good children and wives and husbands, that they may honour their King and give due respect to one another as His Children, not tearing one another down or pointing out others' weaknesses in anger and haughtiness, but in love encourage one another as an ever present support. I need to pray that those who have placed too much importance on the things of this world - in their country, their political party, their entertainment, their clothing, their stuff - I need to pray that they will lift up their eyes to things of the Spirit, and see that not only are others in need, but they themselves are in need as well, that there are so much more important things to be spending their time, money, energy and strength on. I need to pray for others because I need to pray for my own tendency to react in anger or disappointment or discouragement or depression, when I feel I'm surrounded by hatred and lies and temporal worldliness, when I feel that those who claim to be Christian don't even understand what it really means and bring shame on the name of the Lord of all lords, and when I remember once again that I have just as many weaknesses as any other. I need to pray for others, that God will bless them with eyes that see, ears that hear and hearts that understand, so that He will be glorified. So that He will be seen as our King, now and always. Forgive me for not praying for those with whom I disagree, and who hurt me or others. Don't make God out to be arrogant and rude just because I have been. He is a good and gracious King, full of mercy and grace. May we all strive to be more like Him.

Addressing Biblical Femininity and Modesty With Our Daughters

I really appreciate the frankness of this article. The why, when and how are all addressed, and in a calm manner too. I like the simple summary of femininity according to scripture as well. Well done, Headmistress.  Click:
"Addressing Biblical Femininity and Modesty With Our Daughters"

Join the Bug Squad at We Give Books!

Have you heard about the latest We Give Books cause? This fall, join the Bug Squad to raise awareness for the importance of early childhood literacy while having fun and helping to break a world record!

Inspired by Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, the 2012 Jumpstart’s Read for the Record book written by David Soman and Jacky Davis, We Give Books has created their own Bug Squad to give us new ways to read, give, and share reading this fall! Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a single day of awareness on October 4, when we’ll set a new world record for the most people reading the same book on the same day. There are tons of Bug Squad resources to help your kids get excited about reading and to help you plan your own record-setting celebration.

We Give Books is a fantastic resource for parents, teachers, and anyone who loves to read children’s books. They have a free online library of over 150 outstanding children’s books available at www.wegivebooks.org, including some of our favorites, like the Llama Llama and Skippyjon Jones books, and DK science books. The best part is, your reading will directly impact the great work of non-profit organizations around the world!

So, head over to www.wegivebooks.org to Join the Bug Squad and find out more about this wonderful initiative, and start reading and giving!

"What Girls Need to Know"

Click to read:

What Girls Need to Know | The Common Room

Wow - fall means "snuggle weather" for a lot of people. We all need to be aware of things like this lady points out in her list here. Not everyone is exactly the same, with the same level of hormones, or social upbringing or social pressure.

What do you think of this list as general guidelines though? Have you discussed these things in ANY way with your "main squeeze"? You (and they) may be surprised that "snuggling" means something a little different from each other, or from what you expected. Just something to think about and be aware of.

"Imagine"?

With 9/11 still so sensitive a subject, I cringe as I bring this up. I've seen several posts on facebook sharing a photo of New York City with the word "Imagine" - alluding to that famous song - as a memorial and a hope.  Most of the words of John Lennon's "Imagine" echo the thoughts of so many of us who hate the destruction brought on by selfishness, greed, muddled understandings of Truth and real reward, and false teachings so sincerely believed in that they are not reasoned out before acted on. And so on.

But I cannot quote even the title of Lennon's song in good conscience, because I know what he believed. And I don't need a biography.

The same man who wrote: "Imagine all the people living life in peace" also wrote:

"Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today"

Most folks I know who love and sing this song sing about how beautiful heaven must be every week; why would you want to imagine there not being one? Why would you want to imagine that today is all there is, if you believe in Something More, in a spiritual world?

I understand his reasoning that if we were all one citizenship there would be no warring countries fighting for boundaries, and yet I can't agree with his full sentiment:

"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace"

He lumps in killing and dying for countries with killing and dying for religion - all religion, even that religion which teaches not to kill for religious reasons.  Notice: there is no clarification for any specific kind of religion that he would like to see the world without. He wants all religion gone, if there is to be peace.

I can't recommend the song. It's kind of like a diabetic saying that it doesn't matter if there's white sugar in this pretty candy, or saying that there's only a little poison in that cute alcoholic drink, or only a little dog poo in a great looking brownie. I know many people who watch evil movies "for entertainment's sake", or listen to foul language laced music, or read raunchy books "because there's such a good message in it". And even I will admit that the music to "Imagine" is lovely and that some of the lyrics bring out the hippie in me:

"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world"

We should be careful what we imagine. We cannot blindly (deaf-ly?) follow along with the thoughts of John Lennon and other brilliant minds of this world. They don't merely want to have the freedom of speech to state their beliefs, they want us follow us into getting rid of all reference and remembrance of God, heaven and hell, past and future, even True Religion.

"You may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one"

Yes, there's a Great Day coming when the world will be as one, but it won't be because we've dreamed and imagined a world without spiritual things and heavenly places so that we can all live in quiet, ungodly peace.

I'm sorry. I used to really like that song too.