Sunspots 988
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A *Zdnet* article tells us that most attempts to use Artificial
Intelligence in businesses do not really help those businesses.
National Public Radio d...
1 week ago
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Decline of an Empire
Some recent reading led me to think about what history would tell us that leads to the fall of a nation. I found the following:
1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.
4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within: the decadence of the people.
5. The decay of religion—faith fading into mere form—losing touch with life and becoming impotent to guide the people.
My question is: How are we doing? Do the facts listed above sound familiar in our day? What can we do to make society better?
Here are some statistics about Christianity and religion in our world:
What do you think?
Friday, July 2, 2010
Do we need another Great Awakening?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Great_Awakening
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1657&C=1653
What I find interesting is that this first great awakening (1738-1740) helped lead to America's independence. After the Revolutionary War (1783-1800), our country went into a tailspin as public sin prevailed like never before:
"According to the late church historian, J. Edwin Orr, in the post Revolutionary War years, drunkenness was of epidemic proportions — of a population of four million, three hundred thousand were considered drunkards. Bank robberies occurred daily. Street crime, rape and murder was rampant and citizens were afraid to go out of their homes at night. Profanity was the worst imaginable, shocking in its filthiness.
The spiritual climate of the nation was disparaging. The Presbyterians met in general assembly to deplore the ungodliness of the country. Both the Methodists and Baptists were losing more members than they were gaining. The Lutherans and Episcopalians were struggling, and even considered a merger for the sake of survival. Episcopal Bishop of New York, Samuel Provoost, had confirmed no one for so long that he quit the ministry. Samuel Shepherd, a pastor in Lenox, Massachusetts, said that he had not taken one young person into church membership in sixteen years.
A poll at Harvard revealed that there was not one believer in the entire student body. At Princeton, only two believers were discovered among the students. Christianity was generally ridiculed. A mock communion was conducted at Williams College; Anti-Christian plays were performed at Dartmouth; In New Jersey, a Bible was taken from a Presbyterian church and burned in a public bonfire. Christians were such a minority on campuses that they met in secret and kept minutes in code so they wouldn’t be caught or persecuted.
The Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall, wrote that the Church was “too far gone ever to be revived.”
Well, another Great Awakening happened 1800-1840 that led to great revival...sin wasn't completely eradicated but it sure did help to have another Great Awakening!
Somebody asked Evangelist Billy Sunday this question: "Why do we always have revival meetings? Revival doesn't last." Rev. Sunday answered: "Neither does a bath but it sure does help!"
May God Almighty continue to work through His people and bring blessing to America!
Just a thought................
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Earthquakes close to home
Just today I read that an earthquake that centered in Canada was felt all the way in Parkersburg, WV which is several hundreds of miles away. The bible has always said much about earthquakes and it has been a topic that interests me very much. Below is a link that shows the story of the above mentioned earthquake and an article about what the bible says about earthquakes.
Do earthquakes make you think of things such as the end is near? Do you see an increase in earthquakes in "diverse places?"
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
I had no idea a gray fox could climb trees!
Recently, my neighbor called me and reported that he saw two gray foxes in his garden. I notified another neighbor that has chickens.
The next day I mentioned to a friend on the golf course that foxes were spotted in our neighborhood. He said: "Gray foxes are a unique creature. They can climb trees, however, a red fox cannot."
Did you know that a grey fox can climb a tree? I had no idea. What in the world am I going to do if a gray fox chases me? I can't jump in the river because I assume they are good swimmers. I can't outrun a gray fox and now I find out they can climb trees and even descend very quickly! What is this world coming to?
Just Tim with a thought about God's creation. For some reason, God saw fit for a grey fox to climb a tree...
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Greyfriars Bobby
This is a great story, a true story I might add, of the loyalty of a dog that loved his master so much that he spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray in Edinburgh. What loyalty and what love this dog showed his master. This story has always intrigued me. I have mentioned this loving dog in sermons, classes and bible studies several times over the last 17 years.
MY THOUGHT FOR TODAY: I wonder if PEOPLE thought this much of John Gray? How was his relationships with others? If my dog loves me and thinks I am so wonderful, can this be a true gauge of who I really am and how friendly I am to others?
Know yourself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as
conclusive evidence that you are wonderful."
-- Ann Landers
conclusive evidence that you are wonderful."
-- Ann Landers
Now, I have never been a big fan of Ann Landers, but her quote about my dog did make me think.
I was sitting on my back porch on Tuesday evening when a big bang of thunder came. My dog Labby, who is a black lab/dalmation mix was frightened and jumped on my lap even though she knew well that she is not allowed on the wicker furniture. So, here I was enjoying a thunder storm with a 50 pound dog hanging on like a child.
She needed my protection, my care, she trusted me. What a good feeling to know you are needed.
We all know
The real question, I believe that I should be asking myself is: "What do others think of me and how am I perceived by those that know me well?"
Am I approachable? Am I considerate? Do I really care about those that are able to talk back, challenge and see the real me?
Just a thought....
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
God Shrinking
Just a thought on my mind this morning:
Steve DeNeff wrote a great book called "Whatever Became of Holiness."
It touched the hearts of many and drew many back to the tenants of holiness that we so easily drift away from. One thing I remember mostly about his book is what he pretty much referred to as "God shrinking" or trying to bring God down to where we want Him. He listed 6 side effects of "God shrinking". Here they are:
- There is no law
- There is no sin (only alternative lifestyles)
- No incentive to change our behavior
- There is no gospel
- There is little commitment to those who call themselves Christians
- The whole doctrine of God is disintegrated (DeNeff writes: "The devil does not need to make atheists out of us to win the day. He only needs to remove the idea of the holiness of God from our platforms, bookshelves, seminaries and consciences, and we will soon make atheists of ourselves")
Are we there yet? Are we involved in "God shrinking"? How can we help the church put God back in the place of holiness and kingship where He belongs?
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