Born a Second Time?  

     In chapter 3, John the disciple wrote that Nicodemus, a Pharisee, ruler of the Jews, took upon himself to visit Jesus, at night, secretly. He said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." 

     Not one for small talk, Jesus answered, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was stumped. How can someone be born a second time?

     Jesus said, That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Nicodemus, still puzzled: "How can these things be?"

     Answering with a puzzle: As Moses lifted up the serpent...even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (His cross was a long way off) 

     For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

     He who believes in Him (the Son) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.        

     Later, some Jews were disputing with another John (the baptizer) about Jesus. John replied, He who comes from above is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life...

 Note: John wrote this gospel 50 years or more after Jesus departed.

Like Old Testament prophets, he received God's message from above.

The Worst 21  

     You've heard of Qin Shi Hyang. No? He commissioned building the "great wall of China," and was one of the 21 worst leaders in history.

     Others include Gaius Caligula, Queen Mary, Henry VIII, Tsar Nicholas II and Vladimir Lenin. These were not just bad leaders. Many killed thousands of their subjects, or foreigners, often in cruel ways. 

     And not just men. Along with Queen Mary, there was Marie Antoinette and Countess Elizabeth Bathory. One of them drew innocent girls into her palace and killed them for no good reason. Look it up.

     There was Nero in Rome, Vlad III Dracula, Tsar Ivan IV, Leopold II...even a pope - Alexander VI. 

     This is more than ancient history. Four of them - Joseph Stalin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot and Benito Mussolini were doing their thing during my lifetime. Why isn't Hitler on this list? He wanted to battle until his last soldier died.   

     We round out the meanies: William III of Orange, Maximillien Robespierre, Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible and Oliver Cromwell. 

     Don't include Joe (dementia) Biden, inept as he is and infamous for telling tall tales. But there is concern.

     During Bill Clinton's presidency, we counted some 28 suspicious deaths among "important" people. We don't suspect Clinton directly, but if any of those were murdered, someone(s) in the Democratic machine did the deed(s). 

     If our hunch is right, when Barack Obama took over, anti-American Dems realized killings might someday backfire, harming their reputation. So, they rule by controlling every agency - in government and out - that they can. 

     Comes the day Republicans are no longer threats on election day (people of faith are already called "potential terrorists") don't be surprised when Washington returns to Clinton era sins, and worse. Leaders who lie routinely and encourage millions of non-vetted immigrants are capable of anything. 

         Jimmy

  

     

     

The battle, part 2

America's War Against Itself  

     Under Democrats, the Treasury Department asks for "suspicious" information on you and me, and hands it to the FBI. They might suspect "terrorism" in a gun purchase, a Betsy Ross flag, even a Bible - a "sign of potential homegrown terrorism." 

     The vice president of Hillsdale College (which remains free of government money) says, "Bureaucratic despots will remain in power no matter what happens in November. Today's ruling class ignores the will of the people."

     He adds, "These elites attack our rights of freedom of speech, assembly, religion, due process, and gun ownership, among others. All to enforce their destructive vision of society." 

     It is tempting to despair, when forces in news media, entertainment and Big Tech work to suppress free speech, opposition activities and education as we once knew it. Marxist gender studies, anyone?

     Remember how President Obama, when first in the Oval Office, traveled to several nations apologizing for the United States and promising a new beginning? He is still involved, no doubt.  

     Hillsdale has hope - the only hope, they say - through education in the Constitution, principles of liberty, free market economics, American history and faith. They support K-12 education programs and free online courses, which some millions are taking.    

Simply a battle between truth and falsehood

              Jimmy 

Life's Battle Continues  

  Part 1

     Before the national basketball season ended, baseball season had 45 percent in the books, not counting playoffs. Before all baseball is finished, almost half the NFL season will be history. 

     Someone is fiercely competing most days of the year. All sports teams abide by the same rules in their respective leagues. 

     If only our year-around political parties did likewise. Differences have existed probably since the signers of the Declaration of Independence mounted their horses to ride home from Philadelphia. Years later, maybe you heard about it...I think they called it the "Civil War." 

     As people discovered oil, invented telephones, cars, trains, airplanes weapons and so much more, the U.S. became special. Human nature being what it is, more people became special, and wealthy. Was success a positive, or a motivation to do wrong? Probably both.  

     We can't blame oil, gun powder and satellites for our dismay. Indian tribes were sometimes quarrelling before the Mayflower arrived. Before that, "The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time" (1 Samuel 3:1). Wars with other nations were normal. David even had to side with the Philistines for a while. All was not well between Israel and Judah until Solomon's reign.    

     So. The "United" States needs to change its name. But what new name will please 51 percent of voters?

Tomorrow Part 2: Bureaucratic despots will remain in power.

        Jimmy

A Lamb Like No Other 

     The Bible refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Like a docile lamb, He allowed himself to be crucified to pay for my sins and yours. 

     Decades later, as John wrote in Revelation chapter 5, the disciple heard thousands of angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain..."  

     Back to the first days. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. John 2:13. And he found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the moneychangers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple...poured out the changers' money and overturned their tables. 

     Doesn't seem like a docile lamb. He was defending the purpose of my Father's house.  

     When the Jews asked him, "What sign do you show us to us, since you do these things?" He answered as He often did throughout his ministry. Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Of course, they thought He meant the real temple, but He was speaking of the temple of his body. 

     During the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because he knew all men. He knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25) 

 (You and I don't fool God for a second)

Fighting the Right Battle

     What do we think? - Part 2

     If you missed yesterday's blog, please go there to see our problem. Return here for knowledge God provides - to believers - to overcome our troubled thought processes. 

     "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). 

     Christian or not, we mostly grow up with various positive and negative viewpoints about our culture. The apostle Paul would tell us (Christians) bluntly we're fighting the wrong enemy. 

     "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). 

     We can confess our sins, trust the Lord's grace, be baptized, join a church, tithe...and still struggle to love God and our neighbors - the two essential commands. Why? Because we're entangled in our sometimes, poisonous thoughts. 

     The devil hoodwinked the first two humans, in Genesis chapter 3, well before "mankind" as we know it existed. He is still leading humans into poor judgment today. 

     Jesus was clear: We must be "born again" to have any hope of salvation. Once we have our new nature, he wants us to continue growing in faith, hope and love. The devil is defeated, but he and other fallen angels still intrude - with God's permission - on minds that rely on their own knowledge. 

     "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts" (Romans 6:12). 

NOTE: We may revisit this topic in the near future.

      

     

What Do We Think We Think? 

     In The Power of Now, the author wrote, most people are under control of "compulsive, involuntary thought processes." We "comment, speculate, judge, compare, complain, like, dislike, and imagine negative outcomes." He calls it worry. 

     Worse, he guesses, "about 80 to 90 percent of most thinking is repetitive, useless, dysfunctional, often negative, and also harmful." 

Have we succeeded in making you dislike yourself? 😎

     The author says our minds are concerned with keeping the past alive. The other day we saw two women on TV making similar comments. We can hold on to memories for decades. Consciously or not, we assume "that one day we're going to be happy, at peace." 

     Author Anne Lamott likens this to a radio station playing in our head 24 hours a day. In one ear comes "a stream of self-aggrandizement. In the other, self-loathing, the list of all things one doesn't do well." 

     People like Freud, Jing and Peterson had their say about internal voices in the psyche.

     What does God's Word say? Is there an answer in the spiritual domain? See our next Views, to be loaded Monday night around 8 p.m., Eastern time.  

            Jimmy