Election Day Blues
We’ve all heard of the “Wedding Bell Blues” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMhWQgkZ8c), a hit song by the 5th Dimension. But have any of us heard of the “Election Day Blues”? I’ve sure got a case of them…
This week, we will be going to the polls to vote in the 2010 General Election. Our choices for candidates will vary between Republican, Democratic, Constitutional, Green, Socialist, Communist and other lesser known parties. What a blessing it is to be able to participate in open elections for governmental offices. Men have shed their blood to give us this right, and for this, I am thankful. Our Lord has been so good to us allowing us to live in a free country such as ours.
In spite of the continued blessing of freedom, my discouragement stems from the fact that I truly believe that our country is headed downhill and, without an act of divine intervention, will continue on a course to utter spiritual ruin.
Our Bible gives us the only remedy for our national ills…
THE SCRIPTURE:
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. (Pro 29:2)
THE STUDY:
Based on our text, the Lord makes it plain that our only hope is for our Lord to raise up Godly leaders who will look to Him for guidance and put His desires first for our nation. It breaks my heart when I realize there are very few men and women willing to do this in today’s time.
When was the last time you heard one of our public leaders stand up on the floor of Congress and ask for our leaders to meet together in prayer, to seek The Lord’s desires for our nation. This is what our nation needs, and yet, I have NEVER seen this type of request come from anyone holding high public office. How many leaders use Scripture to persuade those around them during a time of debate? In the few cases, I’ve seen them use a verse from the Bible to support their stand on any issue, it was always presented as an afterthought, never as the central basis of the decision they have made.
Many of the candidates we have put into office claim to be a Christian, and yet how many have put Christ and His desires first once they get into office? Abortions continue, the Word and prayer is continuing to be removed from schools, euthanasia is on the increase, and yet what is really being done about it? For the sake of the electorate, many of our leaders give these issues lip service, but once in office they seem to do nothing about them. So, I find myself giving them my precious vote only to be disillusioned after a few years of seeing them in office. This is why I am feeling the “Election Day Blues”.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
The only hope for our nation is found in the Lord. The Lord will have to raise up Godly men and women who are willing to not only mention His name, but follow His desires for our country. What is our responsibility in all of this… I believe it is two fold:
- seek the Lord’s will concerning running for public office and taking a stand for Him. (Matt 16:24)
- pray for divine intervention in the coming elections and our national ills (2 Chron 7:12-15)
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
Think about what is taking place in our country… Is it in better condition now than 20 years ago? If not, ask yourself, Why is our country going downhill? The obvious answer is that our country has turned from its spiritual foundation, the Word of God. Just as a country’s condition worsens without God; so too, any individual who has left the Lord out of his life is headed for coming destruction. Recognize your condition; turn to Christ; and recognize the need for His intervention in your life.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mat 11:28-30)
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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Have We No Shame?
“Sir, have you no shame?” …This question is said to have been used during the questioning of Sen Joseph McCarthy by Joseph Welch during the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954. In reality, this question was never posed to the Senator. The actual quote from Welch is as follows… “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy)
Although this question may have never been asked in 1954… I believe that now is its time. What better question could bring into focus the current state of the world in which we live?
Today, the murder of unborn infants is justified by the excuse that the unborn are only a part of their mother’s body, when their DNA clearly shows they are a separate human being.
Today, we see the perversion of homosexuality becoming an acceptable lifestyle, while standing against this sin is being publically described as “bigoted” or “hateful” by “gay rights” groups.
The immorality of conceiving a child out of wedlock, is being trumpeted as valued female independence. Deceit, in order to advance in the workplace, is now a fact of life and looked upon as a sign of being “aggressive” or “hungry”.
Cheating on the part of our professional athletes has become as common as the lies that are told to cover up the cheating.
The removal of God’s Word from our schools, public places and government is being explained as being “politically correct”, while in reality it is “spiritually wicked”.
A multitude of sins are excused away with no thought of assigning responsibility, nor punishing the wrongdoing.
The morals that used to receive honor and respect are now looked upon with ridicule and distain.
The list goes on and on.
Does our nation not see the shredding of our moral fiber, and the resulting shame we have brought upon ourselves? Do we not, even now, feel the grave results of this type of behavior in our nation? Do we not see how we have taken the morals graciously given to us from our Lord, and trampled them under foot?
Again, may I ask “Have We No Shame?”
THE SCRIPTURE:
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (Jer 6:15-16)
THE STUDY:
Long ago the prophet Jeremiah, under the inspiration of the Lord, addressed this issue of a nation who no longer felt shame for their evil deeds. In the context, Jeremiah addressed the Southern kingdom of Judah, by calling their attention to the heinous sin that had overtaken their society. What was that sin? They had left the truths God had given to them, and began living according to what seemed right in their own eyes. (Provs 30:12) (The condition of Judah during this time period mirrors the condition of our country today.)
Jeremiah 6:15-16 is a short part of the message that The Lord had given Jeremiah to speak to the people of Judah…
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
One of the main problems in Judah was lacking sorrow for the sin they were committing. They had become so hardened toward their Lord, that they were able to commit sinful acts with no shame, nor regret. It was as if they no longer cared about their Lord’s desire for their nation, but had chosen to turn their back on Him. In doing so, they were living according to their own set of morals and became blinded to the desires of their God.
therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
This is the path they had placed themselves on… the path of imminent destruction. Remember, the Lord had graciously given them His law to aid them and keep them pure and safe. The morals of the Lord are beneficial to those who live by them. When Judah chose to turn their backs on His laws, they were turning their back on their own safety, security and aid. The Lord would now allow them to continue down the path of their choosing until they would end up as captives to the empire of Babylon. Who was to blame for their downfall?… only Judah. The Lord had shown them the way of safety, they choose to depart from it, and in doing so, they were writing their own ticket to captivity.
This is the exact condition of our nation… we are going down a path that will eventually lead to our downfall. We can see this on every hand as our nation struggles with economic, political, security, environmental, and most importantly, spiritual ills.
Thus saith the LORD,
The Lord gives the only true solution to the problems that Judah was facing. This solution is divided into three distinct parts:
Part #1 – Stand ye in the ways, and see
Recognize the condition they were in. By looking back at their history and God’s past blessings to them, they would be able to clearly see the sinful acts being committed in their nation. They could recognize how horribly they had trodden on His gracious acts for them. By remembering the blessed times, they could see all the blessings that had slipped away, and the grave situation they were now facing.
Part #2 – and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
After seeing their need to turn from their wickedness, their next step was to seek out the truths of His Word once again.
Part #3 – and walk therein,
It is not enough for a nation to “go through the motions” of religion. The truths of God’s Word must be applied by the citizenry. As the members of the nation turn back to the old ways and realigning their lives to follow God’s Word, you have true national repentance taking place.
and ye shall find rest for your souls.
It is only this type of sincere, practical acceptance of the laws of God, that a nation can be delivered from its downward spiral of disobedience and loss of blessings.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For our Nation….
But they said, We will not walk therein.
What a sad conclusion Judah came to, after all of the Lord’s patience, after His grace and kindness towards them, they failed by not seizing their opportunity for repentance. When push came to shove, they could not bring themselves to turn from their ways and seek to do what was right.
Just as Judah had reached a point of decision making before God, so, too, our nation is facing the same time of reckoning. With the current economic, political and spiritual problems in our nation today, we now see the handwriting on the wall. There is very little doubt as to what our nation faces if it continues on the path it has chosen. Now is the time… The Lord has placed before our nation a simple, yet extremely important choice, it can be summarized by the following two passages…
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! …
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa 5:20-24)
“If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;…
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Ch 7:13-14)
United States, which path will you choose to follow?
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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Turn, Turn, Turn – Our Ever Changing World
The 1960’s group the Byrds recorded a hit song “Turn, Turn, Turn”. This song is based on a section of Scripture found in Ecclesiates 3:1-8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4
Basically, these verses tell us that God’s plan for mankind is constant change. This means that events are constantly changing around us, nothing on this earth can be expected to last, nor can it be expected to possess eternal value.
The Byrds named this song “Turn, Turn, Turn” to reflect the ever changing nature of the world. However, they did not realize that by entitling this song “Turn” they were also giving us the key to stability and eternal security in the midst of this ever changing world….
THE SCRIPTURE:
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luk 24:46-47)
THE STUDY:
Our text can be divided into 2 parts:
Part #1 – vs 46 –
This verse teaches us the basis of true peace, contentment and security in the midst of an ever changing world… the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on behalf of His people.
Thus it is written,
The basis of our security on this earth is a subject covered in great detail throughout the entire Bible. Both Old and New Testaments are filled with prophecies, historical accounts, and personal testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ, His work while on earth, and the results of that work.
and thus it behoved
The Greek word translated “behoved” is a word that means “it was absolutely necessary”, “binding to fulfill a purpose”. In other words, what Christ accomplished as He lived, died and arose was a work that was absolutely necessary to be performed. He was bound to perform this work if His people were to be saved and made secure.
Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
This work of Christ involved, His suffering and death at the hands of the Jews, the Romans, and by implication, each one of us. He suffered and died for the sins of His people so that they might be saved. (Matt 1:21) We all have sinned, and therefore, by implication, are responsible for the suffering and death of Christ.
Christ’s suffering and death on the cross was an absolute necessity to pay the price for the sins of His people (Col 1:20-23, Col 2:13-15) Then, Christ’s resurrection was the proof given to man that His sacrifice was acceptable to God to pay the price for the sins of His people. (1 Cor 15:12-18)
Together these works of Christ (His death, burial, resurrection, and their proofs, make up the gospel “good news” of Christ 1 Cor 15:1-8).
Part #2 – vs 47 –
This verse teaches us of our need to turn to Christ to receive His salvation and security.
And that repentance and remission of sins
Here, the word “repentance” comes from a Greek word defined as “to turn”, “to reverse” or “to change”.
In other words, salvation will only come to those who are willing to turn from their sin and their unbelief.
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus Himself issues an invitation to those who see their need of forgiveness, communion and security from God. What was His call? “Repent ye and believe the gospel”.
He was telling sinners everywhere that they were to turn:
- from sin to His service (they must come being willing to give up their sin and be willing to now obey Him.)
- from rebellion to submission (they must be willing to no longer live for themselves but now be willing to submit to His will for their lives.)
- from disbelief to faith in Him (they must leave their doubting and denial behind and come to acceptance of His existence, Deity and work on their behalf.)
This is the type of “turning” that the Bible prescribes for anyone who sees their sinful condition and desires forgiveness from the Lord Jesus Christ. This “turning” works faith in our hearts as our attitudes about sin, Christ, and His Word changes we come to a point of belief in Him.
As Christ intervenes in our life He turns us from sin to Him and, in doing so, grants us remission for our sins. “Remission” means “to deliver” or “to grant freedom from”. Much like a rescued slave is delivered from their captivity and granted their freedom, Christ does the same for the truly repentant. (Gals 4:3-7)
should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
This message is so important Christ has given a command for us to take this message of “repentance and remission” to everyone on the face of the globe. Why? Everyone has sinned and is in the need of a Savior. (2 Tim 2:25-26, Acts 17:30)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
We should always have thankful hearts, realizing Christ gave us the ability and led us to repentance entirely based upon His grace…. (Jer 31:18, 2 Tim 2:25-26). Lets serve Him today from a heart filled with appreciation for all He Hass done for us!!!
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
The call of Christ is plain “repent ye and believe the gospel”. Turn to Christ and trust Him with your sin, your life, your needs, your goals… and your eternity. It is only through turning to Him and trusting Him that you can receive forgiveness from your sin, peace in the midst of a turbulent world, and security knowing you are headed for an eternity with Him in paradise. (Romans 6:, 2 Cor 4:)
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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Halloween Part #3 – The Sorcery Symbols
With the Halloween holiday just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take time to study the history and characters surrounding the holiday.
As Christians, we have the responsibility to…
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Th 5:21-22)
So with this as our motive and the desire of our hearts, let’s look at part 3 of our 5 part series on Halloween:
A Study of The Halloween Celebration (All Hallows Eve)
- A Study of The Death Symbols – Skeletons, Ghosts, Jack O’ Lanterns, Frankenstein, Vampires, and Bats
- A Study of The Sorcery Symbols – Witches, Black Cats, Spiders, Werewolves, and Full Moons
- A Study of The Necromancy Symbols – Séances and Ouija Boards
- A Summary of Our Study On Halloween
May the Lord be glorified in our study….
THE SCRIPTURE:
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.(Deu 18:10-12)
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.(2Ch 33:1-6)
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.(Deu 17:2-5)
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Exo 22:18)
THE STUDY:
The History of Black Cats, Witches, Spiders, Werewolves and Full Moons:
Black Cats & Witches – In ancient times, people believed that souls of the dead appeared as black cats. The black cat was commonly used as an idol to worship the wiccan goddess Diana (the goddess of heaven and nature) There were some that believed that witches could change into black cats or that perhaps, they were reincarnated witches from a past lifetime. Others thought that cats were the “evil assistants” of witches who aided the witches in the casting of spells and other enchantments.
Witches were thought to have traveled on broomsticks to gather twice a year to honor and worship Satan (April 30 and Oct 31).
These beliefs made the witch and the black cat prime candidates to be included in the Halloween celebration.
http://www.suite101.com/content/black-cats-and-halloween-a162217
http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/witches.htm
Spiders – It was believed that spiders hid in witches’ robes, and whispered instructions in witches’ ear. Also cobwebs are associated with places not frequented by life. Cobwebs are signs of death and desertion. Also many people share in the fear of spiders. This all combines to a possible explanation why spiders have become a part of the Halloween festival.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPG/is_1998_Nov_1/ai_53101480/
Werewolves & Full Moons – Werewolves come out at night with the full moon. Full moons are also related to witches, who are said to come out and play during full moons. Many aspects of Satan worship takes place under the light of full moons. The full moon was also an astronomical representation for Diana, the wiccan goddess. Full Moons were also believed to enhance the power of spells and enchantments. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/411347/halloween_moon_omens_a_look_at_whats.html
In many variations of the Werewolf legend, human beings had a spell cast upon them which resulted in them becoming werewolves. Te spells either come from Satan, or witches, desiring to use them to attack or kill others. Also, it was believed that making a pact with the devil would give a human the ability to “shape shift” allowing them to transform into a werewolf. http://www.trueghosttales.com/werewolves.php
In all of the above Halloween symbols, a common thread is that of spells, enchantments, and acts of magic. Again, lets ask the question, what does the Bible say about these things?
In our texts, and throughout the Bible, sorcery, witchcraft, or an enchanter or charmer was described as an “abomination” (disgusting and abhorred, something that must be put off). In other words, the Lord says it disgusts Him, He is abhorred by it and cannot stand to have it near Him.
“…, or that useth divination,… or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, … or a wizard,… For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” (Deu 18:10-12)
“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen,… he built altars for all the host of heaven … used enchantments, and used witchcraft, …and dealt with… wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.” (2Ch 33:1-6)
This was such a horrible sin, in Old Testament times, it was punishable by death…
“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” (Exo 22:18)
Also in our texts, the worship of the sun, moon or stars was an abomination punishable by death…
“…And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; … that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.” (Deu 17:2-5)
These heinous crimes, are emphasized, when we think of how kind, gracious and loving our Lord is. For the Lord, in the Old Testament, to demand capital punishment in response to these sins, speaks volumes about the wickedness and dangerous nature of these actions.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
Do we feel uncomfortable about participating in a holiday that is so closely joined with these atrocious sins? Although we all understand that taking part in the Halloween festival is not literally committing these sins, does it matter that these sins are symbolized by the holiday?
“….for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2Co 6:14-18)
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
There are many who have dabbled in the occult religions. The Lord made it plain that these sins are grave, serious sins that will bring about eternal punishment. However, the Lord also made it plain that these sins, if repented of, will be forgiven through the work of Christ on the cross.
For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. (Psa 25:11)
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isa 1:18)
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. (1Ti 1:12-16)
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:19-21)
For more information on the forgiveness of God for our sins please refer to my blog page “How To Have A Relationship With God…. Forgiveness… Salvation”
Halloween Part #2 – The Death Symbols
With the Halloween holiday just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take time to study the history and characters surrounding the holiday.
As Christians, we have the responsibility to…
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Th 5:21-22)
So with this as our motive and the desire of our hearts, let’s look at part 2 of our series on Halloween:
- A Study of The Halloween Celebration (All Hallows Eve)
- A Study of The Death Symbols – Skeletons, Ghosts, Jack O’ Lanterns, Frankenstein Vampires, and Bats
- A Study of The Sorcery Symbols – Witches, Black Cats, Spiders, Werewolves, and Full Moons
- A Study of The Necromancy Symbols – Séances and Ouija Boards
- A Summary of Our Study On Halloween
May the Lord be glorified in our study….
THE SCRIPTURE:
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. (2Co 5:1-11)
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecc 12:7)
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. (Php 1:20-24)
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luk 23:42-43)
THE STUDY:
The History of Skeletons, Ghosts, Jack O’ Lanterns, Frankenstein, Vampires, and Bats:
Skeletons & Ghosts – Both were reminders of the death and the afterlife. Keep in mind, the central theme of the Samhain eve festival was to honor and pacify the souls of the dead who walked upon the earth. (Please refer to Halloween Part #1 – The Celebration) The skeleton and the idea of ghosts were the ideal symbols for death. The skeleton refers to a dead body; while a ghost refers to the spirit after its departure from the body at the time of death.
Jack O Lantern – Based on a legend about Jack, a lazy drunken farmer, who had trapped Satan with the use of a cross. In exchange for his release Satan agrees to never take Jack’s soul. At his death, Jack, who couldn’t enter heaven due to his sinfulness, nor could he enter hell due to his agreement with Satan, is trapped forever wandering the earth looking for a resting place. He uses a hollowed out turnip with a burning coal in it to light his way. This turnip that gave forth light was gradually changed to a pumpkin over time.
In some societies, the lighted pumpkin face was symbolic of the god of the darkness, Samhain, who would turn away other weaker evil spirits. The people would place these pumpkins on display to ward off the evil spirits.
For more information about the history of Jack O Lanterns please refer to: http://www.history.com/topics/jack-olantern-history
Frankenstein – The story of the Frankenstein monster was presented in a book by Mary Shelley, “The Modern Prometheus” or “Frankenstein”. The tale of “Frankenstein,” revolves around Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s attempt to assemble a human body from parts derived from various dead bodies that were obtained from a graveyard. Once assembled, Frankenstein then successfully brings the body to life. Over time, the monster demands to have a mate created by the Doctor. After a failed attempt to create the mate, the monster rebels against the doctor. Dr. Frankenstein is forced to destroy his own creation.
The basic idea of this book was derived from a dream of Mrs. Shelley in 1815. In this dream, Mary saw her dead daughter suspended over a fire, warmed, and then brought back to life.
It is plain to see how easily the Frankenstein monster fits into the Halloween scheme. Once again, we have the story of one who was once dead, possessing life and walking upon the earth.
http://www.thingsinthebasement.com/index.php/site/comments/the_history_of_the_frankenstein_monster/
http://www.phobos-deimos.com/History/Frankenstein/Frankenstein%20History.htm
Bats & Vampires – According to legend the Vampires, also know as “the living dead”, came out at night to feed upon the blood of their victims. They soon became associated with bats due to the vampire bat of South America that came out at night, drank blood of animals to survive.
Most historians believe that both of these then became associated with Halloween due to their nighttime activity and their association with evil and death.
Vampires were ideal characters for Halloween due to their status as the living dead.
Bats, became associated with Halloween from their activity in ancient times. The druids would build fires to offer sacrifices and worship their false gods. These fires would attract insects, who in turn would attract bats who feed off of them. With the bats flying and congregating over the fires, they soon became associated with the spirits of the dead who were seeking a resting place.
http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/bat.shtml
All four of these groups of Halloween symbols share a common thread… death and restless spirits wandering on the earth.
What does the Bible say about the spirits of dead men walking the earth?
In our texts, the Bible makes it plain, that once a spirit departs from it’s earthly house (human body), the spirit goes into it’s eternal state:
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”
“To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Note: this was spoken by Christ to the thief on the cross moments before His death.
This is one of the greatest of all Christian desires… that once we are done being used of God on earth, He will take us to our eternal home….
“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:”
“According to my earnest expectation and my hope,”
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ;”
For those who are not saved, physical death and the accompanying entrance into the afterlife is a dreaded event.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;”
There is not a shred of Scripture that indicates that once a spirit leaves a body the spirit continues on in the earth, not entering it’s eternal state. This teaching is made to order for Satan to mislead the lost into thinking that there is a way to escape eternal punishment for sins. And yet, the Bible is clear…. All lost mankind will be punished eternally for the sins they have committed.
“Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (Col 3:24-25)
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”(Rev 20:12-15)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
Can we honestly say that we “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Th 5:21-22) when we participate in the Halloween festival? Please prayerfully, consider this question.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
Remember, the Bible is plain…. After death we all must face a final judgment, answering for what we have done in our lives. There is no escaping this. If you realize you have committed sin and desire for to live your life for Him, then turn to Him realizing you can do nothing to save yourself.
The Lord gives us clear teaching on the way of salvation:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (Joh 14:6)
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Act 4:10-12)
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1Pe 3:18)
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Rom 5:1-2)
Turn from your sins and come before the Lord, and trust only in Him for your salvation.
If you would like further information about salvation please refer to the page on my blog entitled “How to have a relationship with God”.
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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Halloween Part #1 – The Celebration
With the Halloween holiday just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take time to study the history and characters surrounding the holiday.
As Christians, we have the responsibility to…
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Th 5:21-22)
So with this as our motive and the desire of our hearts, let’s begin our 5 part series on Halloween:
A Study of The Halloween Celebration (All Hallows Eve)
- A Study of The Death Symbols – Skeletons, Ghosts, Jack O’ Lanterns, Frankenstein, Vampires, and Bats
- A Study of The Sorcery Symbols – Witches, Black Cats, Spiders, Werewolves, and Full Moons
- A Study of The Necromancy Symbols – Séances and Ouija Boards
- A Summary of Our Study On Halloween
May the Lord be glorified in our study….
THE SCRIPTURE:
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.(Eph 5:8-13)
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.(Rom 13:12-14)
THE STUDY:
A Brief History of Halloween:
The Celtic New Years Day, November 1st was set apart for the observance of the feast of Samhain. This day was set apart to worship Samhain the “lord of the dead” or “the lord of darkness”.
The evening before this celebration, the last day of the Celtic calendar (October 31st ) was set aside as a holiday to honor and pacify the dead. The pagans believed that, on October 31st, dead souls and demons walked the streets at night on their way to the place of the dead. During the celebration, costumes and masks were worn in the hopes of keeping away the evil spirits. They would leave gifts of food for these beings to insure peace with them for the coming year (modern-day “trick or treat”).
Bonfires also held a major role in the observance, with the burning of animal remains resulting in purification of sin and the preparation of entrance into a new year.
The Catholic church tried to “Christianize” this holiday by changing it name to “Hallows Eve” (the evening before All Saints Day a day set aside for the honoring of the Catholic saints.)
For further information about the history of Halloween please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween and http://www.holidayinsights.com/halloween/samhain.htm
Many beliefs surrounding the Halloween celebration run contrary to Scripture…
- The worship of “the lord of darkness”
- the belief that the spirits of the dead roam the earth
- the presentation of offerings to the dead
- the purification of sin through animal sacrifices
All of these, plus many others, clearly go against the principles of Scripture.
If there was one word that best describes the Halloween celebration it is the word “darkness”. Everything about the holiday centers on the occult, the dark forces of this world, and the darkness of spiritual blindness being clearly on display.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
Not only should we be aware of the history of Halloween, but also the principles laid out in the Scriptures that should apply to each of our lives.
In our two texts, in both cases, the basic principle is that a Christian is to be separated from the works of the darkness of this world…
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
“let us therefore cast off the works of darkness”
Also, remember that we are to be completed separated from these works….
“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light”
“For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.”
“let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
Why are we to make certain we are not taking part in the works of darkness?…
Our testimony is at stake…
“now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
“(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
The time is short before His coming…. We must reach the lost with our testimony…
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand:”
The level of our participation in the Halloween observances is between each Christian and his Lord. We need to prayerfully consider the history of Halloween as well as the principles of the Word of God. May the Lord lead and guide each of us as we continue our study of Halloween.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
What is necessary for your life, is to turn from your sin to Christ (repentance) and place your faith in Him as the only way of salvation. You can do nothing to save yourself but the Lord Jesus Christ, came to the earth and died on the cross for the sins of His people. He took upon Himself the punishment for sin, so those who look to Him will not be punished.
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(Gal 1:3-5)
For more information on salvation. please feel free to click on the blog page entitled “How To Have A Relationship With God…. Forgiveness… Salvation” for much more information.
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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Who’s On First, Who’s In Space … or What did you say? (Part #2)
In our previous study, we examined the Lord’s teachings on The Proper Preparation for Prayer. (Matt 6:5-8) We will not begin looking at The Makeup of Our Prayers. (Matt 6:9-13)
THE SCRIPTURE:
And when thou prayest, … For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Mat 6:5-13)
THE STUDY:
After this manner therefore pray ye:
Please note the Lord never said to recite this prayer. He makes this plain earlier in the context of this prayer. (Matt 6:7-8 – Please see Part #1 for a further explanation).
If we study the phrase “after this manner” we find that the Greek word for this phrase means “in this way” or “following this pattern”. It does not mean to “use these words” or “repeat after me”. He is giving us a “pattern” for us to follow as we pray.
As we pray we should express…
#1 – Our Reverence Of Him
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
We need to recognize His greatness and express that greatness and what it means to us. In this example Christ is centering on the Father’s greatness by expressing the need for His name to be treated as higher than all other names. “… Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. “ (Neh 9:5)
#2 – Our Desire For His Will To Be Done Above All Else
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
These two phrases are simply repeating the same point twice:
“Thy kingdom come” – let your kingly rule take perfect control of all things.
“Thy will be done… heaven” – His will is being done perfectly in heaven… we are to desire the same here on earth.
This has two implications as we pray…
First, we are to desire His will to be done in any issues we bring to Him.
We should follow the perfect example of Christ, who prayed as He sought for the crucifixtion to be taken from Him… “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. “ (Mat 26:39)
Secondly, we should be willing to do whatever He may reveal to us as we seek His guidance for our lives.
Again, we are to follow Christ’s perfect example for us… “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (Joh 4:34)
#3 – Our Physical Needs
Give us this day our daily bread.
We are to bring all of our physical needs before Him; our financial, health, and vocational needs, to name a few.
#4 – Our Spiritual Needs
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
We are to bring before Him our need of forgiveness and our need to treat others as the Lord would treat us. Repentance for known private, and public, sin in our lives should be dealt with during our prayers. Also, the need for others should be addressed in our prayers.
#5 – His Leadership For Our Life
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Acknowledge His sovereignty over all events in our lives and the activities of Satan and demons. Especially, seek to avoid situations of temptations, relying on His leadership to detour us.
#6 – Verbally Praise and Glorify Him
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Our prayer is to be made with God’s glory in mind. Everything that a Christian does is to be done in faith, for God’s glory. (Roms 14:23, Roms 11:36) This is the main difference between the sinful moral acts of a lost man and the God pleasing acts of His saints. (Isa 64:6, Eph 2:2)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Prayer is not as complicated as we want to make it… it is simply, honestly, recognizing His greatness and then, by grace, speaking to Him by opening up ourselves and seeking to hear and follow His instructions.
Prayer should be more like approaching a King who is our brother or father. Approach Him with reverence as God and King, but knowing He is sympathetic towards our every fault and need.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. “ (1Pe 5:6-7)
To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Who’s On First, Who’s In Space … or What did you say? (Part #1)
Abbott and Costello, the legendary comedy team of the 40s and 50s, was the most famous comedy team of their time, and perhaps, of all time. Their performance of “Who’s On First?” has passed the test of time, still being enjoyed by all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfmvkO5x6Ng “Who’s on First” is an example of a failure to communicate clearly to others .
SETI, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, originating in the early sixties, is man’s attempt to communicate with aliens from another planet. After almost 50 years of trying, SETI has, to date, yielded no proof of alien communication with earth, nor the existence of alien life. It seems to be a serious waste of much needed capital, which could be used to fund many other fields of scientific exploration. http://www.seti.org
How about the day to day communication that should take place between husband and wife? Most polls indicate that a failure in communication is one of the top three reasons why marriages end in divorce. Here, a lack of communication causes a rupturing of the family unit and the breaking of marital vows. This is an extremely serious problem that leads to the ruination of lives.
But there is one other type of communication failure that brings about even worse results… a person’s inability to communicate with Christ. In the case of the unsaved, his communication ruptured by his sinful condition. (Isa 59:2) The only remedy to restore that communication is God’s forgiveness. (1 John 1:6-10)
However, the Christian can also experience a loss of communion with the Lord. Christ presents a lesson on communion’s hindrances and remedies for those who are saved and seeking a closer walk with Him….
THE SCRIPTURE:
And when thou prayest, … For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Mat 6:5-13)
THE STUDY:
In Part #1 of our study we will be looking at Our Preparation For Prayer. (Matt 6:5-8)
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Here we find our Lord presenting to us five different principles…
Principle #1 – We should prepare our hearts to be sincere in our prayers. We need to be SINCERE.
The Greek word for “hypocrite” is a word that means “to play a role” or “ to be an actor on a stage”. Our prayer life we are not just putting on an act or going through the motions; trying to impress Him or others? True, Scriptural prayer is entering into sincere communion with our Lord.
Principle #2 – We should enter into our communication with Him as a secret act between Him and us alone. We need to be SELFLESS
Our heart prepared to meet with Him and Him alone. This is done by confession of sin and thinking upon His Word. Also we should have His Word open in front of us as we pray, awaiting to hear from Him during our communion time. We should be ready to read His Word during this time, knowing He reveals His will for us through His Word.
Principle #3 – We should prepare our heart making sure our motive for prayer is not personal gain but humbling wanting to seek His face and then submit to the His revealed will for our lives. We need to be SUBMITTED
As His will is revealed to us, we must have a heart prepared to follow His leadership. As His will is revealed we should place any hindrances aside (no matter what the cost) and immediately seek to align ourselves with His desires.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Principle #4 – We should be desiring to communicate with the Lord not impress Him. We need to be SEARCHING
The Lord does not desire for us to be repeating any prayer verbatim, including His model prayer in the following verses. He desires sincere communication that is simply being transparent and speaking the truth from the heart. Which would mean more to our spouse… having a friend of ours write a poem of love that we could read , or for us to simply open our heart and proclaim our love in our own words?
Principle #5 – We should be dwelling on His greatness, His knowledge of all things and His ability to change any circumstance if it is His will to do so. We need to be SEEING
As we enter into prayer our hearts should be filled with a knowledge of His greatness. In prayer, we are coming before the Sovereign Lord of all. We should be in awe and appreciation for His wanting to meet with us. We should be joyful knowing He is the One who can truly meet every need in our life. Nothing is too hard for Him.
As we pray, our heart should be:
Sincere
Selfless
Submitted
Searching
Seeing
In Part #2 of our study we will be looking at The Makeup of our Prayers. (Matt 6:9-13)
To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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