New "CAREtoons" at www.StevertS.com . . .

www.StevertS.com

www.StevertS.com

Maybe we should all move to Canada for the lower taxes . . .

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
(Mark 9:2-8 -- NIV)

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. ²² They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews. 
(Mark 15:21-26 -- NIV)

Only God knows how long . . .

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth: 

(Psalm 104:14 -- NIV)

Daniel didn't bow to King Darius.  We shouldn't bow to the modern morality gods.  Bow only to the God of the Bible.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? 
Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? 
Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? 
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

Therefore,

“Come out from them
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”  

 

^{(2 Corinthians 6:14-17 -- NIV)}

 

Many years ago, I made a speech about marbles -- we're all "well-rounded individuals" like marbles.  I warned against prejudice, hatred, jealousy, peer pressure, and the iron curtain marble "can" of communism. 

Another warning could have been from the book of Jude -- evil men have "slipped in among you."  This can happen in our family, our neighborhood, our church, our government, or, in general, our culture.  Jude wrote that they "pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." 

What do these "ungodly men" look like?  Are they green, red, blue, or yellow?  Are they striped, swirled, or spotted?  Are they small or large?  We don't know -- that's how they were able to slip in among us.  All we can do is "test" them to see if they are from God (see 1 John 4:1-6), and follow Jesus along the "narrow road" (Matthew 7:13-14).

"Portals of Prayer" for the month of August includes a portrait of Jesus each day (August 1 = Chapter 1, August 2 = Chapter 2, etc.), as indicated below . . .
 1. The Son of God (John 1:14).
 2. The Son of Man (wedding at Cana).
 3. The Divine Teacher (John 3:2).
 4. The Soul Winner (Samaritan woman).
 5. The Great Physician (John 5:8).
 6. The Bread of Life (John 6:35).
 7. The Water of Life (John 7:37).
 8. The Light of the World (John 8:12).
 9. The Healer of the Blind (John 9:7).
10. The Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
11. The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
12. The Heavenly King (John 12:13).
13. The Heavenly Servant (John 13:5).
14. The Way (John 14:6).
15. The True Vine (John 15:1).
16. Giver of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).
17. Our High Priest (John 17:11).
18. Our Substitute (John 18:8).
19. Christ Crucified (John 19:19).
20. The Conqueror of Death (John 20:18).
21. Feeder of the Sheep (John 21:17).

www.StevertS.com

The quote below is from the eulogy for Abraham Lincoln delivered by Bishop Matthew Simpson on May 4, 1865.

As a ruler I doubt if any president has ever shown such trust in God, or in public documents so frequently referred to Divine aid.  Often did he remark to friends and to delegations that his hope for our success rested in his conviction that God would bless our efforts, because we were trying to do right.  To the address of a large religious body he replied, "Thanks be unto God, who, in our national trials, giveth us the Churches."  To a minister who said he hoped the Lord was on our side, he replied that it gave him no concern whether the Lord was on our side or not "For," he added, "I know the Lord is always on the side of right;" and with deep feeling added, "But God is my witness that it is my constant anxiety and prayer that both myself and this nation should be on the Lord's side."

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

(Ephesians 3:14-19 -- ESV)

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All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  

(John 1:3 -- ESV)

Display (and obey) the Ten Commandments . . .

I’m But a Stranger Here,
Heaven is my home;
Earth is a desert drear,
Heaven is my home;
Danger and sorrow stand
Round me on every hand;
Heaven is my fatherland,
Heaven is my home.

What though the tempest rage,
Heaven is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heaven is my home;
And time’s wintry blast
Soon shall be over past;
I shall reach home at last,
Heaven is my home.

Therefore I murmur not,
Heaven is my home;
Whatever my earthly lot,
Heaven is my home;
And I shall surely stand
There at my Lord’s right hand.
Heaven is my fatherland,
Heaven is my home.

(by Thomas R. Taylor)

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,  “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,  and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.  I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”  God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” 
(Genesis 9:8-17 -- ESV)

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." 

(Matthew 7:13-14 -- ESV)

Sorry . . . global warming is my fault.

Oops!  There really isn't any global warming going on. http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2014/07/updated-list-of-29-excuses-for-18-year.html

Why all the fuss then?  Maybe science isn't "settled" after all. 

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 -- ESV)

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 
(Colossians 2:13-14 -- ESV) 

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 

(Judges 21:25 -- ESV)

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not Socialist.  Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist.  Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.  And then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”       – Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  

(John 16:33 -- NIV)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

(1 Peter 2:9 -- KJV)

Gladly the cross-eyed bear . . .

Keep Thou my way, O Lord, be Thou ever nigh;
Strong is Thy mighty arm, weak and frail am I;
Then, my unchanging Friend, on Thee, my hopes depend,
Till life’s brief day shall end, be Thou ever nigh.

                   Keep Thou my heart, O Lord, ever close to Thee;
                   Safe in Thine arms of love, shall my refuge be;
                   Then, over a tranquil tide, my bark shall safely glide;
                   I shall be satisfied, ever close to Thee.

                   Keep Thou my all, O Lord, hide my life in Thine;
                   O let Thy sacred light over my pathway shine;
                   Kept by Thy tender care, gladly the cross I’d bear;
                   Hear Thou and grant my prayer, hide my life in Thine.

(by Fanny Crosby)