Preaching God While Justifying Ourselves

DEREK  RISHMAWY WRITES AT THE GOSPEL COALITION ON  the dangers of spiritual pride and superiority that hides behind so-called pure doctrine, especially in reformed churches.  It's self-serving and often subtly reeks of I'm right and you're wrong....like a spiritual put-down.

Please note:  parts of my computer keyboard have gone out this week and a new part is ordered and should be installed soon.  Till then,  it's catch as catch can.

Text From A Favorite Fisherman

22'' RAINBOW FROM NORTH CAROLINA STREAM--- CAUGHT, NETTED, PHOTOED, RELEASED to be caught again and again. Hopefully by me....soon.

 Love pics where the fish is too big for the net!  Jack, way to go---great fish!

Abe's Garden 2 AM Good Neighbor Wake Up Call

RISE AND SHINE!
AFTER ALL, CONCRETE NEEDS TO BE POURED FOR THIS-HERE GARDEN.  And it doesn't matter when it is or whether it wakes up the entire neighborhood for the rest of the night. Would have been very nice if they'd let their neighbors know in advance rather than at 2 AM after the fact, n'est-ce pas?  Perhaps they will next time.

We're now in the thick of it, meaning legal procedings, so we'll see what happens.   Meanwhile,  I like Blake's latest.

 

Nashville Comes To West Nashville

EVERYONE FROM THE NASHVILLE TV CREW SEEMED WELL-BEHAVED AND PROFESSIONAL as I did my errands and picked up my cleaning in Belle Meade. Have never watched the show myself, but it's done wonders for Nashville, the city. So as long as I still can find parking and a find back alley to negotiate my car around, they have my best wishes. ABOVE, CREW AND EQUIPMENT ALONG HARDING PIKE.

Eric Metaxas: How To Talk To Sophisticated, Intellectual Cultural Elites In NYC---Socrates In the City

CAN'T FORCE ANYONE TO SEE THE TRUTH. BUT ERIC IS A CLOSE SECOND.... To explore and have some fun at the same time....Eric is the best.

 

SUPS On

EXTREME HEAT WARNING ISSUED 

HERE I AM BACK IN TENNESSEE TODAY IN ALMOST 100 DEGREE WEATHER FOR THE NEXT WEEK.  Saw this scene walking in Montgomery Bell State Park this morning.  Husband and his cute wife---who's already off paddling on the lake---unloaded their standup paddleboards---each to fit their size---from the rack on top of their car before my very eyes. I had already been thinking about getting an SUP, but the minute I saw them and heard their over-the-top enthusiasm about these boards, I knew it will also be my next big thing. And here's the thing: you can stand or kneel to paddle and even fish from it, if you're so inclined. Best of all, it's terrific upper body and arm exercise. And the smaller boards are only 26 pounds and easy to carry.

SUPS ALMOST ON!  PERFECT FOR A HOT SUMMER DAY!

A Happy Guy

WITH ALL THE RIDICULOUS THEATER GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY,  it's nice to see a man who knows how to get away from it all on his day off.  A man who can get back to basics and just plain chill while the world goes on by in all its absurdities. A man after my own heart.

Saw him fishing early this morning in Montgomery Bell State Park, as I took a walk ahead of the 100 degree temps with 100 % humidity for the next week.  I intend to come back to more regular posting soon, but have   been covered up since I got back to Nashville last week.

God's Promise to Noah: Constant Change

7-27-14 from River Crossing on Vimeo.

Obama Administration's Three Branches of Government

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW IT'S FUNNY.  

And true.

Source

Heartbreaking Pics of Sick and Quarantined in Liberia

EBOLA DOCTOR CONTRACTS, SURVIVES THE DISEASE

ALMOST TOO MUCH HUMAN SUFFERING TO VIEW @ DAILY MAIL

These families and children struck with Ebola all need our many prayers and anything else we might be able to do. Some of their suffering and isolation is too much for them to bear. We must not turn away.

Sunday: Eric Metaxes On His Conversion

Wednesday Night In the Great State of Texas

NINE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HAMAS  

SO THANKFUL AND HAPPY TO HAVE A MASSIVE three-day drive from Clark, Wyoming to Houston, Texas now in my rear-view mirror. Am  going to enjoy children and grandchildren and recover from the trip for the next few days before going on to  Tennessee early next week.

YEEHAW!

Sunday: The Van Gogh That Breaks My Heart

By Tony Reinke @ Desiring God

VINCENT VAN GOGH aspired to become a Calvinist pastor, like his dad. He pursued ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church until he hit a roadblock by failing his academic training, and then experienced what personal failure often breeds: disillusionment. He became disenchanted with pastoral ministry and then left the church for good in 1880 at the age of 27. From that point on van Gogh redirected all his ambitions to art. 

Of all van Gogh’s famous works, I’m most struck by a painting he feverishly finished in one day: “Still Life with Bible” (1885). The symbolic painting features two books. The large book in the background is the Bible of van Gogh’s pastor-father. The Bible is opened to Isaiah 53. The yellow book in the foreground is a French novel by naturalist Émile Zola. The book is titled La Joie de Vivre, or in English, The Joy of Life (1884). So why did van Gogh put these two books together? Getting into his mind is no easy task, but here are a few possibilities.

MORE

This is indeed a sad story, but who knows but God whether Van Gogh totally recanted his seeming faith. Perhaps alcohol was involved. I often wonder if in such cases, their confession of faith was real in the first place, or done because of family or group/social pressure. One thing's for sure, I pray that I will finish my life stronger and stronger in my faith in Christ rather than lukewarm and disillusioned. Being in God's Word daily certainly helps.

 ELSEWHERE: In Defense of Zionism's Incredible Historical Success