Thoughts

My Sunday Thought: 50 Lashes against Freedom

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Stepping on toes, insulting people, getting in someone’s face. Those aren’t things I tend to do.

Saudi blogger receives first 50 lashes of sentence for ‘insulting Islam’

You know I saw that article heading and some things jumped out at me.

Blogger

50 Lashes

Insulting Islam

I’m an honest guy so I am going to be honest. None of it surprised me from what I see in the news. Aren’t we all accustomed to seeing it? Received this many lashes for this or that reason. Put to death because of insulting this or that. It’s almost like we are desensitized to it all. I mean I KNOW not all of Islam is like that.  We ALL have Muslim friends here through Blog World. I just never think of them as Muslim friends. I just think friends. The Muslim part never comes to mind nor does any other label you might put on someone.

Then I read the headline again because it came to my attention from a friend of mine across social media land. Yeah, we’re connected like that. Word.

Stay focused today, Ronovan.

Since this friend posted it I had to look again. So I looked again and saw “50 lashes OF sentence”. There would be more? I had to read more, as I always do when this particular friend posts something like this with the passion in which it was done.

The blogger is a man named Raif Badawi, a once husband, his wife’s family had activistthe courts put through a forced divorce, and father of three. The wife and kids were able to make it to Canada. He will now spend 10 years in prison and receive 1,000 lashes, 50 per week until completed. Each week he will be flogged. Before the wounds fully heal he will be lashed again. Why?

I also wonder will he again be transported from prison to the public square so those who have just went to prayer will witness it? Will it again last 15 minutes? Will the public lashing send the intended message to others not to do the same as he did? What did he do?

“According to Amnesty the charges against Badawi mention his failure to remove articles by other people on his website. He was also accused in court of ridiculing Saudi Arabia’s morality police.

In a statement after the flogging Amnesty called it a “vicious act of cruelty” and said Badawi’s “only ‘crime’ was to exercise his right to freedom of expression by setting up a website for public discussion”.

The US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called the punishment an “inhumane” response to someone exercising his right to freedom of expression and religion.”~Associated Press Dubai as seen on TheGuardian.com site.

You know, for some this is only about Islam. For me it isn’t. It’s more than religion to me. Yes, I am a Christian. And this being my Sunday Thought spot where I discuss my faith I chose instead to discuss this matter. I think everyone that has roamed the site here knows that I am an unashamed Christian. That means I have no beef against anyone else. I love all people, no matter your faith or non-faith. I live my life and I pray and hope others will come to Christ because I believe in Jesus and what the Bible says. Part of what the Bible says, what Jesus says, is that if someone won’t listen to you then shake the dust of that place off your feet and move on. It doesn’t say flog them, lash them, imprison them or force them.

Yes, some idiots in the past have done all of those things and used the Bible and Jesus as an excuse for trying to be in control of things, but they fell from power.

Now that I have the religion faith part of the Sunday Thought done, let’s move on. Although really, all of this is me and my faith is me.

This today is specifically about freedoms and what is simply right to do . What is humane to do.

The U.S. reached out to Saudi Arabia and asked them not to do the lashings, sort of. Okay. What are they going to do now? They call it wrong. What are they going to do now?

Pardon me here for a moment as I may venture into some less than Ronovan like moments. The U.S. leadership on both sides of the line don’t have the . . . backbone . . . to make a serious stand about anything with a country that has something it needs. Sure, we can make a stand against Iran, North Korea but they really don’t have us in a place where they are in control or where we can’t live without them.

Saudi Arabia on the other hand has the fuel that dives the U.S.. I’m  a bit sick of it myself. I won’t go into the politics of it all and where I see the failures in things.  All I am saying is just as no one had the . . . backbone to stand up for Jesus, the U.S. doesn’t have it to stand up for this man nor any others who are flogged and murdered for offenses that aren’t offenses to anyone other than those who fear for their political power if an idea is allowed to spread.

Will I receive some backlash from readers or a drop in followers and views of my site for coming out against people who are gutless power tripping maniacs? If you are reading this, do you think I care?

Oh, but some are saying, “At least he wasn’t killed like those people in Paris for drawing cartoons.” You want to know why that happened? That happened because people haven’t made a stand for decades against things like what is happening to Raif Badawi. Those men in Paris and others have no fear of reprisals. They want to be martyrs. I don’t want Raif Badawi to be a martyr. Mankind already has the only martyr it needs.

Each country has a different set of laws. I don’t know the laws in Saudi Arabia. I do know this though, there is no law that can keep me from thinking, believing and caring what I want to.

Lord,

Thank you for giving us the freedom to think as we wish and make the choices as we wish. I pray that those in power will have the strength to follow what is right over what is self serving. As you have been a servant to this world I ask that those in Saudi Arabia become servants as well, servants to those who look to them for leadership and example, those in the U.S. to do the same. I pray that all those who read this are blessed by you with a desire to better the world with love and not lashes. All of this I ask in the name of Jesus who you gave all power in heaven and on earth, Amen.

Ronovan Writes

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My Sunday Thought: Insults Don’t Insult Me.

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Some of you may have noticed I have a slogan or motto attached to the blog now.

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I’ve been asked the renewal of what. No, I don’t remember by whom. But I do remember whoever it was had read my Sunday Thought last week about the renewing of our minds or had at least liked it.

There are a lot of things I’ve seen in the news of late about some pretty, well, let’s just call them what they are. Stupid and even juvenile disagreements. A great many involve the back and forth Tweet fights of celebrities, usually music people. Sometimes it is between on artist that once was somebody who is trying to remain relevant by insulting a current somebody. The truth is they are really both nobodies as far as on my radar of celebrities of enjoyment. They simply waste mental energy and disrupt positivity for a moment of time that could be better used for something else.

Imagine if you will that one celebrity praised another instead. How often do you see that trending on any social outlet?

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.  And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.~2 Timothy 2:23-24

First of all, don’t even try and confuse this with an idea of we should roll over and let a nation or a person just completely stomp us into the ground. These verses have been misinterpreted almost as much as, well actually not near as much as the following.

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.-Jesus in Matthew 5:39

There is a lot of culture behind the wording of this and I won’t get into it too much but simply put it is saying to ignore the insults and the slights of the world because they really mean nothing. The left hand was the shall we say the unclean hand in the time of Jesus. People predominantly used their right to do things such as eating and striking someone but of course to strike me on the right cheek you would have to backhand me, a sign of believing I was inferior to you. An insult.

We get backhanded a lot. We get backhanded in our blogs, we get backhanded at work, in our relationships, in love and in pretty much ever facet of life. A big step toward renewal is to realize these are insults that do you no permanent life ending harm. It may take a few moments to realize that, but you will realize it, just pray it’s not too late.

A 16 year old boy, I emphasize boy here, calls me a cripple  in a grocery store. Do I let him know he has touched a nerve by retaliating? No, I do something I talk about in an old article I wrote back in May called Don’t ALLOW People to Control You. It’s advice from a very successful woman I heard at a business luncheon probably 15 years or so ago. I do not mean some large gathering with hundreds of people. There were maybe 50 people there and we were able to actually have a good discussion. Perhaps that is why I went home and typed up the notes from that meeting.

I’ve learned through the years to let the petty little garbage things go. I don’t give it space in my mind or heart that belongs to loving and adoring. That gives me a lot of loving and adoring to give. It also gives me a lot of ability to step back and look at situations in a fair manner. You learn how to look beyond things that spark that emotional reaction inside of you.

A lot of things this past year could have been avoided if dealt with in a mature fashion and would have set such a great example in many ways. But people are ALLOWING things to happen.

To get to the point of Renewal you need to get rid of the old habits  you have of ALLOWING others control over you.

Remember;

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.~James 1:19-20

do not lose your temper

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My Sunday Thought: The Year of Renewal

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I believe I’ve spoken of a pastor friend of mine before who brought me fully into a love of studying the Bible. He has his own ministry now that he is retired in which he teaches Apologetics in Oklahoma. I greatly enjoy Apologetics as it goes so hand in hand with my love of History. One verse that is key to his ministry is;

Romans 12:2
Do not conform 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.

I wanted to share this verse with you today as the final My Sunday Thought of 2014. I would like for you to look around at the world today. Look at what is popular on television and in the various forms of media.

Now take Fifty Shades of Grey and give it to your 10 year old to read. I know many of you are likely thinking this book is for adults only. I slip into that vein of thought at times when I write some of my poetry not that there have been many that could not be shared and yes, even in a Romance I’ve written there are scenes that are a bit much at times, not yet published nor revised by me. But does it make it right? Does the fact of the existence of something in a society make it right?

We should be able to hold ourselves up proudly at any moment and look at people and say “Do not throw me in with the swine you have made yourself to be.”

There is truly nothing of this world, the popular world that I care to be a part of. What do I want filling my mind? Do I want negativity and hatred or positivity and encouragement? Do I want skewed views of every single moment of life that is played out and inflamed according to media direction for the purpose of ratings when they could be trying to help a situation or do I want that which will give me hope and give me the ability to love every creation of God on this planet as a creation of God regardless of my dislike for who or what they are? Do I want to be an instigator or a mediator?

People don’t agree with my ideas. They believe they are a bit extreme. I believe we should not fill our minds with the trash that music has become, the movies, the literature. Don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone has the choice to do as they wish. There are a lot of aspects of life that should be portrayed in literature but done wisely. I simply believe that I have the choice to not fill my mind with some of it. I even suggested to people at my church, in ministry leadership positions that we should try to not support industry that supports all of the things that are a negative influence. We should not buy our fuel from stores that sell pornography. All I received from that was a nodding of the head with the “but” look to it. How could we ever possibly do that?

I am aware of the things, I just choose not to fill my mind and life with them. As the new year approaches give the idea of renewing your mind a consideration. Fill your life, your mind with positives so you may be a positive influence. Introduce the idea to your friends and family as well. Don’t be down on someone when they do listen to something or watch something. You just choose not to participate. Have your own music with you, a book. Or be like me and carry earplugs everywhere and then you don’t have to listen to anything or anyone you don’t want to. Yes, I have a medical excuse but so do you. You don’t want to be filled by the ill.

What you eat fuels your body. If you feed it junk your body will quickly lose energy. It stands to reason you think what you fill your mind with. What do you what fueling your mind?

In closing I am making my 2015 The Year of Renewal. A renewal of focus on those things that are most important to me and most important to my future. If you choose to travel along with me perhaps you will see that renewal playing out here in the pages of Ronovan Writes.

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My Sunday Thought: The Gift of Christmas?

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gift of christmas is easter

Oh my word. I tell you I had no idea what I would write about today for my Sunday Thought. I knew for those who might visit, a Christmas tale might be expected. Well, every day is Christmas for me so, my apologies for letting you down with something holiday oriented. But if you really want to have a bit of something Christmas then here you go.

A preacher and Christian Book Store filled the pulpit one Sunday evening since our pastor was out of town for the evening.

“Everybody, would you move forward to the edge of your  seats for me?” he asked.

“Thank you. Now could you raise up your hand and say Amen?”

“Thank you, you may relax.” We all sat back in the pews with various people looking at each other strangely. Deacons were staring at deacons. I was smiling at the deacons, I was the Chairman of the Deacons at the time.

“You may all be wondering what that was about. I told the pastor I would have you all on the edge of your seats, raising your hands and saying amen before the end of the service. Now he owes me dinner.”

What’s that got to do with Christmas, right? Well this visiting preacher was a bit on the strange side. I mean cowboy boots, checkered shirt, jeans. Just saying the church wasn’t accustomed to that. I personally don’t care if the pastor is wearing shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and flip flops as long as he’s preaching the word of God and the Spirit is leading him. But he actually was a strange man. I spoke to him on several occasions after that in his store. I love books, sue me. No, don’t.

What he preached on that night left such an impression on me that I incorporated it into a Youth Lesson I taught one Wednesday night.

The Gift of Christmas is Easter

You know, a lot of people want to turn Christmas into just an economic boost. Some religions don’t even celebrate Christmas, and I mean the ones that believe in Jesus. I have a relative who doesn’t celebrate Christmas but sure does love getting a present to open. I really have no problem with any of the demoninations. Yes, I said demoninations. You see, man made the divisions. God is God. Jesus is Jesus. There you go. Dunk, sprinkle whatever. As long as they are believing in the true word of God, I’m good with it.

As you think about the baby Jesus all warm and happy in the manger, think of the bloodied and nude suffering Jesus on the cross dying for you. That little baby came here to end up like that so we could have Easter, salvation.

Part of the Trinity voluntarily came to earth in the form of  an infant to live life as a human through all the sufferings of a human child and remain perfect throughout his life in order to be beaten, flogged, scourged, humiliated, crucified, murdered for us.

“Oh, but if he was God then he could be perfect” some try to say. Let me take a nail and pound it through your wrists with you knowing I intended to murder you and see if you would forgive me for it. Do you think it didn’t hurt Jesus? Do you think he didn’t feel pain? That little baby oh so cute and lovable died a murderous death. And here is something else to think about; for it to be the ultimate sacrifice for ALL of our sins, think about how badly and how horrible he must have been beaten even before getting to the cross.

I wasn’t going to talk about a Christmas related story today. I was actually going to talk about a verse I was given from Matthew, but as I began writing different words began to form on the screen and here we are. I love Christmas. I love the feelings it brings with family. It’s not the actual day of the birth of Christ but it’s nice to have a day to celebrate it. I think we should do it every day.

In the silence of that night long ago,

The son came to earth as a gift.

Celebrate the day in the way you like,

But always and every day his name uplift.

 

 

 

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My Sunday Thought: Love Never Fails

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What’s Ronovan Write’s favorite subject to write about? Himself. No, although I guess technically it is mostly all about me in some form or fashion. It is my blog after all. Writing? No, not that either. Poetry, nope, try again. Wait, that was three strikes.

I’ll give you a hint.

1 Corinthians 13:8

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

I know many of you guessed it already. Love. Ronovan loves love. Yes, Spring is in the air and all the bunnies are . . . wait, I almost went Warner Brothers cartoon there and it sho’ ain’t Spring up here in the wooly, well here in the South Eastern parts of the United States. My aching joints will testify in court to that. I think my left elbow is about to explode.

Why this verse today? Well, I am writing a book about love. No, seriously. I am actually writing a book on the topic of love. Non fiction and all. And then today I was given this verse to study and share. Not a man for believing in coincidences. Nope.

Basically the verse is saying that everything else we have, all the gifts, talents and even knowledge we have can end, be gone, done, over with, kaput but love will be there. God’s love will be there. Love will be there.

Most of you know my story. Concussion from a fall in my home. Retrograde amnesia, short term memory problems and all of that. I can’t do math to save my life now. Seriously. During the cognitive test I had to take there were times I would just see a math problem and look at the guy and say “nope”. I look at common things at times and have no idea what they are or perhaps how to use them. But I have a hi IQ, so don’t get any ideas.

Looking around I think we need to remember that. I take that love and dish it out. I share it. I give. I like to show the love. “SHOW ME THE LOVIN’!” I think that was really what Cuba Gooding Jr. was asking from Tom Cruise in that movie where he was completed. It wasn’t money. Cuba really wanted someone to commit to him. To show the love.

You know, we go through life and meet people and say “I love you”, “I’m in loooove with you.” Love does not fail. Love never fails. If that feeling, that person falls away, it wasn’t love. Not the love I am speaking of. You can love a friend, but that’s not the love I am speaking of. You can love someone a great deal up to the point of the love I am speaking of and THINK it is the love I am speaking of. People are often fooled by it.

I look at love that way. I love, I love hard. I am as they say, all in. I don’t go half way. I don’t know how.

Love never fails. That’s my Sunday Thought. In this day and age of crazy we need something to hang on to.  I choose love. That’s my thought and the message I am sending out. The message I want known. Love never fails. Do you hear me out there? People fail. Love NEVER fails.

love never fails banner

Much Love

Ronovan

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My Sunday Thought: Be quiet.

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Be Quiet Chalk Board ImageI always like to write my Sunday Thought about something to do with events that are happening in society today. The problem with that is the same things have been going on for weeks now and to be honest I have been attempting to avoid simply going off on a rant to say exactly what I think of the various situations. So far I’ve held my tongue and merely spoken in a somewhat neutral tone. Mostly because it would be such a long article that I know it would not be read and everyone has there opinions.

And they would be just that. Opinions. You can take two people and give them the exact same information and they will see something different. It all depends on your view of how things operate.

Why do I not give my full blown, knock down, in your face opinions on Ferguson, Cosby and Garner? Because it would be an opinion that, although not in the media and not sensationalized or used inflammatorially would still add fuel to a fire that no one can know 100% either way about. Don’t make assumptions about my opinion based on that statement. Why?

James 1:19-22
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

And if you don’t want to take the advice of the half brother of Jesus then take it from the wisest normal man that ever lived.

Proverbs 17:28
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.

I’ve taught my son one thing if nothing else. Keep quiet unless the teacher asks him the question or he’s certain of the answer being asked. You see kids just spout out an answer sometimes and look like they are crazy. We think it’s funny. Adults do it and we look foolish. That happens in every aspect of life.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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My Sunday Thought: Bill Cosby–Torn between Two Worlds

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Bill Cosby.

A few weeks ago by putting that name at the top of my Sunday Thought would have made people think of something like, Fatherhood, Family, Morals. Now, if you have been following the news or haven’t been hiding in some Super Walmart fitting room you might have another thought about where I would go with it.

Just for a brief explanation:

A comic, who I had never heard of, decided to make as part of his routine or perhaps as a spur of the moment thing the bringing up an old case about Bill Cosby being accused of drugging a woman and then raping her. This was then caught by the media and things caught fire with women coming out saying Bill Cosby had done the same thing to them.

The case mentioned was settled out of court. Now before you decide that Cosby must be guilty if he did that, think about how you would fill if your entire life, entire sexual life were going to be exposed to the entire world during a trial. He might have went along with his attorney who came up with the idea. “Bill, a few thousand dollars or your name becoming a joke for a while? Take your pick.”

Or you might think, if the woman was really after justice she would not have settled out of court and wanted Bill Cosby found guilty. But then she might have gone along with her attorney in a similar situation as Cosby went through.

In the Bible they had Judges who would determine if you were guilty of something after hearing everything. Usually the offenses were settled between the two involved and often times no one ever even knew anything happened.

With the media today grabbing onto anything possible, especially if it would tear down a moral icon like Bill Cosby, we as people not even involved are making judgements in this situation for or against Cosby and the women coming forward.

From my understanding the limitations have passed for the trying of anything even if guilt is true.

My opinion:

Bill Cosby knows the truth and so does God. One day he will have to stand before God and give an account of all he has done. Bill Cosby is no saint. He cheated on his wife and had a child that he financially supported. She stayed with him after finding out. I look at his wife sitting beside him through a recent interview and her support of him and that says a lot to me. But it does not say he is innocent for certain.

I have no say in his guilt or innocence. Some reading this will say that I should rail against him with anger in defense of women since I claim to respect and cherish women so much. I do respect and cherish women, but I also respect and cherish the word of God. I only speak to build people up, not to tear them down. I don’t know all of the specifics and the supposed realities from both sides. This is not my case. There is no case actually. There are simply people saying things that can’t be proven or dis-proven after all these years. How can I make a judgement without knowing everything that needs to be known?

Corporations are cutting ties with Cosby left and right without even knowing any facts or hearing anything other than the media circus, afraid of the fallout.

I saw  a clip from a morning panel type talk show where the issue was discussed and it was an interesting and disturbing piece. Some were attempting to be logical, so I thought, and then there was the side that seemed to automatically believe in Cosby’s guilt. Disturbing. Imagine if I met one of them and then months later came out and said they had done something to me, would there be an immediate thought of guilt then?

Well I have rambled a bit. I know this is a sensitive subject. As I say I am not saying Cosby did or did not do it. I am simply saying I don’t know, I don’t know facts, but God will sort it out since the Law of the Land, which we are supposed to follow according to the Bible did not find him guilty.

Yeah, we all have our opinions of it. Some are mixed, and that is probably the most accurate thing to say here. If not guilty then disgust at what is being done to him, if guilty then disgust at what he did. Torn. that’s the word, torn.

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Sunday Thought: Be Like a Child and Grow Up

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You know when I started writing these Sunday Thoughts and agreeing with myself to use whatever verses came up in my Bible Verse Generator I knew it might be difficult at times. God likes to make me think real deep at times. I’ll just put it that way. Today I’m thinking deep.

 

 

I try to be good. I fail. I fail every day, in some way. Sure I might do good in this way one day but then the next day I blow it. I stumble. I try to be the good Christian, but I stumble. Yeah, I realize I will never be perfect here on earth. Only Jesus ever was. I wish all Christians realized that. I wish non-Christians realized Christians didn’t have to be perfect nor thought of ourselves as perfect. But hey, things are the way they are. Doesn’t mean we can’t change them. Maybe today you can help start some changing.

I’ll tell you how difficult today’s verses are for me to get just right in explaining. Or getting thoughts from. This is like my fourth or fifth version of this. I think part of the reason I’m having a problem is because I do a daily Christian study and I just did it right before this so I am in that same mind. So let me take a moment and get out of that mode of mind. (Yes, I am actually doing all of this as I do it.)

Do you remember what it was like to be a child? I’m not talking about playing in the yard or riding your bike. I’m talking about how you thought. How you felt. It’s almost impossible to capture that isn’t it. In today’s verses Jesus tells he disciples to do just that or they won’t get into Heaven. And then he gives a warning.

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:5-6

5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea

You know the disciples always seemed to wonder who were going to be the big guys in heaven.  And we only have some of the times they asked about it. Can you imagine how tiresome that must have gotten. Jesus having to repeat himself over and over?  Well God did it all through the Old Testament, didn’t He?

Jesus basically tells them to be like children and depend on their Father, believe Him, follow Him, learn from Him, and give no thoughts of what greatness is.

People sometimes wonder about the whole drowning statement. What does Jesus mean by this? Think of it like this; you have a child and someone causes them to do something bad, say drugs, get drunk and I mean a child, a little kid. What would you do to that person?

How what Jesus is saying is it would be better for that person to have died from drowning rather than to have done something that would  have caused him to face the anger and rage of the Father.

You force drugs in my son, and well . . . I’m  a Christian, but I’m not perfect. I can imagine my rage at that. God’s rage would be so much more than that, beyond our imagining. And just think, my son is one of God’s children.

But well, I know what is going on for real. The enemy is at work. He is using others to make things happen. People aren’t born with their lives planned out to be this or that. Things happen along the way that make things turn out the way they do. I would like to say I could forgive anything.  God gave everyone the chance at forgiveness.

I’m not God. I can forgive a lot of things in this world done by people because I know the truth of what’s behind it. But, it would be best that you strap a car around your neck and throw yourself in the ocean before I got to you.

For the enemies of Jesus, and really I can’t understand why anyone would not embrace his teachings and ideas, but for his enemies, your millstone is around your neck right now. Lucky you there is a sword that can cut it away. Some call it a tree, some a cross, some might see it as a sword.

I didn’t intend to get preachy today. I never do really. I have a site for a bit of the preachy, although I don’t really get preachy with it. (Why do I have Will Smith singing in my head?) But really today was about not caring about being the greatest in this or that. Be the best that you can be. Don’t worry about all of that glory stuff. Seriously, do your best. That’s what I tell my son. Do I want him to have A’s on his report card? Of course. But I tell him just to do his best. If I see him come home with a bad grade and I know he studied, I’m good with it. Bad grades happen. I mean you could ask ‘B’ that if he were on here.

Well that’s the end of this rambling nonsense today. Til next week, God bless you and pray daily. Start out your day with some quiet time with God to start that day off on the right foot. Trust me, it helps.

Much Respect

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Sunday Thought: Feed them Love.

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For those of you not usually into reading my Sunday Thought, I encourage you to do so today because this one is about an article I read that . . . wow, I can’t even explain how whacked it is. Yes, I said whacked.

I normally use the Word of God for the Sunday Thought but today I am going to at least begin somewhere else. Who knows where it will lead. There will probably be some verses by the end but let’s start off with a bit about the article I read.

Fort Lauderdale, FL. What do you think of when you see those words? Beaches? Yeah. Homeless people? No. People getting arrested for feeding homeless people? No.

Unfortunately those answers are actually all ‘Yeah’.

This past week two pastors and a 90 year old man were arrested for feeding the homeless. Later in the week three more people, including a 17 year old were arrested. The last three might have been partially a protest action but they were still feeding the homeless.

I’ll be fair and give the cities’ response to all of the uproar going on.

“Contrary to reports, the city of Fort Lauderdale is not banning groups from feeding the homeless. We have established an outdoor food distribution ordinance to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our community. The ordinance does not prohibit feeding the homeless; it regulates the activity in order to ensure it is carried out in an appropriate, organized, clean and healthy manner.

While the ordinance regulates outdoor food distribution, it permits indoor food distribution to take place at houses of worship throughout the city. By allowing houses of worship to conduct this activity, the city is actually increasing the number of locations where the homeless can properly receive this service.”

So why am I writing about this? It would seem that from the cities response they have reasonable reasons. I admittedly thought of safety for the homeless if people tried to do things to the food they gave. The 90 year old man had been feeding them for 20 years.

Another thing is, most houses of worship would be open to feeding the homeless already and have a program in place if they wanted to have one. What has really happened is the decrease of locations by LIMITING them. I know my own church used to be the location for a program that fed the hungry and did other things and we also had our own food pantry where the hungry could come and get food. But we now donate to a collective location for people to go to. It does make it more available, perhaps, based on hours they are opened. I don’t really know.

Some homeless cannot go to places for help. Some have illnesses. Some have mental conditions that might make it difficult to be around people or large groups of people or approaching strangers. There is a mistrust, a feeling perhaps at times of not wanting it to be known to a lot of people that they are homeless. If I were homeless I would have problems right now with all of my medical problems walking the length of  a football field.

How do these people get help? I guess with the new ordinance they don’t. But they will. How can you keep someone from sharing a meal with another person? “Hey, brother, have a sandwich with me.”

After 20 years, I imagine some of those homeless people consider that 90 year old man as a friend. Can you not eat with a friend? Can you not help a friend?

A verse does come to mind. It’s one even those that have never opened a Bible will know.

Matthew 22:39

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.

What the city is saying is, we love you but only if you come to a place we designate as a place we can show you we love you. Sorry Mayor, we know you are now homeless but we can’t give you this order of fries from McDonald’s because you aren’t at a designated area.

Yeah, I don’t want the homeless to be sick from bad food. Maybe that is why the ordinance was made or maybe it was created to discourage the homeless in their city. “You can’t get food easy here, so move on to another city that will help you easier cause your presence is discouraging the tourist trade.”

Whatever the reason, the results are not right. Those people are still hungry and there are still plenty to be fed. Unless you want to start running buses around your city, you might want to reconsider your idea.

Well, that’s about all this week. So what’s my Sunday Thought today? I think Jesus said it pretty well. “Love your neighbor as yourself.“

 

Much Respect, Praying for You All

Ronovan

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My Sunday Thought: For Others

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Philippians is one of my favorite writings of the Bible. I know many refer to them as books of the Bible, but they were letters and essays when first written and only became ‘books’ after being bound together in a book called the Bible.

No, I am not going to make a big deal about semantics today, it’s just one of my little quirks. That and the numbered verses and the chapter divisions. I really just enjoy the words in the original flow, without man’s interruptions. Man can mess up some beautiful things, you know?

But Philippians has some of my favorite sentences in it. One of them is one of the first I ever referred to as a life ‘verse’.

Philippians 1:19

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

Whatever is happening to me, I count as something I can use to make me stronger in my relationship with God and make me a better person overall moving forward each day. It might be a good fortune or a day of body ravaging pain but through each I move forward with the one constant in my life. And I use all for my betterment.

But that sentence is not what was  given today for me to think about and ponder upon. No, I was given instead;

Philippians 2:3

“1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

I found the sentence today interesting. I’m not overly sure why. Okay, perhaps I do know why.

Think about it like this. Say you go on vacation and you have to leave your house and expensive things behind but you are the only one you can count on, the only one you can trust. Would you actually be able to relax on vacation or even take that vacation?

Now think about if your neighbors cared about you, watched out for you and each other, each others property and safety. Would you be able to go on vacation and relax?

Yes, I know what most people think of when they read the verse. We are supposed to put other people before us as Christ put others before himself. But there are many benefits even before we get to heaven we can receive if we all just did as this verse said.

I like to think I consider others before I do myself at times. No, I am sure I don’t all the time. Just wanted to say that before anyone decided to think I was being all braggadocious or something. I know I care about my blogs and my writing and the happiness of those of you reading what I write. But I do sometimes put things on delay to help here and there. Why do I do that?

I do some things around Blog World that people would ask to be paid for. You know what? I enjoy doing the things I do. I rarely, if ever have said no to helping someone. Why? In all honesty, I’ve never thought to say no. Maybe afterwards or in the middle of something that is taxing during a fibro flare, I might get that “I so regret saying yes” feeling, but the person’s happiness makes it better.

Don’t do things for others for recognition. I haven’t told you what I’ve done or for whom. Anything I’ve ever written with someone I’ve not wanted my name there but it’s been pretty much insisted upon at times. I like just helping and seeing the person get good results . . . if they do. Most of the time I really don’t do that much except just spark an idea.

Anyway. Help others. Put others needs before your own. It sounds like a big thing but it isn’t always. If you’re a boss, stand up for your employees. I did that when I was a boss. I ended up being stabbed in the back by one of those I stood up for time and again, but here I am . . . doing what I love most, writing. All works out for my deliverance.

Until Next Thoughtday,

Ronovan

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Awesome Blog Name of the Day: Poetic Parfait by @christybis

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I just had to share this Blog Name

Poetic Parfait

from

Here is just the beginning of her about page.

Welcome.

Sit down and stay awhile. Hungry? Let me grab you something. Poetic Parfait is a delicious treat for the mind.

Read poetry, enter discussions about the poetic word, listen to music, and embrace words that intend to inspire.

I began Poetic Parfait in 2011, and the amount of support it receives on a daily basis humbles me. I began to write poetry at this site as a way to help myself get through a period of depression. As I typed the lines, I found they helped me work through my feelings and darkness that I felt around me.

My Sunday Thought: Freedom . . . but from what?

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It’s a rough Sunday morning today. The old body is not cooperating. Got one of them flares going today, well the past few it I am to be honest. I wasn’t going to do my Sunday Thought today but I needed a bit of the Word.

I was hoping God would say something like, “I shall taketh your paineth awayeth righteth noweth.” You know someday I’ll know what his voice really sounds like, as in the actual sound of it. I see his ‘voice’ all around me at work, so to speak.

So what verses did I get today from the websites I like to use to give me a bit of variety to my Bible studies?

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.-2 Corinthians 3:17

At first, if you don’t really read much of the Bible it doesn’t say much to you, but for me it did . . . after a moment. For me the Spirit is inside of me. The Spirit sets us free from a  lot of things.

This brings to mind the  saying “The Truth shall set you free.” The origin of that is Jesus talking about his being the Truth and those who know him and follow him will be set free. Free of what? Free of the consequences of all we’ve done here on earth when we pass on. Oh sure, we won’t get everything we could have in Heaven, all the rewards set aside for us, but as long as I get there, I’m good.

Maybe a better explanation is that we are free from being under the rule of sin. See, I’m not under that rule any longer. Sure, I will have to answer for things but as Mark Lowry said it “Sure Beats Hell”.

So what does that verse do for me in the middle of a Fribromyalgia Flare? It lets me know that eventually I’ll have a healthy and pain free existence down the line.

Along with this verse I received;

“And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”-1 John 4:21

When you have the Spirit inside of you and you have Jesus, and I mean for real, not just saying you’re a Christian, trust me there are a lot of Play-Christians out there, but when you are for real, then realize it’s easy to love your brother and sister. This doesn’t just mean your relatives. And by loving people it sure does take a lot of that pain of hating off of your body, your heart. The stress of hanging onto that grudge or that whatever goes away.

This even reminds me of something I wrote about where a celebrity said a few things recently about a, well I’ll call us civilians, but anyway, if the celebrity just took a step back then it would have been realized there was no reason for the reaction.

That Spirit frees you up from a lot of things, but you have to be active with it. Don’t just think because you walked an aisle or whatever to get saved one Sunday means you are automatically changed into a better person than you were. It’s the first step.

I was saved for a long time before I think I could really call myself a Christian. Things changed for me after that. Not everything, I still messed up because I was a dumb human. Still am one actually. Still mess up actually. But I at least am aware of what my mess ups are.

Do any of these verses take my pain away or cure me? No. But studying the Word does make one feel better about where we are and the future. You see, I know things may look bad, and I try to help and do the best I can while I am here, but I know that down the line I will be just fine. After all  I’m a foreigner here in this land. My home is another place.

Well that’s about it for me today. I know it was a bit disjointed today, but I’m good with it.

Much Respect

Ronovan

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My Sunday Thought: Racing is a problem.

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Racing is a problem.

I’m not certain if I’ve ever shared this story with you, but I’ll share it again anyway. Having a memory problem can be a problem. It can get you down at times not knowing things you should know. Then there is me. Yeah, you just know I’ll have some fun with this.

I had to go to the doctor for one of my visits to see how I was doing with everything. Well, they had changed locations and the hospital they were primarily affiliated with so that meant paperwork. As the paperwork was being filled out, the first line of defense came over. (The first line of defense is the lady at the counter who gives you the paperwork, answers the phones, and basically says you cannot talk to a doctor unless you are dead.)  First Life of Defense (FLoD) is not always the most cheerful or dare I say nicest.

So she comes up and I can’t help it.

“Can I put ‘I’ or ‘N’ for race?” I asked.

FLoD stares at me oddly. I must not look Indian or Nicaraguan. “Why ‘I’ or ‘N’?” Asked FloD.

“Well I prefer Indy car but I’ll put NASCAR if you insist.”

“Why don’t you just put ‘C’,” she said with a bit of a smirk.

Mistake. I looked around, leaned in and stage whispered for the whole office to hear. “But, I’m not Chinese.”

I know, I was bad. It isn’t my fault that the elderly man sitting near me decided to do the same thing when she came over to him.

 

As you might can tell my ‘racing’ problem is this, there are no ‘races’. You see as far as I am concerned I go with the Bible. One man plus one woman equals one human race. We might have set ourselves apart early on based on certain things like preferences of being a hunter or farmer.

As time went on people that were in a group started looking a certain way. But really going back to the Bible there aren’t really a lot of difficulties in how things came about. You have the Tower of Babel for one.

But I also look at things like Abraham when his children not by his wife were sent away to the various four winds basically. Each group that went out had the same physical characteristics in them so as time went on, guess what happened. You ended up with a people group looking a certain way.

Now we have the ‘whites’ and the ‘blacks’. I find this one interesting. As a fair skinned man can you guess where I would want to live? The hot places where I would burn in an hour or less, or the cooler less sunny places where I would be more comfortable and safer?

Scientists say I’m a mutant. I have red hair and blue eyes, that makes me a mutant, one of the rarest combinations on earth. They call those living in Europe with fair hair and skin and eye coloring mutations. I call it “Dude, that’s where we wanted to go.”

If there were not air conditioning do you think the divisions would be as prevalent as they once were?

Race in the Bible was never an issue to God. He only had issues with those that did not believe in Him. He didn’t want the Hebrews to marry with those who worshiped idols. Worship God and things were cool.

I’ve written this past week about racial discussions of late. I recognize there are physical characteristics used to divide people. That is a given that I do not deny. I do have a problem with ‘race’. I have a problem with the politicalization of ‘race’ to basically continue divisions for election purposes.

You know, if we ignored politics, some evolutionary scientists and some, I hate to say it, religious nuts we would all be a lot better off and start noticing our similarities as a human race and there would be less and less to notice that really isn’t different at all.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Sunday Thought-Be Content.

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There are a lot of things that we want. How many things do we need?

I sit back and look at the need situation of the house at times and wonder, literally, how did the needs get to this level. There are difficult decisions to be made in life. Wants and needs are big decisions.

“11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”-Philippians 4:11-13

“7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”-1 Timothy 6:7-8

Financially we want a lot. We say we don’t but our lifestyles contradict, even for those who live at the lower range of lifestyles. The Bible also says not to ever owe anyone anything. When you owe you put yourself in a position of weakness, for one. But also you put yourself in a position of putting your beliefs or ideals in jeopardy.

What do we need?

Food, clothing and shelter? Thoughts are running through minds at this time about needing a job to have those things. Yes, you need a job. What job do you need? How much food and clothing do you need? How much shelter do you need? What job are you too good for?

I ran into the problem when job searching of being over qualified for everything. I simply wanted a job that would make ends meet. I knew what needs there were, but they were more than the needs I should have had. We say we live at our bare minimum, but do we all do that?

What do we need?

Friendship? There is only one friend we ever can have that will never do anything against us. Why then do we mourn not having friends? Why then do we fall into friendships that are not good for us?

It’s not about what we need any longer. It’s about what we want. I’ve slowly come to a realization of returning to need in aspects of my life. Imagine the satisfaction. Imagine the relief from a great deal of mental and emotional grief and pain. I enjoy the friendships I have. I am now very selective in those I hold close to.

One thing to learn about friendships is to let them be friendships. You don’t have to make them be these soul bonding experiences. Be friends. Enjoy them.  Enjoy them for what they are and for the time you have them. No, I am not saying count on them no longer being a friend. I am simply saying enjoy being in the moment.

Wants and needs. Two very difficult words to differentiate when you make those difficult decisions.

We all need to be content with what we need. It would make the whole world a lot better off.

Have a Blessed Week

Ronovan

 

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A spark enflames. My Sunday Thought for Today.

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“4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell”.-John 3:4-6

This passage is one that is used often about what trouble our words can cause. This is the message given most often from the pulpit about these words.

ron_ballgame_blackandwhiteAs we all know, I am a bit different. I look at this and say “So with my words I can spread a fire of encouragement and love.”

Some see my words of encouragement  and even my “Much Respect & Love” as a means to another end. They think I am after something. Of course I am. I want to encourage people. I don’t use those words unless I mean them. I respect everyone until they give me a reason not to. I love everyone regardless. Yeah, I know, “Ooooo, the Christian loves everyone, even the murderers.” Well, yeah. I’ve written about that before. I love God’s creation, I just don’t love what the creation does . . . and it went on from there to explain more but I’m not getting into that today. But I don’t throw the L word around much. For one thing I know people take it the wrong way.

Well, I’ll tell you this. Call me different. I got no problem with it. Don’t judge me just because you have experiences with others. And finally . . .

Use your words to start a fire. Spark encouragement everywhere. Spark love everywhere. Spark friendship everywhere. Spark trust everywhere.

 

Much Respect and Love

Ronovan

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly… of being Attractive

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Earlier this week an article went up on insidethelifeofmoi, Amanda Lyle’s blog. I reblogged it here, but I know reblogs don’t work that great.

 

So why am I mentioning it?

 

I am the co-author of this article that took us a lot of thought to put together. People look at the title and think there can’t be anything Bad or Ugly about being Attractive and see no point in reading it. Or perhaps they think because it is has too many words.

It has that many words because we gave each point thought and went into it, not in a scientific manner but in a way that we all can understand. Those reading it have actually been surprised at how it made them think more about the situation.

 

I would appreciate you reading it. Do I ask that you click ‘like’? Not unless you like it. But I would like it to be read by my friends. There is humor in the reality of some of it and the sadness of it as well. So click below and see what it’s about. And no, I did not pose for the picture. We thought mine was too sexy.

 

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly… of being Attractive

beauty-title

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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Do everything in love. My Sunday thought for today.

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My randomly generated Bible verse today was 1 Corinthians 16:14

“Do everything in love.”-Paul to the church in Corinth

It is always my custom to then go and read the surrounding verses to get the context of the message. If you visit the verse today you will see it stands alone and does not rely on an explanation from any surrounding verses. But there is a message from all of those verses.

Paul was telling the church that he wanted to come and that he was sending others until he could but regardless if anyone of them were there or not they should . . . do what?

“Do everything in love.”

That pretty much sums up how we should be and how I TRY to live. I try to live that out here on my blog and to those I encounter through it. Do I fail at times? Oh yeah! But I TRY.

It doesn’t say to do this thing or that thing in love it says ‘everything’. You see if you look throughout the New Testament you’ll see that doing in love is a key. If true love is guiding you then you can’t go wrong. This isn’t the ‘in love’ love. Or the ‘love of power’. This is ‘love of what is right’. For a Christian that ‘right’ is the words of Jesus.

You know we look at the writings in the New Testament and there are so many arguments about it, but just go to the words of Jesus and see if things are backed up by what he said. “Love your neighbor…” remember that one? Not love that neighbor on the left and not the one on the right.

This is a pretty simple thing that if we all thought and lived by would make the world a lot better. It wouldn’t even matter what your beliefs were, just simply love. For those who might be thinking, “But I don’t believe in what the Bible says,” well, I kind of think “Do everything in love” is a pretty good thing. As I’ve said many times before, whether you believe or not, the words of Jesus and those words inspired by him are still useful to everyone’s daily life.

 

Much Respect & LoveRon_Hoodie_HeartRonovan

(See? I got a little heart love action going on.)

 

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Sex and Hell: My Sunday Thoughts, Enter at Your Own Risk

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You ever notice I have strange ideas about things? It’s Sunday and that means Bible thoughts are swirling through the old lost mind. Christians annoy me. They really do. What? That surprises you to hear me say? Well keep reading and see what the old amnesiac has to say.

Sex.Couple kissing and embracing hands on faces

  • If you have it and you’re not married then you go to Hell.
  • If it occurs outside a man woman marriage then the people go to Hell.

You know if I had thought of that in my early to mid twenties when I started searching for a church I would have just said, “Forget it, if I’m going to Hell already then I ain’t gonna bother with it.”

Oh I know, you are thinking, “Ronovan, you forgot about the part where if you get Saved by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you’re okay.”

No, I didn’t forget it. Nope. Thought about it the entire time.

So here is where I am coming from. Do we all sin? I know some of you are saying you don’t believe in sin and so forth, but okay then. Do we all do bad things, like breaking the laws and such?

Yeah, I see some of you nodding your heads, trying to stay awake and it’s not working. Just like in a church on a hot day right before lunch time and the pastor is preaching the same sermon he has 5 times before and he’s been there less than a year.

If you break a law and you go to court, you end up paying a fine of some sort, be it money or time in jail. Now after you get out of jail or have paid a fine then you are free to go on your way.  That’s because that’s what the rule book says, the law.

Well Christians we have a rule book, a book of law so to speak. Yeah, the Bible, the Word, the Good Book.

  • It says in the Bible that Jesus came for ALL of our sins.
  • It says in the Bible that if you accept Jesus then your sins are thus forgiven.
  • It says in the Bible you have to be perfect from that point forward to stay Saved.

If you agreed to that last one we might need to have a little talk. Because there is a verse in there that says . . . hold on let me find it.

Here it is, John 10: 27-30

27″My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”-Jesus

Notice that, “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” No sinner can snatch you, not even yourself. Once you are in the Father’s hand you are His. You may slide back into a life that you crawled out of, but all the Father asks is that you try to be better. That you try to do better. No one can be perfect, if they could then Jesus would not have had to come in the first place.

Now I am talking to my Christian friends here. We need to stop judging and fudging. Stop judging people and stop fudging the Word of God. “But Ronovan it says in Romans 1 that . . .” Stop right there. Have you ever read Romans 1 and 2 together without the chapter breaks that later man put in there? Without verse numbers? No? Give it a try and then see what is being said.

If you do you might see that Paul is laying into the early Christians of Rome not to judge those that people today condemn in Chapter 1. He is telling them that if they do then they are judging themselves.

What society do you think made up those first Christians in Rome in the first place?

Yes, sex outside of man and woman marriage is a sin as the Bible says. A touchy subject I know. I am a sinner. Yep. Throw me to the pits, oh, wait . . . I accepted Jesus. I . . . and I don’t . . . I don’t judge other sinners.

“But Ronovan you’re judging us for judging others.”

Nope. I am sharing the Word of God.  “But you judged.” No, what I did was point out something that we have all been taught for so long is more of a ‘tradition’ in the church than an actual fact of the faith.

Pastors around the  world today are preaching on Romans Chapter 1 right now as an end all and be all, because it’s what they’ve been taught according to ‘traditions’.

Does the scripture above mean I can go out and sin all I want to and be fine? Technically yes, yes it does. “Then let me sign up now before I go get with the neighbors wife.” It doesn’t work that way. You have to be sincere. Over time things happen and there are outside influences and life situations and all sorts of things that cause one to do this or that. Ask forgiveness and then try to do better.

“Ronovan, do you still think people that have sex with someone other than who they are married to according to the Bible marriage plan is sinning.”

Yes I do. And guess what. I don’t think that sin is any greater than any other sin. There isn’t a tier system. Jesus died for each and every sin, not just what we consider the baby sins.

 

So what inspired me to talk about this today? I really don’t know. I was going to speak on suicide after a popular video was shared with me but then this hit me. Oh, now I remember, it was part of a conversation I had. I think there was a discussion on monogamy.

Did I say things today to encourage people to go out and have sex with other people? No. Did I say they were forgiven if they had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Yes.

I am sure there are some reading this now wondering about me. “What is Ronovan talking about? I thought he was a Christian. He must be one of them Liberal so called Christians.”

I think it’s odd when a person says they believe in something the Bible says that disagrees with “traditions” they are automatically labeled a Liberal. I actually said something in all of that which would make people say I am a Conservative as well.  My actual party if I were to proclaim one is Christ Led.

Not sure if I said anything anyone learned from today. But this is me on a Sunday, sharing my thoughts of how I see what the Bible says. Not everyone has to agree with me, but I am glad I got that off my chest.

Praying you all have a good week and see you next Sunday.

Ronovan

 

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Words for Wednesday: Push Forward

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“If ever there is a time to push forward with your dreams in this world, it’s when you find the world is pushing back.”-Ronovan

Push_Forward

 

 

 

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Forgiveness is when . . .

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“Forgiveness is that moment in your life when you stop beating yourself up for your past and start lifting yourself up for your future.”-Ronovan
Forgiveness