Submissions by joegracegrace (Joe Grace)
POEMS AND SHORT STORIES
Poet Introduction
A dictator will "make war on the saints [the Christian nations],gain power over every nation," (Revelation 13.7).This conquest implies world war. Yes, NUCLEAR war would explain "sudden destruction" at Rapture(1 Thessalonians 4.16-5.3)
Nature and (Theistic) Evolution are Basically the Same Thing
Nature teaches us about God,
So says Paul the Apostle(Romans 1.19-20).
Well, Nature is all about Evolution !!
Even inanimate things evolve.
Hydrogen fuses into helium,
Helium into the heavier elements.
One thing becomes another,
And so on and so on.
From one comes the many.
Ditto for flora and fauna.
Low life forms develop into higher life forms.
(High life forms into lower forms?
Not so much, if at all.)
Since Nature teaches what God is like,
And Nature is all about (Theistic) Evolution,
Does...
So says Paul the Apostle(Romans 1.19-20).
Well, Nature is all about Evolution !!
Even inanimate things evolve.
Hydrogen fuses into helium,
Helium into the heavier elements.
One thing becomes another,
And so on and so on.
From one comes the many.
Ditto for flora and fauna.
Low life forms develop into higher life forms.
(High life forms into lower forms?
Not so much, if at all.)
Since Nature teaches what God is like,
And Nature is all about (Theistic) Evolution,
Does...
541 reads
0 Comments
"Works Righteousness" - the Place of Good Works in the Salvation Process
Preachers love to harp on Paul the Apostle's words in which he seems,
on the surface, to be putting down good works.
He says,Salvation "is the gift of God, not according to works
which we have done, lest any man should boast"(Ephesians 2.8-9).
But any Christian knows there are three phases to Salvation:
Justification, Sanctification, Glorification.
We are Justified thru Christ's blood, His self-sacrifice on the Cross.
Without good works on our part - but on HIS part.
But concerning Sanctification, that's a whole different ball game !!
As we do...
on the surface, to be putting down good works.
He says,Salvation "is the gift of God, not according to works
which we have done, lest any man should boast"(Ephesians 2.8-9).
But any Christian knows there are three phases to Salvation:
Justification, Sanctification, Glorification.
We are Justified thru Christ's blood, His self-sacrifice on the Cross.
Without good works on our part - but on HIS part.
But concerning Sanctification, that's a whole different ball game !!
As we do...
529 reads
0 Comments
"Salvation is a Free Gift" But Strings Are Attached
Salvation is the gift of God"( Ephesians 2.8-9)
He who receives it, truly has been "given much".
And "To whom much is given, much shall be required"(Luke 12.48).
So, salvation is a gift but "much" is required of us,
not before hand but AFTER we receive it.
"Much" in the form of the good works for THEY
are the reason we were created(Ephesians 2.10).
It's only natural/logical that payment goes with the "free gift."
For when you buy a house, you (well, some people) can buy it "for free,"
meaning no down payment, but...
He who receives it, truly has been "given much".
And "To whom much is given, much shall be required"(Luke 12.48).
So, salvation is a gift but "much" is required of us,
not before hand but AFTER we receive it.
"Much" in the form of the good works for THEY
are the reason we were created(Ephesians 2.10).
It's only natural/logical that payment goes with the "free gift."
For when you buy a house, you (well, some people) can buy it "for free,"
meaning no down payment, but...
591 reads
0 Comments
Natural Religion: All of Nature Worships the Sun
When I'm writing a poem about God as a Partner
I'm not really thinking about writing a poem
as much as wondering Who God is, What is God like?
It's like when a tree by the river casts its image
upon the water, forming a reflection,
It isn't really thinking about it so much as
Living and loving its life,lifting its boughs aloft.
As its fragrant flowers open, they are accompanied
by the branch-bending birds opening their mouths in song.
What is the object of all this worship, the Sun overhead.
It's...
I'm not really thinking about writing a poem
as much as wondering Who God is, What is God like?
It's like when a tree by the river casts its image
upon the water, forming a reflection,
It isn't really thinking about it so much as
Living and loving its life,lifting its boughs aloft.
As its fragrant flowers open, they are accompanied
by the branch-bending birds opening their mouths in song.
What is the object of all this worship, the Sun overhead.
It's...
545 reads
1 Comment
"Why Do You Call Me 'Good'? [The Human Being ISN'T Good.] Nobody Is Good, Except God"(Mark 10.18)
The rich young ruler" called Jesus "good master,"
(Matthew 19.16;Mark 10.17;Luke 18.18),
It happened as the Cross was getting much too close.
So Christ had to respond to the pressure(terror).
He did it by becoming increasingly HUMBLE, submissive -
Self-effacing, "Not MY will but Thine be done"(Matthew 26.39-42).
He had to be on guard against His OWN human ego,
Which resisted going to the Cross, as evidenced by those pleading words,
"[Please, please, PLEASE], let this cup pass from Me,"(Mt 26.39).
So when Christ said, "There is none good except...
(Matthew 19.16;Mark 10.17;Luke 18.18),
It happened as the Cross was getting much too close.
So Christ had to respond to the pressure(terror).
He did it by becoming increasingly HUMBLE, submissive -
Self-effacing, "Not MY will but Thine be done"(Matthew 26.39-42).
He had to be on guard against His OWN human ego,
Which resisted going to the Cross, as evidenced by those pleading words,
"[Please, please, PLEASE], let this cup pass from Me,"(Mt 26.39).
So when Christ said, "There is none good except...
557 reads
0 Comments
What Does "Confirm the Covenant"(Daniel 9.26-27) Mean?
The partial destroying of Jerusalem by Babylon(in 587 BC) is alluded to
in these mournful words,"the desolation of Jerusalem"(Daniel 9.2).
In particular Babylon destroyed the grandeur of Solomon's Temple.
Daniel calls God's judgment upon Jerusalem via Babylon,
"the fulfilling of the words spoken against us."(Dan 9.10-13).
Referring to "the curses"(Deuteronomy 28) of "the Law,"
Meaning the Law of Moses, the first 5 books of the Bible.
So, if we use "shorthand," we can say the destruction of the city and temple =
the confirming of the Law of...
in these mournful words,"the desolation of Jerusalem"(Daniel 9.2).
In particular Babylon destroyed the grandeur of Solomon's Temple.
Daniel calls God's judgment upon Jerusalem via Babylon,
"the fulfilling of the words spoken against us."(Dan 9.10-13).
Referring to "the curses"(Deuteronomy 28) of "the Law,"
Meaning the Law of Moses, the first 5 books of the Bible.
So, if we use "shorthand," we can say the destruction of the city and temple =
the confirming of the Law of...
718 reads
0 Comments
Our CIA Has Miscalculated the Number of Offensive Missile Warheads We Need to Deter Russian Attack
Do you realize that we have disarmed from 39 boomer subs down to to just 12 in use today.
Since our subs deter Russian Attack, as our numbers go down, Russian attack becomes more and more realistic.Til at last,it will fulfill the prophecy of "sudden destruction" at the Rapture(1 Thessalonians 4.16-5.3).
The hope in "peace and safety" turns out to be misplaced. The lie(2 Thess 2.9-12) that Russia has changed will result in millions "perishing". How does our "believing the lie" result in our perishing? (1)we accept the claim that Russia has changed. (2)So we disarm too much....
Since our subs deter Russian Attack, as our numbers go down, Russian attack becomes more and more realistic.Til at last,it will fulfill the prophecy of "sudden destruction" at the Rapture(1 Thessalonians 4.16-5.3).
The hope in "peace and safety" turns out to be misplaced. The lie(2 Thess 2.9-12) that Russia has changed will result in millions "perishing". How does our "believing the lie" result in our perishing? (1)we accept the claim that Russia has changed. (2)So we disarm too much....
596 reads
2 Comments
A Chance to Rewrite the Ending of the Story of the Rich Young Ruler
The "rich young ruler asks Christ
What shall i do to earn eternal life?"
Christ answered, "What does the Law say,
Do not steal, honor Father and Mother, etc."
The rich ruler replied, "All these i have done since my youth"
Christ realized it was relatively easy for the rich boy
to keep the Seventh Commandment ("you shall not steal"),
for his wealth allowed him freedom from that temptation.
To show him that he wasn't as righteous as he may have thought,
Christ asked him to "sell your possessions and distribute the money to the poor."
...
What shall i do to earn eternal life?"
Christ answered, "What does the Law say,
Do not steal, honor Father and Mother, etc."
The rich ruler replied, "All these i have done since my youth"
Christ realized it was relatively easy for the rich boy
to keep the Seventh Commandment ("you shall not steal"),
for his wealth allowed him freedom from that temptation.
To show him that he wasn't as righteous as he may have thought,
Christ asked him to "sell your possessions and distribute the money to the poor."
...
539 reads
2 Comments
"The Revealing of the Destroyer" - What Does Paul the Apostle Mean??
Paul writes that "[the Rapture] can not come except..
the Man of Sin be revealed, aka the Son of Destruction"(2 Thessalonians 2.3).
To streamline things a bit, we can paraphrase it like this:
"The Rapture will coincide with the revealing of the Destroyer."
But this still doesn't tell us just WHAT the revealing is.
What action is going on that "reveals" this man to be the super Destroyer??
We need to take this sentence as an "elipsical" statement,
one which leaves something out that deserves to be included.
Logically...
the Man of Sin be revealed, aka the Son of Destruction"(2 Thessalonians 2.3).
To streamline things a bit, we can paraphrase it like this:
"The Rapture will coincide with the revealing of the Destroyer."
But this still doesn't tell us just WHAT the revealing is.
What action is going on that "reveals" this man to be the super Destroyer??
We need to take this sentence as an "elipsical" statement,
one which leaves something out that deserves to be included.
Logically...
479 reads
0 Comments
"Not Under the Law of Moses" Means We're Not Under the "Creation Week" in Genesis, Chapter One !!
Paul the Apostle tells us we are "Not under the Law [of Moses]"(Romans 6.14; Galatians 5.18),
which means we're not under the confinement of the Law(Gal 3.23-4.7).
Instead we are under "grace," which has to do with freedom(Rom 6.14).
Preachers should develop that idea, like the man in Christ's parable started
with 5 talents[units of money] and traded them and made five more talents(Matthew 25.20).
But i don't see any preachers writing blogs about how the Bible supports:
(a)the Big Bang theory or (b)Theistic Evolution.
Or (c) the Old Earth side of the...
which means we're not under the confinement of the Law(Gal 3.23-4.7).
Instead we are under "grace," which has to do with freedom(Rom 6.14).
Preachers should develop that idea, like the man in Christ's parable started
with 5 talents[units of money] and traded them and made five more talents(Matthew 25.20).
But i don't see any preachers writing blogs about how the Bible supports:
(a)the Big Bang theory or (b)Theistic Evolution.
Or (c) the Old Earth side of the...
527 reads
0 Comments
Hollywood and Capitalism: Is It Wrong To Always Portray Businessmen as the Bad Guys
After the fall of the Roman Empire
there was a break down of law and order.
Roving bands of jobless men would prey upon travelers
There were no policemen to come to their aid.
So trade dried up, the economy collapsed.
Society survived only by becoming localized.
In each little individual community, some strongman took over.
All the locals agreed to work for him.
Thus feudalism and serfdom were born.
The ruling classes exploited the poor.
This was the situation during the Dark Ages.
But as the Industrial Revolution developed in the...
there was a break down of law and order.
Roving bands of jobless men would prey upon travelers
There were no policemen to come to their aid.
So trade dried up, the economy collapsed.
Society survived only by becoming localized.
In each little individual community, some strongman took over.
All the locals agreed to work for him.
Thus feudalism and serfdom were born.
The ruling classes exploited the poor.
This was the situation during the Dark Ages.
But as the Industrial Revolution developed in the...
711 reads
2 Comments
The Human Fetus, Wanted or Unwanted, Deserves the Protection of the Law
People belittle the unwanted fetus as merely "an animal."
Even if it is an animal, it deserves respect for WHAT IT DOES !!
What other animal becomes a human being - a person ??!!
The people calling the fetus "an animal" -
THEY are the ones acting like dumb animals !!
Only someone with no sense can deny the glorious feat
that the lowly fetus achieves - if it is not ripped apart by adults
acting like savage dogs, pit bulls from hell, namely "abortion doctors."
That is how abortions are done - by "doctors" acting like starving dogs. ...
Even if it is an animal, it deserves respect for WHAT IT DOES !!
What other animal becomes a human being - a person ??!!
The people calling the fetus "an animal" -
THEY are the ones acting like dumb animals !!
Only someone with no sense can deny the glorious feat
that the lowly fetus achieves - if it is not ripped apart by adults
acting like savage dogs, pit bulls from hell, namely "abortion doctors."
That is how abortions are done - by "doctors" acting like starving dogs. ...
600 reads
2 Comments
DU Poetry : Submissions by joegracegrace (Joe Grace)