Cannot believe this week, I have been a couple days off – thinking that it was Saturday when it was Thursday and even Friday and this morning I was thinking it was Sunday.  Still feels like it.

Sitting here watching the trees dance in the wind.  Weather is warm, clouds in the sky and a look of rain about them, although none has happened yet.

Steven called last night, they were at the harvest festival at the church and they had ponies for the children to ride – CeeCee hopped right on, grabbed the horn and had her first horse ride! 

It has been a while since I straddled a horse, I am envious!  I watch the program, “Gentle Giants,” where they go to different competitions of the large breeds – Draft horses - like Clydesdales and Belgians.  They have also, recently started visiting some of the ranches where they breed them – many just use them on their farms, they are an incredible animal.

I love them; large animals – often times twice the weight of a normal horse that look like colts alongside them - with a docile spirit, they are hard-working and beautiful.

On the last show they visited the tallest horse in the world, Big Jake, a Belgian.  He was measured for Guinness World Records Book and was declared the largest in their 2013 book.

“Big Jake stands an official six feet, ten and three-quarter inches tall.  In horse world talk, he is 20 hands, two and three-quarter inches.  He weighs in at 2,600 pounds.”

His wheel mate is not quite as tall but weighs in about 200 pounds heavier.

Jake is a huge horse.  The owner allowed the hosts to ride him, bareback as he doesn’t put a saddle on him – and they each took a turn.  They are females about 5’3” – 5’5” tall.  When they got on that horse – having to stand on a three foot platform and then still having to be boosted up - they looked like little kids – they looked so small up there.  What a treat that was for them. 

Yep, envied them too.

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

In an attempt to be all inclusive, Christians are being thrown to the lions every day.  We are being hammered on all sides by the need to be ‘tolerant’ of other beliefs and ignore, or at least downplay our affirmation of God’s Word.

Other religions have the same basic teachings we are told, so what makes us think we are so special? 

The world doesn’t want to be limited to God’s Word, doesn’t want to conform to His commands and expectations.  So, the world develops other means for a person to ‘feel’ spiritual and thus sooth their conscience; or, a means to acquire special privileges that are not given to them by God - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

First, if the Word of God is not the foremost teaching, if anything is given as equal to it – and some religions even proclaim their new divinations are superior to it, we need to completely stay away – that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

If a person says they have new insights into what God is telling us and it doesn’t line up with the Word, then we need to stay away from them - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

If they ignore the deity of God in the form of the Father, of the Son Jesus, AND the Holy Spirit – or they put others on the same or greater plain, we need to stay away from them - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

If it is proclaimed that Jesus was just another prophet or teacher and that other prophets and teachers before or after Him are His equal, in any way - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

If they claim that the world was not created by God, that it ‘just happened’ we need to stay away from them - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

While there may be some minor differences in doctrine, Christians understand that the only means by which a person may be saved is to acknowledge they have sinned, repent of those sins and accept the death of Jesus on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins – and NOTHING else will save our soul.

We cannot earn our way to heaven.  We cannot have another take our place and ride on their faith into heaven.  It is a personal commitment, a personal relationship with God and can only be accomplish while living in this world – because the decision for Christ must be made before death, or we live eternally without Him adding anything to Christ’s sacrifice is imperative – any teaching that downplays Christ’s position or adds to it for one to be saved is not serving God - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

It is easy to be taken in by another religion, many promise peace and happiness, and enlightenment of the soul.  They promise a family atmosphere and a caring attitude – and it all sounds good until their ideology conflicts with God’s Word – places Jesus as a prophet not our only means to heaven – puts spin on work as the means to salvation - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

We look at the creation around us in awe and amazement – there are those that place the creation and nature in a deity form of worship instead of recognizing it is the Creator that formed them and worships Him - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

God is very jealous of His place in the world.  He is the Creator, He was and always will be the sole means by which we are saved – He sent His Son to affirm His love, His mercy and His dominion over us.  Any religion that doesn’t recognize this, doesn’t accept this by adding on extra requirements for salvation must be avoided - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

The Word of God is both simple and complicated.  The simplicity is in the salvation of Christ and obedience to Him.  There are verses that need understanding with the totality of the Word – of context and in agreement with the Word.  Jesus often referred the leaders of the Jews to the Old Testament and urged them to study the Word and they would find that it confirmed what He said and who He is yet, they denied it as many in the world do today - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

The Word of God can be twisted by a person or cult to seem to say things it doesn’t say.  Some will say this verse conflicts with this verse – and then say it can’t be depended upon – however, when taken into context we find that there isn’t a conflict that the circumstances or the teachings are different, or it is just another means to say the same thing.  Twisting the scriptures to prove a point that isn’t there is a common device used by those that would lead us astray - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

Satan will use any means he can to drive a wedge between man and God – an individual and God – you and God.  He dwells in conflicts; he embellishes his lies with plausibility, but not truth.  He wants to separate man from the Creator and plays on people’s individual needs, weakness and even their strengths to demean God and His control over the universe - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

Satan likes to tell us that we can become gods – part of the temptation of Eve was that she could be a god:  Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods,  And He is still telling people that they can become gods, even saying that Jesus was a man that was elevate by God to be a god and many religions embrace that lie - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

1 Timothy 2:4-6 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

⁶ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Any other teaching is one of the lions that we are warned about.

As Christians we may worship God differently, we may have minor differences on doctrine – but the deity of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit in one person is mandated – the only means to be saved and be with God through eternity is through Jesus and it is mandated – comments by learned scholars are useful, but if they conflict with God’s Word they must be discarded - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

The best way to stay healthy in Spirit, once we have accepted Christ, is to study God’s Word, pray, fellowship with other Christians and live for Him. 

We have been forewarned by God that there will be false prophets and they will lead even the most dedicated can be fooled by them.

Mark 13:21-23  And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

²² For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

²³ But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

ANY OTHER WAY, PROFESSED BY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR RELIGION - must be discarded - that is one of the lions that we are warned about.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again