It doesn't happen so much anymore for I no longer work in a coal-fired power plant....but it does happen occasionally....where my wife will pull my ear lobes and inspect the ear for coal dust. I felt like a five year old....but then....there was often some coal dust in there. On the other hand I at times....as I did yesterday....will be talking to her and then say...."give me your glasses".....to clean them....once again like a parent would do with a child.....and I even more often turn an additional light on for her while she is reading and say...."You need more light or you will ruin your eyes!'
We used to have this as a memory verse....Hebrews 3:13....NASB...."But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called 'today,' so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
I just this minute went and retrieved some old....almost forty years ago is when I first had them.....pocket memory cards from that wonderful organization....The Navigators.....and I picked out a few cards....
Matt 4:19...."And he saith unto them. Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
1 Corinthians 2:12...."Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."
Isaiah 26:3...."Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because
he trusteth in thee."
Romans 12:2...."And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God."
and one more....that we today need to meditate upon
Luke 9:23...."And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
We have a tendency today to memorize....talking points....rather than God's Word. We are not fishers of men as much as fishers of voters. We are at this time living by the spirit of this world that tells us that we are....'one glorious nation under God....and the best is yet to come.' We are at this point....conformed to this world. We do not have peace....because as we look at this world....in vexation....we do not trust that God is in control. When the banner that we fly is....make America great again....we are not denying ourselves....and we are not taking up that cross....and we are not following Him.
Addendum: There is a verse that I want to bring up....Hebrews 10:24, 25...."And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (NKJV) The "day" here....as John Gill comments on it....might be...."either death, or the last judgment, or rather of Jerusalem's destruction, which at the writing of this epistle was near at hand." This verse is often used just to make sure that we go to church on Sundays....but just going to church and chatting about everything except "exhorting one another"...."as you see the day approaching"....cannot be what the writer of Hebrews meant. I am assembling together with you....in a way....right now....and hopefully exhorting you....as you certainly exhort me.....simply by your faith in Christ...and showing interest in these topics.
