Everything?

Remember Everything has GOD's Fingerprints on it. Everything ?

Everything !

By Digital Anvil.

Its Not Your Fault- Louise Baur:

It’s Not Your Fault - Louise Baur

Research tells us that the prevalence of severe obesity among Australian adults has risen over a 15-year period, increasing from 5.8% in 2007−08 to 7.9% in 2022−23. For many, is an interesting statistic, but for others, its personal and it’s their daily struggle. When we think about obesity, it’s usually in the form of personal lifestyle decisions. It’s usually either subtly or directly framed as: it's your fault.

The problem has become that we see obesity very different to how we view diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease. We often see it as a result of poor discipline, rather than a complex health problem related to genetics, access to food, education and modern lifestyles.

Prof Louise Baur is a paediatrician, specialising in childhood and adolescent obesity. She says that when she sees patients, one of the things she wants them to understand is this: "It’s not your fault”.

Stigma and blame are powerful forces and in this area of medicine, Louise sees the effect of it. She says that as people encounter medical professionals who approach them with kindness and without judgment, it goes a long way in their journey of healing and health.

This is why Louise sees her work as her calling. She brings her Christian faith to the hospital by sharing the love of God with every patient, family and colleague.

To hear my conversation with Professor Louise Baur, click here. Or your favourite podcast platform.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

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Many thanks to Karl Faase for this timely and relevent brief essay.

( from Digital Anvil )

The Quality of Darkness:

The Quality of Darkness:

Did you know that light is difficult to understand? I don't know much about science, but recently I read that for centuries there have been discussions about what makes up light.

Apparently light can be understood as either a stream of particles or as a wave. Ancient Greeks believed light was made of particles because of the way it bounced off shiny surfaces. This changed several hundred years ago when it was discovered that light has the qualities of a wave. The discussion continues and the essence of what constitutes light still fascinates people.

Yet when it comes to darkness there is no argument, darkness is easy to understand. Darkness is simply the absence of light.

There are many parts of our community where darkness prevails. Jesus said that He is the Light thats shines in the darkness. He calls those who seek to follow Him to be light in dark places. To overcome the darkness of this world, we need to be the light of Jesus in every situation (Matthew 5:14).

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My thanks to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Abraham Lincoln's 2nd Address:

Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address. Throughout his prepared speech, he referenced the Bible several times, both the New and Old Testaments. He quoted Genesis 3, Matthew 18 on slavery and Psalm 19 when referencing the American Civil War. This was usual behaviour Lincoln.

Lincoln used the Bible as part of his thinking and belief system. It informed his private life and his public leadership role. For Lincoln, the Bible was not an ancient text for pious people to use in their private lives. It was a living document that informed his behaviour.

This is an attitude we need to rediscover. We may not hear our political leaders quoting it in public addresses, but the Bible can be a key part of our thinking and can inform our actions.

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My thanks for the above to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Classroom Philosophy:

"The philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next."

President Abraham Lincoln.

Peter and Paul Spiritual Experiences:

Peter and Paul Conversions:

When you look through the New Testament - it’s interesting that two of the main characters and leaders of the church had very different conversion experiences.

Paul had a dramatic experience of Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a follower of Jesus.

Peter however, had a slower journey. He gradually comes to terms with who Jesus is and what it means to live into that fully.

The same is true today.

Some people can encounter Jesus in spectacular and miraculous ways - instantly feeling a desire to surrender their lives.

For others, it’s a slow burn and a gradual revelation of Jesus as Lord.

Wherever you are today and whatever your experience of coming to Jesus was, know that it’s OK to take time. Jesus invites us into a discipleship process where we:

Encounter the love of God.

Accept his offer to experience life in him.

Surrender all of who we are to him - so our life takes the shape of Christ.

Can I encourage you to stay on the journey and keep exploring faith?

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Many thanks to Karl Faase.

(From Digital Anvil )

The Author of Being: What ? Who ?

God is the Author of being. We could not exist apart from a supreme being, because we do not have the power of being in and of ourselves. 

If any atheist would think seriously and logically about the concept of being for five minutes, it would be the end of his atheism. It is an inescapable fact that no one in this world has the power of being within himself, and yet we are here.

 So, somewhere there must be One who does have the power of being within Himself. If there is not such a One, it would be absolutely scientifically impossible for anything to be.

 If there is no supreme being, there could be no being of any kind. 

If there is something, there must be something that has the power of being; otherwise, nothing would be. It’s that simple. 

When the great Apostle Paul spoke to the philosophers at the Areopagus in ancient Athens, he mentioned that he had seen many altars in the city, including one to “the unknown god” (Acts 17)  He then used that as an opening to speak biblical truth to them: “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it … gives to all mankind life and breath and everything … for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’” (vv. 23b–28a). 

Excerpt from the book:  Does God Control Everything ? By R. C. Sproul.

I recommend obtaining and reading this book. On the internet it is free or near free.

( from Digital Anvil )

Final Thought:

As is common in the 21st Century,most who read the above shall switch off their understanding  and interest at the mention of his name. The term " God" is manisfestly understood to refer to a mythical being,sky -daddy or non - existant something that people believe in who are insane, crazy and poor-minded persons who need help figuring out 'fact from fiction.'

Yet the person who believe those defintions are often the same people who believe that life came from non- living matter. That the whole infinite universe came from nothing existent. That life in the womb is "nothing" just a 'mass of cells,'so can be terminated willy- nilly even though they know that their Mum and Dad actually " created " them. That each parent was necessary for life-- them -- to be born.

They know that instinctively,intellectually and intuitively.

Absolutely without question.

For the person who thinks that way, we call ' modern and sophisticated and enlightened.' A cosmocitizen, a globalist or a- woke person.

Who is who ?

Ancient vs modern. Person vs Lump. Being vs None. Life vs Nothing.