Strive for Betterment

There is something to be said about increasing the speed limit on freeways; one will get to their destination quicker [In 1992, Kentucky interstate speed limits were increased from 55 to 65]. When we travel, I know that you get restless with my slow driving.

In life we should have a spirit of restlessness; have the ability from becoming complacent with our achievements.

We should always strive to advance. Never stop from doing what we should become.

Strive for betterment!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Property is the fruit of labor...property is desirable...is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume VII, "Reply to New York Workingmen's Democratic Republican Association" (March 21, 1864), pp. 259-260.

"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things." Theodore Roosevelt

Use of Time

The light is green and the cars begin to move. You're starting a brand new week today. Never in the history of time has this week come by. How will it turn out for you?

Make the best of it. You have a total of 168 fresh and unused hours. Only approximately one fifth will be in the classroom. Much of your success in the 1/5 of time will depend upon what you do during the 4/5. Use your time wisely.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Eph 5:15-16)

"...redeeming the time (Eph 5:16), literally, buying the opportunity. It is a metaphor taken from merchants and traders who diligently observe and improve the seasons for merchandise and trade. It is a great part of Christian wisdom to redeem the time. Good Christians must be good husbands of their time, and take care to improve it to the best of purposes, by watching against temptations, by doing good while it is in the power of their hands, and by filling it up with proper employment - one special preservative from sin. They should make the best use they can of the present seasons of grace. Our time is a talent given us by God for some good end, and it is misspent and lost when it is not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must endeavour to redeem it by doubling our diligence in doing our duty for the future. The reason given is because the days are evil, either by reason of the wickedness of those who dwell in them, or rather “as they are troublesome and dangerous times to you who live in them.”
commentary by Matthew Henry (1662-1714)

Try Something

Try to learn something new.

"And let our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." (Tit 3:14)

~~~

Try to teach something valuable.

"And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing," (2Ti 2:24)

~~~

Try to say something friendly.

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue." (Pro 31:26)

~~~

Try to do something wise.

"Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands." (Pro 14:1)

~~~

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

When the Wicked Rule

I have been struggling lately (mostly from a lack of faith) over the state of our world. I no longer ask if our religious freedoms will be trampled but when will they be taken from us? What is the point of giving my children an outstanding Christian education if they will be forbidden to use it? (I've figured out that discernment, at least, is a very important trait to have in this day.) I came across this article from my former pastor and it helped a bit. It doesn't tell me anything new, but just reinforces what I already know. (Sorry for hijacking the "letters" today, Dad, but I thought that this might be helpful to others as well as myself.)

When the Wicked Rule

Proverbs 29:2

I recently read John Gill’s exposition of Proverbs 29: 2. When I got to the second part of the proverb, though Gill’s exposition was written 250 years ago, I thought, “This could have been an editorial in today’s paper.”

When the Righteous Rule

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.” — Few have been the days in the history of the world when righteous men were in authority anywhere. Very few have held authority in the history of the world like David and Josiah. Few have been the kings, prime ministers, legislators or judges in any nation who truly feared God and led the people by example and by precept in his ways. When such men are “in power and dominion,” Gill wrote, “are set in high places, and have the exercise of civil government and the execution of the laws in their hands; for the protection of good men in their civil and religious privileges, and for the punishment of evil men; for the encouraging of all that is good, and for the discouraging of everything that is bad,” the people ruled by righteous men rejoice and have reason to continually give thanks to God for them.

When the righteous rule “the people rejoice.” The rule of righteous men spreads joy in any land. Contrary to the opinions of wicked men, it is not the righteous who are hard, over-bearing and oppressive, but the wicked. When the righteous are in authority; the whole nation benefits, the public good is advanced. Living under the government of men who seek the good of the nation, not the increase of their own wealth and power, the whole nation enjoys the advantage of it. So it was when Solomon reigned over Judah and Israel (1 Kings 4:20-21).

When the Wicked Rule

“But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” — As far as I know, there is not a nation in the world today where the wicked do not rule. Idolatry (will-worship, the idolizing of man) is rampant everywhere. When men idolize themselves, divine judgment is sure to follow (Romans 1), reflected in the rule of the wicked in every realm of society. Politicians, educators and religious leaders, united in the promotion of wickedness, calling evil good and good evil, do everything possible to overthrow the worship of God; and fornication, adultery, homosexuality, the murder of inconvenient children and moral perversity of every kind increase and are promoted.

Therefore the people mourn, groan and sigh, as Gill wrote, “under their tyranny and oppression, and because of the sad state of things; the number of good men is lessened, being cut off, or obliged to flee; wicked men and wickedness are encouraged and promoted; heavy taxes are laid upon them, and exorbitant demands made and cruelty, injustice, and arbitrary power exercised; and no man’s person and property are safe.”

God’s Doing

Whether the righteous rule or the wicked, it is God’s doing. He puts men (and even women) in authority as he will for two purposes: (1.) To punish the wicked who despise his rule and (2.) to save his elect. Let us never imagine for a moment that the wicked rule because God has lost control of things. It is still true today, — “The king‘s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Proverbs 21:1).

Rather than complaining to our neighbors and to one another about the wicked the Lord has placed in authority in this day of judgment, let us pray for those very rulers, “for all who are in authority,” mourning, groaning, sighing to God as Israel did in Egypt because of the oppression of that Pharaoh “who knew not Joseph.” God will take care of Pharaoh and Egypt, disposing of them and their influence at his time, when they have fulfilled his purpose; and he will do it in such a way that they and we shall know that he did it.

You can be sure of this, too: The Lord our God, our ever-faithful, covenant keeping Jehovah, will take care of his Israel. He will save his people. He is gathering and will gather his chosen out of every corner of this Egypt, precisely at the time promised in the covenant to our great Joseph before the world began. Just as Israel came out of Egypt with a high hand, spoiling the Egyptians, carrying all the silver and gold of Egypt out with them, so Babylon and Egypt shall be spoiled in the ultimate salvation of God’s elect. That is to say, everything worth having, everything valuable and useful shall soon be taken away from the wicked and all the riches, and glory, and honor of all the kingdoms of this world shall be brought into the New Jerusalem, the City of God, the Church of Christ, for the glory of God (Revelation 21:24).

Don Fortner

Be Diligent

I know that I get a lot of grief from you for my driving "too slow." Speed limits are set for our safety.

Just remember that laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.

Be diligent and continue to go forward.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written for a record: In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house. And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to its place; and thou shalt put them in the house of God. Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, be ye far from thence: let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail; that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence. Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, because that Darius the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. And the children of Israel that were come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel." (Ezr 6:1-22)

It is comforting to know at a time such as it is that Jehovah is in control. He uses evil for good. May we be diligent in proclaiming His name for the furtherance of His kingdom!

Satisfaction

Roadsigns inform us that we're traveling along the correct road. Corrections can be made, if wrong; and satisfaction is felt if traveling in the right direction.

There are some roadsigns of life that will give us satisfaction:

* Do your work to the best of your ability.
* Be responsible for yourself.
* Take pride in your accomplishments.
* Try hard.
* Love your friends, family and even strangers.
* Always be honest.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

One Way

The other night as I was running, I was going south on 3rd Street. A truck pulled to the stop sign at 3rd & Green. He blocked my path so I went behind him. I noticed that he turned left (wrong way) into the north bound traffic. Cars had to stop and horns started blowing. I yelled at the driver to inform him of his wrong direction. He finally stopped about a block later and turned around. His mistake was that he failed to follow directional signs.

You be careful of your direction!

"In the way of righteousness is life..." (Prov 12:28)

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"One that is in the true way of righteousness is one that is instilled by the righteousness of Christ, which justification is the justification of life: such an one is made alive, and reckons himself alive in a law sense; and enjoys true spiritual peace and comfort, arising from the love and favour of God, and acceptance with him, in which he sees his interest, and in which is life; and this righteousness, by which he is justified before God, entitles him to eternal life; to which the path of holiness, he is directed and enabled to walk in, leads; though it is a narrow way, and a strait gate (Matt 7:14). Christ, and righteousness and holiness in and by him, are the way, the truth, and the life, or the true way to eternal life; and all in this way now live spiritually, and shall live eternally (John 14:6)." (commentary by John Gill, 1697-1771)

Be Strong and Very Courageous

This should be a great year for you. You will be learning things that you never knew before and sharing your knowledge with others. This year is the start of a whole new part of your life; a brand new adventure full of excitement and challenges, new friends and new things to do.

I don't have a bunch of advice, except to say, "Do what you know is right, even if it's a hard thing sometimes."

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Josh 1:7-9)

"Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. " (Eph 6:10-20)


No where in the Bible does it say that we are to do what is hard, to go against the evils in the world, alone. In fact, Ephesians 6 says to "take up the whole armor of God." To arm yourself with the "breastplate of righteousness...shield of faith...helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit," and to do all this through prayer and supplication. Furthermore, we are not expected to know the truth without the work of the Holy Spirit. So, where do we get the breastplate and the shield, the helmet and the sword? The Word, of course. You will find the truth and the full armor to "do what you know is right, even if it's a hard thing sometimes" from Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21. Not only this sweetness will you have, but you will be strengthened in this fight, for "Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." So, "be strong and of good courage" today as you put on the full armor of God.

Wrong Way

I want to encourage you to apply yourself as you journey through each day of school. Make sure that you're going on the right path.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov 14:12

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Prov 3:5-6

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

The Name Above All Names

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Phi 2:9-11)


Each of us is identified by the name given to us by our parents. Whenever our name is mentioned or read, those who know us draw some type of conclusion. Good or bad? Selfish or generous? Diligent or lazy? Dependable or unreliable?

How do people react and think of you when your name is mentioned? Protect yourself and develop a good name.

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." Proverbs 22:1

Each of us has spent our lifetime developing either a good or bad name. Any one event or situation which takes place in our lives could make or destroy our name. Travel with great care and caution!

Always protect who you are. Be proud of yourself and don't destroy in a short time what has taken a lifetime to build.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


Do people think on the name of Christ when they hear or see your name? Praise His Name at all times and in all situations to the Glory of God!

What name gives you comfort? Call on His name.


How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away His fear,
And drives away His fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear name - the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding place;
My never failing treasure, filled
With boundless stores of grace,
With boundless stores of grace!

Jesus, my shepherd, brother, friend,
My prophet, priest, and King.
My Lord, my life, my way, my end,
Accept the Praise I bring,
Accept the praise I bring.

(John Newton, 1725-1807)


Steve Camp (click on camponthis blog to the right) has done a nice job of listing many of the names of the Name above all names. Check out his blog from Feb.24.