Some Notes on Biblical Prophecy

"I consider it a sin to talk about prophecy without including hope." So said Ron Dart in a sermon he gave on 10-10-98, titled 'Why Prophecy?'
No prophecy is unchangeable and while some negative and fearful prophecies in the Bible seem destined to occur as written, such is not always the case.
Consider the dire message God gave Jonah to deliver to the people of Nineveh?  God commanded His prophet Jonah to cry out to the people of Nineveh, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown."
Let's consider what happened. Did Jonah obey God and warn the people of Nineveh that God would destroy this great city-state in 40 days if it did not repent? Yes. Was this a true prophecy? Yes. Did it come to pass? No. Why not? Simply because the people of Nineveh heeded the warning and repented. From the least to the greatest.
As a result, God changed His mind and allowed the people to live. He 'repented' of His decision to destroy the vast city and everyone in it.
See an example of where God again changed His mind and did not destroy another people He came close to wiping out because of their idolatry (Ex. 32:14).
Did God know what the outcome would be? Hardly. If the future had already been set, then the people of Nineveh would have had no choice and God would have known how they would have reacted to Jonah's warning in advance. The whole exercise would have been pointless
Notice Jonah's incredible reaction to God's mercy in not carrying through His intention to destroy Nineveh. He was 'exceedingly displeased, and it kindled anger in him (Jonah 4:1). Wow. Listen to his reasoning. 'And he prayed to the Lord and said, "Please, O Lord, was this not my saying when I was still in my land? Therefore on account of this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and One who repents of the evil" (v.2). Jonah tried to avoid carrying out his assignment not so much because he was fearful of the response from the people of Nineveh but because he knew there was a good chance that God would not destroy its' inhabitants. Nineveh was a very warlike city-state that had done great damage to Israel and so, Jonah wanted the city totally destroyed. It was a totally understandable desire (but not a godly one) and when it did not happen, he said to God, "And now, O Lord, I beseech You, take my life from me, for better is my death than my life" (v. 3). That is the reason why Jonah is called 'the reluctant prophet'.
A good insight on the message of Jonah's mission is explained in this article. 

Six Ethics of Life

I read this list of advice by Tony Robbins on Pinterest just now:

Before you pray - Believe

Before you speak - Listen

Before you spend - Earn

Before you write - Think

Before you quit - Try

Before you die - Live


Some very good advice and tips to live by!



Also, think on these things:

Things Money Can't Buy:

  1. Manners

  2. Morals

  3. Respect

  4. Character

  5. Common Sense

  6. Trust

  7. Patience

  8. Class

  9. Integrity

10. Love

More tips and nuggets of wisdom from 'The Cork Advertiser' magazine

I picked up a copy of the latest issue of The Cork Advertiser magazine, a fine free monthly glossy publication for the people of Mallow and large parts of Cork county.
There's always a big supply at the Customer Desk at Douglas Court Shopping Centre, where I usually pick up my copy as soon as it's available.
The following tips and nuggets of wisdom are from the issue dated 28th February 2020.

Page No.

 2     Life without a goal is futile

 3     Take this day as a gift from God

 4     Today I will drive out all fear from my life

 5     The only limits in your life are the buts you use today

 6     A lack of vision today costs credibility tomorrow

 7     Today get out of your comfort zone

 8     What is not started today is never finished tomorrow

 9     Don't let yesterday use up too much of today

10    Live a day at a time

11    What children need today are parents - not buddies

12    Worry empties today of its strength

13    To succeed today, you have to set priorities

14    Let today be a fresh start

15    If you fell down yesterday, stand up today

16    Plan your work today, then work your plan

17    Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today

18    Today I will do someone a good turn

19    I will try to live through this day only

20    Today I will do someone a good turn, and not get found out

21    Life is too short to wake up today with regrets

22    Live for what today has to offer

23    Be the reason someone smiles today

24    Today's society has become so fake that the truth bothers some

25    Each day I am thankful for nights that turned into mornings

26    One day at a time is enough

27    Just for today, let go of anger

28    Today I will have a quiet hour to myself

29    Today I will enjoy what is beautiful

30    Today I will save myself from hurry and indecision

31    The beginning is always today

32    Expect something good to happen today

33    Today is yours to shape

34    Harness the power of today

35   Today is the first day of the rest of your life

36   It's our attitude about today that matters

37    Let's bring that 'someday' today

38    Today I decided to let go

39    Hello to today, I'm so glad you're here
        (Say "Hello" to today, "I'm so glad you're here")

40    Today is non-refundable

41    Start today creating a vision for yourself

42    The destiny of future generations depends on our actions today

43    Each day is a gift. Don't take it for granted

44    Today is sacred - for it will never come again

45    Tomorrow isn't better than today - yet

46    What you do today defines tomorrow

47    Every tomorrow is an outcome of what I do today

48    Do something positive today and make a difference

49    Carpe diem, today and every day
        (Seize the day [Latin])

50    Love all, trust few, do wrong to none

51    Today is a new canvas. Paint it well








A Special Bonus

Also, from the same magazine, is a list of

10 Things Money Can't Buy:

 1.   Manners

 2.   Morals

 3.   Respect

 4.   Character

 5.   Common sense

 6.   Trust

 7.   Patience

 8.   Class

 9.    Integrity

10.   Love

How to Avoid King Saul's Spiritual Mistakes

I just heard a helpful worthwhile sermon by a preacher, Ron Dart, 1930-2016, about the mistakes/sins of ancient Israel's first king, a man named Saul. [Click (here) to watch: The Forgiveness of Kings.]

(Sadly, the quality of the sound is poor much of the time. Also, it has helpful subtitles.)

Near the end of this sermon, Ron Dart gives 7 tips to avoid being like Saul. They are worth knowing.

1)   Don't blame others. When things go wrong, look within yourself and ask where (and why) YOU made your mistake/sin

2)   Do not minimize your mistakes/sins. Let them be as bad as they can be in your own eyes. Own up to being wrong. Be totally honest with yourself.

3)   Don't justify yourself. As long as you're trying to justify yourself, how can God justify you? And how can the blood of Christ justify you of your sins. Confess you did what you did because you wanted to do it. Don't try to 'get off the hook' by claiming 'the devil made (me) do it'.

4)   Accept responsibility for what has happened. Accept the blame. (Again, don't blame others'.) Pick it up. Wear it. Deal with it.

5)   Admit you were wrong. Confess your sins to God. Be totally honest with Him. Admit your sins to yourself too.

6)   Apologize to those you have wronged or hurt. (When you do wrong to others, be humble and say, "I was wrong. I'm very sorry." Those little words, sincerely said, will get you out of more trouble than you can possibly imagine.) You can only really be considered to be sorry and repentant when you're accepted responsibility and apologizing does that.

7)   Repent. That means you turn your conduct around and you start living your life differently.


All these tips go together. All 7 must be put into practice. None of them are easy but any other course of action than the repentant course leads to a kind of insanity which is what eventually happened to King Saul.

"If you lie to others, that makes you a sinner; if you lie to yourself, that makes you insane."

Finally, remember, with God's help, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26).

More Tips and Advice from the New Issue of The Cork Advertiser

Today, I picked up the latest issue of FREE 60-page glossy magazine, The Cork Advertiser.
At the foot of almost every page is a piece of advice to help the reader have as successful and happy a life as possible.  I plan to put as many tips as possible (and relevant) into practice in my life. I hope they are helpful to you too.

Page:

 2   Be different; be daring; be first
 3   Take time to recharge your batteries
 4   Never ever accept mediocrity
 5   Don't wait for opportunities, seize them
 6   Be open to change
 7   To thine own self be true
 8   When (the) decision is made, the debate is over
 9   Live one day at a time
10   Emotions are choices
11   Smile and walk tall
12   A wise man changes his mind sometimes, a fool never
13   Respect others
14   No-one is exempt from disappointment
15   Follow your intuition
16   Call on God, but row away from the rocks
17   The hardest victory is over oneself
18   Success doesn't come to you, you go to it
19   Seize the moment
20   The price of success is hard work
21   Never talk defeat
22   No half measures
23   Life is not a dress rehearsal
24   Enjoy what you can, endure what you must
25   Don't let fear stop you
26   Simplicity is complex
27   Never put people on pedestals, we all have clay feet
28   Man talks, but God directs
29   True friends are better than gold
30   Penny wise pound foolish
31   Adventure is the champagne of life
32   Always do your best
33   The best time to worry is tomorrow
34   Talk slowly, think quickly
35   Take the initiative
36   Live according to nature
37   Only fools rejoice at promises
38   Out of debt, out of danger
39   Research, plan, do
40   Every sunrise is a second chance
41   The less you talk, the more you are listened to
42   Pride is the author of all sin
43   Standing still means going backwards
44   Cheap is dear
45   Don't think, just do
46   Wise words don't come cheap
47   Become a person of value
48   Soft words win hard debates
49   Poverty is the mother of crime
50   Growing old is a privilege denied to many
51   Work hard at work worth doing
52   Adversity makes a man wise, not rich
53   As you sow so shall you reap
54   Desire conquers fear
55   Deliberate often, decide once
56   Learn to love silence
57   Never trouble trouble until trouble troubles you
58   Still waters run deep
59   The slow horse reaches the mill

Feast of Trumpets - September 30, 2019

Today, Monday, Sept 30th is the Feast of Trumpets, an annual Holy Day to the LORD (Yahweh), the God of the Bible. It is an annual Sabbath, a 'high day', a commanded assembly and a day of rest from regular work, school, shopping, entertainment and other secular activities. It began at sunset last night. (As an aside, very day of the entire [Sacred calendar] year, according to Gen 1 and Lev 23:32, starts at sunset the previous day, not at midnight!)
The Feast of Trumpets is the 4th of God's 7 annual Sabbaths. (Yes, it's the middle one.) It falls on the first of Tishri, the seventh month of the Sacred calendar. Very little is said about its' significance in Lev 23:24-25 where it's first mentioned. Elsewhere in Scripture, more revelation about the meaning of this Sabbath is recorded for God's people to glean, examine and understand. We learn that trumpets are associated with war (ex. Num 10:9). In I Cor 15:52, we learn the dead in Christ will rise at the 'last trump', a yet future time when this present evil age of man will come to an end and the glorious 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ will begin throughout all the Earth. Much could be, and indeed already has been written about this major meaningful biblical Feast day. I suggest all those interested in knowing more read the following articles and Bible Study Guides. NB. Be sure to look up the Bible references to get maximum understanding of the messages.

https://www.cogwriter.com/trumpet-plan.htm

http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-plan/feast-of-trumpets-war-and-rescue.htm

https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/gods-holy-day-plan-the-promise-of-hope-for-all-mankind/the-feast-of-trumpets-a-turning-point-in-history

Poem recited by hot Cameron Diaz in 'In Her Shoes' (2005)

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)

I am never without it 

anywhere I go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me 

is your doing, my darling

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

I want no world, for beautiful, you are my world, my true

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows 

here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; 

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49493/i-carry-your-heart-with-mei-carry-it-in

Cam's character Maggie recited this poem at her long-suffering sister, Rose's wedding in a film called 'In Her Shoes'.  

This movie brings back some rare memories for me. I first saw it when I went to a cinema in Wellington in November 2005. I spent about 25 days in New Zealand that month. I took extra time off work to accompany my mother who wanted to visit family about an hours drive from Auckland. I stayed in a hostel in Auckland for five days during the first full week we were there. The second week was 'a bit' quieter. The third week, I traveled to Wellington where I stayed in a hostel near the train station. It was a cool time even though I was a solo tourist. On the plus side, I had complete freedom to go where and when I wanted, at a moment's notice. I explored the city centre every day and discovered a great Irish pub in Cuba street and other surprise places of interest including the awesome free museum Te Papa, and 'the Beehive' where I took a very interesting guided tour. My main regret was not taking time out to sail on the Inter-islander ferry to South Island. I bet the scenery is awesome on a good day. I hope to go back to Wellington again some day and I will not leave NZ's capital city until after I've traveled to South Island by ferry and taken lots of photos. 

By the time I got back to my then-digs in Aylesbury, UK, I'd flown on 10 planes from the start of my holiday. Five flights from UK to NZ (via Ireland, Singapore/Hong Kong and Australia) each way. I loved all the flying. I miss flying a lot these days. I have hardly flown since Nov 2005. Don't ask "why not" as I don't have a good answer.

I do have plans to fly to Spain next April however to embark on a new mega-ship for my first ever cruise 'vacation'. Hopefully there'll be very few youngsters and teenagers on my ship as schools will be in session.
Even more hopefully, MSC won't 'pull the plug' and cancel my dream cruise vacation due to the wretched coronavirus, Covid-19, that is turning up in many countries and causing people to cancel their holidays to avoid contracting it and even dying from it. I hope a cure is developed for it soon.