So, Zippy, why this blog?

Why did I decide to blog, and what am I going to blog about?

I think that those two questions are somewhat related, in that, the answer to the former will lead to the answer of the latter. I digress, the purpose of my blogging is to relay, as the title of my blog states, what the Lord has done, with my life such as the things that I see, hear, learn, feel, begin to understand, etc. will be posted on my blog. (Not all of them of course) I decided to blog because one day I thought to myself, how cool would it be to have a blog, a virtual location that I can relay information and a place that I can write ideas for people to read, if they will, or that can be looked back on in 5, 10, or 20 years or more. I thought it might be kind of fun, so I’m going to give it a shot.

Let me just say - - -

If I were to choose a verse in the Bible that I wanted to shape my life after, I would choose the words that the apostle Paul penned in Philippians 1: 20, 21 which state,”…as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

I have been saved by grace through faith and have done nothing to deserve such salvation, but I know that the wages of my sin would be death if it were not for Jesus Christ who, at the right time, died for me – the free gift of God is eternal life for those who believe in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

If I blog, it is my prayer that the words I pen would bring Glory to the Father – as the words which Matt Redman wrote, I repeat,

You are God in heaven
And here am I on earth,
So I'll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You.

And I'll stand in awe of You,
Yes I'll stand in awe of You,
And I'll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You.

The simplest of all love songs
I want to bring to You,
So I'll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You.



To conclude this post, I will say –

Come Lord Jesus, Come!

Idol in Target

Here’s what this world is coming to or at least a picture of where it is going. Did you know that you can go to your local Target (if you have one) and purchase your very own personal Buddha Pillar Stand for the “low” price of $29.99? It’s true.

Just earlier today, I was walking through the candle section of Target and happen to notice this item. When I noticed it, I did a double take. For those of you who do not know what a double take is, it’s when you look at something and move on but something about that object makes you want to look at it again, so you do a double take. Got it? OK, good, that was a tough one. I was shocked, stunned, and surprised. Then I was shocked, stunned, and surprised that I was shocked, stunned, and surprised. While I was looking at this product in Target, I thought,

“Who is really going to buy this and put it in their home?”

“Why would they buy this and put it in their home?”  

“I wonder how many people know what they are buying; do they really know who Buddha is?” 

“Is this, seem-to-be-harmless, candle pillar stand/statue thing really something that 1) people are buying and 2) worth making a fuss about?”

My other random thought was, “Take a picture and blog about this” Hence the reason that this is now on my blog.

I know that I should not be surprised when I see yet another manifestation of false gods and idols in the secular world. But, it makes me aware, and causes me to think of the scriptures which tell us to put no other god before our God, for he is a jealous God - the one true God of the Universe – the Alpha and Omega – the author and finisher of our faith – King of kings and Lord of lords. God is God and there is no other like him – He is a holy, righteous, and just God.

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)

“For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” (Psalms 96:4-5)

When asked which commandment is the most important of all, Jesus answered, "The most important (commandment) is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)

This leaves no room for idols.

So, without going on a tumultuous rampage of persuasive words on the reasons why this product is absurd, let me point to the scriptures which say, so directly and clearly, “little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)

Evening Prayer

My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have
protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by
Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy
angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. - M.  Luther

The first...

This is my first blog. Ever. That is, assuming Facebook doesn't count. I consider FB to be more of a social network, instead of a pure blog. So, am I a blogger? Ha! Not even close, but hey, why not give it a shot -

The above image is what I would be seeing if I were to look up from my computer screen at this very moment of the creation of this blog. If you don't know what it is, it's a corner in the library. I thought it fitting to dedicate the 'the first...' of this blog with a photo of the physical place from which this virtual life of blogging has been inspired to begin... the library at Union University. If you look really close at the photo, almost directly in the center you can see the picture frame of Emma Waters - the lady whom the library is named after.Was that planned? No, but it's pretty sweet...

Well, I don't want to be one of those wordy bloggers...so, Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. (W.S)


Scripture:
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7


Soon to Come: Mission Statement of Blog