HALF-CRAZED CRUDEN

Alexander Cruden was born in Scotland on May 31, 1699.  His father, a strict Puritan, forbade games on the Lord’s Day, and Alexander entertained himself by tracing words through the Bible.  He enrolled in college at 13, graduated at 19 … and fell in love.  The girl’s father forbade him in the house, and when the girl became pregnant, she was sent away.  Alexander, his nerves shattered, entered an asylum.

Alexander fell in love again, was rejected again, and went to such extremes to attract the woman’s affection that he was seized, taken to a private asylum, and chained to a bed for ten weeks.  He finally managed to escape by cutting off the bed leg, then began traveling around calling himself “Alexander the Corrector,” trying to reform morals.  One evening, wanting to stop a man from swearing, he hit him over the head with a shovel.  A riot ensued, and Alexander endured a third stay in an asylum.

People thought him crazy!  But this half-crazed man gave Christians of many generations Cruden’s Concordance.  Spurgeon wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible, “For ten years this has been at my left hand when the Word of God has been at my right.  This half-crazy Cruden did better service to the church than half the D. D.’s and L. L. D.’s of all time.”

Recall God’s summary of King David?  We may remember his moral failures – murder, adultery and pride (counting of the men) – but God summarizes David’s life by saying, “He was a man after His own heart, and David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”  Acts 13:22, Psa 78:72

So don’t believe the lie of Satan, which says to you (when you’ve blown it), “You’re a lie!”  Believe the word of God that tells you: You were born with value and purpose.  Your life has promise and potential as it unfolds in accordance to God’s eternal plan. 

*From “Does a Man’s (Moral) Failure Mean He’s a Lie?” Sermon #3334; Cruden illustration taken from On This Day.

LET'S BE HONEST!

LET’S BE HONEST

You have heard the expression “Honesty is the best policy.”  No one questions that, although, as we have discussed in times past, it appears throughout the Holy Scriptures that God honors those who lie as an act of faith.  e.g.: The Israelis midwives, Rehab when hiding the two spies, the wife who hid David’s two spies while being chased by Absalom, and the prophets in whom God put a lying spirit so Ahab would go to his death.  God ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts.  There are some things we’ll never quite understand — oh, I’m not saying we can’t find explanations, we can — this side of Heaven.

With that said, let’s talk about the lie.  This week I sent you an email that said, according to NBC News, all Americans will receive a microchip by 2017.  The article/pcmdgazette report was false.  My apology!  (I should have “fact” it out.)  With that said, here are the facts as I see them. This was one of my replies on Facebook:

Guys, my apology for not checking this out BEFORE sending it your way.  With that said, please read my REPLY to Adam Starr and Wendy Sylvester.  Both people I regard very highly.  My reply to Adam is not relational to a ‘theological’ issue, my response to Wendy is: 1) As to the “chip" we all have one -- it's our SS#.  Did you know Rob Schenck is not allowed into the White House.  His SS# was flaged by the Clinton administration because Rob met the President face to face and called him out on abortion. 2) As to the pre-rapture tribulation ‘theory’ -- it came from a tongues prophesy of approximately 150 ago, and IMO, and that of ALL Bible Scholars BEFORE the prophesy was given, has no Biblical veracity.  We, praise the LORD, will NOT face His wrath [… we will tribulation — it is what has purified and propelled the Church to greatness throughout history].  Well, it’s off to my QT with the LORD. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE DAY -- pray The FIVE SENSES prayer and the HOLY SPIRIT prayer -- it will alter you day in a GOOD way. Blessings and honor to the One who was, is and is to come!  [*added]

Here’s another area I’d like to see some honesty.  I would like President Obama to call (not send a form letter) the six families who lost their sons seeking to rescue Bergdaul and tell them he is sorry for their loss and proud of them, and their sons, for being willing to lay down their lives for another wearing — not a R or D — but an American flag.  And please, Mr President, don’t tell us that those who worked side-by-side with Bergdaul and said he’s a deserter (for whatever the reason) right wing Republicans.  They are simply, like all of us, US Citizens who love our country.  

BTW:  This is a great analogy for those who say they would not be able to lay down their lives if push came to shove during the Great Tribulation — it’s too scary.  If a soldier can go to war for his country knowing that he/she could lose his/her life … and be proud of it, how much more the Christian.  As the angel said to Joshua, and to so many others throughout the Bible, “Be strong and courageous!  Do not fear!”  

In Jesus,

PB

Loyalty is a man's best friend.  Joshua 1:5

PS - Photo from Maleficent.  My date night with our daughter, Noelle, last night @ 9:50 pm, June 8.  When you have 2 boys, 1 foster child, 2 cats, a dog and a pig … Oh! and a husband … it’s about the only time to set a father-daughter date.  LOL!