Ben's Words Of Wisdom On His Birthday

 

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it;
except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
(Psalm 127:1)

Benjamin Franklin
(January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790)

Image courtesy/American Revolution

"I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see
this truth-that God governs in the affairs of men.  If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground
without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been
assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that, "except the Lord build they labor in vain that
build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that with out His concurring aid
we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel:

We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded,
and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And
what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of
establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore beg to move...that henceforth prayers imploring assistance of Heaven, and its
blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed
to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this city be requested to officiate that service."

-Benjamin Franklin, speaking before the Convention of the Continental Congress
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July, 1787

Thursday's Thoughts: A Little Prayer

 

🎂A Happy Birthday Salute To "The Bard Of The Yukon"🎂

Robert William Service

January 16, 1874-September 11, 1958

British-born Canadian poet
Image courtesy/Wikipedia

Let us be thankful, Lord, for the little things-

The song of birds, the rapture of the rose;

Cloud-dappled skies, the laugh of limpid springs,

Drowned sunbeams and the perfume April blows;

Bronze wheat a-shimmer, purple shades of trees-

Let us be thankful, Lord of life,  for these!

Let us be praiseful, Sire, for simple sights;-

The blue smoke curling from a fire of peat;

Keen stars a-frolicking on frosty nights,

Prismatic pigeons strutting in a street;

Daises dew-diamonded in smiling sward-

For simple sights let us be praiseful, Lord!

Let us be grateful, God,  for health serene,

The hope to do a kindly deed each day;

The faith of fellowship, a conscience clean,

Thy will to worship and the gift to pray;

For all of worth in us, of You a part,

Let us be grateful, God, with a humble heart.

Wednesday's Word: Who Shall Abide In Thy Tabernacle?

"The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart,
a clear conscience, and a sincere faith."
(1 Timothy 1:5)

Lion of the Tribe of Judah
Image courtesy/Pinterest

Psalm 15

Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? 

Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, 

and worketh righteousness,

and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue,

 nor doeth evil to his neighbor,

nor taketh up reproach against his neighbor.

In whose eyes a vile person is condemned; 

but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. 

  He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury,

 nor taketh reward against the innocent.

He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

"This is the way to live. With God always before us, we shall have the
noblest companionship, the holiest example, the sweetest consolation,
and the mightiest influence.  This must be a resolute act of the mind.

"I have set," and it must be maintained as a set and settled thing.
Always to have an eye to the Lord's eye, and an ear for the
Lord's voice-this is the right state for the godly man.

His God is near him, filling the horizon of his vision, leading
the way of his life and furnishing the theme of his meditation.
What vanities we should avoid, what sins we should overcome,
what virtues we should exhibit, what joys should we experience
if we did not indeed set the Lord always before us! Why not?

This is the way to be safe. The Lord being ever in our minds,
we come to feel safety and certainty because of His being so near.
He is at our right hand to guide and aid us; and hence we are not
moved by fear, nor force, nor fraud, nor fickleness.

When God stands at man's right hand, that man is himself sure to stand.
Come on, then, ye foemen of the truth! Rush against me like a furious
tempest if ye will.  God upholds me. God abides with me.
Whom shall I fear?"

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Avi Lipkin Middle East Update

 

A true pioneer in Jewish-Christian relations, former Knesset member
Avi Lipkin (Bible Bloc Party) gives his no-holds-barred take on current 
 events happening in the Israel and the Middle East.

Avi Lipkin Middle East Update

Avi Lipkin

(January 14, 2025)

Tuesday Bible Study With Les Feldick: Book Of Daniel

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but those things which
are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may
do all the words of this law."
(Deuteronomy 29:29)

Les Feldick

(1927-2023)

Image courtesy/Through The Bible With
Les Feldick Ministries Newsletter

Daniel/Part One

(2009)

Les Feldick Ministries Official Site

Daniel/Part Two

(2009)

Les Feldick Ministries Official Site

Daniel/Part Three

(2009)

Les Feldick Ministries Official Site

Daniel/Part Four

(2009)

Les Feldick Ministries Official Site

Full Wolf Moon Tonight

 

The first full moon of the new year rises tonight and will reach
peak illumination at 5:27 P.M. Eastern Time.

January's Full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because in the
frontier days of America, when packs of wolves freely roamed in the woodlands
and on the prairies,  their eerie howling was often heard at night as they
prowled around looking for food near pioneer settlements
and American Indian villages.

Image courtesy/StockCake

The Wolf Moon always brings to mind the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the
 classic cautionary fairy tale reminding listeners to stay on the straight and narrow
path, and especially, not to talk to strangers one might meet in a dark and scary forest!
(Or in your local grocery store parking lot these days panhandling for money.)

"Little girls, this seems to say,
Never stop upon your way
Never trust a stranger friend
No-one knows how it may end
As you're pretty, so be wise
Wolves may lurk in every guise
Now as then, 'tis simple truth
Sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth."
-Quote from the film, 
"The Company Of Wolves"

Little Red Riding Hood Meets The Wolf

(1883)

Gustave Dore

(1832-1883)

French illustrator

It looks as though the moon will contend with the clouds here in my
 neck of the woods, but, I hope the skies are clear where you're at tonight!🐺

 

Arlene And Tammy Make Easy Soup And Sandwiches For A Cold Winter's Night!

 

🎂A belated birthday salute (January 9th) to the gracious host of At Home
Arlene Williams (1946-2017).   In this episode from 2012, Arlene and her
guest chef Tammy share delicious recipes for easy soup, sandwiches,
and dessert for a cold winter's night supper! 🎈

Easy Soup And Sandwiches

At Home With Arlene Williams

(January 13, 2025)