God's Song: Have we lost the ability to know the difference be...

God's Song: Have we lost the ability to know the difference be...: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet ...

spiritualinspiration:

1. Listen without interrupting.
Proverbs 18:13 – To answer before listening, that is folly and shame.

2. Speak without accusing.
James 1:19 – My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

3. Give without sparing.
Proverbs 21:26 – All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.

4. Pray without ceasing.
Colossians 1:9 – For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

5. Answer without arguing.
Proverbs 17:1 – Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

6. Share without pretending.
Ephesians 4:15 – Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

7. Enjoy without complaint.
Philippians 2:14 – Do everything without grumbling or arguing

8. Trust without wavering.
Corinthians 13:7 – Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

9. Forgive without punishing.
Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

10. Promise without forgetting.
Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.



Have we lost the ability to know the difference between "good," and "evil?"

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 KJV)

Today I realized that many in the church world today do not know the definition of " good," and "evil."

In the hopes of reaching one soul- I will now provide the definitions of both words.

Evil (vl)
adj. e·vil·er, e·vil·est
1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant.
2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain;
3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
n.
1. The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
2. That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
3. An evil force, power, or personification.
4. Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction

adv. Archaic
In an evil manner.
[Middle English, from Old English yfel; see wap- in Indo-European roots.]
evil·ly adv.
( from:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.)

I have heard, "evil," described the misuse of power. (Source unknown)

Another source( the Oxford Dictionary) defines evil in this way: defines, evil" as follows:
e·vil
ˈēvəl/
adjective
1.
profoundly immoral and malevolent.
"his evil deeds"
synonyms: wicked, bad, wrong,immoral, sinful, foul, vile,dishonorable, corrupt,iniquitous, depraved,reprobate, villainous,nefarious, vicious, malicious;malevolent, sinister,demonic, devilish, diabolical,fiendish, dark; monstrous,shocking, despicable,atrocious, heinous, odious,contemptible, horrible,execrable; informallowdown,dirty
"an evil deed"

American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck on the other hand, describes evil as militant ignorance.[24] The original Judeo-Christian concept of sin is as a process that leads one to miss the mark and not achieve perfection. Peck argues that while most people are conscious of this at least on some level, those that are evil actively and militantly refuse this consciousness. Peck describes evil as a malignant type of self-righteousness which results in a projection of evil onto selected specific innocent victims (often children or other people in relatively powerless positions). Peck considers those he calls evil to be attempting to escape and hide from their own conscience (through self-deception) and views this as being quite distinct from the apparent absence of conscience evident in sociopaths.

According to Peck, an evil person:[24][25]

Is consistently self-deceiving, with the intent of avoiding guilt and maintaining a self-image of perfection
Deceives others as a consequence of their own self-deception
Projects his or her evils and sins onto very specific targets, scapegoating others while appearing normal with everyone else ("their insensitivity toward him was selective") [26]
Commonly hates with the pretense of love, for the purposes of self-deception as much as deception of others
Abuses political (emotional) power ("the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion") [27]
Maintains a high level of respectability and lies incessantly in order to do so
Is consistent in his or her sins. Evil people are defined not so much by the magnitude of their sins, but by their consistency (of destructiveness)
Is unable to think from the viewpoint of their victim
Has a covert intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury
Deceives others as a consequence of their own self-deception
Projects his or her evils and sins onto very specific targets, scapegoating others while appearing normal with everyone else ("their insensitivity toward him was selective") [26]
Commonly hates with the pretense of love, for the purposes of self-deception as much as deception of others
Abuses political (emotional) power ("the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion") [27]
Maintains a high level of respectability and lies incessantly in order to do so
Is consistent in his or her sins. Evil people are defined not so much by the magnitude of their sins, but by their consistency (of destructiveness)
Is unable to think from the viewpoint of their victim
Has a covert intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury

Summer Song

It's that time again: when I think about gathering God's goodness. For Hanover tomatoes to be canned and stored; blackberries as big as plums; for strawberry preserves and ruby red peach jelly; for the anticipation of tasks shared with good company ; for traditions started and continued as part of the art of growing family close; for sweet corn and the grandson who always shucks it before I carefully cut it from the cobs and think of family dinners to come; for looking for the perfect bread and butter pickle recipe and the companionship of these adventures with the loveliest ladies I know-- all treasures in my gratitude list: tonight, I thank  you, LORD, and praise you for these and oh, so many more blessings and gifts!

Song of My Creator: a Proclamation

The thought that the One who creates the Universe thinks off me astonishes me. He invites me to draw near to Him. He calls me by name. When I rise up and when I sit down- He knows my inmost being for He formed and fashioned me in my mother's womb (when I was not yet formed). I hear His voice and I follow Him; I will not follow the voice of the stranger. He orders my steps. He delights in me. He calls me 'Beloved ' and ' Delightful.' I am the apple of His eye!

As a vital part of His church , I am a part of His Kingdom advancing in the earth. The Spirit of God in me has divine power to bring forth the life of God in others, calling forth their true identity, seeing the Image of God in them as they are in Him. I am loved with an everlasting love.

Through Him, I can do all things; nothing is impossible. I am invited into the Bridal Chamber and I can ask of Him anything my heart desires, trusting Him as He answers prayer in His time and according to His plans.  He calls me friend: I am a friend of God. I am the answer to someone's prayer.

I am complete in Him. He is my true shalom, my peace, my fortress, my defender, my provider, and the one who spoke, (well, sang actually) the world into existence. 

He quiets me with His love; He sings over me.

Safe Travel

For safe travel and refreshing peace-filled days; for good food and crabbing adventures; for reclaiming the love and serenity of casting a fish hook in the water (fishing really is a discipline of patience); for sandy shoes and a little sunburn; for the recognition that freedom is precious and costly; for a son's generosity and delightful restaurants discovered under the canopy of hundred year old oaks; for the smell of my daughter-n-law cooking breakfast; for adding charm as a true treasure-southern comfort--graciousness experienced as gift; for sunsets and sunshiny summer rains; for the experience of feeling the rocking of the ocean's tide, as if the LORD of Life were cradeling me in His love; for the comfort of home to come to where furry little friends glad greetings are sweet. For these and oh, so many more blessings and #1000Gifts, I give thanks to the LORD!

Beach Song

For captains and full crab pots and  two full bushels steamed; for perfect beach weather and Carolina peaches; ; for a grandson turning 17 and picking crabs until the job is done; 

for a son's fishing rods cast under a bridge as quiet rain falls and my granddaughter chatters; for clear starry nights and a meal lovingly prepared: crab cakes 

and Megan's perfect preach pie and perfect summer salad; for sand castles and rainbows and sun kissed skin; for these moments of hearing the waves lap the shore as night softly lulls and I feel the intimacy of your Presence embrace me and I stop  seeking-- a comfortable, perfect place.

I can't not stop to give you thanks and praise for these and oh, so many more blessings and #1000Gifts. Thank you LORD, thank you.