www.toddbryant.com

So, lately I’ve been thinking quite a bit about conceal carry and how there are many people out there getting their permits and carrying for the first time. I thought I’d jot down some ideas that may be of help to the newbie.

1) Have total confidence in your pistol.

Whatever pistol you have chosen for your carry piece you should be certain it will fire when needed. This means practice and more practice. I know some firearms require a break in period which, usually, means putting around 500 rounds through the gun before drawing any conclusions about reliability. Whether or not people adhere to this principle is anyone’s guess. Understand, though, that if you have made the decision to carry a gun it is your responsibility to know its reliability.  This, obviously, means shooting not only range ammo, but, and most importantly, shooting your carry ammo.  I discovered – much to my chagrin – my Kimber can be finicky with hollow points.  Turns out this is not all that unusual for a 1911, given the feed ramp is a bit steep.  Needless to say, as unhappy as I was to discover this, at least I did at the range, and not when my life may have depended upon that pistols suspect reliability.  Doing research on your pistol ahead of time is also wise.  Some brands have terrific reputations, others, not so much.  Just know, there are always lemons out there.

2) Maintain a calm demeanor while armed.

Carrying a firearm is a huge responsibility. It is in no way a license to act in a confrontational manner or, really, in anyway that would deviate from normal and acceptable behavior. If anything, knowing I am armed means I will go out of my way not to have a confrontation with someone. No more flipping off other drivers because they cut me off – okay, I didn’t do much of this before I began carrying – I’m just using this as an example of a pretty boneheaded decision made emotionally, and not logically.  Having the ability to deescalate a situation will go a long way. Drawing a gun is a last resort. I’ve had people ask me if drawing a pistol wouldn’t just escalate the situation. Understand, if a pistol is brought into action, the situation has escalated to the point that person fears for their life. And will likely need to prove this in a court of law. Also remember, you are not the only one walking around armed. I firmly believe an armed society is a polite society.

3) Own a quality holster and belt.

With so many options available, there is really no reason not to have a comfortable set up. And, if you find your gun is not comfortable to carry, you likely will not carry it. I’ve had good luck with finding a belt – some research online will yield a plethora of results.  Holsters seem to be a different animal altogether.  Finding the correct holster may take time. Most gun owners have a half dozen or so holsters kicking around as a result. Many factors go into a holster selection – inside (IWD) or outside (OWD) the waistband being the most obvious. Placement on the body, a snap release, material, deep concealment, etc.  These are all decisions to be made.  A lot of times through trial and error.  A terrific option for IWD is a hybrid holster. These have become very popular and for good reason. Half the holster is leather (or another material such as neoprene) – the side of the holster contacting the body, and the other half is kydex. The leather or neoprene backing means comfort, and the kydex makes for nice retention while allowing for a quick draw.

Speaking of draw – I guess I’ll say this is point 3a – practice your draw. This should be common sense but I am always surprised to hear people say they don’t do this. Muscle memory is your friend. Draw, and draw some more, until it becomes second nature. Practice in different attire as well.  Seasons and weather impact how many layers you are wearing, which will impact how quickly you can access your gun. Also, drawing your pistol allows you to practice trigger discipline. When I began handling a pistol for the first time I was a bit alarmed to see my trigger finger automatically go to the trigger when I picked up the gun. Maybe this was left over muscle memory from playing with toy guns. Maybe it happened because that is what the index finger is supposed to do. Who knows? But, I was sufficiently concerned to make sure to practice picking up/drawing the gun until not touching the trigger became a habit. Now when I reach for a pistol my trigger finger is extended. It’s instinctive.  This practice cannot be overstated.  You must know how to safely handle your pistol.

4) Carry with a round in the chamber.

Or, don’t carry with a round in the chamber. When I first began carrying I did not chamber a round. I was not yet comfortable enough to do so. Once I realized my gun was safe and secure in it’s holster – it is not going to fire unless the trigger is pulled – and I realized I am competent enough to handle it in that condition – I chambered a round. Prior to doing so I – no doubt – had thoughts that if needed, I would have time to rack the slide. I’ve since concluded that that statement is ridiculous. In certain situations I might. But, we should be prepared for the unexpected. In a case of a mugging or something similar, it is not practical to think I’ll be able to stave off the attack long enough to chamber the round. No amount of small talk, or even clever jokes, is going to buy me the time needed to do so. Things happen fast. But, only carry with a round in the chamber if you are confident you can do so. You may need to work your way up to it. That is okay.

5) Do not talk about your pistol and the fact you are carrying.

First of all being armed does not mean you are some kind of hero. People are not going to be impressed by the fact you walk around with a pistol, and, quite probably, many will think you are paranoid and irrational. I could go on and on about this point – and this would probably make a good topic for another article. The fact is it is nobody’s business that I have a gun on me. Concealed means concealed (in all areas that it is legally permissible).

So there you have a few thoughts and ideas for carry. I want to see as many responsible people armed as possible. I firmly believe each person is responsible for their own safety.  Social predators exist.  They count on their victims being defenseless. Don’t be one of them.

I’ve heard the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant a hundred times. But seeing it acted out in modern times was beyond humbling. Forgive as God forgave you, AMEN!

Plato realizes that the general run of humankind can think, and speak, etc., without (so far as they acknowledge) any awareness of his realm of Forms.

The allegory of the cave is supposed to explain this.

In the allegory, Plato likens people untutored in the Theory of Forms to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave. Behind them burns a fire.  Between the fire and the prisoners there is a parapet, along which puppeteers can walk. The puppeteers, who are behind the prisoners, hold up puppets that cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these puppets, the real objects, that pass behind them. What the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by objects that they do not see. Here is an illustration of Plato’s Cave:

From Great Dialogues of Plato (Warmington and Rouse, eds.) New York, Signet Classics: 1999. p. 316.

Such prisoners would mistake appearance for reality. They would think the things they see on the wall (the shadows) were real; they would know nothing of the real causes of the shadows.

So when the prisoners talk, what are they talking about? If an object (a book, let us say) is carried past behind them, and it casts a shadow on the wall, and a prisoner says “I see a book,” what is he talking about?

He thinks he is talking about a book, but he is really talking about a shadow. But he uses the word “book.” What does that refer to?

Plato gives his answer at line (515b2). The text here has puzzled many editors, and it has been frequently emended. The translation in Grube/Reeve gets the point correctly:

“And if they could talk to one another, don’t you think they’d suppose that the names they used applied to the things they see passing before them?”

Plato’s point is that the prisoners would be mistaken. For they would be taking the terms in their language to refer to the shadows that pass before their eyes, rather than (as is correct, in Plato’s view) to the real things that cast the shadows.

If a prisoner says “That’s a book” he thinks that the word “book” refers to the very thing he is looking at. But he would be wrong. He’s only looking at a shadow. The real referent of the word “book” he cannot see. To see it, he would have to turn his head around.

Plato’s point: the general terms of our language are not “names” of the physical objects that we can see. They are actually names of things that we cannot see, things that we can only grasp with the mind.

When the prisoners are released, they can turn their heads and see the real objects. Then they realize their error. What can we do that is analogous to turning our heads and seeing the causes of the shadows? We can come to grasp the Forms with our minds.

Plato’s aim in the Republic is to describe what is necessary for us to achieve this reflective understanding. But even without it, it remains true that our very ability to think and to speak depends on the Forms. For the terms of the language we use get their meaning by “naming” the Forms that the objects we perceive participate in.

The prisoners may learn what a book is by their experience with shadows of books. But they would be mistaken if they thought that the word “book” refers to something that any of them has ever seen.

Likewise, we may acquire concepts by our perceptual experience of physical objects. But we would be mistaken if we thought that the concepts that we grasp were on the same level as the things we perceive.

When it comes to temptation and decision-making, we all look for loopholes. When tempted, we look for excuses to tell ourselves yes when we should tell ourselves no. We ask, “Is there anything wrong with this? Is it illegal? Will it hurt anyone?” But it’s a bad idea to assume that if something is not wrong, it’s right. Our decision-making filter shouldn’t be based on what’s permissible, but on what’s wise. In no area is this more important than decisions related to our sexual expression. There’s no area where we’re more prone to self-deception. Check out the message here: 

http://justaskit.org/edged-out/

Muslims believe that in the end times that in the end times a figure named Imam Al-Mahdi will appear to restore peace to the world, He's going to be with their Jesus and Jesus is going to destroy all the crosses in the world, claim that he's not the son of God and make everyone worship Al--h.

The real historical Jesus of the bible warns us that in the end times there will be many Christ(s) claiming to be him. The book of Revelation expands on this and warns us of three figures which are Satan, the antichrist and the false prophet. The book warns us that there will be many false wonders & signs used to deceive many people.

Daniel (God's prophet) tells us:

He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.

When Jesus appears, Every eye will see him (Luke 21:27 .. Revelation 1:7) and no one will have to say "Look, Jesus is over there, Let's go see him" (Matthew 24:26).

If you see a anyone with superpowers, flying, bringing fire down from heaven, or healing people claiming to be Jesus then don't believe it - when Jesus appears, every single person on the Earth will see him on the clouds of glory. If only 100,000 people see him then it's not him, if only 1 million people see this figure then it's not him but EVERY eye will see him. This is a warning so you're not deceived:

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.

Matthew 24:24

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

John 16:1-4

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

- Author Unknown

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

This article is just interesting.  I don’t think you should stop using any verse that gets you closer and ultimately submitted to Christ.  God’s work didn’t stop when the press completed binding the Bible together, but I will agree completely with a need to read around the verses that we all know.  In other words, just don’t hang on to the middle of the story, get involved and read it from start to finish.  Study Bibles are great for insight as well.  It is simply amazing when you start to challenge yourself to get deeper into the Lord’s Word in the Bible.  Still a great article… enjoy!

That verse you keep quoting? It may not mean what you think it means.

by Ben Irwin

The other day, someone gave me a note with Nahum 1:7 printed at the top: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”For some reason, they neglected to include the next line, which continues the thought from verse 7: “But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh.”

Okay, so maybe the fuller version doesn’t deliver quite the same Hallmark moment. And maybe that’s the problem with how many Christians use the Bible.

Christians read (and quote) Scripture in tiny, artificial fragments all the time. And by doing so, do we alter the meaning without even realizing it.

Digital Bible apps make it easier than ever to Twitterize holy writ. But we’ve been doing it for ages. Here are some of the most commonly misused Bible verses.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you . . .’” (Jeremiah 29:11, New International Version)

Jeremiah 29:11 reads like a Christian motivational poster. (Wait. It IS a Christian motivational poster.) No wonder it was Bible Gateway’s second-most shared verse of 2013.

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Don’t worry. God has a plan for your day. Facing a rough patch at work? Take a breath. Your future is bright. Money’s a bit tight? Relax. God’s going to prosper you.

Except the words in Jeremiah 29:11 have nothing to do with bad hair days, corporate ladders, or financial success. In 597 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah. He rounded up 10,000 leading citizens of Jerusalem and dumped them in Babylon, 500 miles from home. They lost everything. They didn’t know what to do next.

From Jerusalem, Jeremiah wrote to the exiles — and told them to get on with their lives: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters.” In other words: you’re going to be there a while. Yet God promised this wasn’t the end for them. In 70 years, the exiles would return home. This was the “hope and . . . future” mentioned in Jeremiah 29:11.

Incidentally, that hope and future was something most of the original exiles wouldn’t live to see for themselves. (Seventy years was a long time then, too.) The future described in this passage would be for their children and grandchildren.

In other words, Jeremiah 29:11 doesn’t guarantee your personal fulfillment.

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . ” (Romans 8:28, New King James Version)

Can we agree right now to ban this verse from greeting cards?

Romans 8:28 doesn’t mean that losing your job or getting cancer is somehow for your own good. In fact, a better translation is probably, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love him.” In other words, whatever your circumstances, good or bad, God is still fighting for you.

In Romans, Paul claims that Jesus came to rescue both Jews and Gentiles from death, creating a new human family. For Paul, nothing can thwart God’s purpose. “Creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay,” and so will we. The happy ending promised in Romans 8:28 is not just any good outcome, like finding a new job or selling your house for more than the asking price. It’s the ultimate happy ending: the renewal of all things.

To quote N.T. Wright, “The world is still groaning, and we with it; but God is with us in the groaning, and will bring it out for good.” That’s what Romans 8:28 is about.

“Ask and it will be given to you . . .” (Luke 11:9, New International Version)

It’s tempting (and lucrative, for some preachers) to treat this nugget of Scripture as an ironclad promise. Whatever you ask for — promotion, wealth, the spouse of your dreams — God will give it to you.

Unless, of course, Luke 11:9 is part of a larger narrative in which Jesus has already told us what to ask for. After a brief episode in which he defends Mary over her sister Martha for choosing what matters most — being a disciple, a citizen of his kingdom — Jesus’ followers ask him how to pray. Jesus tells them to ask for things like daily bread, the advent of his kingdom, forgiveness for sin. Only then does he say, “Ask and it will be given to you.”

It’s not, “Ask for anything you want.” It’s more like, “Ask for my kingdom, and you will have it.”

Are you a church leader? Reach more newcomers on FaithStreet.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, New Revised Standard Version)

What happens when we treat the Bible as a random collection of freestanding verses? Well, for one thing, as Tyndale House Publishers editor Keith Williams told Christianity Today, “Philippians 4:13 is going to refer to an athletic performance rather than perseverance through need.”

For some, “I can do all things” means scoring touchdowns and clearing the bases. But that’s not exactly what Paul had in mind. Paul was sharing that he’d learned to be content no matter what his circumstances — rich or poor, hungry or well fed, in prison or out. What Paul was saying is not so much “I can achieve anything,” but “I can endure anything” — which, in his case, included prison.

“You will always have the poor among you . . .” (Matthew 26:11, New Living Translation)

It may not be one of the most popular Bible verses, but this is one of the more frequently misunderstood. As a kid growing up in church, I sometimes heard this text used put down other people’s efforts to fight poverty. There’s always going to be poor people. Jesus said as much. So why fight it?

Except the context of this verse suggests a rather different picture. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 15, which commanded Israel to cancel everyone’s debts every seven years. “There need be no poor people among you,” the writer insisted, “if only you fully obey.”

A few lines later, he added, “There will always be poor people in the land.” This was a concession to reality, not an excuse for apathy. In fact, it was all the more reason to be openhanded with the poor.

Jesus alludes to Deuteronomy 15 when he explains why it was okay for a woman to anoint him with expensive perfume shortly before his death, rather than sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. Mark’s gospel offers an extended version of Jesus’ line: “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.”

Maybe we’d be better off focusing on the latter part of Jesus’ statement.

*

What do all these misused Bible verses have in common? Well, each is short enough to fit into a single tweet, for one thing. But the Twitterized Bible often leads us down the wrong path because it reinforces an artificial structure on the text. (It’s not like the Bible originally came with all those verse numbers.)

But there’s an even more damaging effect. If I’m free to ignore the larger context, then it becomes easier to read the Bible like a narcissist. Suddenly, Jeremiah 29:11 is all about me, not some long dead exiles in Babylon. Philippians 4:13 is about my personal achievements, not the hope that sustained Paul in a dank prison cell.

The thing is, the Bible is not all about me. It wasn’t even written to me. And ironically, if I’m going to get whatever it has for me, I need to start reading it with that in mind.

Original Story from April 1, 2014 | OnFaith

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the massive 7.0 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 in Haiti. We visited the mass gravesite while there. "12 Janvier 2010. Nou Pap Janm Bliyew" is etched in the stone. It means "We Will Never Forget". Indeed, we won't. #MotivatedByGrace  ~ Rebekah Barnes

Proverbs 7:1-27 (NIV)

7 My son, keep my words

    and store up my commands within you.

2 Keep my commands and you will live;

    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

3 Bind them on your fingers;

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

    and to insight, “You are my relative.”

5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,

    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

6 At the window of my house

    I looked down through the lattice.

7 I saw among the simple,

    I noticed among the young men,

    a youth who had no sense.

8 He was going down the street near her corner,

    walking along in the direction of her house

9 at twilight, as the day was fading,

    as the dark of night set in.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,

    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

11 (She is unruly and defiant,

    her feet never stay at home;

12 now in the street, now in the squares,

    at every corner she lurks.)

13 She took hold of him and kissed him

    and with a brazen face she said:

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,

    and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.

15 So I came out to meet you;

    I looked for you and have found you!

16 I have covered my bed

    with colored linens from Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed

    with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;

    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

19 My husband is not at home;

    he has gone on a long journey.

20 He took his purse filled with money

    and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;

    she seduced him with her smooth talk.

22 All at once he followed her

    like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b]

23     till an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

    little knowing it will cost him his life.

24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;

    pay attention to what I say.

25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways

    or stray into her paths.

26 Many are the victims she has brought down;

    her slain are a mighty throng.

27 Her house is a highway to the grave,

    leading down to the chambers of death.

Footnotes:

Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool

Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

Here's the news story that ran tonight at 10 on WTVY.  

The kids and I passed the tragic accident that took his life just moments after it happened this week.  Tucker and Tobi led a prayer and it was as if we knew that he had been called home.  I never met Sean but hearing his father and friends speak about him, gives me peace knowing that he is now in the arms of the Lord now.  This is sad and completely beautiful.    

"God cannot use a Christian to fullest potential until that person has come to the end of confidence in personal abilities."

I think that this day was actually the highlight of our trip.  We totally had not planned to go anywhere in Ocala, Florida, but this stop was such a great time for me and my trio.  Great memories and lots of fun too.  Afterwards we got to spend some time with the kiddos beautiful and sweet Great Grandma “Maga” and Aunt Karen in Gainesville.  It was an incredible ending to our winter road trip.

Silver Springs Day 1/2/15