Was The Virgin Mary "The mother of God"?

Our Catholic friends think so ... evidently.  

They often pray the Hail Mary prayer which contains the words, "Holy Mary, mother of God pray for us sinners ...."  So, was Mary the "mother of God"?  The Holy Spirit, speaking through Elizabeth, wife of priest Zacharias, in Luke 1:42, did not tell Mary, "Blessed art thou above women", but, "Blessed art thou among women", which makes her, simply a good woman among women.  

Five verses later Sweet Mary, herself, acknowledged God as her Lord and Savior.  She was not the mother of "God" but of the fleshly body of Jesus in which the Spirit of Christ (Messiah) God chose to dwell in for 33 short  years, as one of us..  Her baby, Jesus, was fully human and His Spirit was fully God.  It was Jesus the human who was born of Mary not God, the Christ who already existed in heaven.

The boy, Jesus, questioned Mary, His mother, and Joseph, her husband, "Don't you know I must be about my Father's business?"  Luke 2:49.  And he wasn't speaking of Joseph, but of God the Father. 

Jesus, the Christ, revealed the truth of His eternal relationship to Mary and His half brothers in Matt. 12:46-50.  

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!   For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Those words of Jesus were a thunderous truth that every Christian's most important relationship in eternity, including Mary and her other sons.  This truth is that God is our Father and all we Christians are brothers and sisters in the family of God.  And we are there as the born again Bride of Christ who has become what I see as the fourth member of the heavenly family.

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Rom.8:17.

Jesus even mildly corrected his earthly mother, who had raised Him as her son, when she hinted to  him to perform a miracle for some wine, at a wedding.  To which He answered her, by addressing her, not as "Mother" but as "Woman, what have I do do with thee".  But then performed the trivial request of turning water into wine. (John 2:3-5).

So, was Mary the mother of God?  No, she was God's chosen woman, "among women", to give birth to the human body in which he would dwell, move about, teach, perform miracles and then give that body a sacrifice for our sins.  Then, while Jesus' body lay in the tomb, the Spirit of Christ went into the heart of the earth to give the gospel to the Old Testament saints awaiting their Messiah's redemption. Then He re-enter His Jesus body, arose in it from its death, glorified, and resurrect  those O.T. saints from the dead and lead them ...  "captivity captive" into heaven.. 

 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." 1 Peter 3:18-19.

"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)  Eph. 4:8-10

The Bravest Man I Ever Knew

Tough as a 6'2" railroad spike ... with a heart

In late November to early December 1950, it's well known to ... Marines, that the First Marine Division at Hagaru-ri and Yudam-ni was engaged by vastly numerically superior Chinese communist forces and barely holding its own. Yudam-ni ... under heavy fire ... joined the main Marine concentration at Hagaru-ri for the breakout.

What doesn't get as much notoriety, is that the Army's 31st RCT was trapped on the opposite (east) side of the reservoir and was being annihilated by Red Chinese in division strength. .... This unit formed a convoy of trucks loaded with wounded and attempted to drive out through enemy-infested mountainous terrain via the dirt road on the east side of the Chosin. Heavy enemy fire and several CCF roadblocks ultimately destroyed the convoy at Hudong-ni, two or three miles from its goal of the Marine perimeter.

Some soldiers from the 31st RCT escaped across the ice of the reservoir and began to appear at Lt. Col. Beall's motor T battalion in sub-zero (minus 30  degree) weather. Lt. Col. Beall organized a relief party originally consisting of himself, a corpsman and a PFC and went out on the ice in search of survivors. Eventually, he used several vehicles including a jeep with a sled and rescued 323 Army wounded. When enemy fire began to hinder the operation, Marine Corsairs napalmed and rocketed the Chinese and provided cover. He personally went ashore and verified that all wounded in the stalled convoy were dead and did a body count. On his return, he managed to rescue remaining Army wounded, some of whom warned him away due to the close proximity of the Chinese. He was awarded a DSC for his efforts.

He began his career as an enlisted Marine in 1917 and in 1950, at 52, had thirty three years of service. (The Leatherneck)  

My Army friend, Ed Reeves, one of those rescued by Beall, lost both legs and all of his fingers to frost bite. Ed later told me the rest of the story. All the soldiers in that 30 truck convoy of wounded were either burned in their trucks or shot in the head, including him. This wound, which left a long scar on the side of his head, and was his 4th wound, knocked him out. He later crawled down to the frozen lake and passed out on the ice a short distance from the shore where Col. Beall found him. Ed's version of the story was far more horrifying than the "History" version. 

Col. Beall received a DSC medal for his actions, but all Marines, who were there, know he deserved the Congressional Medal Of Honor. He not only saved 323 wounded Soldiers but went ashore, in enemy territory, with their gun sites on him, as he searched among the Army dead for any living ... and found none. 

Colonel Beall was the most squared away Marine and the bravest man I ever knew. I do not know if he was a Christian but he had deep convictions about the Constitution, freedom, truth, and America. He enlisted in 1917 and served in WW1, WW2, and Korea. The first thing he did each morning was drink a canteen cup of hot water, if available, and had never used coffee, tea or soda.  He was in superb physical condition, fearless and never seemed excitable.

He was a man's man, a Marine's Marine and the bravest man I ever knew. I dearly hope to see him in heaven. RB

An Eye Opening Example Of The Truth Of Galatians 6:7 In All Our Lives

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a (human) soweth, that shall he/she also reap."

Common Sense Commentary: By my friend, Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas: Zaila and the Bee

JULY 15, 2021Zaila Avant-garde attends the 2021 ESPY Awards at Rooftop At Pier 17 in New York on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images/TNS)

By any standard, Zaila Avant-garde is a remarkable 14-year-old girl with a positive and compelling outlook on life.

Avant-garde (her father reportedly changed her surname from Heard in honor of jazz legend John Coltrane) recently won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, the first African American to win the highly competitive spelling contest. She told reporters afterward that she studied 13,000 words a day. A DAY!

There are many lessons that should be learned from her remarkable achievement. Here are two of them:

Former President Barack Obama tweeted: “Three Guinness World Records (related to her prowess at basketball dribbling) and now the national spelling bee champ! Congrats, Zaila — your hard work is paying off. We’re all proud of you.”

First lady Jill Biden met with some of the contestants before the final round, telling them she admired their bravery and confidence.

Hard work, bravery and confidence. Are these not among the keys to success in life? If they have proven successful throughout human history, why don’t we make them priorities in school and elsewhere instead of the “woke” agenda?

Avant-garde is the left’s worst nightmare. She reached a difficult goal through commitment and tenacity. She studied words with a coach for two years and her prize of $50,000 is likely just the beginning. If she remains on track, she is bound to achieve other goals, which include attending Harvard, playing professional basketball, and working for NASA.

Interviewed on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” she said she hopes her historic win will inspire other young Black people in the United States to excel at spelling.

People who are tenacious, overcome obstacles and succeed used to be part of the American story, a story we were happy to share to encourage others. What happened to it? Why do we focus less on success and more on envying and penalizing the successful? Why is there the constant drumbeat in our politics and most of the media about the unsuccessful and the proposals by certain politicians to throw good money after bad on programs that have mostly not worked?

While Avant-garde is the first African American to win the Bee, let’s not forget Akeelah Anderson. The 11-year-old fictional character played by Keke Palmer in the 2006 film, “Akeelah and the Bee,” also stars Angela Bassett as her mother and Laurence Fishburne as her coach.

The film contains every value we once promoted in America, including the resistance of peer pressure not to achieve, using proper English and hard work. The movie takes place in South Central Los Angeles in a gang-infested neighborhood. Akeelah’s school is so poor it can’t afford doors on the restroom stalls. Akeelah, however, wins the Bee against all odds.

I have seen the film a dozen times and it always brings tears to my eyes.

Avant-garde has turned a fictional story into reality. That film should serve as an inspiration to help people overcome difficult circumstances and as an example of what young people can do when they strive for academic excellence.

The Washington Post quoted Avant-garde as saying: “I’m hoping that in a few years I’ll see a whole lot more African American females, and males too, doing well in the Scripps Spelling Bee. You don’t really see too many African Americans doing too well in spelling bees and that’s a bit sad, because it’s a really good thing … and kind of is a gate-opener to be interested in education.”

Avant-garde may be the key to unlock those gates, opening them much wider for many more to go through.

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “America’s Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires and Superpowers and the Future of the United States” (HarperCollins/Zondervan).

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Unpardonable Sin? No Hope? Lost Forever? What Sin Is That?

To renounce what God's Spirit has convinced you is true

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Matt.12:31-32.

Is there an unpardonable sin? Yes, just one ..... "To die without accepting Christ as your Savior." To reject  GOD and His Son Jesus Christ, whom you  know  to be TRUE, and yet accept the LIE you
 know to be FALSE, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God who bore witness to your soul of the truth of God and Christ... and you knew it, but rejected and spoke against it.  You don't have to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, to die lost and go to hell, you may simply neglect to accept Christ as your Savior. Not to accept Christ as your Savior is the unpardonable sin whether by outright rejection of Him, or unto death neglecting to accept Him.

The book of The Revelation tells us that after the Rapture of true believers, when the Great Tribulation Period begins on earth, the lost and "left behind" will still not look to God for salvation, except for the 144,000 Jews   (Zec12:10).    Those Jews are "sealed to survive" and repopulate the earth  during the Millennial Kingdom    (Rev.7:3-8).  But the Beast and his "Kingdom of Darkness" followers will      "blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores, and repent not of their deeds." Rev.16:11.      They would not "blaspheme the God of heaven"  unless the Spirit of God had convinced them, in their hearts, that He is God, and  they knew He is God, as did Lucifer, but cursed Him anyway. Their sin is the sin of Lucifer.   Jm.2:19-20.    As, also, any human can be guilty of ....     "For the wrath of God is  revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;  for God hath  shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without  excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Rom. 1:18-21.

The line between light and darkness is clearly defined in God's Word.  It is a line of CHOICE , a line of personal decision, a line of destiny.  From birth you stand upon that line until the hour of decision.    "If it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve ...." Josh.24:15.    It is yours to CHOOSE which way you will live your life, which side you prefer ... God or the gods of this world.  Once your decision is firmly made and you step to the right into the light or the opposit, into darkness .... your CHOICE is beyond return.    "To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are ..." Rom.6:16.        If you  CHOOSE light, you CHOOSE Jesus and reject    "the powers of darkness".    If you CHOOSE darkness and its pleasures, you reject Him who said,    "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness. but shall have the light of life." Jn.8:12.          That line of eternal CHOICE divides        "the narrow way which leads unto life" from "the broad way which leads to destruction." Mt.7:13-14.

Once you truly respond to the Holy Spirit's urging, conviction, convincing you of your need for Jesus, and you commit your life to Christ, you are      "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,"      which is God's (guarantee)...." Eph.1:13-14.    Therefore, let us    " ... grieve not the Holy Spirit of  God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph.4:30. 

The opposite is also true.  Once you "willfully"  reject the Holy Spirit's urging, conviction, and convincing you of your need for forgiveness of sin, through faith in Christ, if you realize it is God's Spirit dealing with you, but reject the Spirit's urging anyway, and  choose darkness instead, your destiny is also sealed.  That is the    "blaspheme of the Holy Spirit".      You may not be certain  that Jesus is     "the only begotten Son of God"     and still be saved later when you do believe.  But when the Holy Spirit convinces your soul  that Jesus is the Savior, the Son of God, but you still reject him and turn to serve evil and oppose God .... that is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.      And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven ...." Mt.12:31.     Anyone who truly believes or wants to be saved, has not reached that awful point yet.  If the Holy Spirit is still dealing with you, there is still hope. God would not stay after you if you could not be saved.     "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God ... and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Heb.10:29.       These make God their enemy, and Satan their friend, and have crossed that line into the Kingdom of Darkness and cannot return.  To reject the truth you know is right and embrace the lie you know is wrong IS to   "trample under foot the Son of God and spites the Spirit of grace ."    That is Unpardonable!

Those who do so, absolutely know the truth, as did Satan, but reject it and speak against it.    "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." 1Tim.4:2.    Unpardonable Sin!

God does not do this unto them: they do it unto themselves ... by their  CHOICE.      "Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness and greediness." Eph.4:19.    Unpardonable Sin!

It is our CHOICE.    "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself  wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God." Rom.2:5.          Unpardonable!

These do not want God to change their lives.    "Their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and ... be converted."  Acts 28:27.       "they" choose the sin of Lucifer. Unpardonable.
The message here is, that if they had not closed their minds to Christ, they might have been saved. 

This is the Unpardonable Sin.    "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven men." Mt.12:31.

"Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out."  Acts 3:19.  

If your sins are not blotted out, your name will be.  Rev.3:5.  
 

Psm.115:1, RB

Opponents Beat Upon God's Anvil But Ruin Only hands and hammers

Hammers vs Anvil Common Sense

The Anvil of God's Word

“Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“‘How many anvils have you had,’ said I,
‘To wear and batter all these hammers so?’
‘Just one,’ said he, and then with twinkling eye,
‘The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.’

“And so, I thought, the Anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers gone.”

John Clifford

_________________

My thoughts on God's anvil... Rayburn Blair

The anvil of God's Word has these attributes:

1. It is solid, stainless steel through and through.

2. Its divine existence is eternally indestructible. 

3. Its holy purpose is to create, strengthen and save. 

4. Though beaten often it never weakens or quits.

5. It is too heavy for a man to move or improve it.

6. It will not change its message for approval.

7. It will accomplish its purpose for ever and ever.

Should Imperfect Humans Witness For Christ?

If they didn't there would not be a single Christian witness on this earth.

Our human imperfection does not negate our salt and light calling.

Any judgement or resistance of evil, other than God's, derives from

an imperfect source.  But that imperfection does not disqualify the Christian from standing firmly against sin and injustice.  Neither does it relieve him from defending truth, honor, and every holy cause. No Old Testament prophet was without human fallibility, and none of Christ's Apostles were, either.  But God put His holy message into their repentant hands and sent them out to give the truth of sin and salvation to a much more wicked world. So do not let your own fallibility and imperfection neutralize your witness for Christ ... unless you have unconfessed sins lurking in your heart. In which case, deal with your own guilt before you try to help someone else deal with theirs. But when you have repented and been restored, by God's grace .... get busy as salt and light to a sin darkened world.

Who Are You? "Man Looks On The Outward Appearance"

God looks on the heart ...

"... Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."  1 Sam. 16:7

We are not what we think we are, but what we THINK ... we are.

Each Nation and each human life is like a stage, and what the audience sees is as a single bay window into one room of a much larger house full "things", thoughts, words and secrets.... back stage.  No one is exactly what they appear to be ... on the stage; some are better and some are worse.  Transparency is a good goal, but, like personal holiness, within our selves, we never quite reach it.  Some more closely than others.  But the only true  righteousness we have is God's which He has placed upon us by grace, not our good works. Isaiah declared that God had clothed him with the garments of salvation and covered him with the robe of righteousness". Isa.61:10.

So it is with we Christians.

An interesting thing about holiness is, that the more of it a person possesses, the least likely they are to see it in themselves.  One attribute of holiness is absolute humility which broadens and deepens our sensitivity to our own tendencies to sin.  So true holiness increases our awareness of the awfulness of sin in the eyes of God and drives us to an attitude of repentance, not pride in our own "holiness", however great.

The most sensitive repenters are those who live closest to our Holy God.  He is the very essence of holiness which throws more light on sin the closer we walk with Him.

When Jesus told his Apostles, in Mark 14:18-19, "one of you shall betray me", it wasn't the saints in the streets which questioned, "Is it I", but it was those closest to Him, His Apostles.  They had some fleeting doubts about themselves, knowing their own human flaws.

So if I ask, "Lord, am I a holy man?", my opinion is, "No, I am only saved by the Grace of God, covered by His own righteousness", not mine.  Whatever God's judgement is, of me, it is far beyond  my comprehension. But of this I am sure; I am saved by grace through faith and that not of myself but it is a gift of God not of works lest I should boast. Eph.2:8

Boasting pride is the nemesis of holiness. RB