Drawing a line.. is a topic I can so easily relate to.  Drawing lines, and coloring inside those lines.. and viola' I have a cartoon.  Everybody loves cartoons.. ok, some of us more than others, but hey.. it's what I do.

Now the beauty and curse of a cartoon it allows me the liberty of exaggeration. Exaggeration in a world with big noses, bellies, expressions, and points of view.  The lines drawn in cartoons are just outside the lines where reality exists and in this world, I am among friends.

Let me share examples of these sharp contrasting lines

SIMPLE RIGHT & WRONG

• GOD'S LINE.. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

• MAN'S LINE.. In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 17:6  or today we might say with a smirk.. Whatever happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas... or maybe.. what happens on the internet, stays on the internet.

GENDER & MARRIAGE

• GOD'S LINE.. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Mark 10:6-9 (note the red ink text.. are Jesus words) (note 2 - notice their are two genders.. no mention of gender being a social construct)
• MAN'S LINE.. 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:27

 
LUST & ADULTERY

• GOD'S LINE.. 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28
• MAN'S LINE.. We live in an over sexualized society now ranging from youth where lust and fantasy are fueled 24/7 on full display in ads, on our streets, all the way down a truly dark road of pornography.

CARING V SELFISH 

• GOD'S LINE.. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

• MAN'S LINE.. Man seems to prefer greed, and putting self ahead of others to the point we are not even aware of those in need. We look the other way. ie Lazarus and the Rich man Luke 16:19-31, and the Final Judgement Matthew 25:31-46, are sobering examples with eternal consequences... AND think about the goal of the whole 'Prosperity Gospel' movement where our earthly prosperity is paramount.  Living for self is not the road to Heaven!

Of course, no one wants to be labeled the uncaring bigoted judgmental Christian stereotype. So while we need to be sensitive regarding all issues of the day including today's hot-button topics (racism, abortion, homosexuality, and gender identity, etc etc ) we need to blend this with God's firm loving Truths . Remember always speak God's truth with love, but 'flip it' to realize love is found only in God's Truth. 

And.. the next time someone tells you "I like Jesus but not Christians because Jesus was about love.. but Christians are are judgmental, hateful, bigoted, sexist, patriarchal homophobes.. .  Read them Luke 12:49-53

Not Peace, but Division Luke 12:49-53 49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

I guess by strict definitions I am a protestant, but technically more of a protestant MUTT.  

Actually I would like to be simply defined as a CHRISTIAN thank you very much.  I am not being a rebel, but I don't fit nicely into any denominational box.  I respect the views of others, but have to come to my own conclusions on all the nooks and cranny faith issues. 

And let me be clear I am not judging your choice of 'box' unless.. you have a SNAKE in it. 

​So with this in mind I place all I have learned from God and his church and it all fits nicely in 'My Faith Box'.  

So In this PM Society box I find things like.. The internet. Which is both an incredible resource for 1. LIGHT (faith, family, friends, news, etc) and 2. DARKNESS (anger, hatred, self-indulgence, porn, etc ).

The internet also offers the ever evolving social media kit  at no extra charge where I can text, tweet, post on facebook, instagram, or you can blog.. Blog? sounds like a cheap horror movie from the 1950s.. 'The Attack of the 50 Page Blog'.  Maybe that should be the name of my blog?

In our PM Society box I can also stream music, videos or even sermons (if I am feeling particularly spiritual ) of any big name preacher or subscribe to Cyber Clyde's Bed Hair Pod Cast.

This can all be done from the convenience of my office chair while donning the same gym shorts, tank top, and bed hair just like Cyber Clyde.  ​

I don't know what it is like where you live, but The rain that fell over the course of the last 24 hours officially bumped 2019 up to the second-wettest year on record in Minneapolis Mn, with 29.64” of rain, behind 1892 with 31.75”. Ok, not ARK building weather, but still the 2nd wettest year on record.

Of course back in Noah's day they didn't think they needed an Ark either.  There wasn't even a Marina in town, but God grew tired of the true wickedness of man and decided to wipe out all mankind by a flood except for Noah and his family who would sail safely on an Ark.  
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Genesis 6:5-6 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieve

So we all know the story, the people mocked him Noah's Ark project, until that day that rang out in infamy where the floods covered the Earth killing all living creatures except Noah, his family, and a literal boat load of animals.

This is one of those stories learned in Sunday School where God saved Noah and all the animals of every kind.  Cute story for kids, but a powerful story for the rest of us.

While some Christians feud over the flood being local versus universal, or where the Ark is now.. the greater message is to a wicked world that was not SAVED on-board this giant Ark sized petting zoo.  Death versus Life was the choice of mankind back in Noah's day, and death versus life is our choice today. 

It is common knowledge in the church that all those who accept Jesus Christ ​as their savior automatically receive an eternal life insurance (ELI)plan protecting them from Hell Fire .  This ELI plan is a must for all those who value eternity.., I highly recommend it. No monthly premiums to remember, so why not sign up today.


But, besides the ELI policy featured in the Gospels I was concerned regarding the life and health insurance needs for an extremely violent Old Testament. What happens what tragedy strikes?Then after researching Google and after about 7 red bulls at 3 as.m. I uncovered a little known but powerful insurance plan known as the Aflack Apocrypha Comprehensive Insurance Plan (AACI).  AACI covered the following significant Bible moments and more..

So there you have it.. The Aflack Apocrypha (AACI) .  We were the original 'We know a thing or two cuz we've seen a thing or two' insurance company.

Note: I am pretty sure this illustrated blog/writing/policy outline will NOT become an accepted part of the canon of scripture, but I am ok with that.

May God bless you with health and good insurance... and a future in Heaven with our Jesus.

Jeff

note: Confession, I never googled the Alfack Apocrypha.. I made it up.. (insert shock & awe here). I don't drink red bulls, and I certainly at my age am not up at 3 a.m. unless I have to pee.  TMI TMI

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 

The classic Bible story of David and Goliath found In 1 Samuel 17 seems to be the perfect illustration of what the Apostle Paul wrote many years later in Romans 8:31. The mano a mano battle between the Philistine Behemoth War machine Goliath and the little Shepherd boy David son of Jesse had Las Vegas bookmakers of course laying heavy odds on a first round knock out.  

Further investigations of the Crime Scene confirmed the details of the battle. Crime Scene smelled like sheep, Stone shaped indentation in vic's head matched stone near crime scene. Vic's own sword was used to sever head of the big man... BUT it appears it was not suicide. DUH.. how does someone cut off their own head?

Moral of the Story.. of every story is again found in the words of the Apostle Paul

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 

No matter the GIANT in your life.. remember the rest of Romans 8

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? .. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

May God bless and use all you Davids in ways that are beyond your dreams and all that God intended for His glory. Amen.

Jeff (Giant Killer) Larson