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I undertook a Bible ‘stocktake’ the other day to ascertain just how many paper Bibles I have. The predominant purpose was to see if I could donate some to a local op-shop.

The Bibles in my collection include:

1. Revised Standard Version pew edition
2. New Living Translation Bible Study for Men hardback
3. English Standard Version 2001 centre column reference hardback
4. English Standard Version 2011 Single column legacy trutone
5. New Revised Standard Version pew edition
6. New King James Version Thompson Chain Reference leather
7. New King James Version pew edition
8. New King James Version Spirit-filled Life Bible hardback
9. Christian Standard Bible pew edition
10. English Standard Version Study Bible trutone

Of these I have decided to donate the ESV centre column reference Bible and the NKJV pew edition to the op shop. My wife has contributed another ESV centre column reference Bible to donate as well.

In the middle of the evening Heidi Abigail arrived.

Well done Emma and Ben. All glory to God.

After nearly two years of governments changing narratives, being asked to trust ’the science’ and called a ‘wacko’ by the NSW Health Minister, I thought it time to post a series of questions concerning the state of the world today.

There are few answers in the following, but there are some assumptions, suppositions and a few conclusions.

Firstly, some questions:

1. I thought ‘science’ was a process of questioning, creating hypotheses, testing, evaluating, peer review. Why then have many scientists who don’t agree with the narrative been silenced by their peers and funding providers?
2. Why are doctors in Australia being threatened with sanction and/or deregistration if they even discuss the possibility of adverse reactions to vaccines and alternative treatments with their patients?
3. Why did the TGA approve the use of the mRNA ‘vaccines’ when other therapeutic treatments were available? The TGA had to effectively ban alternative therapies because mRNA vaccines could only be approved for emergency use if no alternative, effective treatments were available!
4. Why has Australia resisted undergoing trials of alternative treatments (Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine amongst others) when reports from overseas were indicating dramatic improvements in patient outcomes?
5. Why has the mainstream media (MSM) been strangely silent when it comes to questioning the narrative? Have they been threatened with reduced advertising revenue from big pharma and their associates?
6. Why was there almost nothing in the MSM about truck blockades on our borders in September/October? Why was there no coverage of the assault of a third year nursing student in western Sydney by police when searching for exemption papers? Why was there no coverage of the attempted self-immolation of a woman in Melbourne who felt overwhelmed by the vaccine mandates?
7. Why does the NSW state government continually change the metrics that are reported about cases, hospitalisations, vaccination rates, etc. Why has vaccination status all but disappeared from hospitalisation reporting?
8. Why does our Prime Minister say he is against mandates yet has done everything possible to support the coercion and disenfranchisement of people who don’t wish to be vaccinated? Federal laws always take precedence over state laws so the federal government could easily seek to uphold laws and agreements (vaccination handbook, Nuremberg declaration) that speak against mandated or coerced vaccination.
9. Why have so many Australians accepted vaccinations with no knowledge of the long-term effects of these vaccines? How can they be giving informed consent with unknowns such as the exact makeup of the vaccines? Why were the pharma companies indemnified from all adverse effects?
10. Why was Pfizer granted 75 years to release their vaccine test data results? Surely the FDA should seek to have this information released ASAP?
11. Why has twitter, facebook, youtube, google, instagram and linked in banned people and/or articles that seek to raise issues of concern about mandates, masks, lockdowns, vaccine safety, etc.
12. Why does ’the science’ vacillate between the efficacy of masks, social distancing, PCR testing, lockdowns, various treatments? And if the science is so settled (and it isn’t), why are there such divergent approaches between countries, states, council areas based on the same science advice?
13. Why have many churches been so quick (and indeed eager) to embrace segregation and closures? A close reading of the early verses in Romans 13 would suggest governments should only be followed when they are governing for good, not for a contrived and beat-up medical emergency.
14. Why lock down the healthy and strong? Why not seek to care for the elderly and vulnerable and let the rest of us get on with our lives?
15. Why impose vaccine mandates (essentially coerced) on certain industries or classes of workers when the vaccines are not particularly effective, diminish with effectiveness over time and don’t stop people catching or transmitting the virus?
16. Why would we continue to inject people with a ‘vaccine’ with significant adverse events and without an open discussion of the risks of the disease versus adverse reaction in each age group?
17. Why did the WHO and Merriam-Webster dictionary change the definition of ‘vaccination’ and ‘vaccine’ in the past twelve months?

Now for some comments:

Every few years I give some thought (and prayer) to what sort of material I should use for devotional reading. I would class much of Andrew Murray’s and AW Tozer’s works as ‘devotional’, but this is not what I have in mind.

Some call is a quiet time, some a devotional, others call it spending time with the Lord. What I mean is some form or structure or intent of daily guided reading of Scripture with or without some additional commentary.

In this post I want to develop some thoughts regarding 2 Peter 1:8-11. The ESV¹ text reads:

[8] For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. [10] Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. [11] For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I’m intending to cover a little more territory in this post than the previous couple in 2 Peter 1. The verses I want to comment on are 2 Peter 1:5-11. the ESV¹ text reads:

[5] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, [7] and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [8] For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. [10] Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. [11] For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Continuing my look at 2 Peter. The verses under consideration in this post are the same that were the subject of my alliteration the other day, viz. 1 Peter 1:3-4 from the ESV¹

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

As I wrote the other day in my alliterative post on 2 Peter 1:3-4 I’ve been spending time in 2 Peter. I’ll post some thoughts on my reading in 2 Peter as I progress.

The first two verses of 2 Peter 1 in the ESV¹ read, ‘[1] Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: [2] May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.’

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve spent some time reading in and meditating on Peter’s second epistle. 2 Peter 1:3-4 from the ESV¹ reads:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Here are some thoughts regarding Psalm 119:

The central theme is the word of God. Some of the sub-themes are how obedience to and knowledge of the word of God leads to deliverance and salvation. The Psalmist recognises that much of the word contains God’s promises which flow from God’s goodness and faithfulness. There is a deep understanding and reliance by the Psalmist on the Lord’s goodness and sovereignty.

Some of the verses are in the form of prayers, others are statement or declarations of intent. The modern-day believer can benefit from meditating on and echoing these prayers and declarations. They refer to many contemporary situations–difficulties, persecution, praise, temple (church) attendance and participation.