This is our journal of what we pray is our sojourn of life (Hebrews 11:8-10) along the narrow way (Matthew 7:14), even the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16), submitting to the Bible as a light unto both (Psalms 119:105). It is our prayer that these documented moments in our earthly time benefit whom God might choose to edify, but ultimately that God glorifies Himself through them.

Month: August 2020

Psalm Singing – August 2020

In the past, we have recorded Psalms from the psalter we use so we would have something to hopefully help us learn them better, and maybe help others learn the Psalms as well. Wanting to continue doing that, for the same reasons, but with things a little different here now, I decided to indeed continue but with Sue and I making the recordings.

And so, just recently we finished recording the next set of Psalms, 79A-84B, where we both sang them through on the melody the first time, and then sang them through again starting on the melody, but broke off into the harmony parts on the middle verse or half way through, as usual.

And here they are:

(If the above player doesn’t work, or if you would like to save any of the files locally to your computer, you can click the Download link below, or right click it and click Save As in the popup menu.)

Psalms 79A-84B

We pray the praises of the blessed Lord God of all the universe is ever in our hearts and in our mouths!

— David

Previous Psalms singings:

Psalms 1A-12B (minus 4B)

Psalms 4B & 13-18L

Psalms 19A-22E

Psalms 22F-24C

Psalms 25A-27F

Psalms 28A-31G

Psalms 32A-34D

Psalms 35A-37F

Psalms 38B-40F

Psalms 41A-44F

Psalms 45A-49C

Psalms 50A-53

Psalms 54A-59B

Psalms 60A-65B

Psalms 66A-68E

Psalms 69A-71D

Psalms 72A-76B

Psalms 77A-78H

David’s Digest: Be Watchful of Pleasures

James 1:14 – “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

All three of our spiritual enemies — our own sin/carnal man, Satan, and the world — work together to hurt and destroy our souls. Now, Satan and the world cannot make us sin — that’s our own, but they do certainly entice, and then as the verse says, we are dragged away by our own evil desires. I believe this dragging away can also include how much the things of the world distract us from the things of God; and put in favor of God, even in our hearts and minds, they can become idols in our lives.

Puritan Thomas Manton in his most excellent work “A Practical Commentary, or an Exposition with Notes, on the Epistle of James” cautions us to be careful of things that please the senses, as they can play a part in bringing us to sin.

You can listen to all of verse 14 here:


or download it:
Download

The entire book is scanned in here: https://archive.org/stream/apracticalcomme01mantgoog/apracticalcomme01mantgoog_djvu.txt

…or you can listen to the entire book on this page:
Thomas Manton – James Commentary

From Thomas Manton:

Secondly, observe, the next way of lust [generally, any corrupt desire of the heart, not just sexual] is by flattery, being “enticed”; it comes lapped up in the bait of pleasure, and that mightily prevails with men: “Serving divers lusts and pleasures” (Titus iii. 3). That is one of the impediments of conversion; lust promises delight and pleasure. So “Wickedness is sweet in his mouth, and he hideth it under his tongue” (Job XX. 12). It is an allusion to children, that hide a sweet morsel under their tongues, lest they should let it go too soon.

Neither is this only meant of sensual [things pleasing the senses, not just sexual] wickedness, such as is conversant about meats, drinks, and carnal comforts; but spiritual, as envy, malice, griping plots to undo and oppress others. “They rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked” (Prov. ii. 14). Revenge is sweet, oppression is sweet, to a carnal heart: so “It is a sport to a fool to do mischief” (Prov. x. 23): they are enticed with a kind of pleasure of that which is mischievous to another. Well then,

1. Learn to suspect things that are too delightful: carnal objects tickle much, and beget an evil delight, and so fasten upon the soul. It is time to “put a knife to the throat,” when you begin to be tickled with the sweets of the world. Your foot is in the snare, when the world cometh in upon you with too much delight.

That which you should look after in the creatures, is their usefulness, not their pleasantness: that is the bait of lust [any corrupt desire]. The philosopher could say, that natural desires are properly “to what is necessary.” Solomon said, “Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself right” (Prov. xxiii. 31).

You need not create allurements to your fancy, and by the eye invite the taste. There are stories of heathens, that would not look upon excellent beauties, lest they should be ensnared. Pleasures are but enticements, baits that have hooks under them. The harlot’s lips drop honey in the greeting, and wormwood in the parting (Prov. vii.); like John’s book, honey in the mouth and wormwood in the bowels. God has made man of such a nature, that all carnal delights leave impressions of sorrow at their departure.

2. Learn what need there is of great care: pleasure is one of the baits of lust [corrupt desire]. The truth is, all sins are rooted in love of pleasure; therefore be watchful: noon-day evils are most dangerous, and such things do us most mischief as betray us with smiles and kisses.

Heathens were out that advised to pleasures, that by experience we might be weaned from them; as Tully said of youth, by use of pleasures let us learn to disdain them, as the desires are deadened and flattened to an accustomed object. But alas, this is the bait of lust, rather than the cure. Poor souls, they did not know a more excellent way! It is true, some curiosity is satisfied by experience; but, however, the spirit grows more sottish and sensual [run by pleasing the senses].

Wicked men, when once they are taken in that snare, are in a most sad condition, and think that they can never have enough of sensual pleasures [those aimed at the senses], all delight seems to them too short; as one wished for a crane’s neck, that he might have the longer relish of meats and drinks; and Tacitus spoke of another glutton, that though he could satisfiy his stomach, yet not his fancy or lust; his womb was sooner filled than his eye.

May God grant us the desire and the help to be very careful about the things of this world that please the senses, including how much affection we have for and time we spend with them, and may He grant our hearts and minds be focused more and more each day on the Lord Christ Jesus and on the things above!

— David

Providence’s Perpetuation Provisions: 2020’s Goat Kids

Back in November of last year, it came time for our annual goat breeding season — when we put the females with their respective males — in hopes the Lord grants goat kids in the Spring!

Well, indeed God graciously did, and here’s a little update…

First, over the Winter we lost one of our favorite does, Hannah. She succumbed to something pretty quickly over a day and a half or so. She was one of a kind — sometimes we called her Houdini, because she would be hooked up to the fence line or in a shed, and Sue would turn around to do something, and then Hannah would walk up behind her. And so, Sue would hook her up again, and turn around, and not long after, again, Hannah would walk up! 🙂 She was also our most LaMancha breed of the females we had, and I had wanted to keep one of her female offspring, but the Lord in His perfect wisdom and goodness had other plans. But, we are thankful for the time He granted her to be with us, and the offspring and milk from her over the years. We miss her! This is she with her kid from last year. Bye Hannah-bo-banna…

Hannah from 2019

But, continuing on, we try to time it in November so the kids are born when it’s past the cold, but we had later cold this year, so it was goat coat time! 😀

Here are two of the bucklings in a barn stall with their mommy Nellie:

Nellie and Her Two Kids in the Barn

And Annie with her triplets, two bucklings and a doeling. With this one, the first kid started trying to come out back (not back end, but back) first! So, Midwife Sue got in there, spun the kid around to get hooves heading out, and then Annie was able to deliver that kid, and then kids two and three came out shortly after (we show just after kid three was born in the video below). Wow! Thanks to the Lord for helping Sue and for granting the safe deliveries!

Annie and Her Three Kids

And Adeline with her two bucklings:

Adeline and Her Two Kids

Finally, Lucy brought up the rear this year, although sadly she gave birth to two underdeveloped, stillborn kids (last year, she aborted all her kids prematurely). And the little doeling that was born was pretty feeble, so Sue syringe-fed her mama’s colostrum for a couple of days. But the Lord saw fit to keep the little one going and get stronger, and she ended up doing just fine, thanks to God!

Lucy's Kid

Here are a few more pics:

Goat Kids in Coats in a Shed

Goat Kids on Hay Bale

Goat Kids with Mamma

To start to replenish the herd, we decided to keep the two doelings, so they are officially part off the group now, Hassie and Lilly (you can see more of them in the video below)!

Lastly, here’s the video of them all for this year (BTW, in the video, one of the females we’re keeping isn’t “Haddie”, it’s “Hassie” 🙂 ) :


We are very grateful to God for these continued provisions; the milk He grants from them (which is why we raise goats); again, the safe deliveries for the moms and youngin’s, and His guidance for Sue as “midwife”; and for granting continued perpetuation of the herd!

— David