Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

[BrotherLarry]

The Lord is sovereign, and knows what is best, even when it is painful. I know Brother Taylor is too distraught to write this post since he is currently prostrate with grief in our rented RV wearing fashionable Mack Weldon boxer briefs, the curvature of his posterior well-defined as he sobs into our pillow. It is sad. But I must report this, nonetheless.


We received verification that Mrs. Taylor was taken from this life and went to the arms of Jesus after the killer stopped at a burger joint and had a Triple Cheeseburger, no lettuce, large size with a Coke Zero and a small Chicken Nugget, no sauce. This occurred in the communist country of Canada.


Arrangements were made to save Brother Thomas' sons - even the one who is now identifying as a girl (despite his claims to the contrary). It is likely "she" won't come back home, but the boys will be arriving as soon as Thomas feels up to the rigors of being a dad again. I am trying to convince him to take some time to heal from his grief and have recommended boarding school while he comes to stay with me in NY City after we finish our trip through upstate NY and into Vermont, NH, and Maine before voyaging down the east coast to see the sights of Boston and Connecticut and then back to Manhattan.


It isn't clear just what prompted this terrible tragedy although some suspect Mrs. Taylor was having an illicit affair with one of Tom's military buddies and the Lord Jesus just felt it would be better for her to be out of the picture. Praise His mercy and compassion!


Won't you all keep Brother Taylor in your fervent prayers? Please also include his sons (the straight ones) in your supplications to the Savior. Pray also that I can be a comfort to this broken brother. I need to be able to hold him just as David held Jonathan.


With controlled sadness,
BrotherLarry


PS: If you have time you could pray for Tom's daughters but no one seems to know where they are except the lady who took them in and had their identities changed in a shady attorney's office outside Toronto. Such a loss to his family. <sigh> Oh well. Girls just want to have fun, as they say.

[handmaiden]

Re: Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

BrotherLarry, many a time I have heard it said that when a child of God falls away from the Lord, then God, in His Mercy, will call them home.

Oft times this is to keep them from being a poor example of Christianity to the heathens.


My prayers will be with Brother Thomas and his family, and yourself, of course.


Once, I recall some church members expressing their acceptance of the death of the developmentally challenged child of someone in their congregation as "God's Mercy". They believed that the boy was called home in love.


Another time, they spoke of the loss of someone's kin as a punishment.


I must admit that this left me confused. I think that it means that if something bad happens to a believer then it's a blessing or a test of faith. If the same thing happens to an unbeliever or a reprobate Christian it's a punishment to them and a warning to others.


Does that sound right?

[BrotherLarry]

Re: Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

BrotherLarry,


I must admit that this left me confused. I think that it means that if something bad happens to a believer then it's a blessing or a test of faith. If the same thing happens to an unbeliever or a reprobate Christian it's a punishment to them and a warning to others.


Does that sound right?

Sister,


While we cannot know the mind of God, as He tells us in the Word (1 Corinthians 2:11), we know that His judgments are always swift and true (Malachi 3:5). And while as I said we can't know God's mind or His intentions, it is important to remember that He doesn't leave us in the dark.


No, indeed He grants us knowledge of His ways and therefore His mind, although He told us we cannot know these things. Just read Psalm 103, where in verse 7 we find the words: "He made known His ways to Moses; His deeds to the people of Israel." It's so crystal clear! So why does He claim that we cannot know Him even though we can? He is GOD. He is almighty and can do as He wishes.


But there is more to the story. As with any passage of Scripture, the context is key to proper interpretation. To whom is the “your” in Isaiah 55:8 referring? Who are those people who do not think or act like God? From the preceding verse, Isaiah 55:7, we discover it is the wicked and evil people of the world. Wicked people do not think or act like God (Ps. 5:4; 10:4), but righteous people are to imitate Him (Eph. 5:1). You cannot effectively imitate someone unless you know a great deal about him, and the fact that righteous people are commanded to imitate God shows that we can know much about Him.


It is for this reason that God says we cannot know Him - but WE (His Chosen) can! Hallelujah! Glory! Oh, our God is so good to us, Sister. He is like the late character Stefano on "Days of our Lives." A loving father who cares for his sons, but who will strike you dead if you defy him or go against his family. I wonder at times if the Lord wrote that soap opera Himself, but then I see the gay marriages and adultery and other sinful things that are portrayed as normal and I slap myself in the face and say, "Snap out of it, Larry - the Lord wouldn't allow these things in the real world, and don't you have to be at prayer meeting soon and here you are in your underwear eating pretzels watching TV." And then all is well in the world again.


I think God wants me to get rid of my DVR.


I hope this has helped you understand. I took time out from consoling Brother Tom, whose sad, weary head is laying against my thigh as I write this, his entire body heaving with the pangs that come when we lose loved ones.


Well, we're off to play some Frisbee. Have a super sparkly day!


BrotherLarry

[Des]

Re: Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

My prayers are with Brother Thomas, and with you, Brother Larry, for being such a steadfast and compassionate friend. When I had completed my period of mourning a week after the Missus died, I pulled myself together and started to move on. The search for the next Missus has been fraught with peril, but a business associate of mine, Uri, has just recently informed me that he can have a new Missus shipped right to my door for as little as $1000. Apparently the fathers of women in Moldova have a hard time unloading them. And Moldova is practically next door to the birthplace of our lovely First Lady Trump, so you know they are going to be of the highest quality and definitely not Asiatic.

Tell Brother Thomas that Uri is going to be dropping a catalog of Moldovan women off at my place later this week. He should feel free to stop by and browse through it in a few days when he is through grieving.

[BrotherLarry]

Re: Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

My prayers are with Brother Thomas, and with you, Brother Larry, for being such a steadfast and compassionate friend. When I had completed my period of mourning a week after the Missus died, I pulled myself together and started to move on. The search for the next Missus has been fraught with peril, but a business associate of mine, Uri, has just recently informed me that he can have a new Missus shipped right to my door for as little as $1000. Apparently the fathers of women in Moldova have a hard time unloading them. And Moldova is practically next door to the birthplace of our lovely First Lady Trump, so you know they are going to be of the highest quality and definitely not Asiatic.

Tell Brother Thomas that Uri is going to be dropping a catalog of Moldovan women off at my place later this week. He should feel free to stop by and browse through it in a few days when he is through grieving.

Brother Des,
I recall with great sadness the emotional nightmare that followed the untimely (and, if I recall, still unsolved) death of your beloved spouse. While her name escapes me, I do remember that several men and women helped you through that horrid time. I was thinking that it was less than a week before you were vacationing in Los Angeles, trying to find Christian fellowship at that club on La Cienaga before it was raided by vice cops - such an unjust and shocking event. I recall when you were cleared of all wrongdoing. The LORD is good to us. I stand behind you as you continue to heal.
However, I am sure Thomas will not be interested in any of your Moldavian women, although I will, indeed mention it to him when he and I have our fellowship and prayer meeting.
I am afraid he still does not believe his wife has passed. He is also refusing to accept that his eldest - who was born a male - has come out as a transgender female. It's a lot to handle in the course of a few days, you know. However, God can restore any situation to His perfect will. Bless you for your manly compassion.
BrotherLarry

[Des]

Re: Time to change our prayers for Brother Taylor

I am afraid he still does not believe his wife has passed. He is also refusing to accept that his eldest - who was born a male - has come out as a transgender female.

Denial, it's not just a place where Moses hid the body of the Egyptian he murdered.