Gordian knot. . .

Gordian
PRONUNCIATION:(GOR-dee-uhn)

MEANING:
adjective: Highly intricate; extremely difficult to solve.

ETYMOLOGY:
In Greek mythology, King Gordius of Phrygia tied a knot that defied all who tried to untie it. An oracle prophesied that one who would undo this Gordian knot would rule Asia. Alexander the Great simply cut the knot with one stroke of his sword. Hence the saying, "to cut the Gordian knot", meaning to solve a difficult problem by a simple, bold, and effective action. Earliest documented use: 1579.
(From Word A Day site.)

The cross of Jesus Christ liberated the world from the wicked one. The secret of the cross which Satan did not know, fooled him into doing the only thing which would bring down his plan of controlling man and besting God Almighty. One wooden cross, so crude, cut the Gordian knot of his dominion. "It is finished" Jesus said. Hallelujah!

Envy

Envy – one of the seven deadly for a reason.

"Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him" (Matthew 27:17-18).

Faith

Faith = Greek, pistia, credence, conviction, truth, truthfulness of God, reliance upon Christ for salvation; assurance, belief, believe, faith.

Good faith is defined as "an act of the will informed by the intellect," and any kind of faith requires submission to something higher than yourself.

In the Bible the one word, faith, is the same word used in three different ways. The context of the verse determinds the defination.

Faith - pistia:

1. the act of believing
2. that which is to believed, i.e. the doctrine as a whole
3. the faithfulness or faith of Jesus Christ.

Quisling

Quisling (ˈkwɪzlɪŋ) — n
a traitor who aids an occupying enemy force; collaborator.

After Major Vidkun Quisling (1887--1945), Norwegian fascist politician who headed the puppet government during the German occupation of Norway in World War II; shot for treason after German defeat. First used in London Times of April 15, 1940.
Vidkun Quisling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Synonyms:
collaborator, betrayer, defector, Judas,** snake in the grass, sympathizer, turncoat.

** "And while He yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed Him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him" (Matthew 26:47-50).

Friend = Gr. Hetaire, comrade. How touching that the Lord welcomes Judas as friend.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Words: J. Wil­bur Chap­man, 1910. Music: Hy­fry­dol, Row­land H. Prich­ard, 1830.

Plutocracy

MEANING: noun,
1. Government by the wealthy.
2. A country or state governed by the wealthy people.
3. Wealthy ruling class.
ETYMOLOGY:From pluto- (wealth) + -cracy (rule). From Greek ploutokratia,(wealth, overflowing riches).

Seems that's where Socialism ends. Keep everyone poor except the few at the top while they are rich, rich, rich, and getting richer.

A must read is Orwell's "Animal Farm" where the animals start out equal but it all to soon ends with the pigs revising the rules because: "All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others". Amazon.com: Animal Farm (9781412811903): George Orwell: Books

Don't envy the rich of this world. Read Psalm 73 and tremble for them.

"...these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches...Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!" (Psalm 73: 12, 18-19).

God instructs us, who live in the dispensation of His grace, to pray for men (mankind) that they may be saved, indeed pray for ALL people is His will, "God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4). Rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, man or women, ALL to be saved, and in this age of Grace it is an open invitation to ALL based upon the atonement of the cross of Jesus Christ for ALL. Good news!

Vanity Fair

MEANING:
noun: A place characterized by frivolity and ostentation. ETYMOLOGY: After Vanity Fair, a fair that lasted all year long in the town of Vanity, in the novel Pilgrim's Progress by writer and preacher John Bunyan (1628-1688). In the fair were traded houses, honors, titles, kingdoms, pleasures, and much more.

Sounds like ebay, eh? (from A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg)

Let's remember The Preacher of the Bible..."Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

But don't ever read this Book without reading the last verse..."Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (12:13).

Today, in the age of God's wonderful grace, our only command is to trust in the Lord for the finished work of Calvary where all our sins were paid for. This is not vanity, this is life!

Star Chamber

PRONUNCIATION:
(star CHAYM-buhr)

MEANING:
noun: A court or group marked by arbitrary, oppressive, and secretive procedures.

ETYMOLOGY:
After the Star Chamber in the Palace of Westminster in London. It was the site of a closed-door court appointed by King Henry VII of England in the 15th century. Notorious for its abuse of power -- rulings made in secret, no appeal -- it was abolished by the Long Parliament in 1641. The chamber was so named because its ceiling was decorated with stars.

Writing in pictures...

"The brambles and the thorns grew thick and thicker in a ticking thicket of bickering crickets. Farther along and stronger, bonged the gongs of a throng of frogs, green and vivid on their lily pads. From the sky came the crying of flies, and the pilgrims leaped over a bleating sheep creeping knee-deep in a sleepy stream, in which swift and slippery snakes slid and slithered silkily, whispering sinful secrets." From James Thurber, The 13 Clocks (New York, 1957)

Weasel

"Here's looking at you, kid."

Casablanca (1942)

Faith is the substance . . .

For most people, the word faith is simply another term for "wishful thinking." But that's not the way the Bible describes it. According to Hebrews 11:1:

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen."

substance = L. substo; sub and sto, to stand. In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; something real, not imaginary; something solid, not empty. equally applicable to matter or spirit. Thus the soul of man is called an immaterial substance, a cogitative substance, a substance endued with thought.

Faith is substance, not a force we can manipulate. And, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10.17).

(Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of The English Language)

Idolatry

Anything that leads to the dethronement of God from the heart.

For example, covetousness (Ephesians 5.5; Colossians 3.5).

NT warnings to guard against idolatry (I Corinthians 5.10; Galatians 5.20; etc.).

Urbane umber

PRONUNCIATION:(UM-buhr)

MEANING:noun: A natural brown earth, used as a pigment; a reddish-brown color.

ETYMOLOGY:Via French from Latin umbra (shade, shadow), which also gave us the words umbrella, umbrage, adumbrate, and somber. Umbria, a region of ancient Italy, has also been suggested as an origin for this term. The color burnt umber is made by roasting umber (From: A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg)

Another lovely autumn word. Enjoy the slow color fade to russet and umber. It seems Rembrandt used these colors so richly on his canvas as seen in his "Return of the prodigal son".

A russet autumn. . .

PRONUNCIATION:(RUS-it) MEANING:noun:1. A moderate to strong brown.2. Any of various articles in this shade: a homespun cloth, apple, potato, etc.

ETYMOLOGY:From Old French rousset, diminutive of rous (red), from Latin russus, from ruber (red). Ultimately from the Indo-European root reudh- (red) that is also the source of red, ruby, rouge, rubric, robust, and corroborate (literally, to make stronger).

I like the sound of saying russet. It is a wonderful fitting picture-word for autumn, I think.

I bowdlerize

bowdlerize (BOAD-luh-ryz) MEANING: verb tr.: To remove or change parts (of a book, play, movie, etc.) considered objectionable.

ETYMOLOGY:
After Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), a British doctor, who edited the Family Shakespeare, an expurgated edition of William Shakespeare's works. Bowdler believed the original wasn't suitable for the delicate sensibilities of women and children. He also edited other books, such as Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and the Old Testament in a similar manner.

L.
I like watching some movies on TV as they remove the smut, and I have been ashamed at some movies I have recommended after viewing the DVD and hearing the language used. I wish I could bowdlerize "Titanic" (it is way too long and the erotic scenes spoil the movie for family viewing), also "Toy Story" (Sid Vicious is too scary even for me!).

Oh, well, it's art you know. And instead of self-editing, in which I do object, (Mr. Bowdler edited the Old Testament in his misguided zeal!), perhaps it is best to push the OFF button instead.

Do you, or would you bowdlerize too?

Schadenfreude

Dictionary: scha·den·freu·de (shäd'n-froi'də)

n. Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

[German : Schaden, damage (from Middle High German schade, from Old High German scado) + Freude, joy (from Middle High German vreude, from Old High German frewida, from frō, happy).]

I see this word quite often in print and on the web. Just passing it along. I've been guilty of experiencing it, to my shame.