FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid
(November 12, 2020)
“For I am with the ee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” Acts 18: 10, King James Version (KJV).
Greetings in the Holy Name of Jesus Yahshuah,
My sisters and brothers, when we think and when we say for the good of the people gives some folks who think about voting an uneasy feeling towards truth. In the book of John 21: 22, “Jesus said unto him, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me.” God’s truth bears all issues of who is chosen.
We the people obviously do not agree to disagree in false hope in lost faith for had it not been necessary to count all the votes for the good of the people, the process of counting all the votes before the people while the people watched day and night would have not begun on the first day of publicly counting votes not in the precincts but by the media. Do we need to know the truth of how the process of voting actually works in the United States of America? We lived a life of projections even predictions before the projections just like the weather forecasts: sometimes we get it more perfectly right than other times when we get it more perfectly wrong. You think to yourself, Why the bother of counting at all when we just call it by our estimates of numbers without certification?
Some folks think I only like the races with small numbers as results because it is far easier to see when one candidate wins by one vote. We beg the question, the margin of error is fundamentally if not explicitly weaker with small numbers than big numbers. Is it possible to lose by one vote counting big numbers?[“Misuse of Statistics. Importance. Statistics may be a principled means of debate with opportunities for agreement, but this is true only if the parties agree to a set of rules. Misuses of statistics violate the rules. To put it another way:
False facts are highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often long endure; but false views, if supported by some evidence, do little harm, as every one takes a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness; and when this is done, one path towards error is closed and the road to truth is often at the same time opened.”
(Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man (1871), Vol. 2, 385; Wikipedia.org; Wikipedia.org, “Definition, limitations and context
One usable definition is: "Misuse of Statistics: Using numbers in such a manner that – either by intent or through ignorance or carelessness – the conclusions are unjustified or incorrect." The "numbers" include misleading graphics discussed elsewhere. The term is not commonly encountered in statistics texts and no authoritative definition is known. It is a generalization of lying with statistics which was richly described by examples from statisticians 60 years ago.
The definition confronts some problems (some are addressed by the source):
1. Statistics usually produces probabilities; conclusions are provisional
2. The provisional conclusions have errors and error rates. Commonly 5% of the provisional conclusions of significance testing are wrong
3. Statisticians are not in complete agreement on ideal methods
4. Statistical methods are based on assumptions which are seldom fully met
5. Data gathering is usually limited by ethical, practical and financial constraints.
How to lie with Statistics acknowledges that statistics can legitimately take many forms. Whether the statistics show that a product is "light and economical" or "flimsy and cheap" can be debated whatever the numbers. Some object to the substitution of statistical correctness for moral leadership (for example) as an objective. Assigning blame for misuses is often difficult because scientists, pollsters, statisticians and reporters are often employees or consultants.
An insidious misuse(?) of statistics is completed by the listener/observer/audience/juror. The supplier provides the "statistics" as numbers or graphics (or before/after photographs), allowing the consumer to draw (possibly unjustified or incorrect) conclusions. The poor state of public statistical literacy and the non-statistical nature of human intuition permits misleading without explicitly producing faulty conclusions. The definition is weak on the responsibility of the consumer of statistics.”)].
Most importantly, have you ever gone fishing in the darkness? Was Jesus your advisor standing by your side? When you pulled in your net, how many fishes did you catch? We are counting the fishes, are we not? How many do you have in your net? [Let us go to the holy word in holy gospel readings the Holy Bible (n.d.)].
We find Jesus risen from the dead showing himself to his disciples. “And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.” (John 21: 6, KJV). In reflection in Luke (5: 5-11, KJV) we find Peter met Jesus for the first time when he was still trying to catch fishes after a long night.:
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.”
More importantly, I am confidently assured you find yourself just as perplexed over the strength of numbers as Peter was when Jesus brought in a multitude of fishes. What stands between you and each fish caught? What stands between you when you became fishers of men? In the here and now, we need to know how many of men and women cast ballots? The problem is we failed to consider Jesus even though the net did not break the catch was bigger than ever before.
Why did the fishers’ net not break after Jesus was risen from the dead? Why did the disciples count the fishes after Jesus was risen from the dead? The beloved disciple John (21: 9-15, KJV) spoke of Jesus asking his disciples to come dine with him and moreover to add the fishes they caught to the fishes he already had cooking next to bread:
“As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
There comes a time when there is a need for an accounting. The numbers of fishes must be tallied to get a total. According to the beloved John (21: 11, KJV), the disciples: “drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.” Henceforth we note according to the beloved disciple John (21: 14, KJV), “This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.”
We the people also, my sisters and brothers are called to get an accounting right since Jesus was risen to know how many cast ballots in the Presidential election in the United States of America (USA). Oh, what a glorious time of rejoicing for the catch was a big catch yet we the people are saddened for the number was so great we feel too weary to work hard to get the tally in time to announce the truth of the accounting. We do not even want to celebrate by dining with the numbers of fishes that came in. Jesus did not fail to rejoice. He dined with his disciples and he asked Peter:
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
In closing, the weight of the harvest numbers is as heavy as you feel the height and the depth of it to be in your flesh. There is no mistaking that fact as you consider the weight of each day’s workload upon your body in your heart and in your mind. Miraculously there also are times when despite the enormous weight of toiling under the pressure of getting the work done which in this consideration is counting the numbers that you do not feel the weight of the workload. Jesus did not feel the weight of the cross that he carried to Calvary for the redemption of sins after he was risen.
Did the disciples feel the weight of the fishes after they dined with Jesus? Was the pain still there burning in their heart and in their mind—-the weight of the workload? How difficult is it to feel God’s joy each day when we see what the end is going to be? Do we let God lift us up out of the pit of despair of the flesh to rejoice and feel God’s glory?
Therefore, we consider Apostle Paul gospel to the Romans (8: 1-39, KJV):
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To that end, we ask God’s blessings. Christ be with you. Walk with God. God bless
