“Lord, direct us onward, upward,
Battling for the right,
In the footsteps of our fathers,
Now Thy saints in light.
Keep us faithful, firm, and watchful,
Guide us everyone
Till we shall meet
Before Thy heavenly throne.”
UNCERTAINTY – – – SURE VS NOT SURE
December 31, 2015 By Leave a Comment
New Year’s Eve 2015
Recently I wrote about the over-used word “absolutely” being replaced with “I don’t know.”
This article is not going to be very long.
I am not going to list the uncertainties in our world and in our lives.
They are here. They are real. They are many.
Drastic, dramatic changes in our daily lives coming soon is one of the greatest certainties in the next year.
So far, most of us in America are holding our breath and hoping we can continue with our daily lives a little longer, long enough to get a little more done, maybe get a lot more done, and get by.
The main reason people don’t talk openly and realistically about what is going to happen, is because Americans have no idea how to deal with what most of the world is experiencing.
If you speak out against the evil that is running our country in the ground, and talk about doing something to stop it, your life will be in danger.
If you talk about preparing to survive chaos when everyday life is blown back a century or more, it sounds right but does nothing to stop what’s coming. When it gets to your door, it’s too late.
2016 election campaign coverage just keeps people busy, while no one covers the truth of what will likely happen before November.
The perils of repeating history from eighty years ago are here now.
The desperate cries for leadership out of this disaster seem to go unheard, if not unspoken.
God, what do You want me to do?
I’m sure I’m doing the right thing when I ask that question.
HOW IMPORTANT IS HE ?
December 31, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Imagine the thickness of a piece of paper representing the distance from the earth to the sun.
Then the distance to the nearest star would be a stack of papers seventy-nine feet high.
The distance across our galaxy would be a stack of papers three hundred fifty miles high.
A little phrase at the end of a profound verse describing creation, says, “. . . He made the stars also.”
And, “He holds them all by the Word of His Power.”
Question: Does that sound like someone you would invite to be your partner, or occasionally ask to be your co-pilot for the day, or be available for your “mayday” call?
Would it not be more fitting to make the One in charge of the entire universe to be completely in charge of every single part of your life, consciously, daily, in your first thoughts and conversations of each day, and in your last thoughts and conversations of each day.
If God is your co-pilot, change places.
How important is Jesus?
How important is Jesus to you?
CHRISTMAS 2015
December 31, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Christmas comes and goes, every year—is that all?
Is Christmas for children?
“Can We Have Christmas All Year Long?”
Would it be special then?
Is “Anticipation Greater Than Realization,” as my dad always said?
If you get to be a kid again, have you caught something real about Christmas, even if just for a moment, for a day?
What is the secret of Christmas—joy?
What is the secret of Christmas—peace?
What is the secret of Christmas—love?
If Christmas comes and goes, every year, is that what happens to joy, peace, and love?
What about Jesus, baby Jesus—does He come and go for the season, every year?
Is Christmas what we make it—because we sure put a lot of effort and money into it?
Or should we not celebrate Christmas, because the world around us makes it a counterfeit?
I decided to not try for some profound comment this Christmas.
But I will address each of the questions above.
(Christmas comes and goes, every year—is that all?)
Christmas Day comes and goes, but it is only the beginning of the story. Jesus came from heaven, lived here, died here, rose again here, and went back to heaven to build mansions, and offers each of us one of those mansions for free, if we give Him everything (which is really nothing compared to what He gave).
(Is Christmas for children?)
Christmas is for children indeed. Jesus said, “Unless you come like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”
(“Can We Have Christmas All Year Long?”)
Christmas doesn’t stick around. Jesus didn’t stay a baby. But we can have Jesus all year long. He comes and stays by invitation only.
(Would it be special then?)
Much that makes Christmas special wears off, and that may be okay, but it remains very special if Jesus walks with us through every season of our lives.
(Is “Anticipation Greater Than Realization,” as my dad always said?)
The Season comes and goes, and we anticipate the highs, and sometimes struggle with the lows. But the anticipation of Jesus coming again is faint compared to the realization of that day.
(If you get to be a kid again, have you caught something real about Christmas, even if just for a moment, for a day?)
“Jesus Loves The Little Children, All The Children Of The World.” Enjoy anything that makes you feel like a kid. And then imagine Jesus picking you up in His arms and blessing you out of your socks, out of this world.
(What is the secret of Christmas—joy?)
“Joy To The World, The Lord Has Come.” Believe it.
(What is the secret of Christmas—peace?)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you—not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. And I will come again and receive you, so that where I am, there you may be also.
(What is the secret of Christmas—love?)
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lays down his life for his friends. And I have called you my friends.”
(If Christmas comes and goes, every year, is that what happens to joy, peace, and love?)
Joy, Peace, and Love are fragile and fleeting, That is why we need the Prince of Peace inside and the King of Love in charge and the Source of True Joy in the middle of this tough world.
(What about Jesus, baby Jesus—does He come and go for the season, every year?)
Celebrate the Baby Jesus every year. Sing the songs. Decorate the tree. And every Christmas renew your commitment to walk closer with Him all year, every day. That would make Jesus very happy.
(Is Christmas what we make it—because we sure put a lot of effort and money into it?)
Give Christmas every ounce of everything you have, and give to those who have less. We don’t make Christmas—God did that. We just give it away.
(Or should we not celebrate Christmas, because the world around us makes it a counterfeit?)
Never let Satan’s counterfeits rob you of what God gives us at Christmas. We have all the reasons to celebrate, for real.
Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; I came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
Live it!
Amen!
Hallelujah!
“Sometimes I feel like shoutin, ‘GLORY’!”
HOW MANY REINDEER DOES IT TAKE . . . ?
December 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment
At ease, please.
How many reindeer does it take to change a lightbulb?
Eight—one to change the lightbulb and seven to hold Rudolph down.
ALL CAUGHT UP (3)
December 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
ONE
We Americans are all caught up in our work and the struggle to pay our bills and buy food and take care of our families just one more day.
We see the government making life harder and making us less free.
We see our enemies advancing unchecked, threatening to kill us, and killing us, and making us scared.
We are all caught up in fear and anger, because we can’t do anything about it, and because those who are supposed to lead in defending us have betrayed us instead.
TWO
We Americans are all caught up in discouragement because we now see we may never get caught up, personally and nationally.
Personal hopes and dreams are too much risk, because there is too much uncertainty in the future (and the present).
The recession recovery is a joke.
The constitution and decent moral values are trashed.
The democratic process and the 2016 election have a heavy, dark cloud hanging over everything.
The powers in Washington are taking us to a point of no return, and soon we can never get caught up.
THREE
More and more Christians are saying our only hope is we’ll get caught up to be with Jesus soon.
Tough to comment on that, but I will.
I could see those words on my tombstone, “ALL CAUGHT UP.”
I believe Jesus is coming back to take me to heaven, with all faithful Christians, one way or the other, rapture or death, maybe martyrdom.
I believe it will be worth it all then!!!!!
But what about now, since we have no control and no say on God’s timing?
What if you take the thought, “ALL CAUGHT UP,” and strip away everything associated with living in America.
—no more rat race
—no more worry about retirement
—no more worry about stuff to keep insured
—no more wasted effort for entertainment
—no more privileges of the top five percent in the world
Would that be a relief?
Would that change the meaning of “ALL CAUGHT UP”?
Yes.
I might imagine life going back a few decades, or a century or two—maybe to pioneer days.
Life was hard, death was ever present, uncertainty was real, danger was clear.
Sounds like today.
But values and faith and family and community were strong and stable and dependable, and were passed on intact.
I know when one starts talking this way, people say you can’t go back, and the “good old days” weren’t perfect.
But a couple thoughts that count:
An EMP or power grid failure could, and likely will, send us back instantly.
Anything we face now must get us all caught up in seeking God for help, but first for forgiveness and a real relationship with Jesus.
Any way the world goes from here, we have to have Jesus and hold close to Him, hold close to the Bible, and hold close to others who do so.
SAVE THE PLANET—SAVE OUR OIL—FOR THE MUSLIMS
December 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
There is only one thing more crazy than “saving the planet” at the expense of destroying America when we don’t defeat our enemies.
There is only one thing more crazy than “saving our oil” with the goal of giving it to the Muslims when they finish taking over America.
What is really crazy is that no one is stopping BHOB* and company from doing the above.
This crazy must be stopped before he does more—the unthinkable—that we cannot recover from.
*BHOB—Barack Hussein OBama—Say BHHHOB aloud and it sounds like the warning for Christians in the 2008 election: “Beware of sheep’s clothing.”
REUNION VISIT WITH BERGDAHL
December 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
It would be heartwarming to see those who gave such a warm reception honoring Bergdahl when he was “freed” from his “captors”—it would be heartwarming to see them visit him again, in prison, permanently.
That would be heartwarming justice, vindicating all who truly serve America faithfully.
“. . . TIME, . . . TIME, . . . TIME, . . . TIME”
December 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
My dad often quoted someone urging spending time on “the one thing needful.”
“Take Time
Make Time
Ample Time
Good Time.”
Time with God.
Time alone with God.
Time alone with God more.
Time alone with God in prayer.
Time alone with God in His Word.
“THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW”
December 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
“It does not matter how high you jump for Jesus;
what matters is how straight you walk with Him
after you land.” —–Michael Youseff