Trees Without Leaves

Trees Without Leaves

            We know that there are tribes in remote areas of the world, never penetrated by civilization, where members of the tribe have lived and died having never heard God's plan of salvation. We know that IF God had just one member that he had chosen to live with Him forever, the gospel in some form would have reached the chosen. "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Eph 1:3-4). The writer C.S Lewis, Screwtape Letters, said, "The road to Hell seems to be soft under foot....without signposts."  This writer disagrees, there are always sign posts before hitting bottom. The fact is and Lewis said this in his writing, "Most Christians do not know we are at war, can not recognize the enemy."

            In the silence-darkness of the night, knowing well the unexpecteds of tomorrow, only the "barren" soul would not consider the possibility of a supreme designer, the absolutes of Heaven or Hell.  

            It is truly amazing with what God has managed to do with those he chose-elected-predestined to do his work. He chose his disciples, unlearned, bold, "working" men (Acts 4:13). Of course God can use even those who are not His, can use inanimate objects if he so chooses. History proves that much of Christianity, at least the outward signs of Christianity, built by a variety of people. Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, started in 1163. It took 868 years to finish the building, many generations of artisans. Even Victor Hugo, Hunchback of Notre Dame, would testify that those who built and those who were blessed were probably not all chosen. I will never forget the first time I walked into that great edifice, looked at the great rose window, can you even imagine the thoughts of 12th century French peasants walking into Paris and seeing this building? We are amazed, overwhelmed, with the love-mercy that God has extended to those who just "flirt" on the edges of discipleship...ever learning but never knowing the truth. Perhaps this is the reason there are 40,000 Christian denominations, some just a few families.

            What does it matter the label you put on an empty bottle? The road to Hell is paved with religion. This writer has traveled the world, has seen first hand the emptiness of religion...Hindu temples, Wat of the Buddhist, Muslim mosque, etc. With the information age, 24 hour "controlled" news media, as Nicholav Linnen said, "Most world citizens are just dead men walking." "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32), but most do not want to know the truth about anything. Just fill in the blank, in a nation (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, etc.), any national or world economic agency (Euro dollar, American entitlements), all bankrupt. Like the giant in Gulliver's Travels, tied down by many threads (regulations, licenses, permits), it is an accumulation of much weight that sinks the ship. WWII, there were more deaths from the fire bombings at Tokyo than the deaths of atomic explosion at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The children of Israel, chosen, redeemed by God, "journeying" towards a land of milk and honey, quickly became homesick for the flesh pots, cucumbers, melons of Egypt, their slave masters. So it is with Christians "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:22-23). Please God, forgive all of us AND we are all afflicted with the same sinfulness, attracted to the world with its fun (sports events, parties, classy living), even sometimes jealous of their veneer of happiness, masquerading-pretending holiness. Even Christians, so called Christian churches, ebbing further into sins depravity each year, celebrating-basking in the vulgarities of Halloween, the gluttony-hyperglycemia of Thanksgiving, all "mashed" into the mirage of Christmas.

            Please God, having put my hands the plow, keep me working forward, not turning or looking backwards. "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). Please God, today, tomorrow, next year, more of Christ and less of me.

            Jesus did not break a bruised reed (Matthew 12:20).  We have many bruised people in our world, many carrying around baggage, walking in moccasins that we have not walked.

            There was a time that this writer easily criticized people who "just don't care." I had relatives, associates, many of whom regular church attenders, who knew nothing at all about God's word but could talk at length about sports figures, politicians, and certainly world affairs. With the coming of television, Satan's dream machine to manipulate the human mind, they become less and less interested in the church, God's book, even the civic affairs of their community. As with my own parents, living before the time of movies, even the radio, I knew that had always done the best they could with what they had. The neighborhood people who had lived through hard times- sad lives, needed to laugh with "I Love Lucy."

            God put men into a perfect world but it did not stay perfect very long. Satan plus man can mess up anything. So, we have the killings of war, pathology from viruses just because we live together. Then comes government, efforts to make everything right. My childhood, FDR and his Gestapo troops, crop controls, cutting down growing corn (corn, world's greatest food product), cotton, soy beans, etc. They even killed off farm animals, hogs, chickens, to "stabilize-equalize" everything.   Then they supplied, to those they had defrauded, excess commodities such as apples and cheese. Today, excess taxation, government debt, to furnish entitlements for which future generations will pay. It is the same old story, Harrod- Caesar- Stalin, knew all about it. Now, for the present tyrants of the world, particularly this nation, manipulation of the stock market: bailouts, sellouts, cop outs, "big I, little you."

            Nearby town, widow in a government subsidized apartment, no family, friends, surviving on a social security check, her only resource was her church. Unable to pay her bills, phone, electricity disconnected. So many bill collectors, she did not answer her door. Finally, women in her church went to the door, told her who they were, "We have paid all your bills, you can open the door to us." I don't have to tell you that "Jesus paid it all", such a tremendous price. All the riches of God, available to us.