#1942 Maxine's World

#1942

Maxine's World

I do not mean by a Christian any person who tries to live decently according to his lights. I think that you must have a certain amount of definite belief before you have a right to call yourself a Christian. The word does not have quite such a full-blooded meaning now as it had in the times of St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas. In those days, if a man said that he was a Christian it was known what he meant. You accepted a whole collection of creeds which were set out with great precision, and every single syllable of those creeds you believed with the whole strength of your convictions.  - Bertrand Russell on why he is not a Christian

Science is very good at answering the questions, what and how, but never why.  Most human beings have never realized the blood and water that gushed forth from the heart of Jesus, crucified on that cruel cross, a cleansing of mercy.  I so love the Catholic Church because of its emphasis on the crucifix...every place of worship, every classroom, every hospital room.  When active as a speaker and visitor in so many evangelical churches, I seldom saw a cross.  Since childhood, I have always worn a cross on my jacket.  I truly believe in the mercy of the cross, bringing all of our suffering-sorrow-senselessness to the cross.  Too many who claim the name of Christ, stumble at the foot of the cross.  Those who take up the cross daily, cling to it.  There are things that are none of our business, to which we must cling and clang because of the holiness of God...spiritual protection, all sufficiency of the good Earth, on which He chose us to live.  God did not wait for us to deserve His love and the greatest comfort this old, blind man can give you, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."  (Hebrews 13:5)  We live in a world of feeling, forgetting facts, "If it feels right, do it." 

At other times, other articles, I have talked of my working my way through eight years of university education selling Bibles door-to-door during the summer months.  I was on a front porch showing a "sample" family Bible to a black woman who was just acting interested, I had also shown her the most famous children's bible story book known to man "Aunt Charlotte's".  All of a sudden, she picked up a big stick and hit me across the shoulder and said, "I want this demon away from my house!  I am pastor of the Holy Tabernacle at the edge of town; here you are showing me pictures of Jesus and others.  Don't you know that this is heresy...just as stained glass windows in the uptown churches?  Or even Jesus on the cross?  Noone knows what Jesus or any prophet looked like."  I was busy getting my stuff off her porch as her daughter asked her to calm down but I have heard just as critical remarks from evangelical pastors concerning figures in Catholic cathedrals.  Many years later, I thought of these consistent inconsistencies as I looked at the great rose window in Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral or the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. 

The more you listen, the more you learn.  Mark Twain said that all he knew was what he read in the newspaper.  This blind man learns so much through modern electronics...the radio, the talking box.  Our ancestors considered hard work and true worship as their goal toward the rewards of Heaven. 

Today's youth, bombarded by fakery-hypocrisy-injustice.  The world's richest man, Bill Gates said, "Life is not fair."  Yet, it is those involved in criminal activity who usually have the image of success. 

Today's student sees how women such as Hilary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Representative Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Dianne Feinstein are among the world's richest women...cutting corners, deceiving the public in order to get elected to high office.  Many do not have the common decency of showing intelligence.  Voters in the Los Angeles area of California continue to elect Maxine Waters to Congress a woman who recently embarrassed the most stupid among us by saying, "And the fact that he is wrapping his arms around Putin while Putin is continuing to advance into Korea.”  In Maxine's world because of your political influence you funnel millions of dollars to relatives...after all; it is just tax dollars.  Most women in Congress are rich because of tax dollars. 

God wanted me to see before my blindness, in impoverished Eastern North Carolina, the hard work, sweat, tears of my mother and grandmothers.  Later, Tran Siberian Railroad trip, London to Hong Kong, when you reach the border of Russia, the gauge on railroad tracks change (this was a large part of WWII problems involving Hitler's attempt to conquer Russia).  I still had a shadow of vision at that time, I saw Russian women change the wheels on trains that had been jacked up...women, axle grease, moving huge iron wheels so that a long train can continue on the Russian gauge railroad.  I had seen women carrying jugs spending their entire day just to find drinking water in Africa.  In India, I witnessed a pregnant woman working in the hot field, then spreading out a cloth, squatting giving birth to a baby, wrapping the newborn in cloth which was on her back, then placing the baby in papoose style on her back, and continuing to work in the field until dark.  Does God see the difference in Maxine's world of ignorance and deceit and these hardworking women caught in the net of gross hardness and harshness?  Does God care?  Did God care about Jewish slaves in bondage to the Egyptians for four hundred years?  The most challenging action of life for the twenty-first century Christian, is to see others as Jesus sees them...the idol worshippers, those who are addicted, whether drugs or other interests, made in the image of God-chosen for life, to see others as Jesus sees them.  One famous tune..."Loving You", "Loving you is easy because you are beautiful."  Life's challenge, loving God's most magnificent creation, mankind, when not beautiful...when handicapped, when disabled, when addicted, when sick or near death.  The most challenging scripture in God's word, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."  (Matthew 22:37-39)

Have you met my God, He chose me for life, gifts me everything I need, and through simple belief in His son assures me of eternal life with Him?  Have you met some of my neighbors...sinful, bitter, and stuck-up?  Have you met any of my family members, patients, pastors, physicians, so unconcerned with the world-so wanting to just be popular-not Christ-like? 

In your doubts and fears, He just requires trust, just think, the Creator of the universe, the one who threw the stars into space, willing to put on a tent of human flesh and lay as a baby in the poverty of a feed trough.  It is poverty-humility-suffering that transforms human souls.

#1941 More Years and Vegans

#1941

More Years and Vegans

It is essential to detoxify the mind as well as the body.  Are you better off if your oncologist, using today's cryptic methods, cures your cancer but kills you? 

There is real poverty in loneliness, pain, lack of dignity at the end of life.  Jesus, God having put on a tent of human flesh, the one who was with his father and the Holy Spirit when the world and everything in it was created, could have had a pain free life.  He could have had palliative care and the perfection of God. 

"And the war came", Lincoln did not expect it; he had to deal with it.  Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the same day.  More books were written about Abraham Lincoln than any other person who has ever lived, and much has been written about Darwin.  Who would you say was greater?  Most people have gone through life in spite of advantage, voyeurs.  At the beginning of the Civil War many of the elitist in Washington, DC actually rode out in their carriages to watch the war.  After all, back then, there was no blood shed on television, or news of warfare across the world.  I guess it was exciting.  Many ministers and people from their church, with all good intentions, have been voyeurs to the mission field...going for a few days or weeks to see missions in action.  IF THEY ONLY KNEW, if Americans hearing about explosions in the Middle East or other places "with strange sounding names" had any idea how the blood soaked things that go on, picking up your friends body parts after and IED explosion.  One of my uncles never stopped shaking after his best friend was splattered standing next to him in a foxhole during WWII.  He came back, was not a voyeur of what's going on but lived a productive life...stopped shaking when he was put in a casket.  Life is not a spectator event...just sitting in your La-Z-Boy gorging on chips and whatever to watch others in the game or in the carnage.  Government and politics has become a spectator "action figure-comic book".  The only hope of this nation, one President Trump with a following of hardworking, God-fearing, taxpaying, real citizens can put an end to the silliness that has taken over.  Shame on my friends, associates, even family members that still vote the Godless-communist-democrat party ticket.  Most of life has become an event for spectators, "Don't want to get involved".  A lady across the street from my house saw one of my employees, while I was down in bed, taking all my silver and nice things from my house through the front door, from which her husband loaded it into their car.  The neighbor had the nerve to tell me about it (an old, blind veteran) but did not want to get involved. 

This writer was born in impoverished Eastern North Carolina on a tobacco farm: dirt roads: no power, phone, or water lines.  At the tobacco auction warehouses, where we peasants took in carefully prepared tobacco for auction, elitist-news people would come in and watch the auction, thinking how rich these peasants were getting from their hard work.  They were just voyeurs, had no earthly idea what was involved in bringing this product to market, where the warehousemen and tobacco companies that were killing thousands, taking advantage of the situation.  Peter, biblical voyeur, saw Jesus walk on water and actually walked on water himself (the only man who ever did so).  But it takes faith to live in this world as a worker, very little of anything to be a voyeur.  In 1865, General Sherman on his burning spree to the sea went through my county (Wayne County, NC) via my ancestors' homes.  My grandmother told of how her mother took the milk cow way down into the swamp and her brother took the mules way down into the swamp to keep the troops from getting them.  Sherman's troops cleaned out the smoke-hog-cow houses and corn crib, threw dead dogs into the well so they could not drink the water.  I know of many church members, people who actually claim the name of Christ, who never go to the Lord's Table the only place he told us to remember him.  They are just voyeurs at a worship service, but will have plenty of time in the loneliness-blackness-harshness of Hell to remember the gift so available to them.  All Jesus' miracles rolled into one, will not replace what you get at his table. 

There are twenty thousand exalted saints in the Catholic Church, they like most people in the twenty thousand other denominations, have never realized that we are more than voyeurs on this earth.  Every minute of every day belongs to Him. 

The acorn has become a tree, next to the phenomenon of the human body, plant life as we study botany.  I am firmly convinced that every sickness and disease are prevented or cured just by using the elements God created here on this earth.  You say, I believe in what we have created in this universe, SO, create your universe.  Man is an animal that needs the elements found in fresh vegetables and fruits, not something that everything good has been boiled out of them.  The best fed person in most houses is the kitchen sink, where the pot liquor is poured down and we eat the trash that is left.  Cook vegetables enough to soften them.  I get so tired of these vegans, who think that plant fed meat will in some way harm them.  When the prodigal son and father, the greatest story in all literature finally had a home coming, the father did not say go out to the garden and get a good mess of collards-turnips-butterbeans we are going to have a banquet.  Rather, he told them to prepare the fatted calf (Luke 15:23).  One of the last views we have of our blessed Lord was him preparing fish and bread on the Sea of Galilee.  I can tell you as one who has studied the human body my entire life, there are elements and food value in meat that you will not get anywhere else. 

I hired one new girl to work for me, she rode with my male driver and I out to a fast-food place for our breakfast, her first words, and "I don't eat in these places".  I had already gotten out of the car, my male driver a fine young man with good sense said to her, "You don't have to eat anything, he pays for everything, you can just get something to drink...be nice to us."  I did not see it (I am totally blind) but he said she sat there the entire time rolling her eyes and I heard her talk about how stupid the people were that ate in a place like that, as my driver and I enjoyed our egg and cheese biscuits.  I said nothing, realizing here stupidity, even though she was a college graduate, but when we got back to the house, I told her I would not be able to use her.  Vegans like voyeurs, never learn the fundamentals of people who live real lives.  This is the twenty-first century, so easy to study anything; even small children can operate a computer.  Learn the essentials of eating correctly, adding supplements.  The soil has been depleted of so many essential elements, big business, selling stuff where the packaging has more real food value than what is in the package.  With prettiness and fraud advertising is selling junk to the public who never venture into the store aisles where real vegetables and meats are sold. 

When I was on the farm, I thought if I could ever get away from this place, all this hard work, all these ungarnished vegetables, real fresh eggs straight from the hen, meat that my father had carefully grown and butchered, real fresh water pumped straight out of God's earth unpolluted by the poisons of chloride and fluoride...I would be so happy.  Now, with all the pollutants in city water, big agribusiness with its GMOs, etc, like Big Pharma, like big medicine...ALL it seems in a conspiracy to massage your pocketbook and leave you nothing but sickness and death. 

We are not voyeurs on this earth, although we are just passing through, our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20).  Careful living, staying as far away from the doctor and  hospital as possible, like Christianity, is not that difficult, just tough.  Christian living like living healthy is 90% courage.

#1940 Rearview Mirror

#1940

Rearview Mirror

Prologue Dr. Morris:

I well remember the passing of this legislation, already progressing in my college career and military service.  Since then, 8 around the world trips, passport stamped in 157 countries, travel on every continent, including both Arctic and Antarctic. 

As far as I know, field grade Army officer, without any taint on my record, I still was documented at every country I ever visited.  There were countries in which I had to list every article in my possession, account for money, even jewelry (watch, rings, cameras, etc) before entering and leaving.  There were countries in which border agents demanded bribes, even money for me to get my luggage.  But, with all these indignities to my travel, I observed all their laws and gave the very best possible version of myself and my country. 

Now, all these many years later (I stopped world travel in 1985 when it  had become impossible for me to manage airports), as a totally blind, 100% disabled, medical officer veteran it is beyond my comprehension that my country has become so indifferent to those who invade with almost impunity.  The history is replete about the destruction of nations who forget to guard their borders and their values.  How many terrorist acts will it take in America, how many killings before even liberal democrats awaken to what is happening to God, family, and country? 

________________________________

Below is a message to Dr. Morris from one of his friends:

Folks,

Wouldn't it be interesting if, at some point during the Presidential
campaign, one of the candidates asked, "Oh, by the way, has anyone
in Washington DC ever heard of the McCarran-Walter Act Of 1952?

I did not know of this Act until recently, but it has been a law for
almost 65 years.

Here are the historic facts that would seem to indicate that many, if
not most, of the people we elect to work for us in Washington DC do
not have the slightest idea of what laws already exist in OUR country.

After several terrorist incidents were carried out in the United
States, Donald Trump was severely, criticized for suggesting that the U.S.
should limit or temporarily suspend the immigration of certain ethnic
groups, nationalities, and even people of certain religions (Muslims).

The criticisms condemned such a suggestion as, among other things,
being Un-American, dumb, stupid, reckless, dangerous and racist.

Congressmen and Senators swore that they would never allow such
legislation, and our President called such a prohibition on
immigration unconstitutional.

As Gomer Pyle would say, "Well, Surprise, Surprise!" It seems that
the selective immigration ban is already law and has been applied on
several occasions.

Known as the McCarran-Walter Act, the Immigration and Nationality
Act of 1952 allows for the "Suspension of entry or imposition of
restrictions by the President, whenever the President finds that the entry of
aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental
to the interests of the United States.

The President may, by proclamation, and for such a period as he shall
deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of
aliens
as immigrants or non-immigrants, or impose any restrictions on the
entry of aliens he may deem to be appropriate."

Who do you suppose last used this process?

Why it was president Jimmy Carter, no less than 37 years ago, in 1979,
to keep Iranians out of the United States.

But he actually did more. He made ALL Iranian students, already in
the United States, check in with the government. And then he
deported a bunch of them.

Seven thousand were found in violation of their visas, and a total of
15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the USA in 1979.

So, what say you about all of the criticism that Donald Trump received
from the Democrat Senators, Representatives and the Obama
Administration?

Additionally, it is important to note that the McCarran-Walter Act
also requires that an "applicant for immigration must be of good
moral character and in agreement with the principles of our
Constitution."

Therefore, one could surmise that since the Quran forbids Muslims to
swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, technically, ALL Muslims
should be refused immigration to OUR country.

Authenticated at:
< http:// library.uwb.edu/static/ USimmigration/1952_ immigration_and_nationality_ act.html>

 #1939

Sundial-Drama-Drums

Prologue Dr. Morris:

Just a very short distance from my house, where I am seated right now, the mighty Cape Fear River, known for its swift-frightful current.  If you fell in, you would not last a minute.  This is nothing compared to the river that will swallow us all-the river of death.  And, at the same rate of speed, every human being approaches that river-every second-every minute-everyday.  If there is one thing, the human being does not want to think about it is the matter of approaching death...the drum sounds, the everyday drama of life limiting activities such as disease and disaster.  The sundial which will eventually fade for all, there are no exceptions; the mortality rate is still 100%. 

I remember how angry my mother's sisters were when my father had the local funeral home transport my mother to the hospital via the funeral home hearse.  My father was very angry about the manner in which the EMS ambulance drove, he was afraid that the ambulance would wreck taking her to the hospital.  I said, "At least she knows how comfortable the hearse ride is because most ride in it without knowing its tranquility." 

Man is the only animal who knows that he is going to die.  Those of us on the farm know how unconcerned other hogs or cows were as members of their group were butchered.  They just paid no attention, just kept on eating-drinking.  Human beings are very rapidly approaching the same indifference toward the deaths of one another...fewer and fewer mourners at funerals, a nonchalance about the deaths of those buried in military uniforms.  Dry-eyed funerals, it is just a matter of getting it over.  In some countries professional-paid mourners are hired, who wail-cry, to show some grief and remorse at death.  One lady I know shed so many tears when her dog died, there were no tears at the death of her mother and father.  A funeral director told me that in many families after the deceased body is picked up at the home or hospital, someone will call and just say; put her/him in next to the cheapest casket and then put over the casket a church pall or military or Christian flag.  (They don't want observers to see the cheapness of the casket.)  Graveside burial is usually private, more and more are choosing even the cheaper route of cremation.  He told me that I would be amazed at how many families never even look at the deceased, keep the entire death totally sanitized.  And we know, that most family members never return to the cemetery after internment.  Someone with the responsibility will probably pick out a headstone from a catalog.

This world traveler visited the great Chinese cemetery in Manila, Philippines, there permanent housing surround the tomb and families go out and spend the weekend with the deceased.  I so remember, as a boy in the country, on every farm plantation, the family cemetery was near by and deaths of family members were always in sight.  Country churches always had a cemetery near the church.  At church homecomings, it was a matter of pride and promise that those attending the church homecoming would visit graves of deceased members placing flowers.  On some south sea island nations, it was a matter of practice to bury family members in the yard...I always saw tombstones in yards of houses. 

Death is part of the drama of life, we might as well face it, and it is coming.  Someone asked me what I would do different, if I knew like a condemned death row prisoner, just when I was going to die.  I can honestly say that I would not do anything different today, if I knew I was going to die tomorrow.  Everyday of my life, I live with the same attitude, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."  (Psalm 118:24)  Going on 87, in spite of blindness, aggravations, disappointments, harassments, pains, etc, the wearing out of the body and every other deterioration of life and the world around us, I am still happy for everyday.  STILL GIVE THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF EVERYWHERE-EVERYDAY.  (I never leave the house without wearing a dress shirt and a tie; have never had on flip flops.)  I am thankful, basking in the love of my savior.  Everyday, I have my own communion service, a small bite of bread and taste of wine, observing, in his memory, what he did for me on Calvary, healing and redeeming, his stripes and his precious blood.  I have not forgotten but have forgiven those who did bad things to me, and I die with the knowledge that I have been forgiven.  And, with these thoughts, I would not change one thing, ready to disembark at any time.  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."  (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Today's Puritan AUDIO Devotionals:

Spurgeon's Morning by Morning, February 7
Play Audio! Download Audio

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What answer can you give to these very important questions?

(James Smith's autobiography, "Marvelous Mercy!" 1862)

On the last day of this year, I wrote in my diary as follows: 
"Through the richest mercy, I am now brought to the close of another year, let me therefore ask you, my soul--What are your improvements this past year?

Is Christ more precious? 

Do His work, righteousness, and blood, appear inestimable? 

Do you see more of His suitability, and feel a stronger attachment to Him? 

Is His glory dearer to you, and His honor more precious in your sight? 

Do you feel more devoted to Him, and find greater pleasure in His service? 

Do you lie lower at the foot of the cross, and is Jesus more lovely in your eyes?

Are you more humbled before God under a sight and sense of your sinfulness? 

Is your temper, disposition, and will--more subdued by grace? 

Does grace reign, and sway its scepter over all your powers?

Is sin more hateful, death less fearful, and Heaven more desirable? 

Is the Bible more prized, and are you better acquainted with its contents, living under the influence of its holy precepts? 

Is holiness and entire devotedness to God more sought after? 

Are you seeking to live nearer to Jesus, to trust more unreservedly to Him, and to leave all your concerns in His hands? 

Are you more earnest in your desires to be made useful to His flock and family? 

Are you more prayerful, more given to meditation? 

Is it your one grand desire and aim, to crown Jesus Lord of all? 

Speak, my soul--what answer can you give to these very important questions? Speak as in the sight of God, as though you were placed before the tribunal of the Most High God! Let the Holy Spirit, who searches all things, be your witness that you speak the truth, and nothing but the truth!"

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For further reading: J.R. Miller's uplifting two page article, "Cheerful Counsel for Christians".

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Feel free to FORWARD these gems to others who may be encouraged or profited by them!