Pollyanna

Pollyanna

Pollyanna is the story of an orphan girl, sent to live with her aunt in New England. The strict aunt caused Pollyanna to find something good about the world every day. Her aunt put her in a very bleak room, she looked out the window at the beauty of the hills.

Even Jesus, returning to his hometown of Nazareth, he always preached himself, his kin people did not like what he had to say, attempted to throw him over the cliff but he just walked away.

Young people, graduated from elementary school or even high school should learn early that the world in which they were born is not a very nice place, and it is not as simple as walking away.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Young people should learn to face truth, not the politically correct "trash" promoted by the secular humanist, liberal, debauchery of this present world.

Even Jesus called Peter, his faithful disciple, on whom he built the church, (Mat 16:18) and Judas, who betrayed him for the price of a hog, friend.

The lamb said to the lion, "Did he who made me make thee?"

It was impetuous Peter who denied our blessed Lord. Such an actor, when accused by the girl, he emphasized his denial by cursing (Mat 26:74). Man's fallacies do not surprise God. On resurrection morning, Christ specifically asked that Peter be informed of his resurrection. It was Peter who preached on Pentecost Sunday when 3,000 were added to the church.

Two of the greatest books in God's book were written by Peter. One should commit to memory, available to anyone wanting hope (1 Peter 3:15) the words which tell us that the trials of this world are better than gold. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Chris" (1 Peter 1:7).

Calvary was not a nice place. The artists have tried to make it nice, not showing the real condition of the body of our Lord, modest, a string of cloth around him. From many crucifixions, body parts, flies, the stench of blood-death. Thank God the Catholics showed the real crucifix, most Protestant churches no longer show even the empty cross, the greatest event in the history of the world.

Why should we be shocked when sinners act like sinners? Most do not realize what they are doing (Daniel 12:10). We are so shocked 12 are killed in a theatre watching a rotten movie, over about 50 injured by a well educated gunman. What were these children doing in that theatre in that late hour? These young people should have been home in bed, not watching Batman, or any other pagan man. The killer almost had a PhD in science. President Assad, from Syria, is a medical doctor. Osama Bin Laden's assistant was an MD. Lenin, Stalin, Mau were not ignorant men, well-educated. You can go in any prison and find enough men with doctorates to establish a University faculty.

One can feel muscle, suspect virtue but the seven carnal sins of the world will change you. Greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony will change you for the worst not the better.

In this visual world, man is never satisfied. It is hard to convince young people that happiness does not come from "things."

One book in The Bible is about a pagan woman, her name, Ruth, a Moabites. The sovereignty of the universe, God's authority, Ruth married Boas, they were the parents of Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of David, who became Israel's greatest King, all in the ancestral line of Jesus Christ. Just think, if King David has not seen naked Basheba taking a bath, there would not have been a King Solomon, wise, wealthy, of whom the Queen of Sheba said, "The half has no been told" (1 Kings 10:7).

The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, we are told that one looking like Elijah would appear. Around 500 years later, a time in which God was silent, John the Baptist, cousin of our Lord, appears on the scene (Mat 3:1) baptizing for the remission of sin.

This writer has traveled the world, has never encountered an anti-Christian, many who do not understand Christianity. Many cynical about Christianity, many disappointments, many things that do not make sense. Jonathan Edwards died at age 54, just a few weeks after becoming President of Princeton having graduated at Yale, at age 16. Charles Spurgeon, prince of preachers, died at age 58. The absurdity, sacred melodrama, Old Testament stories, New Testament truths, the awesome truth that the gospel has been preached, and that eventually every knee will bow to Jesus (Romans 14:11).