Ghosts

Isaiah 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. (KJV)

            Life is a hectic interlude in an otherwise peaceful nonexistence. . . so says the atheist. This writer, a committed-convinced believer in Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God, the Triune God, is confident in saying, I am Christian, BUT not I am a Christian, with all that those words entail. It is like saying, " I am American" Not, I am an American. When you are American, you believe in everything the American experience establishes. . . Rule of law and every symbol of patriotism (I speak as a totally blind, 100% disabled, medical officer veteran of the Korean War era). When you say I am Christian, it is not a lukewarm profession(Revelation 3:16). Most of today's church members, neither hot nor cold, often envious of their unbelieving family and friends, talking-dressing-addictions as unbelievers--want the benefits of Christian belief, but none of its responsibilities. They do not have a faith which is action based on belief, sustained by confidence. Most church members think God needs them. For God to be God, He does not need anything. He could save the entire city of New York in one instant if He chose to do so, could instill His nature in monkeys if He wanted to. I am convinced that most people, believers and non-believers, have no concept of what they are dealing with, with a belief in Jehovah God. Just think. From nothingness to somethingness. Everlasting to everlasting. He spoke and worlds were formed--the heavenly hosts, planets, stars. He holds the oceans of the world in his hands, measures the Himalayas with His fingers. Yet, has numbered the hairs on your head, interested in your every problem. He is at the crossroads of your life before you get there.

            Through God's eyeglasses of holiness, He investigates the souls of those who claim His Son's name. In the new birth, the righteousness of Jesus transmutes to you, and God sees the righteousness of Jesus when He looks at you (John 3:7)

            You have only one life to live. He gives us free will. But the race is ours. "Only one life, will soon be passed." What a mess some make of this wonderful life, every human being made in the image of God. This writer is convinced that God wanted him to experience His creation, places, people, things. He arranged for me to travel the world. I climbed the pyramids on the Nile as well as the pyramids in South America. I have seen beauty and decadence, myself experienced poverty and wealth. I saw the coal dust covered children around the mines in Hyderabad, India; barefoot children on ice at the border of Pakistan. As a medical student, pulling duty at the VA hospital in Millington, Tennessee, I saw WWII veterans without arms or legs.

           

            We know that America, a supposed Christian nation, churches on every corner and crossroads, has more of its citizens in prison than any other country in the world. As of 2012, about 1,570,000 inmates occupied state and federal prisons, more prisoners than high school teachers. Every time I go inside a fast food restaurant, young people who should be in school, adults who should be at work, all talking on Obama phones. One-half the population of the United States living off the work of the other half. Technology has changed the world, but human nature has worsened.

            At the church house--people playing church; the pulpit more interested in entertaining goats than feeding sheep. At the courthouse--people playing with justice. State-house playing with laws. School house playing with education. Your house mostly a service station--just a place to change clothes. Unbelievers tell me they do not believe in God because of problems/suffering. . . economic, medical, etc. GOD DID NOT promise us a problem-free life. . . we have His promises without explanations. A tree, magnificence of God's creative ability, even with much sun and water, will not grow; will die, without wind. There will be storms in life. OUR ROOT SYSTEMS NEED IT, we learn to be long-suffering, to wait upon the Lord. (Psalm 37:9)

            One-third of all young people have had no experience with religion. Those reared in so-called "Christian" homes, went to church as children, perhaps even cradled Catholics, never go to church again after entering college. They base their spirituality on feelings--not facts. Jesus Christ is a fact. Every date on every document in the world proclaims His birth. Truth is truth whether anyone believes it or not. The truth of the world-- Jesus triumphant in death.

            I had a young man working for me. He and his wife had four children AND they decided their children should be in church. The parents were unsaved, had never attended church, but had enough sense to know that all values come from Christianity. They decided on one Sunday to go to a church near their house. I know his address; I know the church described. Its founder died recently. He said, "we enjoyed the music-singing." He said they were passing out little glasses of something and little pieces of bread. "What were they doing?" he asked. In the Christian experience, there is no ordinance-covenant as wonderful as the Lord's supper. Yet, some preacher failed to describe to the visitors the significance of what they were doing. To the uninitiated, everything is obscure. To the uninitiated, you must explain the sciences, arts, magnificence (even) of God's plans.

            The ghosts from a lack of values, holding onto the absolutes of good and evil, knowing that most of our family and friends have gone to hell, will haunt us to life's end. Kings and presidents will fail. Politicians die. They, along with scientists and economists, having believed that their disciplines were so important, will one day know that the most important thing in their life, sin to ruin and Christ's redemption. Even the intelligentsia of the world produce children. And the most tragic fact known to man: parents, educated or uneducated, rich or poor, following the casket of an unsaved child to an open grave. Stop majoring on minor things. . . the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches plus lusts for unimportant things(Mark 4:19). When you reach my age (83) you realize how fast the sun sets, how important it is not to have ghosts of regrets encircling you.