Desperation

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.  (Galatians 6:17)

            Henry Thoreau, author of Walden Pond, said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation."  This writer has often said, "The test of a man is not what happens when everything is going good, but what happens when everything goes bad."

            On recent news broadcasts, we have had almost continuous stories about people caught in desperate situations.  As one who has traveled around the world many times, many flights on every type plane, I can well imagine the desperation of the 239 passengers on Malaysia flight 370.  After almost three weeks of continuous searching by many nations, spending millions of dollars, speculation-conspiracy theories of every type, we still have no idea what happened to that large 777 plane.  Different is the community-village lost in the state of Washington mudslide, we know about the many buried alive there, the desperate struggle of not only the victims, but also of those who were trying to rescue them. 

            No person, no thing, is born or invented great.  Greatness must be achieved.  Many inventions, brain child of someone with superior motives, never advanced in any way.  Many did not believe the telephone, television or teleprompter would ever amount to anything.  Yet, we know just how much people depend on this technology today and how many billions of dollars have been made on these inventions.

            Most individuals who have achieved greatness were born into adversity, a penalty of success.  One would never compromise morality or fall into very much sin, if he just spent his life in bed, doing nothing.  Like a flickering candle flame draws the unwary moth, Satan has a way of drawing us into his web, ensnaring us.  How does one survive, particularly a Christian, who does not EVERY day beg-plead with God to keep the temptations of Satan away from him?!  God puts his chosen where He wants them and gives to them the knowledge He wants them to have.  This writer, born and raised in poverty, saw in the desperation of farmers-cotton mill workers of Eastern North Carolina the desire, from their own inner resources, to achieve and make a better life for themselves, their family and their community.  I believe my ancestors-parents, many of the desperately poor students and soldiers with whom I came into contact, the thoughts they were being smothered-broken by the powers of government control that surrounded them.  The paradox, with technology-progress of every sort, lifestyles which should be so much better, life has not improved.  I find the greater percentage of the population has just as much trouble paying their bills, staying healthy, and facing an uncertain future now, as ever before.  I find that many Christians-politicians-intelligentsia are just blind actors pretending.  Christians pretending to follow Christ, politicians pretending to be concerned about their fellow man, the intelligentsia-academicians pretending to produce knowledge to help every one.  Really, most are just eaten up with the nihilism of meism... doing what is best-most profitable for me (WIFM - What's In It For Me?).  Is this what happened to the pastor of the world's largest church located in Seoul, South Korea (Yoido Full Gospel Church) where the pastor, Rev. Cho Yong-gi, just went to jail for three years for embezzling church funds?  Is this what happened to the mayor of North Carolina's largest city, Charlotte, where Mayor Patrick Cannon, will probably go to prison for bribery (he had only been in office for six months), for taking at least $48,000?  We know that this pastor, mayor and every politician is well paid.  God only had to say it once, "For the love of money is the root of all evil." (I Timothy 6:10)  It lead to the down fall of a disciple who actually walked and talked with our blessed Lord, Judas.  Seldom does a week go by when we don't hear of some politician or leader in the business world caught up in this trap.  Like tyrants, most embezzling, thieving politicians trip and fall over the flag of the United States of America... proclaiming their patriotism, love of God, family and country as they attempt to deceive everyone AND often thinking, fooling God.  In their desperation for reelection, possessing more than they will every need, their greed, their thinking they can be successful in decent, often supersedes respect for family, friends and associates. 

            George Washington will always be the father of our country.  Abraham Lincoln will always be the savior of our country.  WHY, after our history, after our progress does the American voting population insist on placing men and women into public office (from the white house to the local court house) who are guiding us quickly and stoically into the sewer?!

            Jesus Christ will always be the head of the church.  Christ-like people, whether the pope of Rome or a Godly grandmother will always be a stand in for Christ.  Technology has made it convenient for all of us to find or seek reparations in someone else... the street homeless people must suffer for their own sins... the government will take care of veterans and welfare people.   Many live vicariously watching the sins of others on soap operas and situation comedy on television.  Most pretending Christians, I know about-hear about, are envious of their non-Christian, unbelieving friends who are enjoying a "sin for season." (Hebrews 11:25)  Sinners are so much fun!  We like their phrases-language... we like the way they dress, their music and their designer lifestyle.

            BUT, at a time of desperation-terminal illness-crash of some sort-climate act of God, to whom do they turn for help?  There are no atheist in fox holes, and much to the surprise of those who have never been there, not comfortable.  Most pastors, politicians  and patriots, not knowing the difference in the walk and the talk, want comfortable, air conditioned fox holes for our war fare against world-flesh-devil.  Desperate followers of our Lord are protected by the whole armor of God.  (Ephesians 6:11)  Whatever comes, sickness, weather, desperation, ANYTHING, whether we live or die we are winners, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:8)

Brands and Badges

"A Brand New Man"

A BRAND NEW MAN

Now I lay me down to rest
With a heavy load lifted off my chest
I’m coming home a brand new man
I can do it, YES I can!

These past few months have been pure h***
No one needs to live in jail
You don’t have to act a fool
Just to prove that you are cool

I’ve learned a lot in all these days
And I’ll never forget the price I paid
I can’t say I’d take it back
But I sure can say, I’m done with that!

 Author: Jennifer Starkey

            Vacations, retirements, sick-days were unheard of in my youth.  People rejoiced in accomplishment, hard work and responsible living.

            There is at least one generation, still living, that never knew what it was to draw ANYTHING from government.  There wasn't any social security, entitlements, grants, subsidies or public housing (with the exception of the "poor house") of any type.  Real men, marrying real women, producing real children, took great pride in real homes-churches-communities.  "Daddy" went to work everyday and made enough money to support a family while "Momma" stayed home, in most cases, raising well behaved children.  Every society, culture, and community, witnessed real men anxious to get home at the end of a work day to real families... a well kept house, home prepared food.  These people were not bored.  You never heard the word "bored."  They did not seek entertainment.  They worked in their yard and garden, attended civic club responsibilities, tackled every church opportunity, preferred exercising themselves in local ball games (just imagine men-women-young participating in local ball games, their own municipal facilities compared with today's obese-diabetic-laggards, on the lazy boy, watching young millionaires play ball) and were branded as good tax-paying, voting, God-fearing, law-abiding, citizens. 

            This writer has never been bored one minute in his entire life!  There are too many good books to read, interesting people with which to visit, plans to make and things to do! 

            Too many men and women have sold their souls so cheaply.  Satan always pays off with counterfeit.  Too many convinced that it is "who you know, not what you know."  Too many people taking a short cut of compromise, happy hour instead of quiet time. 

            He was a very pitiful, yet, in every way, beautiful young man.  I was talking with him, and this was in our college days, about family life on the farm.... my hard working parents, grandparents, even the tenants and hired people on the farm... I remember talking to him about the beauty of the soil, crops growing from the soil, the sweat from work, the taste of simple food.  He had come from a very prosperous family.  He told me of the embarrassment of accidently seeing his own father with his mistress... knowing that his own father had fathered a child with another woman, knowing the distress it would bring to his own dear mother.  He said, "This is the way it is with people who put the country club, golf club, promotions and appointments through nepotism, as their first priority.  Their agenda of purpose.  It is so easy, takes so little hard work, just skating and compromising instead of climbing to reach the top of the ladder." 

            This field grade medical Army officer still remembers other Army officers who gained their promotions at the officer's club because their wives "hobnobbed" with the wives of superior officers, and in many cases, their wives actually did more than "compromise" with the superior officer.  One young officer told me his wife paid dearly, in bed with his superior officers, for the husband's promotions.  If the truth were only known, how many politicians compromised every vestige of their own personal morality and value system to get and stay elected.  If the truth were only known about the debts of so many elected politicians owed for political favoritism-campaign funds, we would all be aghast!

            You do wear a brand... you are branded as a disciple of Christ (faith-mercy-committed to God) or as one deceived by the satanic forces of the world-flesh-devil.  Thank God, many have achieved greatness on their own, but many in the world of politics and entertainment have taken shortcuts.  You know it, your family knows and most of the time others will learn.  There are many well known brands which we use... Kraft foods, Nestle, P&G, GM.  Most do not withstand the test of time.  They get taken over, get destroyed by their own failures.  We well remember Eastern and Braniff airlines, Packard, Blackwater, the pay phone, trust/hope chest, and fountain pen.  We could list thousands of things that were a large part of our lives and vocabulary, now a part of our history.  The world's oldest brand is a medicine from India, Ayurvedic, still manufactured today.  How many remember Castoria?  Lydia Pinkems?    

           In the early wild west, ranchers branded their cattle with a hot iron. And, we are all branded, one way or another. Many kept their brand in the closet for many years (homosexuals, mafia, drug cartels). Now, the gay lifestyle and agenda has become a badge of honor, not a brand. Now, eugenics and euthanasia (killing of babies and elderly), has become a badge which no longer shames. Now, divorce, illegitimate children, and welfare checks are flaunted before the public, even at the church house. Welfare queens wear, as a badge, many children from many fathers. Badges which were honorable to boy scouts, police officers, pastors (vestments) and military units, are no longer burying the weight of honor.

            The best example I could ever give to the real difference in a brand of honor and a badge of dishonor is former pastor, Cho Yong-gi, served 750,000 members. "In the early 21st century, the church's goals for next 10 years are to build 500 prayer houses and 5,000 satellite churches in Korea..." Recently, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison for embezzlement.

            It was true 4000 years ago and is still true today:

            "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold."  - Proverbs 22:1

How & Why

How & Why

Isaiah 26:3

King James Version (KJV)

³ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

            In the study of microbiology it is not HOW God designed the trillions of cells that make up the human body, but the WHY.  In dealing with enzymes, fungi (i.e. the clotting of blood, why every cell's function must work out so exact), science has always been baffled, can not reproduce or even explain this miracle of creation.

            There can be no opposition between faith and science!  It is interesting that Bill Gates, the world's richest man, promoter of eugenics and euthanasia, sends his family to church.  Gates said there is no opposition to people going to church.  Many unbelievers have always had difficulty adjusting their scientific beliefs to the supernatural beliefs of the church. 

            In Pisa, Italy, I could well imagine Galileo, a Roman Catholic, observing the heavens with his telescope.  The Catholic priest would not even look through the telescope, although Galileo's daughter was a nun. 

            From the period of enlightenment, even until this day, most scientist and some liberal theologians, think man has the ability to redeem himself.  No one can doubt the good that science has brought to mankind... travel, communication, and more comfortable lifestyles (this writer well remembers the time before air conditioning, refrigeration, air travel... I well remember when there were very few cars in an entire community, only one telephone, the time before zippers, plastic, deodorant, etc.).  Science can not determine good from evil, overcome evil and even death (with all of our government and foundation grants, the zenith in education, more people die from disease than ever before!  There are more mental health problems than ever before, for instance 22 military veterans commit suicide EVERY DAY!!!)  Science can not speak to love, the love of a child for a parent, the love between two persons of the opposite sex, love of country, love of God.  Science will never be able to define or deny the human emotions at a funeral service.  Science can not define or deny the boundary of hope! 

            In Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol, the girlfriend of Scrooge, said, "he fears too much."  God speaks of fear 365 times in His word.  Able bodied people can not picture themselves in wheelchairs, blind, bedridden.  Most of the world is caught up in depression and stress.  The annual cost to treat depression in the US is 44-55 BILLION dollars!  Most people, even very young people, are like a very taunt-stretched string... ready to snap.  They think taking drugs (and all drugs have side effects) will lessen the stress on the string.  That stress can be loosened-relieved by faith.  I am not talking a "playing church" faith.  I speak of the real thing,  a new birth-creation of repentance and belief.  Real faith is action, based on belief, sustained by confidence.  In the new birth, the old person of sin and rejection is replaced by the righteousness of Christ.  Through God's spectacles, looking at you, He sees the righteousness of Jesus.  Many who can not believe, well exposed through church and society, to the activities of faith, are far from comfortable-convinced in their unbelief... a prescription for misery.  Have you ever thought of the joy of seeing the expression in the face of our blessed Lord as he stood before Pilot?!  Here, God in man, the One who created the world, being questioned by this penny ante governor, about truth.  Pilot, only interested in his 15 year old wife, questioning God!  Can you even imagine Jesus' face as He was thinking, "One look and I could vaporize you."  When will Christians learn the blessedness of their faith?!   The contentment of overcoming anger with forgiveness. 

Matthew 11:25-27

King James Version (KJV)

²⁵ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

            When one can understand, that which science has never been able to explain, simple forgiveness... a small child still loving the parent after discipline... an abused animal still loving it's master.  We will begin to believe in love such as Jesus expressed on Calvary when he said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."  Luke 23:34

            Many think it is easier to live without faith, the boundaries of faith, or the gift of redemption.  The atheist, in fact, all people they want to believe they will go to heaven.  They don't want to spend eternity with the decadent hateful-sinful people with whom they have had so much fun with here on earth.  God hates sin and everything involved in sin. 

Proverbs 6:16-19

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

            The TV personality, Phil Donahue, atheist, said, "Why did God not correct everything bad here on earth?"  The truth is the truth whether anyone believes it or not.  God did correct everything through His only begotten son who came to this earth, in the "fullness of time" (Galatians 4:4) to live as an example for all of us and then, because of his love for us, die a sacrificial death and, through believing in Him, become a joint heir in His inheritance. 

Romans 8:17

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Emotional Hodgepodge

"Jesus is God, therefore His love, His Thirst, is infinite. He the creator of the universe,
asked for the love of His creatures.
He thirst for our love… These words: 
‘I Thirst’ –
Do they echo in our souls?”

Mother Teresa

            A mob is always made up of people.  Great doors turn on very small hinges, from the small acorn grows the great oak tree.  God plants into good soil, small seeds-thoughts using mere mortals to nourish-germinate-grow His earthly bounty.  This writer can always tell-discern young people-young minds willing to listen.  For many, like Demas (loving this present world - 2 Timothy 4:10) it is like talking to a stump.  I encourage young-insightful people to always keep a legal pad and pen by their bed because, "God will often implant a thought into your mind while you are sleeping that He will never 'run by you again.'"  You need to write it down.  There is a famous TV-radio commercial, "The mind is a terrible thing to waste."  Man's crowning glory is his nervous system.  Other animal life has far superior senses;  the eyesight of a bird, the hearing of a dog, the musculature of a cat, the metabolism of a horse, cow or camel.  Man has the ability to think, plan, he knows he is going to die. 

            Many Christians-church members, with whom I come into contact, are invisible during the week, incomprehensible on Sunday.  They are so critical of the Muslims, Islam.  The Muslim prays 5 times a day, actually gets down on a prayer rug, very careful about what he puts in his body.  This writer has attended many church services, which were no different than a civic club meeting.  I still remember the Sunday morning when the well paid organist did not show up for church service.  One of the deacons went to his home to waken him while the church service started with a lady playing the piano.  Later, the "hung over" organist crept into the quior loft and onto the bench of the organ.  I still remember the pastor, commune service, announcing the service would be postponed because no one had checked to see if there was grape juice to use (What difference would it have made, symbolic, they could have used Coke or Pepsi?!).  I still remember, scheduled baptismal service postponed, someone had forgotten to heat the water in the baptistery.    

            Just this week, a great 777 plane which on the ground when you look up at it appears over 10 stories high, for over a week, this great airplane lost, with 23,000 satellites in the sky.  Those who still fly tell me you can not go through an airport without someone "massaging" you top to bottom to make sure you are safe to fly.

            Yet, before we become too critical of others, I must remember there are still church members who faithfully, Sunday after Sunday, are at their posts... greeters at the front door, teachers in the Sunday school classroom, choir members and musicians (I still remember, very large church-very large parking lot, the faithful church member who, always there, always with a wonderful Christian greeting, directing the parking of cars... often in rain coat and umbrella.)  The are two sides to the Christian coin, faithfulness to God and faithfulness to His work.  The two greatest gifts God gave us, such amazing love on His cross and the ability-desire to love one another.

            We can become cynical-skeptical with the hostility of this world.  It is easy to become so concerned about our own wants and needs that we forget the needs of others.  The many people with just simple employment but, they need their jobs, need to pay their bills.  I become so saddened by Christians who are such poor "tippers," so unpleasant in the marketplace.  St. Augustine, 4th century, "Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him."  All mankind needs this rest.  God who made the workday, made a day of rest.  The philosopher, Frederick Niche, atheist, said, "Don't attack Christians for their truth, attack them for their unpleasant attitude."  I am convinced that most of us, those of use who claim the name of Christ, keep more anti-Christ-unbelievers away from God's redemption because of our attitude, than we ever lead toward Him.

            We are all broken, broken in many ways, physically as well as spiritually.  The mortality rate is still 100% in spite of defensive medicine... big pharmas treatment for everything and cures for nothing.  Yet, when we get sick we need help and there are still those professionals (doctors, nurses, osteopaths, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, surgeons, etc.) who put patient care before their own comfortable lifestyle.   Every day of my life I thank God there are still men and women who are willing to study-train-work to ease a suffering world.  Caring for old people, infirmed people and disabled people, is not easy.  I believe the most difficult thing for me to adjust in caring with patients was human odor.

            Beware of the emptiness of an empty life!  Beware of the blessings from the zest-spiciness personality pluses of our fellow man!  Isn't it wonderful that God has instilled in so many people the ability to be kind, considerate, to smile and even to make us laugh?  A beautiful tapestry from the front seems so perfect, only when you look at the back and see all of the knots in its creation, do you realize what it has taken to achieve that perfection. 

             I live in a city, which during WWII, was known for ship building.  Thousands of liberty ships were built here in order to furnish allied forces in Europe with the materials of war.  I knew some men who worked in the shipyard.  They talked of the absolute necessity for preventing any leaks, everything sealed to perfection.  Those with roofs on houses know how much water can come in through a pin hole.  Life is truly an emotional hodgepodge, constant management of leaks and flaws.

Phagocytosis + Paramecium = Paramecisis

Phagocytosis + Paramecium = Paramecisis

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  - Romans 12:9

            In Cytology, (cell study) the paramecium or any other phagocytosis process engulfs a foreign substances.  We, mere mortals, often feel we are being engulfed as we wrestle with the powers of deception and darkness that surrounds us. 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. - Ephesians 6:12

            If you can explain what is going on, God had nothing to do with it.  If you can list 10 reasons why God should let you into His heaven... if you can list 10 reasons why any man or woman should marry you... if you can list 10 reasons why your neighbors should love you... if you can list 10 reasons why a friend should loan you $100 without asking any questions... then you are truly the exceptional person!

            Don't you become mystified with the "gold brickers-skaters" who get through life just "going through the motions?"  Aren't you concerned that large industrial farmers are paid millions of dollars to not grow alfalfa and other crops?  Are you not alarmed when you get up early, go to work everyday-paying taxes-keeping the laws of God and man, yet, supporting those who do not have an enough ambition to work?  Are you concerned, and concern is a lost word in most vocabularies, that many mothers stay at home and home school their children rather than submit to the decadence in public schools?  Are you concerned the news media has bowed totally to the gay agenda of same sex marriage, destruction of military forces with open homosexuality, promotion of euthanasia?  Have we lost our minds?!

            My mother's only brother, Willard, returned from the warfare of the jungles and monsoons of the South Pacific, WWII.  He told me the only people in the community who acted like they were glad to see him were the black people who had know him since he was a child.  His white friends-relatives at the church and elsewhere almost acted as if they were surprised he had survived the war and only wanted to know how much money he had saved and, "what are you going to do now?"  In my lifetime, I have seen the values-morals discounted by Satan and his minnuns.  After all of this time in world history, man as yet to discover that Satan always pays off with counterfeit. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another.  - John 13:35

            There is great satisfaction in doing something for someone when you know you will get nothing in return.  How well I remember, as poor as we were, my mother preparing a large plate of food for my father to take to a sick person in the community.  Make a list of people you have know who you have helped... make a list of people who have helped you because you have helped them... Now, make a list of people who you have helped, expecting nothing in return.  I wish I could go to a doctor who looked at something besides my skin, my skeletal system.  Do they ever consider what is happening on the inside of the body, the oxidation of cells?  When has a doctor asked you about your diet and exercise?  During the beginning stages of diabetes one often feels sluggish, yet the doctor never talks about diet and exercise.  Never does a doctor talk about a cure, only treatment.  Before you become engulfed, a victim of paramecium from any disease-life struggle, you should learn about your own body.  What is the need in learning to read if you do not put it to good use?  It is much like the manufacturer's handbook, which God gave to us... it answers for every question, yet, it sits on a table and gathers dust.  The new Christian, new creation, just "absorbs" God's book.  My son, former missionary to South Korea, said, "New Christians always pray about their sickness before they send for a doctor."    

            From the White House, to the school house-court house-state house, even your house, we have a sickness concerning rewards and punishments.  The veteran gets just a pittance for his service, the civil-master (note - I did NOT say servant) gets a handsome retirement for his service.  You can buy yourself a job, even an ambassadorship, by making a large political gift.  Compromising bureaucrats are not as evil as the government that put them into power.

            Have you noticed how different some people are when they are with you face-to-face versus when they are with you around others?  We are so intent on impressing others, becoming so politically correct.  Many know, but will not admit, the first family is probably the worst family... that government-industry always cashes in on every human tragedy.  We live in a world of pretension.  Everyone pretending to be someone he is not... leader, pastor, parent.  You must be a special person, one with special gifts, to avoid the Paramecisis of being engulfed-engorged by the world-flesh-devil.  In the army, a fellow medical officer, surgeon, spent much time building small model railroad trains to exercise his fingers, hand-eye coordination, so he could be the exceptional surgeon.  We are the exceptions, special, chosen by God, not to be engulfed-engorged by Satanic forces.

Sounds from Your House

Sounds from Your House 

"These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9 

It is well when the Word of God governs my personal life. 
It should control my body with its members and passions.
It should solve the puzzling questions of my intellect. 
It should answer the indictment, and allay the fears of my conscience. 
It should fill my imagination with pure and inspiring pictures. 
It should make my will the happy bond-servant of Christ. 
It should satisfy the cravings of my heart for the perfect and eternal love.

And it is well when the Word of God governs my home life. When I teach it to the children, when I talk of it sitting in the house and walking by the way, lying down and rising up--I am giving them . . .
  the sublimest theme for meditation, 
  the best rule of conduct, 
  the strongest safeguard against evil, 
  the passport to the family of the Lord and the city of the eternal King. 
I am rendering them the most noble service conceivable! 

And it is well when the Word of God governs my social life. Let it be written on the posts of my house and on my gates. Then my neighbors will know where I stand, and whom I serve. They will not come to me to talk gossip and scandal, and to whisper away the good name of others with idle tongues. They will not wish me to be a partner with them in any evil work. They will be drawn rather towards the Book and towards the Lord.

In my personal history, 
in the relationships of my home, 
in my social fellowship--
may God rule through His Word, with an undisputed scepter and a gracious tyranny!

*******

            It was near Christmas, country church in which I was raised, members attending a Sunday night service standing in the church yard, visiting, one of the "pagan" boys in the community, road by the church in his car and threw out of his car a firecracker which landed under the feet of a very sizable woman who attended the church, but had never made a profession of faith.  The language which came from her mouth was an embarrassment to everyone within hearing and certainly to our Lord. 

            Often, from the house of church members, even those who claim the name of Christ, you hear the sounds from the TV-radio-record player which are certainly what one would not play if Jesus were visiting your house.  We who claim the name of Christ should be different, not only in our own tongue, but to the tongues to which we listen.  Nor should we find decadent words or music attractive enough that we can smile when we hear them.  There was a time when the "dirty book stores" were located on back-dark-streets in your town.  Now, the open sewer comes right into your living room by way of television, the computer and the radio. 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

            This writer is not immune from "bad words."  In my daily living as a blind-disabled person, I become so frustrated-exasperated that a word will slip out and I realize that I have embarrassed my blessed Lord.  He expects better than that of me.  He deserves better from me.  Have you noticed that words which you never heard on the radio or television many years ago are in common usage today?   It all starts in the mind, and if Christians do not guard their mind, what can you expect from others?  If gold rusts, what do you expect iron to do; if Christians are not careful about their thoughts-words-actions, what can we expect from others?  Why should we be surprised when heathen act like heathen?   

Straight Talk

Straight Talk

"The democracy will cease to exist will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

- Thomas Jefferson.

            This writer is a totally blind, 100% disabled, service connected, medical officer, veteran of the Korean War era.  I have been totally blind for most of life, now age 84.  One person accused me of being a victim, I am more a victim of the despair brought on by the complete unconcern of my fellow man than anything else.  If I have learned nothing else in my many years of disability it is that most people care only for themselves.  I have found those who care the least - family, fair weather friends, associates, even those who claim the name of Christ, disparage me the most. 

            Most of those around us just go through the motions.  It is like this perpetual-continual (have a good day) when they could care less about what kind of day you may have.  God knows what he is doing when he causes or allows blindness, cancer, or anything else.  The greatest blessings of my life have come to me because of blindness.  Because, I have had a relationship with my Creator which I would probably never have had otherwise.  But, I must admit, I have had a hard time understanding the minds of those who should care.  It makes no difference how generous or genuine to your own family, your own Christian-church associates, your neighbors, your tenants, even your employees -- whatever I do is never enough.  Never, not once, has my only child or my only two grandsons, ever given me one gift at any holiday, birthday or when on a visit (usually only once a year)... NOT EVEN ONE COOKIE even though they know how much I love sweets.  Most people, over the years, since I have gotten very few things from anyone... have the mantra - what can we give someone who has everything, needs nothing?  What can you give God who has everything and needs nothing from you?  At this late date, it is time many of us consider many things. 

            This writer, as I have already said, a blind veteran, received treatment at many hospitals (the longest time and best treatment, Massachusetts General in Boston).  I was at the veterans hospital in Durham, right across the street, Duke University Eye Center.  The VA put me there because they had better specialists to care for me.  I was in the corner room on the second floor.  This was during the time of the Vietnam era war, protesters from UNCH (where I graduated), Duke and other schools in the area were protesting the war around the VA hospital.  A black nurse came into my room, told me how much she hated veterans and spat in my face.  The VA, Duke, nor Dr. Anderson who was treating me did anything about this incident even though they were informed.  Those who go to VA facilities can understand what I speak about when I say there is no agency or administration as inept at the Veterans Administration.  They are just going through the motions.  Just this week, my driver took me to a VA facility, the haphazard attitude of the employees was beyond description.  And, it does no good whatsoever to report bad attitudes, bad care or inept management.  Even our NC senator, Richard Burr, ranking member of the Veteran's committee, even the Blind Veterans Association, even the ranking member of the House Veteran's committee, Myke McIntrye, from this area or Walter Jones, also from this area, have any empathy for veterans. 

            There is a big difference between walk and talk.  We hear talk about government waste.  Government healthcare... There will never be a better example of the lackadaisical attitude than that which I have already expressed in a blog I have titled "National Self Immolation - 1603" found in my blog dated December 19, 2013. 

            In this blog, I described, in detail and have hundreds of pictures to support every statement (by the way, I have never received any requests from a government-agency about pictures or information, even though I wrote many letters).  Fourteen rooms, one total floor in one of my buildings, was rented to an organization called Circle of Courage Ultimate Support Network.  Of course the rental-lease was handled by a realtor, but the chieftain of the group told me that her patients/clients were all Medicaid patients.  In other words, the government spent millions of dollars sending mentally sick people to this group and we found out, after much investigation, those there to treat these mental patients, dispensing God only knows what drugs, did not have a license to practice anything.  Of course, the taxpayers were cheated, the owner of the building was cheated because he didn't receive his rent, the NC Department of Labor was cheated because they did not get their taxes (they told me $150,000), but I think the MOST CHEATED were the patients who were there because they needed help and thought they were getting help.  I remember so well, after they had abandoned their office, turned off electricity, cut off the phone, left all of their records in the office, two black people banging on the door yelling they needed their drugs.

            My assistants described the situation to me and made photographs.  Read to me from some of the records scattered around on the floors the following examples:  (A)  Patient DJ, age 14, diagnosis: "Oppositional Defiant Disorder - description: behavior such as back talking, suspended from school, etc."  (B)  Patient JG, age 8, diagnosis:  "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - history of physical abuse since the age of 3, having outbursts of anger and difficulty focusing."   On one sheet of paper found on the floor along with thousands of records, an evaluation of the services.  On this piece of paper, the following five items were found in default:

            1-Improper document

            2-Notes missing on dates of treatment

            3-Patient Care Plan not in file or completed correctly

            4-Signatures with credentials of clinician missing

            5-Incidents reports not reported in a timely manner to IRIS (NC Incident Response Improvement System)

            This writer, owner of this building, always went into the reception area to pick up his rent check.  I have all of the e-mails, telephone calls about the delinquent rents.  The daughter of the director worked in the office and handled this (she worked in an office behind the sliding glass window, which all of you have seen in such offices.).  Always, the excuse for late rent and later for no rent or worthless checks, the government has not paid us.  I said, "Surely as much money as the government has!?"  She said, "And, we get all we can.  This is the reason we have two hands."

            Just a fraction of the American population have died in war.  A larger percentage wounded in war.  Those who have given their all, our hard working, God fearing, tax paying ancestors, would never believe what has happened to our world.

Conjurers of Deceit

Conjurers of Deceit

         
    Excerpt from the poem, "The Voice of the Voiceless"
The same Force formed the sparrow 
    That fashioned man, the king; 
The God of the Whole gave a spark of soul 
    To furred and to feathered thing. 
And I am my brother's keeper, 
    And I will fight his fight, 
And speak the word for beast and bird, 
    Till the world shall set things right.
Let no voice cavil at Science-- 
    The strong torch-bearer of God; 
For brave are his deeds, though dying creeds, 
    Must fall where his feet have trod. 
But he who would trample kindness 
    And mercy into the dust-- 
He has missed the trail, and his quest will fail: 
    He is not the guide to trust....

            Jesus Christ is the light of the world.   To solve our problems we must get close to the light.  For a person to be effective in lying-deceit, everyone wants to believe in him.  Has anyone ever considered how disappointed Jesus must have been with Judas?  Judas, who had seen Him raise the dead and feed the thousands, was there when, Jesus, on His last night, washed all of the disciples' feet including the feet of Judas.  Any group, any mob, always made up of people...  Who can know or understand what thoughts are conjured in the minds of people?  Certainly not the psychologist or psychiatrist... they just think they know.   Yet, most believing pastors will send troubled church members to unbelieving psychologist or psychiatrist for help.

            The distance between the earth and the sun is 92 million miles, yet, this is a very short distance compared to the distance one must travel in attempting to discover the reasons for certain human activity-thoughts.  From the beginning of time, a man's inhumanity against his fellow man, the first two sons born on earth, Cain & Able -- Cain killed his brother Able.  Our minds are tortured as we read historical accounts about the torture of men.  Can one imagine conquered soldiers-slaves marched naked and chained behind conquering soldiers?  Can one imagine families broken up as they were sold into slavery?  More remarkable, even to this very day and every day, when 3,000 babies (1,400 black babies) have been murdered (56 million babies murdered in America alone since the Supreme Court decisions of 1973), imagine mothers submitting to the murder of their own baby within their own body?  We cringe when we study, even in my lifetime, the cruelty of the KKK, Hitler's holocaust, and Stalin's extermination of their fellow countrymen.

            Make friends with fear.  If not yet, it is heading your way.  Most of our fellow countrymen are just going through the motions.  When we lose our democratic republic, at the court house - state house - white house, and we are well on our way, when the cause of Christ becomes more a mockery at the church house than it already is, we are all going to wish we had done more to save our country and our Christian way of life.  Why can't Americans, who work themselves to death paying taxes and saluting the flag, see the futility of it all, the "ketchup king" (secretary of state), the pretender president in the white house who never fired a Daisy BB gun getting your children involved in more and more wars?

            This writer, world traveler, totally blind veteran, has some familiarity with war and the results of war... In Leningrad, Russia, I saw long lines of people outside of any store that had anything to sell.

            Every minute of every day real men and real Christians should be praying for God's direction of our lives.  Civilization, even the advanced civilization that we enjoy, is just a systematic organization of matter.  Most people I know, most children raised today, want to be celebrities instead of servants.  This writer's greatest disappointment has always been with family, friends and associates.  Most, just don't care.  And, they actually think God needs them... that they can just mess around with God and play games... that He actually did not mean what He said in His book.  In fact, most people I know cannot quote one verse of scripture from God's book.  The Jewish people, young Jewish boys, knew the Torah by heart.  We know how God judged them.  Don't laugh or scorn those of us who really believe, 'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.'  Philippines 2:5.   

            IF, you knew you were the heir or the even joint heir of a fortune, that the will would be read at a

lawyer's office and it was necessary for you to be there, your car "conked" out a mile from the city where the will and last testament of your benefactor was to be read, you would walk and run with joy the last mile of the way.  Satan has conjured up every form of deceit with which he can beguile you... to keep you from your inheritance, your redemption.

Refine It, and Sweeten It, and Sanctify It!

Refine it, and sweeten it, and sanctify it!

(Alexander Smellie, "The Hour of Silence" 1899)

"The tongue has the power of life and death!" Proverbs 18:21 

"For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body." James 3:2 

My tongue is a great power. 
Its words wound--or else they cure. 
They poison--or else they bless. 
Once they have gone forth from me, shot like arrows into the air--they will find their lodgment, and they will accomplish their errand. 
I cannot recall them. 
I cannot cancel and undo them. 
For weal or for woe--they have sped away from me. 

There is a sense in which my words are my deeds; they achieve as much--of mercy or of misery, of healing or of harming--as my actions do.

Far too often my tongue has been an agent of mischief and hurt. It has spoken untenderly or untruly, harshly or hastily. 

My tongue has suggested unworthy motives to the deeds of others. It has magnified their failures and errors. It has been a firebrand. It has distributed bitter and corroding acids--instead of the honeycomb. Sometimes it has been the propagandist of actual sin!

My Lord, consecrate and keep this tongue of mine. Refine it, and sweeten it, and sanctify it! May it love . . .
  the voice of prayer, 
  the voice of confession, 
  the voice of encouragement, 
  the voice of consolation and comfort, 
  the voice of worship and thanksgiving!

Source:  Grace Gems - March 5th, 2014

*****************

            Many years ago, one of my cousins, now long dead, thinking I had kept up with family history better than he, asked me if I knew the burial place of his great grandparents.  Like so many, too late, he had revived his interest in his family's genealogy.  Of course, he knew that it had many years since I had seen anything.  I told him, "I understand that the Underwoods were buried in the Falling Creek Baptist Church cemetery.  Someone said that during a hurricane, at some time in the past, the tombstones had been toppled over and were still laying on the ground."  You see, this is how much appreciation we show to our ancestors.  The ones who fought the good fight to give us our heritage.  Their voices and their bodies are long gone and we don't even know or protect their burial places.  Every time I've passed an old cemetery, so many, so many graves, old tombstones, I think how soon they have all been forgotten. 

            At a family reunion, one of my aunts had used her new recorder.  She was so proud of having recorded-preserved voices of old family members, now long dead.  I remember the very distinctive voice of Aunt Sarah, still very alert at 98.  Surely some of her great grandchildren, etc. would have liked to have heard her voice.  But, the aunt is long dead and there is no telling what happened to the recording.  This is how much family history, family voices, means to those who are left behind. 

           

            This antiquarian book collector, buying and selling collectibles every day around the world, has purchased boxes of old books from several families.  In the boxes, in the books, such wonderful family member memorabilia, such as old photographs, and of course, no one had taken the time to write on the photograph who it was, date, or relationship.  In a day even children carry around a telephone with which they can make pictures.  In my lifetime, photographs were very rare.  I well remember the first color film.  Several generations ago, many people lived their entire life without ever having their "picture taken."  The old box camera was very evident when I was a child.  Almost as important as in care in what we say, "words mean something," is remembering voices, the conservation of family history, and protecting photographs.

Clarify of Opamism

Clarity of Opamism

Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.  (Isaiah 13:2)

            In the 21st century world of staggering technology Christians must be convinced to "taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who trusts in him."  Psalm 34:8.  In the 21st century world of playing church we must clarify the opamism that perhaps God will start over with us. 

            There is nothing natural about the isms (communism, fascism, atheism) of life.  Nothing in natural law, animal life, for which human beings should aspire-accept these silly ideologies.  We live in a supernatural world.  The Christian belief is, in every way, supernatural.  Our radical unbelieving friends read about, gorge themselves watching screens (movie, TV) about J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter's dragons-witches-ghosts, all types magic, but so quick to ridicule praying, foot washing, Lord's table Christians.  Carl Sagan (Cosmos) said, "This is it.  There is nothing more.  Anything else is just wishful thinking."   The atheist, scientist friend, further said to me, "I live according to a strict code of ethics, take advantage of all science, long life or short life, I will just die, be buried, rot, and my body used for fertilizer." 

            Observing the handiwork of the Creator every day.  How is it possible for one not to believe in a supreme designer?  Observing the great artist canvases of the world, machinery of every type, miracles of technology making life so much easier, how could anyone deny a designer?  This writer was speaking before a ministers' conference, I heard several of the preachers talking about the magnificence of the computer.  In my remarks, I said, "I heard talk about the memory-megabytes of the computer.  This world traveler has observed glaciers at both the North and South Pole, 200 million square miles of ice formed by snowflakes turning into crystals.  Could the human mind believe there are not two snowflakes with the same design in all of this world, not two grains of sand alike on the vast seashores of this world, of the billions of human beings who have lived on this earth, 7 billion today and at least 7 billion dead before this day, no two humans with the same flecks in the iris of their eyes, no two with the same finger prints, same voice?  May God forgive us forsaking His book-His wisdom-His redemption!"

            It is believed that 3 million Jewish slaves left Egypt, not a feeble one among them, all healed (Psalm 105).  God chose to save them, feed them, lead and humble them (their shoes, of iron and brass, their clothing never wore out - Deuteronomy 33:25).  World history is colored with ways He touched them.  The many who fell in the wilderness because of their unbelief, the many who have lived and died in unbelief, both before the cross and after the cross, never knew the touch, the supernatural opamism, of God's grace.  A child who is never touched, soon dies.  The most rabid unbelievers-atheist surely observe that even lower animal life touch and caress their young.  On the farm, our beautiful cow with great struggle would give birth to a calf.  The calf, hoofs covered with a sheath to prevent damage to the cow's birth canal, would struggle up onto its feet.  The mother cow would immediately lick-touch the calf from one end to the other.  So it was with baby chicks, baby kittens or puppies.  Genus homo like all fauna creation needs the supernatural touch.  The affirmism of the human nervous system (the crowning glory of man) is beyond compare.  No matter how many times you autonomic nervous system prepares for any eventuality, you can not predict what will happen.  More is needed than the stability of self.  We all have a need for an all encompassing external and internal power.  No matter the preparation, 79% of warfare trainees (soldiers on the front lines) do not fire a weapon.  The are 16,025 school boards in America.  Most realize the failures of school systems.  Few school board members, few elected officials, legislators, can produce that quality-integrity which will cause them to fight and risk everything for a supernatural inner knowledge which they possess, but do not trust, and instead choose cowardice.  The writer, C.S. Lewis, said, "Some would rather bear pain than let others know about it."  If Christians were as anxious to promote Christianity in their walk as in their talk, many unbelievers would seek Christ.  If politicians really believed in the value system of a democratic republic, our nation would rise as a true super power.

            Even in America, 1799-1892, declared even by the US Supreme court as a Christian nation, one third of our young people have had no experience with religion, 40% of all high school students have had several sexual escapades.

            You have only one life, you go around only once, this is not a dress rehearsal.  Stop worrying about what other people think.  That is their problem.  Your thinking, your opamist ability, is yours.  Your wonderful mind belongs to no one else, but you.  Within the sanctity of your own-personal mental capacity, you have the right to dream and conquer.  Believe me, you may think others care about you, but they don't.  Don't be afraid to be lonely.  Learn the affirmism of self.  More importantly, the Creator of the universe is your best friend.  As he has told this old, blind, disabled man so many times, when becoming so disappointed with others, "I am all that you need."