#1807 "Running On Empty"

#1807

"Running On Empty"

      

"My people have committed two evils: 
   they have forsaken Me--the Fountain of living waters, and 
   hewed out cisterns--broken cisterns, that can hold no water." 
Jeremiah 2:13

  This writer was born a conservative, I get a little sick of hearing politicians and talk show hosts talk about conservatism.  Most know nothing about conservation. When one has lived in poverty, when one has made every penny count, when one has lived totally dependent on the sovereign god of the universe he can call himself conservative and not just conservative in finance but conservative in thinking. Eating, Dressing, responsible for every action, the true conservative does not throw away food, clothing or anything that can be used by himself or someone else. This writer does not own one article of clothing that was not bought second hand or one piece of furniture in my house that was not purchased second hand (you cannot invest one dollar that you have spent). Since I have lived so frugally I have been able to invest, multiply many-times every dollar I have ever made and have been able (because of this frugal lifestyle) to give "cheerfully" (God loves a cheerful giver - 2 Corinthians 9:6-7) to Christian causes around the world.

  Often, this has gotten me into trouble, attempting to drive a car on gas fumes or attempting to reach a gas station with cheaper gas, you could call this "Running On Empty". I do not believe that I have ever bought groceries or anything else which I needed unless buying from a sales paper. If I cannot buy things I need on "special sale" then I do not need it. Their is a great deal of buying what we want than instead of what we need. I never knew what it was like to order from a restaurant menu what I really wanted, rather I always bought just what I needed at the cheapest price.

  Now, you can well imagine my consternation in thinking that I must choose from those "Running for On Empty", wanting to be president of the united states, "What a choice"...a communist such as Sanders - the wife of a decedent - impeached president such as Clinton or on the other side of the card a billionaire "sideshow" performer such as Donald Trump.

   I once owned a condo in Manhattan for many years at the corner of 56st and Park Ave. On the corner of 56th and 5th ave, NYC, was the Trump Tower. A friend took me into the Trump Tower one time (which Trump lives on the very top). Limousines where constantly pulling up to the outside bank of elevators that took the Trump crowed up to the Trump penthouse. The place was well guarded and my friend said he had never seen so much brass and gold "reminders of Solomon's Temple". After the little "blowup" between  "The Donald" and "The Vatican's Pope" (the Vatican also a place of much brass and gold) Trump "testified that he was a good Christian". God is much more interested in how we achieve than what we achieve, I wonder if Trump wants the American public to find out how he achieved his wealth. What we are in Christ, in Gods economy not like the worlds economy or an IRS form, completeness in Christ. Trump boasts of his success, mankind has a way of measuring success, money-power-things, this is not Gods measure of success. The truly successful man discounts self and has a measure of humility.

  Satan hates the idols of men, "hunger for power", greed for money, anything that keeps men from loving one another. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. - John 13:34.

  This old, blind, veteran wants to remind all of you that will vote, "YOUR COUNTRY IS RUNNING ON EMPTY". Firstly, your country is broke, 19 Trillion dollars admitted debt, 100 Trillion dollars in debt to pay all the "Gimmie-Feel good extravagances of politicians buying boats". For instance, to show you the extent of debt which your decedents will pay - 1 Millions seconds was 12 days ago, 1 Billion seconds was in 1976, 1 Trillion seconds 31,709.8 years ago. Yet, you have politicians "running on empty" promising your children and grand children "free healthcare, free college education as well as freedom in all lifestyles".

  Their was a time when young people where lauded for working there way through college. This writer, (born in poverty on a dirt road). no power, phone or water-lines) worked his way through 8 years of university education, took much pride in giving his professional healthcare services to those in need. There was a time when responsible men and women of faith and patriotism did not covet welfare and did not conjure up reasons for living off the work of others.

  Secondly, your country has lost its moral foundation, "Running on Empty" your country has become a profane culture. Nothing marks this more than the abomination-holocaust of abortion. God will not allow any nation to escape the wrath that tears his chief creation from the womb of the mother. Abortion is casual in a Godless culture such as the Godlessness of communist China and Communist Russia. But, remember, their are more Christians in communist China than the population of the United States. Christianity is contagious in every communist country because the evil heart of man, on either side of any boarder is gratefully redeemed by the righteousness found in the knowledge-atonement of Jesus Christ.

  Thirdly, most real Christians know the absurdity of same sex marriage. The born again Christian knows the evil involved in the Homosexual agenda. The child of God knows the consequences of armed forces where "political correctness" putting women on the front lines in war will only bring disaster. We do not worship a "Bellhop God"  one on whom we call just when we need him. He is either lord of all or not lord at all. He is worthy of our life and every action of life.

  In the Christmas movie "It' a Wonderful Life" The  father of George bailey ,Peter Bailey to George "At the end of life the only thing worth having is what you have given away" "Running ON Empty", it is hard to give anything away.

#1806 Cleanliness and Godliness

#1806

Cleanliness and Godliness

 People who are trying to do good for their families and the planet by living a simple life based on traditional skills are facing yet another assault. Artisanal soap makers say new regulations, proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), will put them out of business.

The view of Sen. Feinstein and her corporate backers (listed below) is that the Personal Care Products Safety Act (Senate Bill S.1014) will make the world a safer place by scrutinizing “everything from shampoo and hair dye to deodorant and lotion.” She says the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act should be more progressive like laws in Europe rather than antiquated US regulations in effect since the 1930s.

If the industries that back this law are really so concerned about safety, why don’t they voluntarily make healthy products, like the small time producers already do?

Feinstein does not propose to ban these dangerous ingredients from soaps and cosmetics, just regulate them with tests and warning labels, fees, and recall authority. She thinks some of these products, though harmful to health, magically become “safe when used by professionals in a salon or spa setting.”

Companies and brands that support the bill:

• Johnson & Johnson, brands include Neutrogena, Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Lubriderm, Johnson’s baby products.
• Procter & Gamble, including Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Clairol, Herbal Essences, Secret, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Ivory, CoverGirl, Olay, Sebastian Professional, Vidal Sassoon.
• Revlon, brands include Revlon, Almay, Mitchum
• Esteee Lauder, brands include Esteee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, Tommy Hilfiger, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan, Aveda, Michael Kors.
• Unilever, brands include Dove, Tresemme, Lever, St. Ives, Noxzema, Nexxus, Pond’s, Suave, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Degree.
• L’Oreeal, brands include L’Oreeal Paris, Lancome, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl’s, Essie, Garnier, Maybelline-New York, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, The Body Shop, Redken.

  Sighted people learned long ago that society does not care and can not improvise with them, and so it is with poor people, poverty stricken cultures, those who know nothing about there life, there methods of survival cannot appreciate there struggles.

All those sightless," a blind veteran" god wanted me to sense the world and I have been a world traveler most of my life.  I was often invited to embassies and wealthy homes. But, my main interest was in seeing what the common folks where doing.  I had come from the common people, born on a dirt road, no power, phone or water lines.

   The heart of any people in Africa or Asia is the village market. 50 years ago when I began my round the world exploits, like the home in which I was raised. These village people did not have the technology of power lines, refrigeration or any of the convinces of modern living.

 They, like early America, depended on there own "common since skills for survival". Cleanliness and sanitation was as important to the poverty stricken people just as it was the wealthy. There was just home made methods for gaining it.

  I still remember 80 years ago, my mother and grandmothers making soap in a large black wash pot in the "wash house" or over a fire in the backyard.  My folks were land owners and in addition to our home was a smoke house, milk house and a wash house "a place where laundry was done". This was long before the washing machine "It was the time of the washtub and scrub board".  The lye soap which my ancestors formulated and made was used for laundry and everything else...this was before the time of Soap Operas on T.V. and radio. They knew nothing of laundry detergents. Rather, owned a washtub, scrub board and a large piece of lye soap that they used for washing clothing and bedding.  Such was hung on lines in the fresh air and sunshine. Today's youth resent using a machine, with many cycles doing all the work and a heat dryer doing everything but hanging their  clothing in there closets. It would do the worlds youth (especially spoiled Americans) so much good to live like my primitive ancestors, at least for a few weeks. So they could appreciate what has been handed to them at such a great cost

  My grandmother referred to store bought soap as sweet soap. I remember, only to well, the first piece of sweet soap I ever saw. One of my mothers friends (a school teacher) gave me a small piece of ivory soap that a promoter had given to her to give to her students.

  Often, remote corners of the world among really poor people, me, staying in a nice hotel, I would take the hotel soap and give to the women in the village markets. These mothers were almost as happy with a piece of soap as their children were with a piece of candy.

  Africa, Asia, even in eastern NC when I was a child, water was a very valuable gift. Water was the one uniting substance that met the needs of our blessed lord and a sinful woman at a well. Weather buried with Christ in baptism, "raised to walk in newness of life" nothing in life is more important than water. This old Army Doctor would lecture to the troops  "Your water canteen is more important than your weapon". The two female U.S. Senators have probably never wanted for anything and have never known anything accept the aroma of expensive cleansing agents. "Don't expect those who have never wanted anything to understand the problems of those who have had little or nothing".

#1805 Detoxify or Die

Detoxify or Die

Song of Solomon 2:15

"Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom."

  In Shakespeare's Hamlet, " To tine own self be true." This writer is true to his creator ( truth is truth whether anyone believes it or not). And, we can only imagine the holiness of God and history. When God created the world, and everything in it. He placed for man's benefit everything that a man would need.

  When this writer was in Pisa, Italy, looking at his great leaning tower (The Baptistery outside the cathedral), I can only imagine Galileo on it's balcony, with his little telescope surveying the greatness of the universe. One can only surmise Zacharias Jansen, inventor of the microscope, when he saw the microbiology available with such magnification.  This primitive technology, compared to today's bottomless ocean of technology was hidden from men for thousands of years.

  Sixty years ago, when I was a student of Biology, Cytology: Histology, bacteriology. Most of today's most threatening diseases were unknown... Such as cancer and diabetes. Likewise, mystery of mysteries how a small pill entering the gut could so influence the homeostasis of any organism. We could not conceive that the gut itself possess almost as many bacteria as the trillions of cells in the body.... such cells determining the digestion and health of the organism. Nor could I conceive of the effect "trace chemicals and minerals" could have on the organism and pathologies that effect it... Even can cause death.

  For those of you with allergies, sneezing, wheezing, just put a taste of natural honey in the mouth and see how fast your allergies will stop. And, we wonder why honey is referred to in God's words... The answer book for all problems.

  As a health practitioner I would say to patience, " Subtraction is as important as addition, elimination of waster from your boy is as important as adding nutrition to your body... and by that I mean correct nutrition. Not the man made substitutes. (Most food stuffs found in grocery stores have less nutrition than the packaging in which they arrive.) Your body, the greatest of God's creation is a temple not a dumpster.

  I remember the invention of plastics into our world. Until then, paper was on your dry cleaning, you used paper cups, plates, napkins, chair coverings. Now, everything you use in your daily living contains the chemical equations of plastic. EVEN, we know without a doubt, that plastics are used for "fillers" in our food, particularly in pet food. The organism cannot assimilate, digest synthetics. AND, we wonder why there is so much sickness why the greatest part of the family and the nations wealth is spent on "sick care." Your doctor never talks about cures, only treatments. "Big Pharma" wants every person taking several expensive pills everyday.  Notice your TV/Radio ads. Almost all are promoting medicines of one type or another.

  One escapes most of lives challenges, even the challenge of disability and sickness. One never escapes what poverty does to you. as one raised in poverty (Dirt road, without power, phones or water lines.) I know the cost of poverty. And, from patients of poverty I know the cost of putting off going outside in bitter weather to an outhouse for elimination/urination.  The first step in detoxification is elimination and urination. You must remove the refuse of digestive and cell metabolism from your body. Children should be taught, just as important as real food, the importance of constipation and bowel/colon cleansing. I have found that most skeletal (joint pain) comes from abuse to the metabolism of the organism.

  Most of the vital organs of our organism function to cleanse (liver, kidneys, lungs etc.,). The largest organ of the body is your skin. And your skin has the ability to detoxify. when people got dirty, hard farm work (sweating), the skin in direct contact with the "good earth" with all the earth's store house of minerals, there was a great detoxifying of the organisms. But, we got so sissy, so clean, (showers everyday, chemical deodorants etc.,) And, in the auxiliary areas where there was the greatest need for detoxifying pores engorged with chemicals.

 

  As important as detoxifying, keeping healthy the organism, detoxifying the mind. Most of today's sicknesses are triggered by stress and discontent. One of my aunts said to me one time, "the greatest sound I ever heard was your grandmother laughing." You don't hear much laughter anymore. This writer remembers those days eighty years ago. when people would go to town on Saturday. There would be visiting up and down the streets, laughter of friends. On Sundays, our Lord's day, the church yards would be filled with that "outer court experience" of believers greeting and showing affection to one another before they entered the house of worship where, in true Christianity, they had that all important experience of truly detoxifying their minds. By filling their minds with the great spiritual experience involving the love of God through their redemption in Jesus. Just as important as the physical detoxification to the human body is the spiritual detoxification of the human mind. When the mind is detoxified (anger/greed/jealousy/lust etc.,) One does not need addictive chemicals such as alcohol, tobacco products, and products of the poppy field( heroines and opiates).

  God has chosen you for life. The healthy mind wants to stay alive. Living is more than getting or even giving. Living is learning to get rid of things that limit your longevity and enjoyment of life. Detoxify or die, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

#1804 Charles, and all the redeemed, R.I.P.

#1804

Charles, and all the redeemed, R.I.P.

"The Lord delights in you!" Isaiah 62:4

Is It Possible, that such poor, depraved, unworthy creatures--can be the objects of Jehovah's delight? Yes! The infinite love of God has been fixed upon us from eternity! Because He loved and chose us, He sent His only-begotten Son to die for us! He sent His Holy Spirit into our hearts to regenerate us!

"You have loved them--AS You have loved Me!" John 17:23
Yes, the Father has loved us--just as He has loved Jesus--with an infinite love! 

Every believer, though . . .
  his faith is weak,
  his fears are many,
  his corruptions are strong,
  his troubles are great, and
  his temptations are sore--
is the object of Jehovah's delight!

Let us therefore endeavor to pass through this day, yes, and every day--believing and realizing: 
"I am Jehovah's delight!
 I am the object of His highest love!
 I am the subject of His sweetest thoughts!
 I am His portion for evermore!"

O incomparable privilege! 
Wondrous source of comfort, holiness, and love! 
You have more cause for gratitude than an angel!

  This week I learned of the death of my friend Charles Couey, Nashville, TN.  Like this writer Charles was blind, a committed Christian, Pastor, husband-father and friend of my only Child (Dr. John Morris - South Western Seminary). The last time I talked with Charles by phone, we talked about our eternal life and the glory of having eye sight.  He said "I most want to see my blessed Lord". The greatest grace and greatest desire of the real Christian - To see our Savior face to face.

  How do the unsaved approach the inevitable certainty of death?  The mortality rate is still 100%. I simply believe that most people with whom I come in contact just refuse to face the fact of death. Most think that everyone is going to heaven, even though there was never repentance of sin or any evidence that they trusted in God.

  I so remember the day of my own mothers death. We had returned from the hospital from where she had died. Family and friend had begin to fill our wonderful country home. The wife of one of my mothers cousins, a woman who my mother loved dearly, came over and sat next to me on the front porch. Of course everyone new of my mothers impending death from cancer.  This cousin had lost her only child in an automobile accident a few years before.  She said "Thomas, I do wish I told Sallie to tell Eddie how much I still love him". It never occurred to her that her son, who had never given any evidence of being Christian, never attended church and lived a boisterous- rowdy life had gone anywhere but to the same place as my Christian mother. When are believers and nonbelievers going to realize that everyone that dies will not rest in peace "RIP"

  The greatest consolation-comfort in the world, at ones own death or the death of a loved one is the grace of redemption which Jesus paid for on Calvary. This writers greatest wealth, and I have been blessed with making the wealth of capitalism is the certain knowledge that I am already enjoying eternal life at the sunset of my life, age 86, I know that I will experience clinical death. The unsaved, will not only experience clinical death but are already dead while living.

  Charles and I could not experience, from sightless eyes the beauty of this world-sunsets-flowers-tasty food BUT, because we have a great insurance policy, because we signed a blank check giving our lives, our all, to the cause of Christ we will have the enjoyment of seeing what God has prepared for those who love him.