Personal Inventory
It is the second decade of the 21st century. Those of us who have been around for a long time need to take a personal inventory pertaining to our optimism for the future. I had just turned eight years of age when my grandmother Morris died. The wonderful things I knew about her had just been emphasized by those who knew her much longer. She was from one of the first families of the state, the Lucas family of Wilson county, prominent landowners. I can only remember two deaths before hers, hers was the first showing of “old family class”, a huge service in large family church. I had never seen a beautiful casket and flower arrangements before.
At that time in history, the body was always brought back to the family home, and people came in to pay their respects. My grandparent's family home was on main street in town. I remember having eased back into the living room to take a look at the beautiful setting. I heard two ladies, women I did not know, not family members, standing by the casket...I remembered my grandmother as a vibrant, imposing personality, well-educated for her day, able to handle any situation...one of the women said, “if only she had more love and less fear.”
We are told 365 times in God's Word not to fear. But in uncertain times, in an uncertain world, up against Satan, the world, and the flesh, it is difficult not to fear. Having seen the realities of life, knowing the hardships of family life in that time in history, she probably never had the comfort of complacency. The harbor is very comfortable for those who have never been out in the storm. Today's Christian extends the Christian faith as far as the worship sanctuary...sitting in a comfortable, air-conditioned building, soft-light from expensive stained-glass windows, anthems from trained voices and expensive, soothing instruments, seminary-trained words from one of sartorial splendor who exercises care that no one's feelings are abused. All just blind, deaf, dead “hearers” of the Word, the speaker wants laughing and clapping, agreement and love.
Her father, elder P.T. Lucas (this writer gives two Elder P.T. Lucas pastoral awards of $3,000 each to two NC pastors each year, selected by their denomination) who had survived the Civil War, raised twelve children, and traveled the state in horse and buggy establishing churches while dragging crippled arthritic limbs. He was finally bed-ridden for one year before death, although leaving behind an estate for each child.
One of his daughters, Aunt Sadie had owned one of the more beautiful homes in the state near her father (my great grandfather): beautiful flowers, lawns extending to the highway. As was the case with Madeline Mary O'Hare, lawyer from Austin TX and one of the most famous atheists in the world. In both cases, a firm believer and a firm non-believer, people who did not agree with them would drive over their lawns, destroying their property. My grandmother, like others of her time, knew the disparagement of the political system, locally and otherwise. Life was hard and just like today, Satan's followers were riding high. Satan is a cruel slavemaster, but she, like my other grandmother, and women before them knew that there is no slavery like that of the liberated or non-liberated woman. When Christ lived, all women were just slaves...my grandmothers were not allowed to vote until 1920.
Satan is not intimidated by words, he only understands and fears God's Holy Word. God has put limits on intelligence, but not on ignorance. It has never ceased to amaze me that anyone with one cell still functioning in the brain would not fear more about their eternal life than their casual attitude about the things of this world. You cannot obey the first commandment unless you have your freedom in Christ. If you want to lose your freedom, start buying Satan's lies. The greatest example of servitude, Christ washing the feet of Judas.
It is around the communion table that you experience true worship. My choice of all advice from my personal inventory of advice: at this beginning of a new year, worship Jesus at the communion table, whether in your home or at the church, whether alone or with others, just as often as possible. The archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Roan Williams said, “draw near to the Christian experience by praying our Lord's Prayer as often as possible.” Our Father who art in heaven... (Matthew 6:9-13). God is as close as the dew on the grass, if you want Him to be; I wish for you that personal relationship.
Europe is having the worst winter in 500 years, snow and ice from London to Moscow, two Russian icebreakers desperately trying to rescue 550 Russians in 3 fish vessels in the Okhotsk Sea. We do not have any certainty about what will happen from one day to the next, there have been such uncertainties in my lifetime. This past weekend, 5,000 blackbirds and 100,000 drum fish dead in Arkansas. The federal government blamed the dead birds on a storm. There was no storm, the enlightened have known about the chemtrails/chemistry of the atmosphere. The enlightened have known about the chemistry of the rivers.
Satan uses every evil to drive people down to his level. You cannot be all that you can be until you escape the tares and cares of the world. Satan has had enough influence on us, it is time to get on with our life.
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