March 27, 2020

At This Time in Our Lives 

At this time in our lives we are experiencing something that our ancestors before us never knew. I heard my mother and grandmother talk about the great flu epidemic of 1918 when our small community was hit so hard by the flu, my grandmother said that every able body man was building boxes and burying them and the ones sick knew that one of the boxes was for them. 

I think I have seen suffering when I went to India by train after a terrible flood, people were lined up, each time the train stopped trying to get drinking water. 

In my bedroom in which I don’t leave except for treatment, we know what life is all about restricted in your home. I am filled with sorrow that the children are living through this, many of us, is living as well as best with the worthy hand of God. We barely can take it in. What A Friend We Have in Jesus and we know that he is aware of it all. What do the unsaved do in a time like this, I cannot believe that those who do not believe have the strength and courage to live through time like these and not realize that God is Boss. I pray for each of you and ask for you continue concerns for what goes on in this house. 

I have always enjoy exploring cemeteries-graveyards it was always interested in looking at the hyphen in the date of birth and the date of death and thought what those lived through, we have the wonderful assurance that God has told us that “He will never leave us or forsake us” Hebrews 13. 

I pray, Gods Blessings on each of you these days, these times and always 

Tom Morris 

Dictated baf 

March 25, 2020

Praying in Time of Tragedy

God told us to come Boldly to his throne of Grace in time of need and this is time of need is certainly at UMO and we pray for the students boldly and all those in charge at UMO. When there is such a small student population boldly is such a large catastrophe. I pray for all those whom are in mourning. It's Our Duty To Pray On This Wednesday. May God keep us close to his heart of hearts and under his hands of protective care.
Thomas Morris
dictated

#1826 On the Stage of History

March 24, 2020

#1826 On the Stage of History

On The Stage Of History

            Your writer is a world traveler, (8 round the world trips, every continent, passport stamped in 157 countries, this includes both poles). Whether the Intuits of the far north, Asians or Africans, so many primitive tribes worship the sun...something large that they can see, an entity that they can fit into their world.

            In the books of Charles Dickens, he wrote of that days social problems. In Oliver Twist, we have a boy who escaped his environment. Back then, everything was good or evil, black or white. Americas today's world, everything in shades of grey. In every culture, there is a need for health and beauty... some hope in life. It is a human factor to have faithless day: days of despondency, despair, discouragement. Even Jesus was exasperated...a fig tree that did not bare fruit...buying and selling in the temple. 

            God expects only one thing of mortal man, trust. I have found that one who can not trust is not trustworthy himself. To be trustworthy, you must have the grace to trust: those who can not be trusted do not trust. Adam and Eve could not be trusted. All the beauty that one could possibly desire, all the bounty that one could possibly desire. God set just one parameter, "don't touch that tree".

            It is not the righteousness of God rather, righteousness of God...all consuming , as this writer has specified many times, you do not say, I am an American "I am American"... all consuming you, you are stating everything that America stands for. I would be the first to admit that we have many different type of Americans...greedy-envious-hypocritical. There are many who have a certain type self righteousness... pretending, performing BUT, when you have righteousness, through Gods spectacles, he sees the righteousness of Jesus in you.

            This writer, like you, had no existence before conception. Jesus had existence before he was conceived through the Holy Spirit in the body of a 13 year old virgin named Mary. In that manger, after delivery, (God had put on a tent of human flesh). The one who spoke and worlds were formed. Nothingness into somethingness. Jesus inherited it all and we, as believers on him accepting his redemption, become joint heirs with him. Jesus, with the glory of his father, before the world was formed, voluntarily yielded himself, the entire weight of the sin of the world. That is the nature of the spirits he puts in us. Oh how it depresses me that the modern church goers have so cheapened this great gift. Most do not know what it is all about. They actually think that God needs them. They actually think we are to worship "bellhop deity" just to be called on when we need him.  They want to camp out just as near Sodom as possible (even within the smoke and stench of a burning hell).

            Faith is supernatural. We must trust in the integrity of God's word. He did not say one thing accidentally. Jesus is our kinsman redeemer... willing to pay the price of our bondage- ransom. It takes the flesh and blood of a kinsman to redeem... able to pay the price, and what a price he did pay. A cross on Calvary (Hebrews 11). Now you understand why we can worship one whose Father spoke everything into existence. One man, Adam, caused us to lose our inheritance but, by grace through faith plus nothing Jesus, our kinsman redeemer- joint heir has regained our citizenship in heaven for us.

            I never understood redemption, completely, until, one day, on certain business, I was in a magistrate office, 2 parents were there to bond out their son who had been arrested for some malfeasance. He must of been a child of old age because both parents had grey hair. I could tell they had both been crying but they were there before the magistrate on business. the shirtless, shoeless young man, around 17 years of age was brought in, you could tell he was happy to see his loving parents and they had all the grace-faith-trust-love of parents in their son. They presented to the magistrate the deed to their house and its appraisal to bond- bail out their son. They had come to buy his freedom, to take him home. Is this not the history of Christianity? Our kinsman redeemer is the only hope of the world.

            The greatest fallacy, in my thinking as an American and a Christian , is that others have the same belief system- values- absolutes that you have. Others do not have the advantages of your lifestyle. I won life's lottery when I was chosen, by God, to be born: when I was blessed with my parents: when I was given my mind: when I was redeemed by God through the precious blood of his son. Surely others, not knowing the inner wirings of my mind, think I am strange. Remember, it does not matter what others think. The historical stage of the world has been occupied by those who did not choose the most trodden- beaten path. 

March 20,2020

Broken trumpets, semesters   Amidst all the chaos that has engulfed our world over the past few weeks, yesterday (March 18), a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake City, UT. While officials are still assessing the damage from the quake, one of the casualties was the statue of the angel Moroni perched atop the Salt Lake Mormon temple. As a result of the earthquake, Moroni's trumpet broke off. Ironically, the temple has been closed for the past several months as part of a renovation that is intended to make the temple more earthquake-proof. But that's not where the irony stops. Almost every Mormon temple around the world has a statue of Moroni at its peak, which symbolizes "the spreading of the gospel and the Second Coming of the Savior." A few weeks ago, Christy and I returned from a mission trip to Utah where we were reminded that while the LDS church claims to proclaim a "restored gospel," it's really a different gospel and thus no gospel at all. (Gal 1:6-8)  But we left Utah encouraged that God is doing a mighty and growing work among the LDS people through churches and ministries that are preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ and showing Mormons the deception within their own religion. In other words, God is in the process of breaking off Moroni's trumpet.     Our trip was incredibly fruitful and impactful as we met Ratio leaders and students from all over the country to pray for and evangelize Mormons. We spent most of our time sharing the gospel on 3 different college campuses, door-to-door in Provo (home of BYU), and in Temple Square. Throughout the trip, our team got to hear from experts in LDS ministry and then put the training into practice. When the week was done, there was not one team member that didn't come away with an incredible love for and burden to carry the gospel to the LDS people. Once the travel restrictions are lifted, we are looking to make these mission trips regular occurrences, not just for Ratio students but for anyone with a heart to carry the gospel to the Mormon people. If you're interested in being a part of a future trip, just let me know. From broken trumpets to broken semesters, most of you know by now that COVID-19 has caused the adjustment/cancellation of many things, including UNCW/CFCCs' spring semester. Our Ratio staff is heartbroken for our students, especially for the ones who also had to deal with a shortened school year in 2018-19 due to Hurricane Florence. As of now, all classes have been moved from on-campus to online classes, spring sports were canceled, study abroad students were forced to return home, and it looks like graduation won't be happening. Currently, our Ratio staff is seeing what we can salvage of the semester as far as possible online weekly meetings, but our primary concern is simply for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our students. Please pray for them, and really for our entire world, as we try to adjust to a whole different way of living. Additionally, our 3rd annual apologetics conference, which was supposed to happen this Saturday, was also canceled. Our current plan is to have Dr. Brown and all of the breakout speakers we had lined up come back next year. (March 20, 2021 - mark your calendars!) These are historic times in which we are living, times which our students will be able to one day share with their children how the world was rocked by a microscopic virus. But I'm thankful that "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those that dwell therein." (Ps 24:1)  For everyone, Christian and non-Christian, there is much uncertainty about what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month, etc. regarding this pandemic. But that's why we need faith - trusting God in the unknown based upon what we do know about Him. I think this is a great opportunity for believers to use these events as a springboard to share the gospel, and to be able to share hope with people who seem to be losing hope daily. Crises like COVID-19 cause many to think about ultimate things - why we're here and where we will go after this life. Let us take this opportunity to point people to the One who is Ultimate!

March 20, 20 

Great America

Dangerous Curves

If this is the new normal, where incomplete data and media-fueled panic rule the day, that is an even more frightening prospect than what’s happening right now.

By Julie Kelly • March 19, 2020

If you weren’t very ill in late January or February, you probably know someone who was. The complaints often sounded the same: A fever for days, a stubborn and unusual-sounding cough, a persistent sore throat—the severity of the symptoms seemed worse than the usual influenza.

Doctors, assuming it was a version of the seasonal flu, administered flu-fighting drugs without testing. (My college daughter was very sick with the same symptoms; her flu test was negative.) Plenty of afflicted Americans just stayed in bed without ever seeing a physician.

00:00

Obviously, anecdotal evidence that the COVID-19 illness has been around for at least the past few months isn’t enough to make the case that there’s a chance the worst days of the outbreak are behind, not ahead, of us. But data from the Centers for Disease Control seems to support the possibility that the country has been besieged by the novel coronavirus since the start of 2020.

And while political leaders and medical experts push for more and more draconian measures to “flatten the curve,” it raises some questions. Are we looking at the right “curve?” And how accurate is the current curve if it doesn’t include possible cases before the height of the hysteria began in late February and early March?

The curve, according to one report, “refers to the projected number of people who will contract COVID-19 over a period of time.” To date, the novel coronavirus curve undoubtedly looks ominous. Only a smattering of coronavirus cases was reported in the U.S. during January and February; that figure jumped at the beginning of March due to testing availability.

The first known American victim, a Washington resident who had traveled back from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, was confirmed on January 21. The U.S. coronavirus graph basically flatlines from that date until the last few days of February.

But since the disease originated in China in December at the latest, it’s highly unlikely the number of reported cases in the United States between January 1 and late February is accurate. (It’s important to note that in its order prohibiting most noncitizens from entering the United States from China, the White House confirmed that an average of 14,000 people per day traveled between the two countries in 2019. That means tens of thousands of potentially infected people entered the country for weeks prior to the travel stop.)

Therefore, how could a highly-contagious virus remain nonexistent in a free-moving society for several weeks?

The answer is, it probably did not. The CDC tracks a category called “influenza-like illness,” or ILI. Since symptoms of the flu and coronavirus are very similar, it’s instructive to look at this data, which is based on visits to health care providers in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. “For this system, ILI is defined as fever (temperature of 100°F or greater) and a cough and/or a sore throat,” reads the CDC webpage on influenza-like illness.

“What influenza-like illness is saying to us is that you have a virus likely affecting your respiratory system that is making you feel crummy and, currently aside from influenza, there aren’t good therapies for these other viruses, so we just treat the symptoms,” Dr. Michael Ison, a professor of infectious diseases at Northwestern University in Chicago, told WebMD.com in January. The underlying cause could be any number of undetected respiratory viruses.

Vanguard

March 19, 2020

Vanguard

Vanguard

Richie Havens, famed guitarist of the 70's is best know for his song, "Here comes the sun." In this parade of knowledge, here comes the vanguard of truth. Vanguards, banners, have always marked certain groups. It is astounding that God's word, so accurately counted, the vanguards of soldiers-citizens in each of the Jewish tribes, marked by tribal guidons, even in the wilderness. Each tribe, much like today's military units, had its distinctive-individual guidon, easily identified when taken into battle. The standard was transposed into a patch-may not have been worn by the Israelites but unit guidon patches are worn by today's military. This writer has traveled the world. There is not a place in the world that does not use street signs. Everyone knows the markers of ownership...the most basic hypothesis of Western Civilization, private ownership.

The Roman empire extended from the British isles to Greece..you find Roman ruins-roads-walls across Europe. Geoffrey Chaucer, said, "All roads lead to Rome." But, we know what happened to the Roman Empire. (opulence, decadence, profane, military control)

Today, all roads lead to Washington, D.C where that same decadence, military violence around the world, ambition for a new world order, triangulating in a future disaster. Rome's many military and commercial vulgarities, resulted in total economic inhalation. Today, Rome is known only for the Vatican. Every nation empire, aiming for total control, making populations welfare dependant, anti-Christian, will wind up as did the other fallen international vanguards. (Persian, Greek, Roman, British, Dutch, Portuguese) Just "narratives" in history books. The human psyche-the man's truth and truth is the first loss in all dictatorships and tyrannies. Our blessed Lord, himself, said, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). The vanguard, guidon, standard, sign post of life, truth.

Amateur thieves have stolen much from me, employees in my businesses and house. I do believe that many house keepers, first day of employment, looked over everything to decide what they wanted. My experience at the court house has been with thieves, people finding it so easy to steal from a blind man. (check writing, credit card usage, etc.) But, this thievery is nothing, I can excuse that. It is the thievery of politicians, bureaucrats, even greedy business people. I have found from experience and observation that the greatest greed takes place among families. This is almost as bad as the greed-thievery, that takes place at the school house where children are cheated from learning, the church house, where it is so easy for ushers to rack off a few big bills, or the preacher to live "high on the hog" from God's money or standing right in front of his congregants, compromise with truth.

There is a massive effort toward mind control by everyone in power, the greatest theft in the world. People in power can buy their own propaganda, white wash their sins. In my lifetime, the secular humanist, their purveyors of political correctness, the procreators of state controlled secular media, have robbed American's in particular, from the last vanguard, visage, celebrating truth. I can think of nothing worse than psychotropic drugs...now given even to school children, manipulating military forces. Big Pharma-big medicine prescribed or street sales, drugs warping the minds of people. It is all a matter of control..deceit.

God wanted me to totally travel the world He had created, designed. From every continent, every country I have studied, one truth is definite. "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]" (Eph 6:12). The world has chosen prison, slavery, in many places we even vote for it. There are two type prisons, large inward-fenced, shut in prisons and the much larger prison, outside the walls of the inward prison. Those in the outward prison labor to support both themselves and those within the walled prison. Those within the walled prison, live much better than those outside the walls who struggle for survival.

A female deputy sheriff worked for me for a few days, part-time. Her full-time work was at the local prison. She saw how frugally I live, a totally blind, 100% disabled, service connected, medical officer veteran. She said, "Dr. those behind the walls at that large prison, live much better than you."

Every city, every law enforcement office, now has a helicopter. In my town, I hear the helicopter flying over the city night after night, watching, waiting, making sure the prisoners are behaving.

Remember, the word "refuge" means security in a high place. The Christians banner, vanguard, guidon, standard post, tells us, and assures us that you can believe anything and everything you want to but the truth is the truth whether anyone believes it or not. The truth of the great "I am" will see us through. Our lost family members, friends, consider us narrow minded. Narrow is the way that leads to life eternally. (Matthew 7:14).

Squirrel Cage

March 18, 2020

Squirrel Cage

#1766

Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squirrels in a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, with great labor, and incessant anxiety, but never reach the top.

            The most important fact in this life, a sin in which I have been caught many times... knowing the gospel, knowing the forgiveness of God, I still get enslaved by the troubles and trials, problems encountered on each new day. Were slaves to sin, often try to keep Gods laws even though we have been given liberty from law. Abandoned freedom, returning to the law, abandon our freedom, lust of the flesh. We want relationships of law, rather than relationships of love.

            Christians of maturity, Christians of age, become dismayed  from the electronic media and even from the pul pit, by those who have exchanged their liberty through Christ, their freedom through redemption with entanglement by those who mix and confuse law and grace.

            I so remember my confusion-consignation as a young person studying the gospel. There were poorly educated preachers at the country church who had never been able to separate law and grace. There were older women in the church who would not build a fire in their cook stove on Sunday, very few would cook on the Lord's day. It was much as I experienced on my travels through Israel, the holy land, which according to Jewish law, observed at hotels, you ate cold food on the Sabbath... no maid service, orthodox Jews in their costumes walking everywhere.

            And then I was in Muslim countries (there are 42 Muslim countries in Africa) on a bus, the driver would get out of the bus and kneel in prayer on his prayer rug. Called to prayer from the mosque, men rushing to their place of worship... hand washing spigot outside the mosques.

            As this writers approaches the problems, aggravations, pains, trials, which are certain on every day of my life, I just pray that God will have an excess of mercy to see me through "it all." 

            "Through it all, through it all,
            I've learned to trust in Jesus,
            I've learned to trust in God;
            Through it all, through it all,
            I've learned to depend upon His Word."

            I have stated it from the pul pit, before many groups of veterans and I might as well state it here... "Sightless, wrought by pain, the victim of every aggravations and crime that employees can exact against me, knowing full well that most healthcare individuals and agencies are just going through the motions. IF NOT FOR MY FAITH WHO WOULD CONTINUE IN THIS LIFE? Do you actually blame any unbeliever for ending it all and knowing that God knows all, would he really hold suicide against the salvation of a believer?"

            And yet the two thieves on the cross of Calvary, who died with him, one on either side, never having experienced anything as far as grace... evidently, both were believers. One wanted belief on his own terms, like most modernists in the religiosity of today's world. "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us." (Luke 23:39) The other thief, humble, promised heaven that day, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." (Luke 23:42)

            As today's churches wither, most members depending on Christ to save his church and them, little humility by most of us to simply depend on grace. We get into the squirrel cage and just keep running, attempting to solve everything ourselves. It is too great an undertaking, it is truly remarkable that Jesus lived during the slavery and tyranny of Roman rule, perhaps the worst tyranny known to man. IF the saints who have gone on before us, IF my ancestors could survive through the horror story of their existence in the early years of this nation... SURELY I can bare up in this rat race, squirrel chase, anti-Christian, politically correct, broken culture in which God has chosen me to live.

            Our senses are besieged by sin that surrounds us. Our senses are bombarded by our fellow human beings. Lies are always used in direct proportion to their use. Almost, without exception, you evaluate the person-hood of EVERYONE with whom you come in contact. "How honest is this person, how far can I trust this person, what is this person attempting to get out of me?" This is not just the quandary of skepticism. Someone has said that a man is truly fortunate if he has enough friends to number on one hand. If he has two friends to whom he can go and borrow money without them asking any questions. As you age, you find that you have fewer and fewer friends... either outlived them or become so disappointed with them. Most do not want to indulge you, show any interest to your squirrel cage. Even our family members, our "so called" friends, neighbors, even those we pay to work for us, want nothing but a smooth road. Most of our friends are not concerned with the horror story of Planned Parenthood, GMO's in food, a nation mired in debt which it can never repay.

            Up until recent years, there was decency in all of us. We had rather work than take a hand out. My parents, ancestors, never thought about vacations/retirements. My grandfather was the last farmer to sign up for federal crop controls. My parents resented their parity check. "The doctrine of parity was used to justify agricultural price controls in the United States beginning in the 1920s-1930s." This writer was honored to work his way through eight years of university education. Now, every college student, regardless of the home from which they come, think that they must have a grant or surely a government subsidized loan AND from the bottomless ocean of knowledge and technology, has come several generations of Americans and even many in foreign countries who are tap dancing-running as hard as possible to keep up. Most are glancing at flowers they did not plant, certainly no time to smell a rose.

            I wish I had the ability to "re-gift" to my young grandsons and friends, the overwhelming desire of my youth for knowledge and success. We know that no man can come to Christ unless god "draws him." You could walk the isle of every Church, sign cards, but only the holy spirit of Christ re-birthing you will change you.

            In India, I saw water buffalo walking round and round, pumping water. The buffalo did not go anywhere except in a large circle. Only accomplished what the pole connected to him and mechanized pump desired. Water flowed because of the buffalo's work. In our lives, with all our activity, work, grief, we just may accomplish something, but life is for living. Jesus came to give us liberty, to set the captives free. This writer is in a cocoon of blackness, sightlessness, and I get exasperated with myself for letting the world, flesh, devil, re-enslave me. One who has spiritual freedom-liberty in Christ. 

Glass Bottom Boat

March 12,2020

Glass Bottom Boat

Glass Bottom Boat

            My first experience with glass bottom boats, Winter Gardens, FL. This is another tourist attraction, boats gliding over water, your looking through the glass bottom to see sea life in its native habitat. All over the world people study sea life, on my trip to the Antarctic, pods of whales...their snouts spraying water. God surely loved marine life. In our mind's eye, we see Jesus on the shore of Galilee, fish and bread over coals, come and dine (John 21:12). All his disciples were fisherman, rough hands, rough speech, rough "rearing", accustomed to the cold, real men.  

            If only there were more glass boats in our lives so we could study what makes things and people "tick." In spite of ourselves, most of us want truth. Although, I know many who want truth DISGUISED, can not face it in one's own life, lives of family or friends, lives of professionals-politicians, the drama and drag nets of everyday living. Still, we need the truth. Jesus told us that he is the truth (John 17:17).

            This writer in an octogenarian. The first time I saw pizza or potato chips, I was an army military officer. It is all a matter of the "bringing up" of children, learning to eat healthy. You never recover from poverty but there is one good thing about being poor, your diet. This writer has traveled the world, every continent (passport stamped in 157 countries), I found that the poorer the people, the sparser the food, the healthier the people. On Easter Island, Pacific Ocean, 500 miles from the coast of Chili, people so anxious for me to see their hospital. There was not one patient in their hospital. Their sparse diet, live not dead plants, seafood, exercise, no vehicles there, KEPT THEM HEALTHY. There are multiple programs on television and the radio pertaining to health..doctors-nutritionists interviewed. This is the age of supplements, and this writer is a firm believer in supplements.

            All over the "good earth" the soil has been depleted of minerals. God put on this earth everything man needs for health. The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself. There is no such thing as optional nutrition, the body will not digest synthetics. Most grocery store items have more nutrition in the packaging than the "food" you pay for.

            The green color of plants comes from magnesium. There is nothing more important in human health than magnesium, essential to the mitochondria of cell metabolism. There are trillions of cells in the human body, each one a chemical factory. Magnesium triggers the entire process.

            In America, 63.1% inhabitants are obese, 25.8 million are diabetic. Most are not fooling when they say they are hungry so, they eat junk and stay hungry. The junk becomes fat and your body dies a slow death from starvation. IF ONLY YOU HAD A GLASS TO LOOK INSIDE YOUR BODY AS IT STRUGGLES FOR SURVIVAL. Easy for your doctor to say, "Don't smoke, don't drink alcohol." Most doctors never mention nutrition. There are more old smoking alcoholics than old doctors. The most useless profession ever encountered: the nutritionist. There are 60,000 people employed as dieticians or nutritionists in America. SUCH A WASTE. You know your body better than anyone else. In this information age, the value of being able to read, you can study your bodies needs, learn to eat correctly. Only an absolute idiot could believe that you just eat things that taste sweet...so good. The shyster fast food sellers have learned to put sugar and salt on everything to addict you. In ceremonial Jewish law, offerings to God, sweet savor of burnt offerings, salt-sugar-spices condemned. God gave strict instructions in his law about food, live-growing plants, certain meat raised and prepared correctly, all the minerals, herbs essential for health, found in nutritious food. This writer recommends garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, fennel, seeds and nuts.

            The heart is deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9), a manufacturing ability for idols...among these, food addiction. The human being learns to hide behind a facade of fear...so afraid to tell anyone that everything is not "FINE." Even people going to their doctor will say, force of habit, "I am fine." Do you notice how everyone laughs at everything?...terrified of taking responsibility for self...self expression.

            We become the books we read. There is no reason why anyone who can read is not educated about health, especially their own health. Not in the future, already here with the abomination of Obama care, you will learn to take care of yourself, your family. We live longer, there are more 85-year-old's in America than 5-year-old's.  I know of nothing more important than the welfare of your soul, your preparation for living. It should start in the schools but there is a concentrated effort by the new world order to keep people dumb. Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote The Declaration of Independence. Shakespeare, 31, when he wrote his first play, Charles Dickens, 15, when he started writing. We have several generations that think that religious faith is feeling, not fact. That if anything feels good or tastes good, it is alright. 70% of young people voted for Obama, they like the undisciplined life, an immoral life, lack of integrity. Young people know nothing of history, what ancestors and defenders of liberty endured for their sake. Many of us refuse to see the life left in liberty, stomped out by those who just don't care.

            This writer, a totally blind, 100% disabled, service connected medical officer veteran of the Korean War era, is prepared to die. I know that my soul was chosen. I believe I prepared myself for life...education, hard work, I do not want it all in vain. Every so often, take a look through the glass. "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Smoke Signals

March 10, 2020

Smoke Signals

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Why, papa, you have mamma and me left!
J.R. Miller, very insightful
Play Audio! Download Audio

   ~  ~  ~  ~

God separates the sin which He hates--from the soul which He loves! 

(William Nicholson, "Afflictions!"1862)

"Affliction does not come from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground. Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward." Job 5:6, 7

Man is born in sin, and therefore born to trouble. There is nothing in this world we are born to, and can truly call our own--but sin and trouble!

Actual transgressions are the sparks which fly out of the furnace of original corruption. 

Why then should we be surprised at our afflictions as strange, or object to them as severe--when they are the effects of sin, and under God's divine superintendence?

Afflictions are the common lot of man. "Man is born to trouble!" These afflictions are . . .
   grievous,
   various,
   numerous,
   and successive.

None are exempt from afflictions. For wherever there is sin, there is trouble. "Man is born to trouble!"

The poor endure it--the rich are not exempt.

To the pious, a bitter cup is assigned--and the wicked too have aching heads and hearts.

Grandeur, nobility, and royalty--are also associated with trouble.

The heart of the peasant, and that of the monarch--are alike smitten with anguish.

In youth, in middle age, in later life--there is trouble.

In health, in wealth, in honor, in elevation--there is trouble.

In successful enterprise,
in vast financial accumulation,
in places of nobility,
in beautiful mansions, and splendid palaces
--there is no exemption from trouble!

Go where you will, you will find trouble! Take the wings of the morning, and fly to the uttermost parts of the earth, and even there you will find it. Enter the deep shades of solitude, and it is there.

Crown yourselves with royalty;
take the exhilarating wine;
engage in the giddy dance;
listen to entrancing music and convivial songs;
visit the drama, and other theatric performances
--and you may for a season drown your sorrow.
But the clouds of trouble are sure to gather over your heads!

You are born to trouble.

It is your inevitable lot.

You will yet have to sicken, to suffer, and die!

Brethren, you know that, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows!" John 16:33

Afflictions are designed for chastisement. Afflictions are designed to awaken--correct, reform, divert from sin and the world--and to transfer the affections to Heaven. They "are for our profit." Hebrews 12:10

By affliction, God separates the sin which He hates--from the soul which He loves!

Two things should comfort believers under afflictions:
  1. That what they suffer is not Hell.
  2. That it is all the Hell they shall suffer.

Our enjoyments are greater than our afflictions.
And our afflictions are much less than our sins.

The source of affliction is not chance or mere natural causes. "Affliction does not come from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground." If afflictions came from chance, there would be nothing wise, intelligent, reasonable, or good, in them--they would be dark, confused, and miserable.

Afflictions are Divinely appointed.

Job could say, "He performs the thing that is appointed for me."

David rejoiced to say, "All my times are in Your hand."

And Paul comforted the Christians at Thessalonica by the doctrine of Divine appointment: "No man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." 1 Thessalonians 3:3.

That afflictions are appointed by God, is comforting, for it indicates that:

1. Our afflictions will be mingled with mercy. They are appointed by our gracious Father, who knows our frame, etc. They are sent by the God of love. To one who loves God, it is a great comfort to see His hand in everything that befalls us. It is enough, and ought to be enough, that it is the Lord's doing--let Him do what seems good unto Him. "I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the one who has done this!" Psalm 39:9

When Job was deprived of all his substance by the Chaldeans and Sabeans, he said, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised!" To have everything ordered and arranged by God, is all that we can desire!

2. Our afflictions are sent in wisdom. It is highly conciliating to view every separate event, as a part of God's one all-wise scheme; and to know that when our plans are frustrated, God's plans remain unalterably wise. He knows what is best for us, and His plans never fail!

3. Afflictions are designed to produce glorious results. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

All our present ills are the seeds of future bliss, and will be followed by a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory in the kingdom of God's dear Son.

When such sublime results shall be realized, we shall perceive that "Affliction does not come from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground." Be submissive. God's design for afflictions is our sanctification, and eventual glorification. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it!" Hebrews 12:11

Afflictions are but blessings in disguise!

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You may want to read the whole of William Nicholson's superb short article, "Afflictions!"

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Feel free to forward these gems to others who may be encouraged or profited by them!

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Addition Dr. Morris: Your writer was born and reared on a dirt road without power, phone or water lines, in the parched poverty of the tobacco fields of Eastern N.C. Native Americans (Indians), used smoke signals to communicate. My early ancestors (landing in New Jersey, 1677, founding Morristown) used a large iron dinner bell to signal distress. To those children, almost all, regardless of status, telephone in pocket, there was a time when there was only one telephone within miles. Most distant communication was by telegraph.

God chooses the cross he wishes his children to bear. Those of us, saved, redeemed by his precious blood have a direct communication with him every second-every day of life. Can we even imagine such power, grace, mercy? 

This very morning, a man asked me if he could be healed of his Parkinson's Disease. This writer, too, has been fighting cancer for a very long time. Our afflictions are truly our greatest blessings, and whether healed here or there, hymn writers said, "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe."