Different

#1756

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1 Corinthians Chapter 1)

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Thomas Watson's choice excerpts on Scripture
Play Audio! Download Audio

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We soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive!

(James Smith, "The Great Comforter" 1858)

"It is the Spirit who quickens; the flesh profits nothing." John 6:63

All real religion begins with the quickening of the Spirit. When we experience this . . .
  we begin to breathe after spiritual things; 
  we open our eyes in a new world; 
  we hunger and thirst after righteousness; 
  and at length taste that the Lord is gracious. 
We then have . . .
  new thoughts, 
  new desires, 
  new hopes, 
  new fears, 
  new joys, and 
  new sorrows. 
The eye fixes on Christ, 
the heart goes out to Christ, and 
the chief desire of the soul is to be like Christ. 

The Spirit not only quickens us at first--but all through life we need and are dependent on the Spirit's quickening. He quickens us to pray, and He quickens us in prayer. It is His quickening which puts . . .
  life into our graces,
  energy into our prayers,
  confidence into our expectations, and
  enables us to resist Satan, steadfast in the faith.

If His quickening power is withheld--we soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive! We have . . .
  no power in prayer,
  no enjoyment in ordinances,
  no liberty in speaking to the saints,
  nor profit in reading God's Word. 
Every duty becomes a task, 
every privilege becomes a burden, and 
every cross appears insupportable!

While under the quickening operation of the Spirit--we can do all things; but without His quickening--we can do nothing. 

Often, very often, have we to cry out from bitter experience, "My soul cleaves unto the dust; quicken me according unto Your Word!" Psalm 119:25

Quickening Spirit, daily quicken my soul!

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We have published J.R. Miller's helpful short article, "The Cure for Weariness".

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

Dr. Morris-

      This writer, like most people I have encountered inside the church house, caught in the same satanic trap- snare- plight of not wanting to be "different" from those outside the church house. Our lives have been tainted by the need for acceptance of Satan's crowd... Our dress- language- idols. We had rather be popular- proud- peculiar, than show the born again righteousness of Christ which should be shown in any person who has experienced true repentance, lost that old life of sin and indifference. God inhabits the praise of his people (Psalm 22:3).

      Real Christians, different people, care little about the "acceptance" of an unsaved world. Every minute of every day, I want acceptance of a holy God. We find this in prayer. It is a lifelong learning experience that, when you have notoriety, education accomplishment, success in business, houses and lands, even family and friends, you have what THEY can do. But, when you have a daily minute by minute experience with the holiness of God through prayer, than you have what God can do.

      Look around, look at the news, look at what is happening to our world, WE NEED, WHAT GOD CAN DO.

Mind Over Mattress

#1755

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass  withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (Peter 1:24).

No airplane can do what a sparrow does. God gave man the intelligence to build an airplane. But, a plane is a very poor substitute for the maneuvering of a sparrow. AND, "God knows every sparrows fall" (Matthew 10:29). 

This writer doubts very seriously if God knows pity on the fighter pilot who shows no pity on his adversary.

In the lifetime of this old man, in spite of the wisdom of man, I have daily seen the portrait painted, pertaining the survival of mankind. Today, a few days after the Summer solstice, 2015 (the two moments during the year when the path of the Sun in the sky is farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21) or farthest south in the Southern Hemisphere (December 21 or 22)). The US Supreme Court handed down the most diabolical decision ever made in the history of America, Destroying the sanctity of marriage, the first established sacredness of God, after he designed human beings of different sex, man and women. 

Satan, always ready to take advantage of a situation, using the agenda of perverts, using the agenda of population control, has now forced upon the American people, forced acceptance of same sex marriage. We will see how long it takes the Liberal Theologians, the social religionists, those that have always found that with Christianity, as well as with the business world, as with international diplomacy, you go along to get along, the mantra of political correctness. 

Just yesterday, I lunched with two officials from a Baptist children's home. We discussed the phenomenon of orphans and foster care. I expressed to them the supernatural phenomenon, that I have observed my entire life, the bonding of children with their biological parents. We read and study about abuse in a home. Abuse of children by parents. And yet, there is an indescribable bond dynamic between a child and parent. As they said to me, "No matter how bad the home, no matter how good the foster home or the orphanage, the child still wants to return home."

"No matter how horrible has been the abuse of a parent, physical- psychological- sexual, the child will not talk of it, and still wants to return home." It makes no difference how many men another man will marry or, how many women another women might marry, no two men and no two women can produce a child. And certainly not a child with a bond between them. 

The most mixed up young man I have ever known in my long life, and many such young people have worked for me, both in the military service, and in civilian life, the most mixed up- confused- seething in decadents, was a young man raised by two lesbians. This pretender president, these pretending politicians, want to talk about love. If you want to see real love, parents for a retarded, or terminal sick child. If you want to see real love, as I have several times in my life, a husband who cares for a terminal sick wife, or a wife who cares daily for a husband with Alzheimer's.

God, in his infinite wisdom, we need not ask why... It is his business. Will have some people live a long time... Cant live, wont die. 

One of my friends, his wife at home, small children in school, he holding down a regular job at Sears, had a bed ridden wife. A neighbor or family member would go into their home and check on her during the day. But it was up to him to care for her otherwise (bathing, medicine, physiological stability). It was up to him to clean the house, clean the children, cook the meals, he had a full time job night and day. But he loved her and his children to much to let up one minute. As in our relationship with God, it is a love affair every minute, 1440 minutes in a day, everyday.

You don't think about vacations or retirement. 

I still remember the time before nursing homes, hospice care, even the present day methods of sanitation. It was the challenge of a husband- wife, other family members, concerned neighbors, concerned church members, to keep life worth while to those in a rapid retreat from life. 

This employer has had his fill of young people, who know nothing but cheap love- cheap sex- expensive addictions. I have known too many who, would rather lay on the bed and sleep after a night of carousing, boozing, addictive happy hour behavior, instead of getting up, going to work, and making a living.

This world traveler has seen, from one side of the world to the other, flora (weeds- bushes- trees), growing from cracks in rocks... Roots just stretching down towards nourishment. Loving life, reaching towards the sun. This is real love... Love of life. 

Every night of my life, I sleep on a very old, four poster bed. This is the bed in which my grandparents and parents slept... Normal people, male and female. Human beings who had enough love for life, to produce children, and more important, to raise their children.

The Supreme Court can issue as many edicts as it wishes. But no court house will ever change the love bond existing between parents and children, God and his precious children, precious human life, his chief creation.  

Next, Christian Flag

#1753

There's a royal banner given for display

To the soldiers of the King;

As an ensign fair we lift it up today,

While as ransomed ones we sing.

Refrain:

Marching on, marching on,

For Christ count everything but loss!

And to crown Him King, we'll toil and sing,

'Neath the banner of the cross!

In the countryside were this writer was raised, hard work-hard times, just God fearing, working, tax paying believers. We did not have time to embellish our thoughts with the history that surrounded us. We knew that God was the designer of sacred geometry (everything in balance, sacred biology, life of every animal and plant precious in his sight and useful for man kind). Everything had a purpose, God makes no mistakes, there is no such thing as a rebel molecule. 

Most of the farm land was owned by relatives, and it had been handed down for many generations. I had often asked my parents about a certain area of dead, wild, bushes in the middle of a big field, which over the years, tenants of the land had just plowed around. An area probably about forty feet squared, over many years, many storms, trees once there, large bushes, just a big snake pit. 

Some years ago, a cousin who had inherited the land, decided to either find out what was there, in this discarded graveyard, or just return the area to a productive part of his land. When he began to cut- burn, he found that there were two remarkable tombstones in the area, tombstones of our ancestors, veterans of the Civil War. Two of my great-great-grandfathers sons, Nathan and James Morris, both of whom killed the same day during the Civil War. It was strange that these two were not buried with other family members in the family graveyard. 

It is quite possible, my ancestors were large land owners, they could have afforded to have the bodies brought from Virginia were they were killed. It is also possible, since my ancestry dating from first landing and founding of Morris town NJ in 1677, were not active in the Confederacy. Perhaps this is the reason that the family church, then (1874) and until this day, is known as the "Union Grove Church," and effort at reconciliation. It is quite possible that these two sons, more than other family members, were sympathizers of the southern cause (some historians have called the North-South conflict a matter of slavery, others a matter of taxation). whatever the cause, these two sons chose to fight with the Confederacy, and died as confederate soldiers. 

I am surmising that their loving, grieving family, chose to bury them separate from other family and neighbors, for some unknown reason, we will never know. Young men of the South, fought and died for what they believed. Just as for some unknown reason young men of different factions of the same religion (Islam) fought and died in Iraq, and Afghanistan. One of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century, involved Iran and Iraq, Muslims killing Muslims. We do not know what type of flag they fought under. 

The flag of the Confederacy, seems to be more a matter of concealed altruism, in more modern simplistic minds, who just want to be rebels. 

Rebels have never conquered anyone at anytime. There must be more to idealism than rebellion.

Do we really think removing any physical-outward symbol, cleanses any thought?

Stinking thinking, is still stinking thinking. 

If the presentation- Parading of the stars and stripes, the American flag, does not stir your mind, then their is something very wrong 14 inches away at your heart. 

The thing that bothers me most about the removal of the Confederate flag, and whatever it symbolizes to some people, is just how long it will take for the same "book burners" to remove the Christian flag from Christian churches and Christian sinners around the world. 

We believe there are about 300,000 Christian churches in America today... Some great mega edifices, some just store front places to worship. Some churches are very evangelical, some very modernistic... Just country clubs with steeples. Almost all Christian churches, because we uphold the liberty of our patriotic, as well as our Christian liberty, have somewhere in the building, usually at the front, both a Christian and American flag. Many of my Christian friends, who did not wear the military uniform, have their casket covered with a Christian flag when they die.

How long will it be until these same élites who want to control everything, according to their own bias thinking, want the Christian thinking removed from Americana. 

Then, how long will it be before these Elites, who usually have no political or religious loyalty, will want "old glory" removed from the American public square, and anywhere else that it might offend them. 

The road to Hell is paved with empty religions, just formalities and rituals. You can get the same in a civic, or fraternal group. 

Christianity is supernatural, when a Christian, in a supernatural way, you become a new creation. This is the problem with the present day church, present day believers, who pretend to be Christians. Most have never had a supernatural experience. 

When you have a supernatural experience, the Holy Spirit of God (Birthed in your heart), the Christian flag means much to you. 

For those who have known the thrill of the stars and stripes, even on an embassy in a foreign country, or on an American ship in a foreign port, there too, is a supernatural thrill.

Perhaps Nathan and James Morris in that forgotten graveyard, knew loyalty to the Confederate flag. At least, they are buried in the land and near the family the loved. 

Anxiety

#1751

Are you not put to shame by every little bird that sits upon the bough and sings, though it has not two grains of barley in all the world?

(Charles Spurgeon, "A Good Start!")

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life--what you will eat or drink; or about yourbody--what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns--and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire--will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For thepagans run after all these things--and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Matthew 6:25-32

Undue anxiety is very common among the unsaved--I suppose they cannot help it. Yet Christiansmust help it; for the Lord's precept is plain and binding: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus!"Philippians 4:6-7

Fretful anxiety is forbidden to the Christian! 

It is needless. "Look at the birds of the air," said Christ: "they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" If you have a Father in Heaven to care for you--are you not put to shame by every little bird that sits upon the bough and sings, though it has not two grains of barley in all the world? God takes charge of the birds of the air, and thus they live exempt from anxious care--why do not we?

Our Lord also taught that such anxiety is useless as well as needless; for, with all our care, we cannot add a single hour to our life!

Can we do anything else by fretful care? What if the farmer deplores that there is no rain? Do his fears unstop the bottles of Heaven? Or if the merchant sighs because the wind detains his ship laden with goods--will his complainings turn the gale to another quarter? 

We do not better ourselves a bit, by all our fretting and fuming. It would be infinitely wiser to do our best--and then casts our care upon our God!

Prudence is wisdom--for it adapts means to ends. 
But anxiety is folly--for it groans and worries, and accomplishes nothing! 

Besides, according to our Savior, anxiety about worldly things is heathenish: "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them!" They have no God and no providence--and therefore they try to be a providence to themselves. Let the heir of Heaven act a nobler part than the mere man of the world--who has his portion in this life, and lives without God and without hope. 

Our distrust of our God is both childish and dishonoring. I was driven through the streets one day by a friend in a four-wheeled carriage, and he, being a good driver, must needs drive into narrow places, where it seemed to me that we would be crushed by the vans and omnibuses. I shrank back in my timidity, and expressed my unwise alarms so freely, that with a smile he laid the reins in my hand, and said, "If you cannot trust me--would you like to drive yourself?" From that ambition I was wholly free, and I assured him that he might drive as he liked, rather than make me the charioteer!

Surely, the great God might well put the same proposal to those who are complaining of His providence. If we cannot trust Him--could we manage better ourselves? 

If we are Christians, let us believe in our God, and leave the governance of the great world to the Lord God, our heavenly Father, who will surely cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him!

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Anxiety

The question and mystery of my lifetime, should I prepare, work hard, go through all the trials and turmoil of living a responsible- productive- accumulating life, or just throw up my hands, and say, "God will provide." I truly believe that God equips us to have the intelligence to do the best we can with what we have... To make preparations for what we can. The Roman soldiers carried barley and other food with them. Soldiers in Americas wars, revolution- civil-Spanish, did not have the "backup" of those in more recent 20th century wars. Even the modern farmer provides irrigation.

There is no way that we can discount the providence of creator God. This week, Elizabeth Elliot was buried. She, like most missionaries, depended on the sovereignty of God. In this sightless mans daily life, as I face the anxiety of making a living, the anxiety of problems on every hand, the anxiety of old age, with Gods anointing, I press on. 

The Death of Business

#1746

"God grant me the serenity 
To accept the things I cannot change; 
Courage to change the things I can; 
And wisdom to know the difference."

Directions in life, are often determined by unintended consequences. The business model on which all commerce, anywhere around the world, is directed, involves "selling something." Small mom and pop grocery store, a beauty shop at the home or a barber shop at the crossroads, Your neighbors and friends, supplying a source for your need, and trying to make a profit. This 85 year old man well remembers his first self-help store, his first self-help gas station. It is from the sound busiest practices of the self-help- lower price model that Sam Walden built an empire that made his children some of the richest people in America. Only history will tell us what Wal-Mart, stores everywhere in every area of our country, has done to the small business man. The small business man operating with heart, a feeling of family with his customers has died, replaced by an impersonal Wal-Mart model.

It is very much the same with other heartless- hapless corporations such as Amazon and AT&T. The small book seller on Amazon, just wants to make a living, just as the small mom and pop grocery store. But, as this writer found in the huge Communist operations in Russia and China, the personal ingredient, has been taken out of the mega store- corporation. It is only the bottom line that matters. And the, excessive salaries of store and corporate officials. Next to Wal-Mart, the greatest offenders in the American experience, Amazon and AT&T. Even Monsanto and its attempt to control the lifestyle of everyone, does not compare to the poison of Amazon and AT&T. 

Reality, Perception: Morality, Dilemma

#1744

"When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down" - Simon and Garfunkel 

The amateur photographer enjoys photographing sunsets. This world traveler has photographed sunsets all over the world, even with almost sightless eyes. The best sunsets are behind mountains or across large expanses of water. 

There are many things in life I can not explain, like people praying as they read self-help books. When I get to heaven, I will have many questions to ask God.  I want to question many ideas about nothingness to somethingness. I want to question about all matter being energy... Einstein shows us this in his equation. Energy = mass x the speed of light squared. We know that our entire universe is electricity, everything about the human body. For some strange reason, we just expect the human body to keep functioning in spite of its treatment, in spite of the nourishment we put in it, in spite of the stress and strain we put on it. The evolutionist has never been able to explain why everything wears out, all matter. 

Recently, two deaths in one day, men this writer knew... two very different men. 

I have joined, for many years, a group of veterans every Monday morning for breakfast. Rapidly we are dying off. The last, a veteran named Fred, who always boasted about never going to a doctor and he just fell over dead, no warnings. He was just beginning to enjoy his retirement. 

The same day, the death of James Forbes Nash and his wife in a traffic collision, returning from Europe where he had just received a prize for mathematics. 

The following day, A ship capsized in the Yangtze River, a storm just out of nowhere. 432 people died. (Chinese have souls too). This world traveler has crossed that river, been in a ship on that river several times. 

The writer C.S Lewis said, "Joy is a serious business." The only joy we can observe in the death of anyone, particularly a family member, is the joy of knowing that there is life after death... last breath here, first breath there. The Catholics would have you believe there is a buffer zone. A place and time between clinical death and heaven, a place called purgatory, where sins can be purged, by others, praying and giving, attempting to influence God. There is absolutely nothing in the scripture to support this. The sovereign word of God tells us that at clinical death, every opportunity is over for purging or repentance. Of course we are taught, in no uncertain terms, that those who live in sin are dead while they live. 

It is incomprehensible that anyone, with nominal intelligence, knowing that everyone will die (the mortality rate is still 100%, no options) And knowing just how short life is compared to eternity, knowing how unpredictable life can be ( Nash and his wife were killed in a taxi on their return from Europe, plane, to their home.) That one would want to be well prepared for exit- death. Everyone does not "fade away" in a hospice. 

Modern science will have you believe that, life is a matter of genetics, genetic intervention to make living better. In England, the popular notion is to have a nurse in the home with a child, for the first 3 years of a child's life. In the notion that the nurse can teach the child right from wrong, and prepare an individual for person hood. 

The Christian message, "Christ-like," the new birth, born again, the righteousness of Christ replacing within the individual. The old man of sin and rejection. The new birth means, that when God looks at you through his spectacles, he sees not you and your indifference, but in you, the righteousness of Christ. 

We are a new creation, different. The problem with most believers I know, they do not want to be different. THEY LIKE THEIR LIFE AS IT IS. Much like the lives of their family and friends who are not believers. They want popularity, to chase the idols of success- money- notoriety. Most people I know, much prefer the lives of "The Rich and Famous" to the servitude life of Christ. Only twenty percent of Catholics go to mass. Thousands of Protestant- Baptist churches, close their doors every year. 

The parel, golden age, the white haired saints still in the fuse, watching their church and its pastor compromise, and become politically correct... The church, a country club with a steeple. Compromising with "Gods word," in order to dance to the tune of Madison Avenue... God becoming just a bell hop; prayer becoming just a quick fix. There is no real joy or genuineness in just pretending. 

The Christian life is not complicated, just tough. Our faith gives us freedom. The grace of knowing that "whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8). Can anyone think of a greater joy than this? 

Taxonomy and Transformation

Sunset and evening star,

      And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

      When I put out to sea,

   But such a tide as moving seems asleep,

      Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

      Turns again home.

   Twilight and evening bell,

      And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

      When I embark;

   For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place

      The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

      When I have crost the bar.

-Tennyson

In my lifetime, 85 years, the world has transformed. I can sit in any business, among any civic, church, or political group, and tell you exactly about its taxonomy, a routine for doing things, its accepted method. Through technology, technocracy, global control has been achieved because, even into remote areas, everyone is exposed- educated to all world lifestyles... Taxonomy- transformation of the world. Some call it, "new world order." Those in the African bush, those in the Gobi desert, those in the Himalayas, all know what is going on all over the world. This writer was in the Sahara desert nomad encampment. Under a tent these people were watching American TV.

           Learn early as did the prophets of the old testament, as did the puritans who landed in our country it makes no difference what others think, we are responsible only to god, and he is all we need, don't think for one minute, that the world, even your own family, appreciates anything you've done in life, don't think for one minute your nation appreciates anything you've done in service to your country, we hear all the time of the concern of the veterans administration for the suicide of veterans, more veterans commit suicide than are killed in battle. The VA does not care about the suicides of veterans, the more suicides the better. It is much cheaper to put a veteran in a tin casket in the ground, than for continuous care.

Perhaps the greatest transformation in the taxonomy of the American Republic, the upside-down treatment of citizens. It is the unproductive- irresponsible, lazy citizens, who reap the benefits of our democracy. They get government checks for doing nothing, are rewarded for sinful living- bad habits. With a national debt admitted at 19-Trillion, with future entitlements of over 100 trillion, the most naive politician knows the waiting calamity. Just as the medical profession knows that the epidemic of diabetes is just rapid aging, the politician knows that emphasis on climate control is just an agenda for population elimination (ever since John D Rockefeller and John Foster Dulles made a trip around the world seeing the seething- increasing populations of destitute countries, intelligentsia  has perused the idea of population control... Planned parenthood in this country, abortion holocaust). Again, like medicine, when you don't know what to do, it is WW, watch and wait. With wars incinerating men and means, a nuclear balancing act in the wings, we can no longer watch and wait. exponential disaster.

In a world of political correctness, political and pastoral compromise, we hesitate to judge our fellow man. Next door or around the world. The fall in the garden of Eden effects all hearts. If you knew my heart the way I know my heart you would not want my opinion. but, If I knew your heart the way you know your heart I would not care. The whole message of life, giving and getting. The gospel is the good news of believing as well as living. Jesus loved the widow when she threw her mite into the treasury because she gave all she had. But, remember, from that same treasury, religious treasury, came the money given to Judis to betray our blessed lord. The world is built around the mystery of giving. From nothingness to somethingness, god gave us life. In the fullness of time, god gave us his son. And his son gave us his  life for our redemption. Man has the taxonomy to give because it is in his nature to give. One can give without loving but cannot love without giving. The truest sign of gods dwelling in the human heart, is ones desire to give. Because this is your manifestation of love.

The question for the 21st century Christian, the 21st century citizen, how much would you give if it were not tax detectable? The christian should give for gods work in spite of everything. Do you think you could actually pay a warrior to give his life for his country, to come back from war crippled or blind? Most healthcare workers, I have found as a medical officer in the war and in other areas, work blindly. Just going through the motions, without knowing what or why they are doing anything. Most employees in any business work blindly, not knowing what or why they are doing their jobs, never realizing the taxonomy, or purpose involved in their activity. The time has come for a transformation in thinking... Explanations for work- jobs, explanations for college courses, explanation for curriculum of study.
The Trojan horse of global control, the fact that everyone everywhere, knows much about the world. The never before ability to teach and train the taxonomy of every man, being every mans brothers keeper. Christians even have the opportunity to show, as well as teach, the transformation power of god working in the hearts of men.

#1730

Speaking Truth

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

Faith never judges god by circumstances. Faith is accepting what god gives us. Our faith should guide us through any circumstance, rather than calling on faith to get us through a circumstance. There is little in life more definitive than death. Although the mortality rate is still 100% we shun death. Every time we pass a cemetery, a funeral home, we realize the inevitability of death. When I was young, the Christian family wanted the Christian family members funeral at the church. The only funerals at the funeral home or graveside were those who were not a church member, who had never made a profession of faith. Now, expensive funerals- cheap families, most Christians have a cheap funeral. The church member, faithful in life to a church, should have their funeral at their church. So it cost more, what better way for a family to spend?

Our world is in a state of confusion. majoring on minor things. A famous nursery rhyme, "Alice in Wonderland", "It makes no difference which road you take if you don't know were you are going." often majoring in minor things, confusion, we are afraid to speak the truth about anything. The world has become politically correct... The pastor as well as the politician. God will surely hold that preacher- pastor accountable, who can stand week after week in front of a congregation, when he knows full well that most of the people to who he is preaching, are just pretending.

One of my pastor friends told me about a recent experience with a death in his church family. One couple in his church had one son, who as a teenager after having been raised in church, took the route of unbelief, settled into a life of drugs, in denial of everything Christian. His family, his parents were unable to reach him in his fall into the bottomless pit of sins... Sin of every type, particularly drugs. In and out of rehabilitation, no one could reach him. And finally, away from home, and the parents who loved him, he died of an overdose. 

His parents asked their pastor if they could have his funeral at the church, they knew that he was well known in the community, not just because he was their son, but he was very popular with many young people. The pastor said, "Only on one condition, that you will allow me to say what needs to be said, and you, his parents, know what that is, that your son is in hell." They agreed. 

Before a full house, after the parents had entered the church, front row, right in front of the casket, the pastor went down and hugged both parents.Then, he said to the congregation, "You will hear something like you have never heard at another funeral. I have discussed this with his parents and they want me to say what I am going to say. You all know, just as I know, that their son never repented... Refused every kindness of this church. Unless, at the last moment of life, god in his mercy chose to save him, he is in hell. Eternally in Hell."

The pastor continued, "I am saying this because, for all you young people who are here, who knew him, knew the life which he had thrown away, knew the sorrow he had brought to his parents, you are heading in the same direction, unless you make a change in your life."

He said he could tell the words had an effect on those young people there. Many having never been inside a church house before. Most did not know how to even dress in respect for a funeral. This writer does not know much about death-bed repentance- salvation. The thief on the cross who repented has always been a mystery to me. Here is a man who was crucified next to our blessed lord. We know nothing about him other than he was a thief. If he had not been a thief, IF he had not been crucified next to Jesus, would he have been saved?

Climbing the rungs of ladder of life, the serious- intelligent person looks around. There are so many things that simply do not make sense. The person-hood of parents raising children who are snatched right from their grasp by Satan. Many church going parents have not realized that children see around the corner... That Sunday school and church are not important unless they see their parents taking the bible seriously. How often do your children see you reading the bible in the home? You fuss about the ten commandments being displayed at the court house, what about the school house? Church house, your house?  You fuss about health costs- Obama Care, do you realize that all corn, the most edible food in America, is GMO produced (Genetically Modified)? The most dangerous biological in nutrition. We fuss about so many people dying of cancer. Do you realize that one third of the population of America have cancer? Heading toward one half of the population of Europe having cancer? Like the poverty level of LBJ's time, 15%, poverty, is now more than 15%. With the Billions given For Haiti earthquake relief, Haiti is now in worse shape than before the earthquake or the earthquake funds. But, many big wheels like Bill Clinton got rich from it. What happens to all the money given to study nutrition, to study cancer. To bring relief to a sick world. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Charity, giving churches as well as "do-gooder" groups, need discipline- oversight in a god soaked way. 

Everything about life is a matter of grace, the grace of god... Gift to the undeserving. "I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23). 

We can depend on the chastening- correcting, rod and staff of god to guide us in truth. 

#1728

Mothers in Aprons

20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

(Colossians 3:20-21 King James Version)

"Love was in the room And new life was born where only death had been Love was in the room And death and hell would never reign again When the glory of the Living God Broke through to the darkness of the tomb The earth was filled with His beauty And love was in the room"

Dolly Parton Hillbilly singer made famous these words in her tune "9 to 5",

"Workin' 9 to 5, What a way to make a livin' ,Barely gettin' by, Its all takin' and never given."

This writer, like Winston Churchill, when talking to his biographer about his mother said, "she was my first and greatest teacher". I thought, how could I explain to anyone that my mother always worked from 5 to 9. How could I possibly explain her tiredness when she sat at the table with her family, after working all day in the fields and otherwise, still preparing a meal and, When I was a child, (85 years ago) she had none of the modern conveniences. Every meal cooked on a wood burning stove. We did not have power lines so there was no refrigeration, no electric pots, toasters, mixers, or anything to make cooking easier.

 If anyone were to ask me the secret of what "propelled" this nation into this worlds superpower status... Super in military, education, research, commerce, Christianity. My answer would be "the mothers of our nation." Most mothers I know, certainly including mine, did not let their children bask in the comfort zone of laziness. Instead of letting them sit on their assets reading trash magazines more recent years, watching trash television, or the only exercise in their life; just moving their fingers on the computer, they made sure they were stuffing away in their minds, the brain power they would need in their chosen areas of endeavor.

Successful motherhood involved tough love. They love their children enough to discipline, made sure their children did not become what THEY wanted them to become,  but what GOD wanted them to become. No mother can be proud to think their child is a leech off their neighbors, or fellow productive citizens. I have never known a parent who did not take pride in productive children, grandchildren, even if as fortunate as this writer, great-grandchildren.

Most mothers I knew, and certainly my own mother, and grandmothers, did not make "idols" of their children... That their children could do no wrong. 

No one can grow or develop in a comfort zone, amid trust funds, amid the spoiling of parents and grandparents. "Into each life some rain must fall" on every beautiful rose bush, there are thorns, every road cannot be bump free, even Jesus said," In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The apostle Peter told us that our trials and tribulations are worth more than gold. You must have slavery to self, in order to be truly free. The productive life does not come easy, homework, memorizing, reading, show me your books and I can predict your future. Fill me in on your habits, and I can predict your success. You must learn to separate your needs, and wants. We live among broken people, in a broken world. Surely with all the economic successes of this country, we have learned that nothing is forever... The man on the ladder to success, even in 21st century America, often finds that he placed his ladder on the wrong construction site. That is why it is so important to be kind to the little people on your way up, because you might meet them again on your way down. 

I still remember my mother preparing a plate of food for someone sick in the community. No matter what race, no matter what economic class, she wanted them to know that she cared, and everyone liked her cooking.

 How could a farm mother not be a Christian? My mother and grandmothers, were known for their aprons (a protective or decorative garment worn over the front of one's clothes and tied at the back).  I remember each of them with their aprons full of produce from their garden. Or a setting of small chicks taken from under a setting Hen. They knew about seed time and harvest, they understood young animal life... The preserving of excess food. The churning of milk for butter... Did not need a recipe book. My mother, grandmothers, and the women of their time, knew about drowning and drought- dry years and wet years. They knew about hard work, they honored having a husband who through sweat supported his family. They never thought about vacations or retirement... Would not know how to shuffle a deck of cards. But, they did know how to advise the young mothers in the community on the raising of children. They did know how to deliver babies when a family couldn't afford a doctor, lay out the dead when the family could not afford the mortician. 

I am so glad my parents dragged me to their country church to sit on hard benches. Showed me by example the "dignity" of hard work, showed me by example the treasury of savings. Showed me by example to profit and pleasures of reading. In that tomb AND our blessed lord was buried in a borrowed tomb, road on a borrowed staple. Love was all around, "God is love" (John 4:7-10). In the stable, in his tomb, every corner, every molecule of the walls-air-ground, love was "all around". When godly mothers are with children, friends, neighbors, we know that love is all around. 

#1727

Court Room Proof

Prove it!

"In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Psalm 16:11

Dr Morris's Favorite Verse off Scripture

(J.R. Miller, "The Glory of the Commonplace")

It is related that the famous French artist Gustave Dore was once wandering in the mountains of Switzerland, when some officials met him and demanded his passport. "I do not have it with me," he replied, "but my name is Gustave Dore." "Prove it, if you are," replied the officers, knowing who Dore was--but not believing that this was he. Taking a piece of paper, the artist hastily sketched a group of peasants who were standing near, and did it with such grace and skill that the officials exclaimed, "Enough, you are Dore!"

In the same way, the world cares little for a mere profession. We say we are Christians, and the challenge is, "Prove it!" If we are of Christ, then we must do the works of Christ, live the life of Christ, and show the spirit of Christ. The artist's skillful drawing proved his identity. Just so, we must prove that we are the followers of our Master by the love, the grace, the beauty, the holiness of our life.

Religion is not merely a matter of creed and profession, or of church-going and public worship; it is far more a matter of daily life. It is not how we behave on Sundays, nor the kind of creed we hold, nor the devoutness of our worship--it is the way we act at home, in school, in business, in society, in our associations with others. It is vitally important that all who profess Christ--shall manifest Christ's beauty in their life and character. It is not enough to preach the gospel in words alone; others must also read it in our daily life. "So that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders." 1 Thessalonians 4:12 

"Whoever says he abides in Christ, ought to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself." 1 John 2:6 

The favorite author of Dr. T.R Morris, is John Grisham, Oxford Mississippi. Grisham is one of the nations most prolific writers, a master of the legal thriller. Totally blind, Dr. Morris uses a reading machine. His favorite books are legal thrillers

In speaking, many places, many pulpits, Morris often asked the question, "If you were accused of being a Christian, would a capable-experienced lawyer be able to prove it?" Unbelievers have often asked Dr. Morris if he could prove the existence of god. There are two matters with which the Atheist cannot become satisfied in their un-belief. One is the fact that all human beings have a conscious. To know, at least to some degree, the difference between good and evil-right and wrong.

           

The other mystery to the unbeliever, that god is care taker of the planets. Like shells on the sea-shore we are discovering one galaxy after another. The Hubble telescope was put into outer-space in 1990, it has been repaired five times since. Each time, its reach into has been expanded... A further and further range, great dark spaces with stars. The universe not expanding, but the ability of the telescope to see further. From nothingness, to somethingness, the creator of this universes has every star named

"He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name." Psalm 147:4

Would the most radical evolutionist, the most stalwart unbeliever doubt this? If only those of us to claim the name of Christ could have such proof-positive identity.

Like the women crawling just to touch the hem of gods garment we need the holiness of god. For she was saying to herself, "If I only touch his Garment I will get well." Matthew 9:21

If only the Christian could realize the power of the creator, the fact that he always meets us at our need.

           

The scientist, the Christian, is not desperate to know the vastness-distances of the galaxies of the universe. But he does need to know his relationship with god. Those around him need to realize his relationship with god. It is the hypocrisy of Christians that keep more of their fellow man from god than their lives lead to god. If the un-believer saw within the life of the believer, a truth-trust so attractive that they would want the same thing, the world would have already been won to Christ.

I am so glad that I sat on those hard wood benches in that old country church built by my ancestors when I was a child. I am so glad that as a boy on the farm, nothing but hard work and hard times, in the good Earth, and from the rain clouds, I learned the proof of gods existence. The professors at the University were not able to wash this proof from my convictions. 

#1723