FAMILY ISSUES FOR PRAYER – I was finally able this week to catch my grandson Ben on AOL to see how the family is doing. Ben has been quite ill with a severe lung infection that antibiotics were very slow working but that has finally passed. His new heart is doing well as is his adjustment to rejection meds. His son (my great grandson) Logan is handling the chemo treatments well. He has had a new MRI on the brainstem tumor but they haven’t received the results yet. Ben’s wife Meaghan, is being kept very busy running Ben and Logan back and forth to the hospital in Portland. Ethel, Ben’s mother is adjusting well to her new circumstances. / Betty had another chemo treatment this week that takes about four hours following after seeing the doctor so it really shoots the day. She is weak and has some bone pain. They have scheduled another C-Scan and bone scan before her next treatment to see if the new chemo is helping. / I am having a lot of heart skipping, wore a monitor for a couple weeks and my internist wants me to check in with a cardiologist and that is scheduled for June 26th. This all seems a lot for our family but people graciously ask and we are grateful for your many prayers and continued faithful support.
ETHANOL CRISIS – A friend sent me an interesting 7-page report on this subject. The reason I keep bringing the topic up is that I believe this is leading to increased inflation, food shortages and assorted problems that help set the stage for the conditions prophesied to take place during the biblical tribulation period in Revelation. The government is subsidizing agribusiness to turn corn and soybeans into ethanol that actually costs more to produce than what it supposedly saves in trying to help the gas dilemma. What was first intended to help meet the oil/gas crises is turning into a nightmare. Raging prices of grain is running up food prices and creating shortages in many parts of the world. What we really need to do is more drilling for oil in our own country and using what resources we have. Also a return to nuclear development that environmentalists forced cutting back on a number of years ago. You can read the article for yourself at http://us.f821.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?box+Inbox&MsgId+6675_789904_2083_24… That is one long address. Add to this growing problem the terrible flooding and loss of crops in Iowa, Indiana and elsewhere, the problem is increased even further. Corn right now is priced around $8.00 a bushel. Can you imagine the resulting price increases of food products, including meat? Add to this the delivery costs because of gas and diesel prices and you can see how critical things are becoming. The potential of the prophecy in Revelation 6:6 doesn’t seem so difficult to imagine. The “denarius” in this verse is the equivalent of a day’s wages for a “quart” of wheat, etc. I saw a loaf of bread at the grocery store yesterday priced at $4.29.
DOCTRINE – Reading the “Den” by Dr. Charles Woods (lorchurch@aol.com if you’d like to receive his interesting writings just let him know) this week dealing with the subject and importance of “Doctrine,” I was reminded of an early preaching experience in my first church plant. A new family had joined our church with children the age of ours. After attending for a while the lady in the family started to tell me repeatedly, “Don’t preach doctrine all the time.” I began to get a little tired of being told to not preach doctrine so I prepared a sermon using every verse in the New Testament that used the word “doctrine” and defining it’s meaning. As was my custom, after the service I went to the door to greet people as they left the auditorium. As the lady came through she said, “You preached that sermon to me this morning, didn’t you?” I smiled and said, “Yes I did.” That was the last admonition from her about preaching doctrine. I believe that was the first and only time I ever preached a sermon specifically for one particular person. Keep in mind that doctrine is simply that which is taught. Had I followed her advice I would have had nothing to preach.
THE EMERGING CHURCH - During the evening service for the summer, the pastor has asked one of our sharp young men to teach a series on “Apologetics.” He has spent the past couple weeks defining the subject and then this week he included the topic of “The Emerging Church.” I don’t know how many of you are familiar with this new movement but you will no doubt be hearing more about it as time passes. It is a movement that is endeavoring to develop a new church to overcome and correct church practices of the past. Much like those who have endeavored to remove denominational identifications in the past, thinking it detrimental to reaching people, this movement is going beyond that to try and remove any commitment to doctrinal preaching to supposedly replace it with worship that includes a lot of ascetics and music. This movement is the most watered down and meaningless effort I can imagine in an effort to take us away from truth and sound biblical teaching. It is hard to define and to pin it down to a particular doctrinal position, basing its practices more on experience and feeling than any particular belief. While claiming to base its position on the Word of God it actually takes you away from the Word, it’s truth and the sound doctrines that have differentiated Christianity from false religions over the centuries. To my mind this is moving us into the apostasy of the last days, taking the world toward the coming rapture, tribulation and time of the antichrist. Beware!
WHERE TO FIND NEW OIL – Earlier in this “Musing” I mentioned the need to drill for more oil in our own country. I read an interesting ad in U.S News & World Report for June 9th, 2008 that answers this question. The ad indicated that we can find “enough oil to power 60-million cars for 60 years and enough natural gas to heat 160 million households for 60 years” right here in the United States. That is “112 billion barrels of oil and 656 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, just on federal lands.” The article goes on and on with similar information about what our federal and state governments is restricting the use of. In a reasonable period of time we could bring to an end the use of price gouging Arab oil. I have just read that it costs the Saudis $2.00 a barrel to produce what they are presently charge nearly $140.00 a barrel for. I think what is happening is that the Arab countries are smart enough to know that their time in running short to sell their products and they are taking us for all they can while they can. When our politicians finally wake up to our own potential, along with the new technologies coming out, we will no longer need Arab oil. I wonder how long our politicians are going to endanger our national economy by their failure to act.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – Churches across the land are gearing up to conduct their annual V.B.S. ministries this summer. This has always been a productive and fruitful time. All the years of my ministry I conducted this outreach to children. They were always successful and blessed times for winning boys & girls for Christ. Pray for many decisions again this year.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
June 2008 #2
TEACHING PROVERBS – The small group class that I assist in teaching is into a new series of studies in Proverbs dealing with assorted topics found within the book. This past week the youth pastor that teaches it had to be out of town so I taught the lesson on “Ticked Off!” that dealt with anger, it’s dangers and ways to overcome it. It was a good lesson for me to study and teach as it really dealt with some personal issues reminding me anew of areas in my own life. Frustrations, impatience and various things that often lead to anger and possibly violence. Christians have the advantage of the Holy Spirit dwelling in their lives to give control in these circumstances. Still, our human natures get us off track and into situations we’d rather not be in. Hopefully, as we mature in our faith we improve in our relationships at home, in the church and at work. Often people make the excuse when they lose their tempers, “I couldn’t help myself.” The point was made that we can help it, because we all do control our anger, depending upon the circumstances and the damage it might cause, even the loss of a job, etc. Therefore, we can help and control our tempers with God’s help in assorted situations. Some of the verses considered were: Proverbs 10:12; 17:9; 15:1; 16:32; 17:1; 17:14; 19:11 and James 1:10-20. If you want a good Bible study and some personal help in this area take time to read and medicate on these verses. They reiterated areas we all need reminders of.
DAVID GIVES ME A GOOD REMINDER – As I read Psalm 73 again today I received a much-needed reminder. This is the chapter where David was envious of the seeming prosperity and successes of the wicked in the face of his own difficult circumstances. I think we have all been there. We listen to lying politicians and observe the greed of CEO’s, with all their prosperity, and the wicked world leaders and their uncaring attitude toward their own people and we wonder how they can hold and maintain such power while living such immoral lives with no seeming consequences. We need to take the same pause David took in verses 16 & 17 as we observe these conditions and feel sorry for ourselves, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.” We have all eternity ahead of us to enjoy the prosperity of God’s provisions in the new Heaven and the new Earth, while the wicked will be suffering the consequences of their rejection of God’s standards. Look up and rejoice, praise our Savior for His forgiveness that turned out lives around, keeping us from destiny of the wicked.
REMEMBERING A SATANIC MOMENT – I have not told the following story many times over the years, not knowing if people would believe me, but it was an experience I will never forget, though it may be one you might question, it was very real and frightening to me. I use to deliver telegrams for Western Union during my junior year in high school. I was living with friends in Baker, Oregon and paying $30.00 a month for room and board (an amount far less than it was worth at the time because teenagers eat a lot). As kids will often do, I was questioning in my mind the things I had heard about God, Satan and such matters, as I was delivering my last bundle of telegrams before going home. It was dark and about 8:00 p.m. as I rode my bicycle through the streets delivering the last telegrams of the day. In those days street light were hung on telephone/power poles at street corners and they were simply large open light bulbs, unlike today’s vapor lights. The thought going through my mind was this: “If Satan is so powerful, why doesn’t he prove himself by making that street light just ahead go out.” The thought had no sooner crossed my mind than that large light bulb exploded, not just burned out. That event made such an impression on my mind that I never again tested the devil and his capabilities with such a question. I was convinced then and I am to this very day, that Satan wants to use his powers to control and use people in his war against God. He will work his miracles to deceive, mislead and empower people who might want power by being willing to follow his will. Laugh or scoff if you will, but the Bible is very clear in it’s teachings about the reality of Satan and his demons who is workings to keep people from God and to do his vile biddings, even as he tempted the Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness prior to His public ministry. Beware and be sure that you have accepted and know Jesus Christ as your personal redeemer. There is a coming world ruler that will be empowered by Satan to lead the world in a battle against the Savior when He returns with His own to establish His Kingdom on Earth.
REUTERS NEWS ITEM JUNE 6TH – Yahoo’s News reported an article from Reuters, “Israel to attack Iran unless enrichment stops: minister” by Dan Williams said, “An Israel attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks “unavoidable” given the apparent failure of sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential, one of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s deputies said on Friday.” “It Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective.” Transport Minister Shaul Mofax told the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahrononoth newspaper.” You might recall that Israeli planes destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981 and apparently they are poised to do so again with Iran. We haven’t seen this reported in most of the news media but we have to know we are living in a very unstable time when hostilities could very quickly break out in the middle east, preparing the world for biblical prophetic events. Treacherous times are ahead. Keep looking up.
KID STUFF FROM THE PAST – Kids today entertain themselves with TV, videos, digital games, etc. When I was a child none of these things existed and we had to find different ways to entertain ourselves, often requiring a bit of imagination. Spending most of my junior age years in eastern Oregon, lumbering was the major industry. There were many sawmills that turned the huge logs brought down from the mountains to be milled or cut into various sizes of lumber, such as 1 X 12 boards, 2 x 4’s, 4 x 4’s, etc. Consequently we used to burn a lot of “slab wood” from the bark cut off from the logs prior to cutting the boards. Often the slabs would be maybe 10-12 feet long and perhaps 6-12 inches wide, depending on the size of the log they were cut off of. As boys we would take these long slabs and build 10 or 15 foot tall, four sided forts, to play cowboys and Indians or maybe from which to have rock fights on these wood lots. There were also other opportunities to make play things from board ends. When the mills planed off the various lengths of boards to the specified lengths that would leave a lot of extra wood that was often sold for firewood. It made great kindling, especially if it had some pitch in it. These board ends were great to shape like boats to play in water (or puddles), swords to do battle like knights of old. Sometimes we cut out play guns and nailed a clothespin to the handle. We could then shoot circles of half-inch wide rubber from old inner tubes. Those were far different days, providing fun with inexpensive and hand made toys.
DAVID GIVES ME A GOOD REMINDER – As I read Psalm 73 again today I received a much-needed reminder. This is the chapter where David was envious of the seeming prosperity and successes of the wicked in the face of his own difficult circumstances. I think we have all been there. We listen to lying politicians and observe the greed of CEO’s, with all their prosperity, and the wicked world leaders and their uncaring attitude toward their own people and we wonder how they can hold and maintain such power while living such immoral lives with no seeming consequences. We need to take the same pause David took in verses 16 & 17 as we observe these conditions and feel sorry for ourselves, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.” We have all eternity ahead of us to enjoy the prosperity of God’s provisions in the new Heaven and the new Earth, while the wicked will be suffering the consequences of their rejection of God’s standards. Look up and rejoice, praise our Savior for His forgiveness that turned out lives around, keeping us from destiny of the wicked.
REMEMBERING A SATANIC MOMENT – I have not told the following story many times over the years, not knowing if people would believe me, but it was an experience I will never forget, though it may be one you might question, it was very real and frightening to me. I use to deliver telegrams for Western Union during my junior year in high school. I was living with friends in Baker, Oregon and paying $30.00 a month for room and board (an amount far less than it was worth at the time because teenagers eat a lot). As kids will often do, I was questioning in my mind the things I had heard about God, Satan and such matters, as I was delivering my last bundle of telegrams before going home. It was dark and about 8:00 p.m. as I rode my bicycle through the streets delivering the last telegrams of the day. In those days street light were hung on telephone/power poles at street corners and they were simply large open light bulbs, unlike today’s vapor lights. The thought going through my mind was this: “If Satan is so powerful, why doesn’t he prove himself by making that street light just ahead go out.” The thought had no sooner crossed my mind than that large light bulb exploded, not just burned out. That event made such an impression on my mind that I never again tested the devil and his capabilities with such a question. I was convinced then and I am to this very day, that Satan wants to use his powers to control and use people in his war against God. He will work his miracles to deceive, mislead and empower people who might want power by being willing to follow his will. Laugh or scoff if you will, but the Bible is very clear in it’s teachings about the reality of Satan and his demons who is workings to keep people from God and to do his vile biddings, even as he tempted the Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness prior to His public ministry. Beware and be sure that you have accepted and know Jesus Christ as your personal redeemer. There is a coming world ruler that will be empowered by Satan to lead the world in a battle against the Savior when He returns with His own to establish His Kingdom on Earth.
REUTERS NEWS ITEM JUNE 6TH – Yahoo’s News reported an article from Reuters, “Israel to attack Iran unless enrichment stops: minister” by Dan Williams said, “An Israel attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks “unavoidable” given the apparent failure of sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential, one of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s deputies said on Friday.” “It Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective.” Transport Minister Shaul Mofax told the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahrononoth newspaper.” You might recall that Israeli planes destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981 and apparently they are poised to do so again with Iran. We haven’t seen this reported in most of the news media but we have to know we are living in a very unstable time when hostilities could very quickly break out in the middle east, preparing the world for biblical prophetic events. Treacherous times are ahead. Keep looking up.
KID STUFF FROM THE PAST – Kids today entertain themselves with TV, videos, digital games, etc. When I was a child none of these things existed and we had to find different ways to entertain ourselves, often requiring a bit of imagination. Spending most of my junior age years in eastern Oregon, lumbering was the major industry. There were many sawmills that turned the huge logs brought down from the mountains to be milled or cut into various sizes of lumber, such as 1 X 12 boards, 2 x 4’s, 4 x 4’s, etc. Consequently we used to burn a lot of “slab wood” from the bark cut off from the logs prior to cutting the boards. Often the slabs would be maybe 10-12 feet long and perhaps 6-12 inches wide, depending on the size of the log they were cut off of. As boys we would take these long slabs and build 10 or 15 foot tall, four sided forts, to play cowboys and Indians or maybe from which to have rock fights on these wood lots. There were also other opportunities to make play things from board ends. When the mills planed off the various lengths of boards to the specified lengths that would leave a lot of extra wood that was often sold for firewood. It made great kindling, especially if it had some pitch in it. These board ends were great to shape like boats to play in water (or puddles), swords to do battle like knights of old. Sometimes we cut out play guns and nailed a clothespin to the handle. We could then shoot circles of half-inch wide rubber from old inner tubes. Those were far different days, providing fun with inexpensive and hand made toys.
June 2008 #1
AFRICAN AMERICAN, NOT – A couple of “Musings” back I used the term “African American” and a dear friend and fellow B.C.P. missionary set me right when he told me, “I am not an African American, I am a Black American, born here in the U.S.A., not Africa.” He made it adequately clear that had he been born in Africa the title would fit but it does not since he was born here in the States. I also learned that people like Jessie Jackson and others had started the term African American as the politically correct term to use. His suggestion made sense to me and I stand corrected. What I would like to know, if a poll of blacks in this country could be taken on this subject, how many would prefer Black American in contrast to how many may have bought into the African American pitch by the liberal circle of Jessie Jackson’s, Al Sharpton’s and others?
OUR SHRINKING GLOBE – I am not a world traveler, nor were my parents or grandparents. Please understand I am not using the term in any political sense. As far as I know my parents and grandparents probably never left this country. I have been in Canada several times and on one occasion did park on this side of the Mexican border and walked into a small sleepy town right on the border to visit a few shops and the sights of Mexican’s on a sleepy afternoon who were slowly setting up the area for some celebration for some time in the future. We walked in because we didn’t have Mexican insurance for the car, knowing they wouldn’t accept our insurance if there should be an accident. Younger family members are becoming world travelers. My son-in-law did some computer work for hospitals on a couple of West Indies Islands and Patty went with him on occasion. My grandchildren, while in Bible College traveled abroad with their singing groups. Now, my granddaughter and her family are missionaries in Brazil and her mother has just returned from visiting them. Other missionaries travel back and forth to whatever country God has called them. People of means now take vacations in all sorts of places around the world and our politicians as well. The military travels great distances around the world in very short periods of time. Truly, our world has shrunk, considering the rapid means of travel by air. A generation or two ago most people could only dream of other lands they might read about. Our world has really changed and the stage is being set for all the prophetic events that the Bible tells us about. Wow!
ANGRY REPORTERS & WASTE – You probably heard the news this week as I did, telling how Barack Obama had a secret meeting with Hillary Clinton while reporters sat on a plane expecting Obama to return to the plane and fly to Washington D.C. Instead of Obama returning for the flight the plane flew all the reporters to Washington D.C. without him. They were told Obama had not returned, they had simply assumed he had. I think I would be angry too after such a wait and then needlessly being flown to a destiny where they could not continue their reporting assignment. On top of that, just image not only the waste of the reporter’s time but also the waste of expensive flight fuel without cause or reason! Obama is known for his inexperience and now you can add his wastefulness of expensive fuel to the list of his shortcomings. I wonder if this will affect reporters seeming approval of Obama as their choice for the presidency? (Smile)
PRESIDENTIAL IGNORANCE OF ISLAM – I don’t know if you have heard of President Bush’s orders to prevent offending Muslim Jihadists. Quoting Robert Spencer’s article, “No Jihadis Here!” in Human Events for May 5th, 2008: “Fantasy-based policy making is never wise. Yet that is what the Bush Administration has embarked upon – yet again, years after the President proclaimed Islam a “religion of peace” – with these Orwellian new directives.” This was said in relation to, “Last week the State Department, the department of Homeland Security and National Counter Terrorism Center issued new guidelines forbidding personnel from using the words “jihad” or “jihadist” in reference to Islamic terrorism and its perpetrators. A Homeland Security report tellingly titled “Terminology to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslins” explains that this initiative comes from a concern not to offend moderate Muslims. By calling the terrorists “Jihadists,” American officials could be “unintentionally portraying terrorists, who lack moral and religious legitimacy, as brave fighters, legitimate soldiers, or spokesmen for ordinary Muslims.” Using the term “jihad” may not be “strategic.” Why not? “Because it glamorizes terrorism, imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have and damages relations with Muslims around the world.” American officials “should not concede the terrorists’ claim that they are legitimate adherents of Islam.” – The reality is, jihad” is the Koran’s term that their believers are to practice in the process of converting unbelievers to their faith that includes the murder of unbelievers if they fail to convert or to yield to a special taxation. This is a real part of their religion. Someone needs to educate the President and the nations liberals to the reality of what Islam believes and practices, the destruction of any who do not convert to their religion. There are no real “Moderate Muslims” if they believe their own Shari’ah Law, the Koran and their faith. Such misunderstandings are going to lead our nation down the rose strewn path to destruction if they don’t wake up before it is too late! Some serious reading and study would lead the President and the liberal media to the truth rather than listening to the American Muslin Council.
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS – Scriptures give a promise of long life (Eph. 6:1-2) to those who obey their parents. Sometimes children think their parents are tyrants that are trying to keep them from enjoying life. In reality, the majority of parents want the best for their children, even hoping and praying they will be far more successful in life than themselves. There are times when a parent’s warnings or “don’ts” are for their children’s protection. My daughter Patty could testify to the following incident that was for her own protection and she wisely listened to what we told her, even though we were not free to express our reason for the warnings or direction at the time. A young man in one of our churches took an interest in her and would drive her from church to home and also took her out to lunch or dinner several times. I had learned things about the young man I was not at liberty to share at the time and I had asked Patty to very carefully break off seeing him and to no longer let him drive her home after church, etc. Many girls would have argued, rebelled and maybe sneaked around to continue seeing the boy, thinking I was trying to keep her from enjoying the company of a friend and needlessly interfering in her life. She chose to obey her parents and in time she understood our instructions. The young man had not only stolen from us but from others. In time he ended up in trouble with the law and was eventually sent to prison. By obedience Patty was spared some dangerous circumstances and what could have been a life of heartbreak.
OUR SHRINKING GLOBE – I am not a world traveler, nor were my parents or grandparents. Please understand I am not using the term in any political sense. As far as I know my parents and grandparents probably never left this country. I have been in Canada several times and on one occasion did park on this side of the Mexican border and walked into a small sleepy town right on the border to visit a few shops and the sights of Mexican’s on a sleepy afternoon who were slowly setting up the area for some celebration for some time in the future. We walked in because we didn’t have Mexican insurance for the car, knowing they wouldn’t accept our insurance if there should be an accident. Younger family members are becoming world travelers. My son-in-law did some computer work for hospitals on a couple of West Indies Islands and Patty went with him on occasion. My grandchildren, while in Bible College traveled abroad with their singing groups. Now, my granddaughter and her family are missionaries in Brazil and her mother has just returned from visiting them. Other missionaries travel back and forth to whatever country God has called them. People of means now take vacations in all sorts of places around the world and our politicians as well. The military travels great distances around the world in very short periods of time. Truly, our world has shrunk, considering the rapid means of travel by air. A generation or two ago most people could only dream of other lands they might read about. Our world has really changed and the stage is being set for all the prophetic events that the Bible tells us about. Wow!
ANGRY REPORTERS & WASTE – You probably heard the news this week as I did, telling how Barack Obama had a secret meeting with Hillary Clinton while reporters sat on a plane expecting Obama to return to the plane and fly to Washington D.C. Instead of Obama returning for the flight the plane flew all the reporters to Washington D.C. without him. They were told Obama had not returned, they had simply assumed he had. I think I would be angry too after such a wait and then needlessly being flown to a destiny where they could not continue their reporting assignment. On top of that, just image not only the waste of the reporter’s time but also the waste of expensive flight fuel without cause or reason! Obama is known for his inexperience and now you can add his wastefulness of expensive fuel to the list of his shortcomings. I wonder if this will affect reporters seeming approval of Obama as their choice for the presidency? (Smile)
PRESIDENTIAL IGNORANCE OF ISLAM – I don’t know if you have heard of President Bush’s orders to prevent offending Muslim Jihadists. Quoting Robert Spencer’s article, “No Jihadis Here!” in Human Events for May 5th, 2008: “Fantasy-based policy making is never wise. Yet that is what the Bush Administration has embarked upon – yet again, years after the President proclaimed Islam a “religion of peace” – with these Orwellian new directives.” This was said in relation to, “Last week the State Department, the department of Homeland Security and National Counter Terrorism Center issued new guidelines forbidding personnel from using the words “jihad” or “jihadist” in reference to Islamic terrorism and its perpetrators. A Homeland Security report tellingly titled “Terminology to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslins” explains that this initiative comes from a concern not to offend moderate Muslims. By calling the terrorists “Jihadists,” American officials could be “unintentionally portraying terrorists, who lack moral and religious legitimacy, as brave fighters, legitimate soldiers, or spokesmen for ordinary Muslims.” Using the term “jihad” may not be “strategic.” Why not? “Because it glamorizes terrorism, imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have and damages relations with Muslims around the world.” American officials “should not concede the terrorists’ claim that they are legitimate adherents of Islam.” – The reality is, jihad” is the Koran’s term that their believers are to practice in the process of converting unbelievers to their faith that includes the murder of unbelievers if they fail to convert or to yield to a special taxation. This is a real part of their religion. Someone needs to educate the President and the nations liberals to the reality of what Islam believes and practices, the destruction of any who do not convert to their religion. There are no real “Moderate Muslims” if they believe their own Shari’ah Law, the Koran and their faith. Such misunderstandings are going to lead our nation down the rose strewn path to destruction if they don’t wake up before it is too late! Some serious reading and study would lead the President and the liberal media to the truth rather than listening to the American Muslin Council.
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS – Scriptures give a promise of long life (Eph. 6:1-2) to those who obey their parents. Sometimes children think their parents are tyrants that are trying to keep them from enjoying life. In reality, the majority of parents want the best for their children, even hoping and praying they will be far more successful in life than themselves. There are times when a parent’s warnings or “don’ts” are for their children’s protection. My daughter Patty could testify to the following incident that was for her own protection and she wisely listened to what we told her, even though we were not free to express our reason for the warnings or direction at the time. A young man in one of our churches took an interest in her and would drive her from church to home and also took her out to lunch or dinner several times. I had learned things about the young man I was not at liberty to share at the time and I had asked Patty to very carefully break off seeing him and to no longer let him drive her home after church, etc. Many girls would have argued, rebelled and maybe sneaked around to continue seeing the boy, thinking I was trying to keep her from enjoying the company of a friend and needlessly interfering in her life. She chose to obey her parents and in time she understood our instructions. The young man had not only stolen from us but from others. In time he ended up in trouble with the law and was eventually sent to prison. By obedience Patty was spared some dangerous circumstances and what could have been a life of heartbreak.
May 2008 #5
E-MAILS ABOUT OBAMA – I keep getting e-mails forwarding information from missionaries in Kenya declaring Obama to be a Muslim. I haven’t read Barack Obama’s books about his life, nor do I plan too, but I understand he had ties there as a small boy. I also know that he now professes to be a Christian. I know people make pretenses relating to faith to be Christians for business and political purposes. Whether this is the case with Obama I do not know. With the continuing discussions about his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, questions are certainly raised relating to hate America speeches. I do know that Scriptures tell us we will know people by their “fruits.” I keep looking for the “fruits” that will verify the claim but I have not seen them yet. These things will no doubt become clear as the election process grinds on.
OBSERVING PEOPLE – I suppose most of us have taken pause and watched people passing by and trying to determine things about them, wondering if they are Christians, etc. when we are at the shopping mall. We may also be observant of people in church, not trying to be critical or judgmental but rather to manifest our concern for needs. Not playing an active part as in the past, I have a little more time for observations than in the past. The sad eyes of a woman attending Bible study, or perhaps it was just weariness from her many duties and home schooling of her several children. Her clothes were modest and clean and she did seem intent upon the lesson. I know she loves the Lord and her family. I sent up a prayer for God to strengthen her for her tasks of caring for the family and serving in her local church. It might be the recognition of a need or heartache of those with whom we worship and study God’s Word. We don’t have the interaction in one another’s homes as much as in years gone by and consequently we may miss an opportunity to minister to the needs of those in our own church family. We really do need to pray more for one another and care for one another as needs are recognized. Such care in the early church made them distinct from the world around them. That closeness made an impact on their world that is missing in so many churches today, minimizing the churches impact upon their community. Strong and outstanding churches have developed practical concerns for their people as well as their neighbors that many gospel-preaching churches have failed in doing. This is something to think and pray about.
SEPARATION – In years gone by we use to hear and read considerable about the doctrine of separation. I know I preached my share of sermons on the topic as well. I seldom hear anything about it any more and I wonder if this isn’t a part of the “falling away” or “apostasy” of the last days. It was probably never a popular teaching among Christians but it was a vitally important one. It was usually divided into two separate conditions: Personal separation, which most believers understood quite well because it involved all the don’ts of faith that preachers continually laid out before them. At times they often got mixed in with cultural issues of the times such as men with long hair and women wearing pants, that was taken from the Old Testament admonition about women not wearing what pertains to a man. The second was ecclesiastical separation, separation from the many false and misguided religions. Today we have been led to believe that we should not offend anyone by making the Biblical distinctions that are so clearly delineated in our Scriptures. Both the media and today’s churches have repeatedly brought us to this false belief of making no offense. At the same time, repeatedly, sacred Scriptures clearly draw lines that were needed at the beginning of time and they continue to be needed to this very day. Human nature being what it is, humanity has a tendency to move away from God’s established standards. Our national constitution has probably been partially responsible for this by allowing so many strange religions contrary to our Christian moorings, declaring freedom of religion and freedom of speech. This is something we want to preserve but it has allowed for some strange religious practices in the land. Even with that being the case, there are times when we need to draw lines of personal practices and ecclesiastical differences. I am fearful that Christianity has lost much of it’s effectiveness by no longer declaring distinctions of separation. We don’t want to be known for our continual harping, nor should we want to lose our Biblical distinctiveness that makes us true Christians. When we walk the walk of separation it is noted by those around us and will often open the door to questions and discussions through which we can declare our faith. An example from the past, not being a Methodist, but recalling a practice from their past, when quarterly, by sermon or in their Sunday school material, they would have a “Temperance Sunday” when the use of alcohol and it’s harm was dealt with. I doubt that practice is still continued today but it does speak to churches of the past maintaining their moral and biblical standards. I am confident the local saloons, bars and those who frequented them did not appreciate being marked by those quarterly messages or lessons but they did have an impact in those days. Are we making a moral impact by our practices of separation and Distinctives today?
LIST OF DON’TS – I remember one church I pastored having a list of don’ts drawn up in its constitution before I came on the scene. These types of practices can lead to a legalism that drives people away before they can be taught Biblical truths and practices. As an example of what I mean, there was a lady and her young teenage son who attended our church and both were believers, though her husband was not. He was a farmer that never did attend our services and we prayed often for him. That dear lady and her son wanted to join our church but there in the constitution was that list that made playing cards one of the churches don’ts for its members. Playing cards with their farmer neighbors was one of the few social outlets this lady had with her unsaved husband and teir neighbors and she could not honestly meet that requirement of the church. Had there been gambling associated with the practice that would have been one thing, but as a social outlet of playing bridge, that was another. I was eventually able to take care of the list and the lady and her son were united with our church. In times gone by playing cards were shunned and considered taboo because of their original design to placate a mad king and their association with gambling and drinking alcoholic beverages. Our younger generation does not know about those distinctions from the past and there were reasons for them. Most taverns or saloons in days gone by had card tables and gambling was central to playing card games. Whether that is still true today I don’t know but you can see why the strong opposition to playing cards in times past. Of course today’s casinos that I mentioned recently, that would still be the case and Christians certainly should not be associated with those types of things. Though I don’t like to see legalistic lists of don’ts included in church constitutions, I do believe our preaching, teaching and example, as Christians should provide guidelines to a believer’s style of living distinctively from that of the world.
OBSERVING PEOPLE – I suppose most of us have taken pause and watched people passing by and trying to determine things about them, wondering if they are Christians, etc. when we are at the shopping mall. We may also be observant of people in church, not trying to be critical or judgmental but rather to manifest our concern for needs. Not playing an active part as in the past, I have a little more time for observations than in the past. The sad eyes of a woman attending Bible study, or perhaps it was just weariness from her many duties and home schooling of her several children. Her clothes were modest and clean and she did seem intent upon the lesson. I know she loves the Lord and her family. I sent up a prayer for God to strengthen her for her tasks of caring for the family and serving in her local church. It might be the recognition of a need or heartache of those with whom we worship and study God’s Word. We don’t have the interaction in one another’s homes as much as in years gone by and consequently we may miss an opportunity to minister to the needs of those in our own church family. We really do need to pray more for one another and care for one another as needs are recognized. Such care in the early church made them distinct from the world around them. That closeness made an impact on their world that is missing in so many churches today, minimizing the churches impact upon their community. Strong and outstanding churches have developed practical concerns for their people as well as their neighbors that many gospel-preaching churches have failed in doing. This is something to think and pray about.
SEPARATION – In years gone by we use to hear and read considerable about the doctrine of separation. I know I preached my share of sermons on the topic as well. I seldom hear anything about it any more and I wonder if this isn’t a part of the “falling away” or “apostasy” of the last days. It was probably never a popular teaching among Christians but it was a vitally important one. It was usually divided into two separate conditions: Personal separation, which most believers understood quite well because it involved all the don’ts of faith that preachers continually laid out before them. At times they often got mixed in with cultural issues of the times such as men with long hair and women wearing pants, that was taken from the Old Testament admonition about women not wearing what pertains to a man. The second was ecclesiastical separation, separation from the many false and misguided religions. Today we have been led to believe that we should not offend anyone by making the Biblical distinctions that are so clearly delineated in our Scriptures. Both the media and today’s churches have repeatedly brought us to this false belief of making no offense. At the same time, repeatedly, sacred Scriptures clearly draw lines that were needed at the beginning of time and they continue to be needed to this very day. Human nature being what it is, humanity has a tendency to move away from God’s established standards. Our national constitution has probably been partially responsible for this by allowing so many strange religions contrary to our Christian moorings, declaring freedom of religion and freedom of speech. This is something we want to preserve but it has allowed for some strange religious practices in the land. Even with that being the case, there are times when we need to draw lines of personal practices and ecclesiastical differences. I am fearful that Christianity has lost much of it’s effectiveness by no longer declaring distinctions of separation. We don’t want to be known for our continual harping, nor should we want to lose our Biblical distinctiveness that makes us true Christians. When we walk the walk of separation it is noted by those around us and will often open the door to questions and discussions through which we can declare our faith. An example from the past, not being a Methodist, but recalling a practice from their past, when quarterly, by sermon or in their Sunday school material, they would have a “Temperance Sunday” when the use of alcohol and it’s harm was dealt with. I doubt that practice is still continued today but it does speak to churches of the past maintaining their moral and biblical standards. I am confident the local saloons, bars and those who frequented them did not appreciate being marked by those quarterly messages or lessons but they did have an impact in those days. Are we making a moral impact by our practices of separation and Distinctives today?
LIST OF DON’TS – I remember one church I pastored having a list of don’ts drawn up in its constitution before I came on the scene. These types of practices can lead to a legalism that drives people away before they can be taught Biblical truths and practices. As an example of what I mean, there was a lady and her young teenage son who attended our church and both were believers, though her husband was not. He was a farmer that never did attend our services and we prayed often for him. That dear lady and her son wanted to join our church but there in the constitution was that list that made playing cards one of the churches don’ts for its members. Playing cards with their farmer neighbors was one of the few social outlets this lady had with her unsaved husband and teir neighbors and she could not honestly meet that requirement of the church. Had there been gambling associated with the practice that would have been one thing, but as a social outlet of playing bridge, that was another. I was eventually able to take care of the list and the lady and her son were united with our church. In times gone by playing cards were shunned and considered taboo because of their original design to placate a mad king and their association with gambling and drinking alcoholic beverages. Our younger generation does not know about those distinctions from the past and there were reasons for them. Most taverns or saloons in days gone by had card tables and gambling was central to playing card games. Whether that is still true today I don’t know but you can see why the strong opposition to playing cards in times past. Of course today’s casinos that I mentioned recently, that would still be the case and Christians certainly should not be associated with those types of things. Though I don’t like to see legalistic lists of don’ts included in church constitutions, I do believe our preaching, teaching and example, as Christians should provide guidelines to a believer’s style of living distinctively from that of the world.
May 2008 #4
I’M ENCOURAGED – I am receiving more and more responses to these “Musings.” A home schooling mom thanked me for them and then told me that she uses some of them as she teaches her children. A home missionary wife wrote about illustrations, “My husband keepings telling people, “Speak, I need an illustration.” One “Musing” caused one lady to write with a question I was able to answer and hopefully remove some confusion she was having about a passage of Scripture. The President of our Mission told me he wished more of the retirees would take the time to write similar things. Others tell me, “Keep them coming, we enjoy them.” About 240 receive them and if you can send me other e-mail addresses to add to the list I would appreciate it. I’ve only had two ask to be removed from the mailing list in all this time. A couple of times I have been corrected which is acceptable with me. We are not always going to find agreement but we learn and grow from those experiences. Please keep the comments coming.
FAMILY REASONS & HOW MANY’S – One of the reasons I write these “Musings” is that my kids have asked me to write a book about my life and experiences but I really don’t feel prone to do that and this attempts to supplement that request. When I asked the questions in the last “Musings” of “Thinking About My Life” and the "How many’s” was stimulated by their request. Hopefully others might also get a smile or a memory from them, not experienced by our younger generation. Moving on to the “How many things I have sold or tried to sell by direct sales and other odd jobs,” I am reminded of the director of the CBA Churches in Oregon telling me, “I wish all our pastors could have the experience of selling insurance for a couple of years so they would learn how to deal with people.” That is one I tried, having sold hospital insurance and a little life insurance during a difficult time of my earlier years when jobs were scarce. I sold shoes and other clothing items for J. C. Penney’s and separately. Going back earlier, as a boy I sold papers in Baker, Oregon on street corners. I helped a friend do the same in a suburb of Los Angeles as a teenager. In Junior High I set pins at a bowling alley and worked on numerous truck farms using a hoe and gathering crops. I also boxed (rather than bagging) groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store. Later when pastoring a small church we distributed an area paper in Ogallala, Nebraska, picking them up from the bus stop and seeing that the deliver boys got their allotment, including my own boys. Just out of high school I went to Western Union’s training school and worked in several of their offices. In fact, during my junior year of high school I delivered telegrams for Western Union in Baker, Oregon to pay room and board. During those earlier struggles in Oregon I sold cemetery lots for a while. Also in Ogallala when the church was so small they didn’t properly care for their pastor I did a number of different things. I dug a few ditches and drove a dump truck hauling and spreading manure. My wife always hated for me to come home for lunch. During the same period I mowed city park lawns and helped a drugstore set up new store shelving and counters. When I started our first church in Federal Way, Washington I was working for Boeing Aircraft and when that became too much while ministering and putting up the church building, I took odd house painting jobs and painting trim on houses newly resided. I also worked with a friend installing insulation, mostly in new homes. That was a terribly itchy job. I use to receive a “Specialty Salesman Magazine” and I tried selling five year light bulbs, calendars, shoes, boxed greeting cards and AMWAY to mention a few things done to keep body and soul together while ministering to small churches. Amway was something I got into that also gave the boys something to sell helping toward their college expenses. I once managed chain variety stores before ministry days (that is where I met my wife) and then in a variety store while ministering to a small church. I drove school busses in two different places while ministering in churches in Federal Way, Washington and also in Blue Rapids, Kansas. I haven’t counted all these things but it does give you an idea of things that occupied my earlier years. At one point I worked for the Oregon Temperance League raising funds to teach high school students of the harm of using alcohol. I finally decided this was a secondary issue and preaching the Gospel was more important because as people get saved the use of alcohol stops. These are out of sequence but it gives you a broad view of things I have done before and during ministry years. Its enough to make my head spin thinking about it. I’d better move on to something else.
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE LAWS – Grassfire and the Liberty Counsel are warning us that the California Supreme Court has ruled that homosexual marriages are legal and though there is a referendum coming up in November to pass a constitutional change defining one male and one female marriages, they are expecting thousands to rush to California to get married. All these coming from other states will then create problems and bring pressures here in Ohio and elsewhere. You can contact Grassfire or Liberty Counsel and sign a petition to try and stop this nonsense.
GLOBAL WARMING/NOT – Constant pressures and added expenses are being placed on us by environmental causes that are ridiculous. There have always been climate cycles that bring about these changes. The carbon output of industry and our cars is only a minimal fraction of what volcanoes are belching out into the air. As much as I believe man should give care and reason in their use of our environment, environmentalists are forcing unnecessary expenses on us. I recently read where we are actually in a cooling cycle and will be for the next ten years. Still, they keep screaming global warming at us and pushing their “green” policies on society from grade school children on up the line through businesses in general. Where does it end and when do people get past the politically right agenda and collect their senses. I’ll remind people again, when God brought into existence His creation, He also put in the safeguards and all that was necessary for our continued existence for another thousand plus years when He will bring about His new heaven and earth for the eternal estate. Knowing this truth ought to bring Christians to realize it is futile to be taken in by all this “green” hype. So much for Al Gore and the position he has made for himself and others with all this nonsense.
FOOD BILLS, Etc. – I commented on this prophetically in my last “Musings” and I am just adding some currant details going on now, that I suppose most are aware of as well. With truckers having to spend over $1,000.00 to fill up their tanks at an even higher diesel price than for gasoline, we are really beginning to see prices go up in the grocery store. More and more families are going to have to return to cooking from scratch and forget the prepared foods so readily available today. I don’t know how to do those things and further, all that preparation for just two, when we aren’t eating nearly as much as in the past I am not sure it would work for us. This is particularly true with Betty and her condition and the little she eats. Guess I should have taken home economics in high school to know how to deal with such matters. Who would have ever dreamed of that need so many years ago? Times surely are changing and with both husbands and wives working I don’t know how they will have the time to do that kind of preparation either. Our dilemma grows and people are beginning to think and search for cost saving answers to the crisis. I am suspecting that the fast food places and restaurants may begin to feel the pinch too as families have to cut back. Bicycles may be coming back but I really don’t see how they will be very practical considering the distances people have to travel to work and purchase groceries these days. Even vacations may be cut back for closer to home plans. Maybe our politicians will get smart and come up with some answers. That is not likely! (Smile)
FAMILY REASONS & HOW MANY’S – One of the reasons I write these “Musings” is that my kids have asked me to write a book about my life and experiences but I really don’t feel prone to do that and this attempts to supplement that request. When I asked the questions in the last “Musings” of “Thinking About My Life” and the "How many’s” was stimulated by their request. Hopefully others might also get a smile or a memory from them, not experienced by our younger generation. Moving on to the “How many things I have sold or tried to sell by direct sales and other odd jobs,” I am reminded of the director of the CBA Churches in Oregon telling me, “I wish all our pastors could have the experience of selling insurance for a couple of years so they would learn how to deal with people.” That is one I tried, having sold hospital insurance and a little life insurance during a difficult time of my earlier years when jobs were scarce. I sold shoes and other clothing items for J. C. Penney’s and separately. Going back earlier, as a boy I sold papers in Baker, Oregon on street corners. I helped a friend do the same in a suburb of Los Angeles as a teenager. In Junior High I set pins at a bowling alley and worked on numerous truck farms using a hoe and gathering crops. I also boxed (rather than bagging) groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store. Later when pastoring a small church we distributed an area paper in Ogallala, Nebraska, picking them up from the bus stop and seeing that the deliver boys got their allotment, including my own boys. Just out of high school I went to Western Union’s training school and worked in several of their offices. In fact, during my junior year of high school I delivered telegrams for Western Union in Baker, Oregon to pay room and board. During those earlier struggles in Oregon I sold cemetery lots for a while. Also in Ogallala when the church was so small they didn’t properly care for their pastor I did a number of different things. I dug a few ditches and drove a dump truck hauling and spreading manure. My wife always hated for me to come home for lunch. During the same period I mowed city park lawns and helped a drugstore set up new store shelving and counters. When I started our first church in Federal Way, Washington I was working for Boeing Aircraft and when that became too much while ministering and putting up the church building, I took odd house painting jobs and painting trim on houses newly resided. I also worked with a friend installing insulation, mostly in new homes. That was a terribly itchy job. I use to receive a “Specialty Salesman Magazine” and I tried selling five year light bulbs, calendars, shoes, boxed greeting cards and AMWAY to mention a few things done to keep body and soul together while ministering to small churches. Amway was something I got into that also gave the boys something to sell helping toward their college expenses. I once managed chain variety stores before ministry days (that is where I met my wife) and then in a variety store while ministering to a small church. I drove school busses in two different places while ministering in churches in Federal Way, Washington and also in Blue Rapids, Kansas. I haven’t counted all these things but it does give you an idea of things that occupied my earlier years. At one point I worked for the Oregon Temperance League raising funds to teach high school students of the harm of using alcohol. I finally decided this was a secondary issue and preaching the Gospel was more important because as people get saved the use of alcohol stops. These are out of sequence but it gives you a broad view of things I have done before and during ministry years. Its enough to make my head spin thinking about it. I’d better move on to something else.
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE LAWS – Grassfire and the Liberty Counsel are warning us that the California Supreme Court has ruled that homosexual marriages are legal and though there is a referendum coming up in November to pass a constitutional change defining one male and one female marriages, they are expecting thousands to rush to California to get married. All these coming from other states will then create problems and bring pressures here in Ohio and elsewhere. You can contact Grassfire or Liberty Counsel and sign a petition to try and stop this nonsense.
GLOBAL WARMING/NOT – Constant pressures and added expenses are being placed on us by environmental causes that are ridiculous. There have always been climate cycles that bring about these changes. The carbon output of industry and our cars is only a minimal fraction of what volcanoes are belching out into the air. As much as I believe man should give care and reason in their use of our environment, environmentalists are forcing unnecessary expenses on us. I recently read where we are actually in a cooling cycle and will be for the next ten years. Still, they keep screaming global warming at us and pushing their “green” policies on society from grade school children on up the line through businesses in general. Where does it end and when do people get past the politically right agenda and collect their senses. I’ll remind people again, when God brought into existence His creation, He also put in the safeguards and all that was necessary for our continued existence for another thousand plus years when He will bring about His new heaven and earth for the eternal estate. Knowing this truth ought to bring Christians to realize it is futile to be taken in by all this “green” hype. So much for Al Gore and the position he has made for himself and others with all this nonsense.
FOOD BILLS, Etc. – I commented on this prophetically in my last “Musings” and I am just adding some currant details going on now, that I suppose most are aware of as well. With truckers having to spend over $1,000.00 to fill up their tanks at an even higher diesel price than for gasoline, we are really beginning to see prices go up in the grocery store. More and more families are going to have to return to cooking from scratch and forget the prepared foods so readily available today. I don’t know how to do those things and further, all that preparation for just two, when we aren’t eating nearly as much as in the past I am not sure it would work for us. This is particularly true with Betty and her condition and the little she eats. Guess I should have taken home economics in high school to know how to deal with such matters. Who would have ever dreamed of that need so many years ago? Times surely are changing and with both husbands and wives working I don’t know how they will have the time to do that kind of preparation either. Our dilemma grows and people are beginning to think and search for cost saving answers to the crisis. I am suspecting that the fast food places and restaurants may begin to feel the pinch too as families have to cut back. Bicycles may be coming back but I really don’t see how they will be very practical considering the distances people have to travel to work and purchase groceries these days. Even vacations may be cut back for closer to home plans. Maybe our politicians will get smart and come up with some answers. That is not likely! (Smile)
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