Do You Have a Favorite Character in the Bible?

Absolutely, I believe they were real people, people who lived, who did exactly as depicted in the Scriptures of them, and were people . . . who have now gone on the live with the Lord. I certainly do believe that . . . just as I believe the Bible is true and correct . . . without any errors. I believe it is the Book of Life . . . and beyond. I believe it reveals much about both God and man. I believe it tells man’s story . . . I believe it reveals God’s story about redemption.

I actually like to read it, study it . . . and learn from those who are pictured therein. I really like them . . . mostly all of them . . . with a few exceptions . . . Judas, as well as many of the Kings such as Pharaoh, the Roman soldiers who did Herod’s bidding, the High Priest . . . and the like, and the Pharisees.

There are some characters I really can relate to, some to which I am quite tender . . . like the two blind fellows who sat by the road as Jesus passed. There are those who I would love to be like: the Apostle John . . . the Apostle Paul . . . and King David.

Perhaps my favorite was John the Baptist . . . for a number of reasons such as:

He was unique in so many ways . . . appearance, mannerism, method of speech, diet, boldness, and so much more. He was a man of principle . . . a man of character . . . a man on an important mission. A man who opposed and challenged his culture, the thinking of his culture . . . and its behavior . . . and didn’t pause for a second. He certainly didn’t back up from those who opposed.

His father had been a priest . . . and by birth he rightly ought to have also been a Priest, but the problem was that he despised the hypocrisy of it all. He abandoned that and went out into the wilderness. It was there that John found God . . . and heard His message to be delivered to the world. He went forward . . . and delivered the message.

The people of his era had an appetite for information about the Lord . . . in spite of having some very foolish beliefs. They heard that John was preaching near the Jordan River . . . and they came in large groups. The serious folks came, the curious came, and the skeptic came. They came to hear. Some came to chuckle, to ridicule; others came to judge him and his ministry. Some came to justify themselves. Some heard and responded . . . others did not. Such is the way of life.

The Lord had some very special things to say about John. He spoke highly of John . . . things we would love to have Him say about us.

Do you know what happened to John? He was treated poorly . . . in fact, he was killed just as had been all of the Prophets before him.

John was in the form of an Old Testament Prophet . . . who walked out of the Old Testament . . . and into the New Testament. He came to deliver the Lord’s message. He came to bear witness to the Light. He did that very thing!

Think About It . . .

23rd Psalm says . . .

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Written by a young Shepherd boy. He had no formal education. He had very little in the way of earthly goods. He had a family . . . one filled with bitterness, jealousy, and resentment.

He had some stuff . . . stuff it would be difficult to find any pride in. But you know what? He had something wonderful. He had the love of God . . . along with a grand future. But truth be told, it didn’t always look too promising. The truth was David had to live in faith . . . one day at a time . . . simply trusting God.

What do you suppose David thought about at night as he hid in the cave? As he thought about the one who was supposed to be mentoring him . . . but was actually trying to murder him?

It Only Seemed to Run in One Direction . . .

Remember in 2011 when tens of thousands of Democrats surged on the Wisconsin Capitol building in Madison and physically occupied it for more than two weeks? We were told, “This is what democracy looks like.”

Remember in 2016 when Obama was President and hundreds of BLM blocked interstate highways and violently accosted police (even killing several)? We were told, “To assign the actions of one person to an entire movement is dangerous and irresponsible.”

Remember in 2018 during the Kavanaugh hearings when a mob of Democrats stormed the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. and pounded their fists in rage on the door. We were told, “It’s understandable.”

Remember last summer’s riots in major cities across the country when groups of Democrats marched in the streets, set buildings on fire, looted businesses, assaulted and even killed bystanders and police? We were told, “These are mostly peaceful protests.”

Remember when Democrats seized several blocks of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in downtown Seattle, declaring it an autonomous zone? Remember the guns and deaths and utter destruction? We were told, “It’s a block party atmosphere.”

Remember when a crazed mob gathered after the Republican National Convention and attacked Rand Paul, a sitting U.S. Senator? We were told, “No justice, no peace.”

Remember how police were told to stand down, governors refused to call in the national guard, and Democrats paid bail for violent protesters who were arrested? We were told, “This is the only way oppressed people can be heard.”

I have condemned violent protests and lawlessness every single time they’ve been reported. I condemn the actions of those who stormed the Capitol. But I refuse to condemn hundreds of thousands of peaceful protestors because a handful (52 arrested) chose to be lawless and to defy everything the vast majority of the crowd stood for. Conservatives are defenders of the Constitution, the police, and the rule of law. Because a relative few people decided to do something stupid doesn’t nullify the concerns of the many.

The real culprit here? The mainstream media has been telling us for years that violence is the only way people who feel oppressed can be heard, it’s the only way to get justice, and this is what democracy looks like. Apparently, a few who were in the crowds listened to them.

The inflammatory rhetoric of the Left caused this, and it’s about time Democrats and the mainstream media took responsibility for dividing Americans and attempting to humiliate those who supported Donald Trump or any conservative ideals. They pushed people to the brink, even while claiming, “It’s time for unity.” It’s time for careful reflection and change on all sides. God help us!

I didn’t write this but I agree 100%

This Isn’t Who We Are . . .

Americans are basically decent, honest, hard-working people. We traditionally root for the underdog and sincerely appreciate folks who have tried to help us out. Americans, for the most part, pay their bills and live within their means. I say for the most part because one simply cannot paint with such a wide brush. But by and large, Americans are folks who pay their bills and try to do the right thing. Just look around at all of the shiny new automobiles on the road . . . banks, credit unions, GMAC, Ford, and American Motors require folks to pay for their cars . . . and pay we do.

What is my point? Simply that we are supposed to be a representative form of government. I am wondering who these rotten people are . . . those running our nation’s government? They are terrible and are doing things Americans wouldn’t have dreamed.

They have us bankrupt with their stupidity. We are overdrawn and deep in debt. They have us engaged in conflicts across the globe. They are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits? Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.  You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations . . . the House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 Congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million. They are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. The politicians have the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

Do you know what the idiots did? They engaged in an all-out war against the out-going President of the USA, Donald Trump. It is a personal vendetta . . . they simply didn’t like him. But guess what? Americans did . . . well at least 75 million of us did like him . . . and certainly didn’t approve of how he was treated.

We said that they should have stopped . . . just knock it off . . . and simply allow him to exit . . . and fade into the pages of history. We have been doing that very thing for over 200 years. Besides . . . they need to clean up a bunch of messes they have created.

Why won’t they simply reflect our values? Why won’t they simply operate our affairs as we expect? Who are the rotten people? Where did they come from?

Who is in Control . . .

It seems we tend to get confused over this question. Perhaps it is time we get that straight. The truth is that we are not in control . . . of much of anything? The President is not in control . . . Congress is not in control . . . nor is the Senate.

The absolute truth is that God, and only God, is in control . . . totally, completely. He is in control of everything . . . from A to Z . . . from top to bottom . . . and everything in between. He, and He alone, permits the President to exist . . . permits the Congress person . . . the Senator . . . and me and you to exist. It is God who is in control. Don’t ever forget that great truth! It is critical that we remember it . . . always.

There is a story of a man who forgot that important truth . . . his story is recorded in Luke’s Gospel . . . in the 8th chapter.

The man had recently been blessed with an abundant harvest . . . the sort of harvest one typically only dreams about. As he surveyed his great success, he began to dream. He vowed he would tear his existing barns down and rebuild them . . . larger and better. He needed to store all of his grain. He determined that he would eat, drink, and be merry! He was made in the shade. He was good to go . . . for the rest of his life! Little did the goofy pilgrim realize how right he really was. His greed had turned a corner for him . . . a corner that would bring his life to a premature end. Read the story . . . check it out . . . and weigh the cost of greed. The ignorant man . . . in two simple verses . . . referred to himself a dozen times: I, me, my, mine . . . clearly no way for a Believer to think or act.

Folks, to live how Christ calls us to live, we must get four personal issues worked out in our hearts, minds and in our lives. Let me quickly highlight them:

  1. The Position Issue. We must put God in the first place. He must be the pilot. If we try to wrestle control away from Him . . . we will crash and burn.
  2. The Permission Issue. God is God . . . and He must be permitted to do as He will. He knows what tomorrow holds . . . He can see what we cannot see. He requires no permission from us . . . but we must surrender our will over to His authority.
  3. The Profession Issue. I must declare my submission to His Lordship. I must submit to His authority . . . in every area of my life. It is in this I find His blessings.
  4. The Possession Issue. Everything belongs to God! He graciously allows me to manage some of it. I must learn to be satisfied with what He shares . . . grateful and humble. My being overly aggressive and trying to grab more is problematic . . . and can cause me serious problems.

The foolish man in the parable had lost his way through greed. He ended up being closed-minded . . . unable to see anything . . . anyone . . . in which he might invest his blessing.

May I ask . . . are you blessed with vision . . . vision concerning the Kingdom of God? Do you know that it is a vast storehouse of investment opportunities? The dividends are amazingly rewarding . . . and pay far into the future. In Matthew 6, the Master recommends that we put our treasure in Heaven . . . where it is safe, guarded, and blessed.

Are you investing wisely? Do you know that the Lord provides us opportunities to invest in other folks? Look around for those eager, fresh young faces. See what you can do to help them up the road.

We have many such opportunities with our South Texas Children’s Home kids. If you do not know about STCH-Ministries, please ask someone who knows!

Is it Even a Legitimate Question?

Recently, a new teaching has been floating around and is being kicked around . . . and possibly even seriously debated. It has found its way inside . . . well if not inside . . . certainly getting there. Along with the Church are Christian fringe and support groups. This thing is out there.

After some thinking and personal question-asking, I thought I might address it here in this space. Feel free to weigh in below for others to see. Feel free to share your thoughts . . . we certainly have an interest . . . an investment . . . perhaps even a stake . . . as in a stakeholder. Of course, I fully get that Heaven will be perfect, beautiful, and everything we want and need, I rejoice in that . . . yet still have an interest in the matter. Call it a Believer’s curiosity. I also want to declare that we will only be there because of Jesus’ sacrifice . . . and love and grace!

The question asks . . . “Is Heaven a literal place . . . or might Heaven only be a State of mind?” I am really interested.

I believe Heaven is a place . . . a very real place . . . a very special place. In John 14:1-6, on the final night of His ministry on earth (excluding his post Resurrection ministry), the Lord Jesus led His Disciples into the Upper Room to observe the Passover meal. While they sat at the table (many actually believe they laid at the table then). As Jesus disturbed the meal elements, He began to explain what would immediately begin to happen. He wanted them to understand . . . to know so that they would be prepared, and know what to do. He began by saying, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.” The truth is that He was explaining to them they . . . that like every man, woman and child who would follow after them . . . would need to make a decision. Believing in God is a wonderful thing . . . but that, in and of itself, does not change much. Think about it . . . the Devil believes in God . . . in fact he is certain that God is there . . . but it changes nothing for him, about him, or where he will spend eternity. At that time in Israel, there were many folks who insisted and maintained that they were the offspring of Abraham . . . that they didn’t need “a Savior” . . . and thus rejected Jesus. They foolishly decided to go it alone.

Why did Jesus encourage them to believe in Him also? Because Jesus knew that there is a day coming when believing in Him will change everything. Why? Because it is that thing that God set in the redemption process. In fact, in John 3:16 we are told “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him . . . shall never die.” One must believe and accept that Jesus is, indeed, the son of God . . . and the Savior of the world . . . in order to be saved.

Jesus then said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you.” Do you know it hasn’t always been interpreted as “rooms.” When the various translations began being published (NIV, RSV, AMS, and such) the word mansions began being referred to as rooms. Frankly, I am not sure which is actually the correct reading . . . but must confess my inclination is toward the thought of mansions (I am an old KJV guy). It just fits my mental image of what it will be like. I just delight in the mental image of ‘gates of pearls . . . and streets of gold.’ In my way of thinking, mansions just fit. It is how the theater of my mind works.

Jesus then told those guys that He was going to a prepare a place for them . . . is that amazing or what? Guess what? That blessed promise is mine and yours today too! Just as it was theirs those 2000 years ago. It is yours too . . . if you believe in Jesus and reached out and received His salvation as a gift (I pray that you have . . . if you have not, I beg you to permit a Bible-believing, salvation-teacher to help you settle the issue once and for all).

The question really needs no answer for our eternity . . . because either way . . . Heaven will be exactly what we want and need . . . because we will be in the presence of Jesus and that will, by all means, be perfection!

I must confess . . . I love intrigue . . . mystery . . . suspense. I love thinking about the things of God and delighting in His precious promises. As I dwell upon them, they turn my old earth-calloused, cynical heart mellow, and yearning to be in His blessed presence.

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see! When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land! When I look upon the face of the one who saved me by His grace!

Now, that my friend, will indeed be the day!

Simply Looking at it Backwards . . .

There is a new argument being made . . . it comes from a nutty communist-type organization. It makes a nutty effort to transfer guilt from them over to me. I simply “ain’t havin’ none of it!”

Their position is that they ought to be able to break into my house and take my stuff . . . and do pretty as much as they wish while they are there. My position is they really ought to try to peddle that foolishness down the street . . . it isn’t finding any traction around here. The absolute truth is that if anyone comes aground with foolishness on their mind related to my family . . . I will take my Winchester 101 Over and Under shotgun and blow their John Brown hind parts off . . . don’t come here prowling.

I have to chuckle when I hear their claim that I ‘must put more value on my stuff than I put on their lives.’ That is absolutely false . . . and really nuts. Why would any screwball even make such a radical claim? I would argue that they err and actually ‘place more value on my stuff than they placed on their lives.’ Because it is absolutely certain that if they come around my crib, they have placed themselves in harm’s way.

Actually, I am very loving and kind in that I even took the time . . . and went to the trouble of posting a public policy statement . . . forewarning everyone to never, ever attempt to visit my home . . . uninvited. You, quite tragically, will come to a troubled end. Your friends and family will gather together, wearing dark clothes . . . and there will be some sad-talking . . . and slow-walking going on.

Do us both a favor . . . you get your own stuff . . . and leave my stuff alone. I will get my very own stuff and never, ever bother yours.

Dang, I really am glad we have that worked out now. I really don’t want to ever need to defend my teepee . . . but make no mistake . . . put in that position . . . I will defend it to my dying breath!

I am a Christian . . .

. . . and I have the best news ever! The news is that God loves you very much. God wants to extend to you the gift of eternal life . . . the salvation of your soul.

That is the best thing you will ever hear . . . the best thing you will ever receive. It is absolutely critical that you get the point that it is a gift . . . not something you earned or have somehow merited. It isn’t about you . . . it is about Him . . . and what He has done. It is simply a gift . . . but the greatest gift in the entire world.

Folks try to understand it and analysis it . . . which is impossible. The reason is that this gift is so out of this world that it is actually beyond humans understanding it. Just receive it, give your life to Jesus, and begin trying to have a relationship with him.

When I was in the hospital in January, I was set to have stents put in one morning. As I had been waiting and interacting with the staff, I had been privileged to share my faith with them. A physical therapist responded. A nurse’s aide was convinced that he had somehow burned a bridge with God . . . and all hope was gone. I assured him that he is wrong. I prayed for Richard . . . that he might forgive himself . . . and move forward. I also prayed for another opportunity to talk with him.

They Come . . . and They Go . . .

I have been teaching the same Sunday school class for over thirty years. I am satisfied it must be some sort of record or something. It has been a long time . . . with a wonderful group of folks. I have loved them dearly . . . like my very own family . . . which they actually are.

I have, over the years, seen many folks come and many folks go . . . every one of them leaving a mark behind. Many came as Winter Texans . . . some just made this their permanent home here amongst us, others continued to make the annual trip back and forth. The group has all done it differently. But it has all been wonderful.

Jo Hise hosted a lovely dinner party as a going-away get-together for a precious couple . . . John and Betty Haskins of Minnesota. John and Betty have been coming down about twelve years and have certainly found a warm spot in our hearts. They are precious folks. They will certainly be missed around here. Their daughter, Linda Stewart, lives in Baytown and has decided the time has come for John and Betty to move closer to her. It seems that her 90-year-old folks being three hours away is problematic . . . she simply needs them closer to her. We understand . . . but hated to see them leave.

The truth be told there have been many folks to come and go . . . passing through the class over the past thirty years. I don’t really know how many, but I do know that we have a plaque on the front wall of the class . . . a plaque of those who had been in the group and now are at home in Heaven. It seems there is about 125 names on said plaque . . . and there has easily been double that number of those who simply passed through over the years.

I have never once taken for granted the marvelous privilege of teaching this precious group of Saints . . . it has been a great blessing and a wonderful joy for me. The truth is that I love to tell the old, old story . . . and I love to tell it for those who know it best. That certainly has been this group of Saints.

God bless John and Betty as they take the next step of their journey. I told them I will pray for them in the days ahead . . . and said that I will see them again for certain . . . if not here again . . . then certainly on the other side of the great river.

What a wonderful thing the Lord has waiting for each of us!

More Folks at Church . . .

On March 31st, I wrote about ‘Folks at Church’ . . . and truth be told it is an important subject. A subject we ought to pay attention to and work hard to keep in proper boundaries. Lord knows it can get outside of the lines pretty quickly. The truth is the Enemy tries his best to sow seeds of discord, stir the pot and keep the debate raging . . . all foreign to the ways of the Lord . . . all contrary to His words of instruction relative to behavior.

The truth is the enemy comes seeking to divide, conquer, and kill. It is heart-wrenching to see a Church that has been growing and glowing for Jesus . . . doing the work assigned to it . . . then getting crossways and begin arguing and behaving poorly rather than putting their shoulder to the wheel. It is mostly always about goofy stuff that initially didn’t amount to a hill of beans.

Have you ever seen a Church split? It certainly isn’t a pretty picture. Lives are damaged . . . some never to be the same again. Others become angry and tragically never manage to make their way back to a place of service. I wonder exactly what those folks will say to Jesus on Judgment Day.

I heard about a great Church in the Northeast that was very exciting as it grew like a weed . . . preaching and teaching about Jesus . . . and bringing sinners into the kingdom’s area and making Disciples . . . a group of folks who really loved each other. The Church seemed to be in a perpetual building program . . . simply unable to keep pace with the rapid growth. People being brought into the Kingdom!

The Building Committee met to decide on a future dedication service. During the discussion, it was suggested that rather than spend extra money, the Church ought to be careful to invest everything possible in the Kingdom’s work. Thus, they would not spend money on material items such as decorations . . . they would solicit Church members who were gifted in the arts and have them design displays with a Biblical scene . . . murals of a sort. It really worked well, and everyone loved the idea. Over the next several weeks, members excitedly walked throughout the building admiring the scenes and discussing the Bible event depicted.

One afternoon as the open house approached, a group of folks were strolling along when they happened upon a lovely screen of Adam and Eve in the pre-fallen garden. Everyone was amazed at how lovely they both looked in the painting. Of course, the artist had been kind and classy . . . and sketched a collection of olive leaves as something of an apron . . . for modesty purposes. As the group made their way along, someone chuckled and said that the sketch wasn’t Biblically correct and pointed out the problem with the navel of Adam and Eve. After a good group laugh, the group moved along. After a bit, the discussion became more serious on the subject of navels . . . and exactly when the first couple and their offspring just actually began to have a belly button.

Before long, tempers had flared, folks began squaring off . . . and angry folks argued over Adam and Eve . . . did they or did they not have a belly button? It wasn’t long before the entire Church was caught up in the squabble . . . and soon full-fledge war broke out. It wasn’t too terribly long until the beautiful Church sat empty on Sunday mornings.

The challenging question of the day . . . Did Adam and Eve have a belly button? Question . . . Does it really even matter if they had a belly button?