“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT)

Excerpted from full article * Never again will America win a land war! Never! Prediction With DADT unreasonably favored by the president with his signature, the strength, support and admiration for our present uniform services will slowly begin to decay from within. Notwithstanding that same-sex sexual behavior is demonstrated to shorten life by 25 to 40 percent through higher rates of AIDS, hepatitis, other infectious diseases; cancers, depression, alcoholism, other substance abuse, suicide and domestic violence. Medical literature is replete with documentation, and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association website confirms most of this. Unit cohesion, order and discipline are sure to suffer. These serious drawbacks just touch on the concerns and demands of historical unity and reliability essential to military life. The people that silently supported inordinacy were revealed when they participated in public debate and voted, expressing their position on the matter of phasing out the current rules governing DADT. Their support remarks show them as unethical, staining their position of leadership, and showing weakness in their moral character. It made me wonder how they are able to live with themselves. As we continue on this road of arrogance, thinking we are gods and can do without Him, it would seem reasonable to think that America can expect the unexpected. Anyone who scoffs at these suggestions is part of the problem. I wonder if being bogged down in a never-ending conflict, trying to be correct, at the expense of our young troops, have any significance. We would all be wise to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” ask His intervention before America, once recognized as a strong Christian nation, now obviously in the grip of the prince of darkness, becomes a Sodom and Gomorrah. Those of us with lives caught up in weak, foolish leadership policies without a say, in the name of reason and common sense, have no place to withdraw and escape God’s wrath. However, we have God’s promise to “Fear not,” and are consoled knowing that God knows all and sees all; with God, nothing is impossible. Draw comfort in giving Him some of your time. The future is here. A few months postponement before implementing “Ask and Tell” will make little difference. The decision to do away with DADT is a deathblow to America’s military might that, in time, will reduce it to a memory. The president was speaking tonight (22 Dec 2010) on the subject of allowing gays to marry. Do you not know that this was his first step to “condition” the public to hearing about that possibility? Believe it. Let us not forget gay and lesbian antics outside the military that inside the military can anticipate in the future. When the inordinate ones do not like what you say or do, they plan revenge. (Also see full article*). A number of Catholic Churches have been unruly attacked inside, and Mass services disrupted (California, Minnesota, et al.), all because their lifestyle and their apparent lack of faith are in disobedience to God’s words that their acts are an abomination. Here is how liberals think; a recent example that did not make the news as it should have. To repeat the sentiment of many others, the president, his administration, most members of Congress today still do not get it. This is how unselfish, heroic deeds are now irreverently treated: Click this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/claythe1?feature=mhum You see that the military and their families are taken for granted, a hero does not deserve a salute by the president, rather, hands over the crotch is his normal salute to the military and anything affiliated with them. We have seen this before. Genuine respect for our military is history. Unbelievable! You will not see America ever win a land war again. Naturally, it will take time for our “straight” military to fall apart as I predict, but it is inevitable. There will be no mass exodus - no one expects that, for sound reasons. Today’s military members, as in the past, from necessity, will act responsibly to plan their future actions. Most have always been high caliber, patriotic, thoughtful, caring individuals. Prudence often came with the sort of disciplinary team training received and undertaken, from their first haircut and their first unified military steps in cadence. * Full article posted at www.http://fourwinds.blogster.com “In God We Trust” Let us pray... Thanks for visiting. - Bob John 8:32

O Holy Christmas-A pass-along story

More than 2000 years ago a decree went forth from the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, commanding a general census in which all the people of the empire should be enrolled, “each in his own city,” that is, in the place to which his tribe and family belonged. Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a city of (King) David, because they were of the family of that king. Bethlehem is situated about five or six miles south of Jerusalem, and nearly seventy-five miles south of Nazareth. There, in a stable, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, was born, according to tradition, at midnight, or soon after, on December 25th. It came to pass that, when they were there, Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The history of the first Christmas is made familiar to Catholics by the devotion of the “Christmas Crib.” In the year 1226, St. Francis of Assisi, with the permission of the Pope, set up the first of these cribs for the purpose of instructing the people and increasing in their hearts love and devotion for the Infant Savior. Christmas takes its name from the central and supreme act of Christian worship. Christmas means “Christ’s Mass,” the Mass offered in honor of the birth of Christ. Nearly all European languages, except English, use a word signifying nativity or birthday of Christ to designate the feast of Christmas: In Latin, Dies Natalis; in Italian, Il Natale, and in French the Latin form is soften into Noel. In all lands and languages the great fact commemorated is the birth of Christ, and the great action by which that fact is commemorated and renewed is the Mass. On Christmas, priests may celebrate three Masses to honor the threefold birth of the Son of God. His birth in time and in our humanity in the stable of Bethlehem; His spiritual birth by faith and charity in the souls of the shepherds, and in our souls, and in the souls of all who earnestly seek Him; and lastly, His eternal generation in the bosom of the Father. Jesus, God made Man, came to us to bring us back to God the Father through the ultimate gift of salvation. That was the single message of the Good News then, and down through the ages; accept the cure He has since provided through His birth, death and Resurrection. I capsulate it this way: Life is uncertain, death is sure; Sin the cause, Christ the cure. - Anon. At Christmas, a Birthday, it is only proper to say “Merry Christmas!” Thanks for visiting. - Bob Christmas is for everyone

A True Friend is God’s Gift to You

So you have friends, you say. Get on your knees and thank God. Your friend will stand by you through thick and thin, will even die for you, right? Oh, no? Then you do not have a true friend; you have an associate. A friend is someone that would die for you, and an associate is someone you know quite well, someone you know better than an acquaintance. They may stand by you in some troubles but not all. Instead of referring to associates as “friends,” what would you say when introducing them to others? How about, “this is my associate, Jake Wont.” Truly, “friends” and “love” are related. The sort of friend one can consider “true” has the element of love in it, love that comes from the heart, sincere, genuine. Now that I am alone in the shadow of life, having lost my best and only earthly friend (my spouse), it occurred to me how people misuse and, yes, even abuse the word “friend.” Somehow, as a youngster I virtually held sacred two things close to my mind and heart – and this is ever since I was young, a youth. That will tell you something about the way we thought as opposed to attitudes today. One, I never made a promise that I was not sure I could keep. I believe this stemmed from a promise made to me as a child that was not kept; I can still remember the incident some 70 years later. Two, the word friend was substituted for the reality of the association. That is, the word friend was not used, instead “fellow worker” “Fellow member" "Associate" “Acquaintance” “Team member” “Compatriot” “Neighbor” etc., whatever the real situation was is how I handled it. Why? Because somehow I came to know early in life, what “friend” meant. In my teen years, I learned that everything in life fluctuates, i.e. nothing of importance remains static. Close fellow associates, or myself, would relocate and never be seen again. As a career professional in the United States military, frequently moving from one place to another, one country to another, meeting people and developing friendships would often be avoided because of partings that would inevitably happen. Everyday life in the past, say from between ages 8 and 15, when the chance of moving was less prone,it was possible to establish a friendship, possibly started in a school or neighborhood. Unless you never moved, by the mid to late teens, life would cause changes putting distance between you and that “temporary” friendship that in time fades away. Note what the Bible says about friends: “Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity “A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality: and they that fear the Lord shall find him. “He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship: because according to Him shall his friends be” Ecclus 6: 14-17 Fast forward. Mature, wise people will tell you honestly, what the Bible will tell you, and that is: “A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found him hath found a treasure. “Blessed is he that finds a true friend,…Ecclus 25:12 Also: “Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul” Prov. 27:9 “It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society. “If one fall, he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he has none to lift him up” Eccles 4:9, 10. Of course there are cautions in the choice of friends, e.g. …one in a thousand would be a friend (Ecclus 6: 6,7). There are many reasons why anyone would be a false friend. A friend must have fidelity (be faithful). (Prov. 17:17) A friend must not betray confidence. (Prov. 3:39) This is but a brief introduction to a prized, but grossly misused, abused, and misunderstood subject by people in general. It is pure wisdom to understand and apply to ourselves the lesson Jesus gave us to respect the word “friend.” He once referred to the ultimate sacrifice as that of giving one’s life for his friends. Due to my self-imposed conditions and choosing to settle in a place other than where longevity had prevailed, and circumstances altered those conditions, for me a friend, as described in this article, is remote to non-existent. If you have read closely, you will see that I care dearly about what a friend means, and would mean to me personally. The Bible quotations reinforce my belief in the priceless value of a friend and the difficulty of finding one. It appears that I must continue to pray God for the gift of a God-fearing, worthy person, I can call a true friend. My standards and values are high, but God’s is infinitely higher. In these times, I can only pray and hope God answers; He always does. Right now, He is saying “no.” He has his reasons. Here are a few quotations of what others say about a friend: “Actions, not words, are the true characteristic mark of the attachment of friends.” - George Washington “…friendships are treasures that last forever.” - Mart De Haan, RBC Ministries “It would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends.” - Dennis Fisher, RBC Ministries “Of all the things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.” - Epicurus “One of the most beautiful qualities of a true friend is to understand and be understood.” - Seneca “I didn’t find my friends; the Good God gave them to me.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson “A single true friend is a treasure worth more than gold or precious stones. Money can buy many things, good and evil. All the wealth of the world could not buy a true friend or pay for the loss of one.” - C.D. Prentice “What is the secret of your life?” asked Mrs. Browning of Charles Kingsley. “Tell me, that I may make mine beautiful, too.” He replied: “I had a friend.” Wonderful quotations on this subject are truly without end. More recent, contemporary descriptions of a friend go like this: “Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.” “Best friends are like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.” “Some people make the world special by just being in it.” “When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.” “True friendship never ends.” “Friends are forever.” “Good friends are like stars…you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.” “Most people walk in and out of your life, but only a friend remains in your heart.” Common sense and the Bible tells us that friendship demands reciprocal love. Holy Scripture repeatedly presents God as the friend of man. God spoke with Moses as a friend (Ex 33:11). He called Abraham His friend (Is 41:8). It is recorded that both men loved God and would do anything God asked, with the emphasis on “anything.” Other prophets of the Old Testament could be mentioned if space here permitted. In my not so deep research on the subject of friend, I quickly recognized that there is an abundance of wisdom concerning “friend,” in Scripture alone; too much for the space of a blog. I may need to consider pursuing a future booklet on this subject to render it the justice it deserves, for the wonder of its literal meaning and reasonable understanding. Misuse of this almost sacred word is appalling. I believe humankind needs to know the true meaning of friendship so as not to be suddenly disappointed when what they expect from someone they call friend does not happen. The following prayer-poem with our one True Friend is one I say before the the Holy Cross. I am sure the anonymous author would welcome you to say the words I find here that expresses gratefulness for His friendship: I would converse with Thee from day to day, With heart intent on what Thou hast to say, And through my pilgrim-walk, whate’er befall, Consult with Thee, O Lord! about it all. Since Thou art willing thus to condescend To be my intimate, familiar friend, Oh! let me to the great occasion rise, And count Thy friendship life’s most glorious prize! †

Taking the Sting and Mystery Out of Wills, Etc.

We all procrastinate as a matter of course due to one reason or another. When it comes to estate planning, doing nothing brings unnecessary agony on those we leave behind – often suddenly. In fact, doing nothing to protect them is next to criminal. When you love someone, you want to take care of that person or family. This message applies to both husband and spouse, as you work together as a team to protect what you work for – and do not want the one left behind to lose everything. You may know, you may have heard, the State will step in and help themselves to what you have, whether little or not so little, and make it tough on the one who must deal with them. They care little to nothing about you. All they are interest in is getting what they do not deserve, even if it is the law. Without proper documents, as a Will for example, everything is “frozen in place and untouchable until the Courts handle your estate through Probate. That could be some months before either of you left behind can touch. In either case, you need to step up to the plate and act to protect each other. It was by the grace of God that my spouse passed to her reward before me. I couldn’t believe the mess she would have had to face had I passed on before her. Any money she would have had to take care of things she would have paid out to lawyers (on the advice of the Bank) and would have needlessly lost a great deal of money. Had I not had some real experience about personal affairs beforehand, it would have been difficult even for me. While in the throes of grief, your mind does not act as when you are with the one you love. You change with this crises and never return to where or what you were before grief grabbed hold of you. Now, I am speaking from dire personal experience. Important things that needed to be attended to came in spurts, my mind kept getting weak signals of thing that needed to be taken care of. The first thing I noticed when paying bills was the joint names on the check I was making out. My visit to the Bank was to change “our” account to “my” account. (Not so easy to do without a death certificate, I learned.) Then other matters begin to come in play. One thing leads to another is how it works. You do not want to go through these important matters in an emergency setting, it’s best to do them together, the way you both decide you want things done when (not if), when something happens to change your marital situation. It makes no difference what you need to do to get your affairs the way you want them. The link below will get all of what you want done at the least expense. I can tell you what I did to forego the huge expense of a lawyer and facing the annual payment for a lawyer to handle your affairs. You can do as I did. After listening about this organization on the radio over a hundred times, it finally hit me (so to speak) what they were saying. It hit me because I needed their help. It’s like wanting to buy a silver colored car because you do not see many silver colored cars. After you have it, it seems all cars are silver in color. (Strange, but things do work out that way.) After contacting them via computer and, if necessary to speak with someone, via toll-free, what would have cost me around two-thousand dollars plus annual fees to maintain my estate (which is ridiculous by any well to do standards), ended up around $500. This was not only for a Will (which would not cost half as much), but included a Trust, a Last Will and Testimony, and a Health Directive that tells everyone how I want to be taken care of by Health and Medical people, and Instructions on how I want to be taken care of regarding burial. (There are names for these paper instruments; it just escapes me now.) Whatever you need should be done for way less than your local lawyer would charge you. Another thing, their assistance in preparing these documents is for each State. So it makes little difference where you live. I have been telling people about this service ever since I used them. You see, when I find something good, with equally good service, I have always (I truly mean always) shared it with others as far and as wide as I possibly could. Trust me, that’s quite a territory as I am from New England and live in the southwest, and have travelled most of our lower 48 contenental states. People know me as “Paperboy” since the 1930s. So when I say I share, I share. It is so rare nowadays to receive good service; this is one service everyone needs, and except for the link I provide below, everyone is at the mercy of overpaid lawyers. Recently something occurred to make me think about sharing this information with you in my blogs. It dawned on me that I ought not to fail to share this because everyone will save. I may not remember to do this again. (You can prove that you will save to yourself after you download the information. Compare it with a local attorney. You do not need to see a local attorney face to face; just review the Yellow Pages of your telephone book and see what they say they charge for, say, a simple Will. Do it if only to satisfy yourself.) If you can sit down and answer questions asked of you on a computer that deal with important family matters (even an individual with assets has a need), this is your discovery. Just do as I did and go to: http://legalzoom.tellapal.com/a/clk/qZK0L (You may need copy and paste to your URL address line to activate it.) It couldn’t be easier. Just take your time, no one is waiting in line for you to finish anything. Read carefully, it’s not entirely technical. It applies as you want it to apply. Choose what you want. There’s no commitment until you say there is. Keep in mind the tremendous savings while at the same time you are taking care of things you may have been procrastinating about for a long time; as you knew you should not have put things like this off from getting it done. I repeat, take your time; no need to rush. This is important to you and those that love you and you love. Nothing could or should be more important. Ask yourself, if you don’t take care of these things, who will? Thanks for visiting. – Bob Merry Christmas

Learning, Studies and Discoveries

Individually, we ought to be wise enough to realize that we will never know all there is to know. Couple that fact with the idea that we ought to never stop learning. Many of our brothers and sisters seem to be satisfied with what little they know, or criticize others because they cannot answer their question on the spot. Not being able to answer a worthy question is nothing more than an opportunity to learn the answer. “Perfection” is in the purview of a similar concern. Wisdom tells us that we cannot attain perfection. Nevertheless, we are instinctively urged to strive for perfection. The reasoning is that striving for perfection motivates us to do our best in all our thoughts, words and deeds. In other words, we cannot go wrong doing right (the best we can). It is highly acceptable to learn at least something worthwhile each day, no matter what it may be, as long as it is worthwhile (in your estimation). It not only keeps your mind alive, it also will help make you more self-confident. EXAMPLES Out of curiosity (of which I usually am not), confirming whether or not I was pronouncing the word Wednesday correctly was important to me. People are often heard to mispronounce Wednesday or Wenezday, or Wednezday, or Wenz’day, with this last, according to my old “The New Century Dictionary,” is the correct pronunciation. After this checking, I was satisfied that my pronunciation of the word is correct. To my surprise, however, while exploring this word, I further discovered that I had a misconception of the place “Wednesday” held as “the” day of the week. My visit to the dictionary was fruitful in another way besides confirming the correct utterance of Wenz’day. I learned that Wednesday is the FOURTH day of the week, not the THIRD as I, all of my long life, believed. I just never gave it much thought. Imagine that! It may not seem important to you, but to me accuracy equates with order, and order makes for acceptance in utterances and the written word. Much of which I do both. Accuracy, i.e. to the best of my ability, is vital to me. When I compose tracts regarding the unseen spiritual, and the seen religious world, and its deism, (the principle reason for our living), accuracy is paramount. God would not forgive any error when I attempt to bring readers matters dealing with His Good News. There is no way I would dare go that way and place my soul (and yours, by misleading you) in danger. I am no theologian, no ordained minister, not even a Deacon, just a person as most of you, likely much older. In my almost quarter century writing of religious tracts, my first step is quiet prayer to the Holy Spirit. It is critical in my prayers requesting support from above to do my homework. Then I combine my research to my life’s traditional faith belief, knowledge, and abundant personal experiences, all of which converge before composing. In other words, it is important for me to know that what I am saying or referring to anyone is true. Otherwise I would pass on false information or be seen as unlearned, i.e. ignorant. That is and would be entirely unacceptable to me, and should be to you, too. The lesson here is: When you have any doubt (about what is in front of you to read), check it out. God has given each of us a mind to use. Use it to the best and fullest to optimize your life as you walk and travel this great, glorious and wonderful ball called earth; and as you walk among your fellow humans, who spend too much time trying to impress, express yourself by applying what you learned from intentional and natural studies and discoveries. Be wise, know that you will not learn all there is to know. Nor do you have all the time in the world; be assured you will not be repeating your walk through this life. Right now is all the time you have, right now you are alive, wiggle your body, prove to yourself that you are alive, and then truly come alive! Discovering why you are here is a good start. Then live your life accordingly. Tomorrow may be too late. Learn through studies and discoveries, and then share with your fellow man. Like me, you, too, will pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that you can do, any kindness you can show - to any human being, do it now, do not defer nor neglect it, for I guarantee, you will not pass this way again. † Thanks for visiting. - Bob Eph. 5:1-17

Past Wars and Present and Future Terror

December 7, 1941 … …”the day that will live in infamy” so declared then president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt. Of course, he was referring to the sneak attack on the United States Navy in Hawaii (not a State at the time), by the Imperial Empire of Japan. Their action plunged the entire world into World War II that was already raging in Europe because of Hitler’s insanity. For the benefit of the modern day uninformed, War in the Pacific, began at Pearl Harbor with a (questionable) surprise attack on our naval fleet in the Pacific. Because the United States’ founding is (was) based on Christian principles, defeated countries, such as Japan, were aided with tremendous amounts of American resources and human support to renew themselves to rejoin world nations in peace. For many years the “…day that will live in infamy” has gone the way of the annals of history. We, rightly, enkindle the bad memories of the many Pacific Campaigns year after year, because we have with us still, Pearl harbor survivors. As life would have it, they, naturally have become fewer and fewer. On a good calendar, the attack on Pearl Harbor now is referred to as Remembrance Day.” In time, I suspect it will become obscure, as most other awful wars. Like most important dates that we should never forget, it will not be known for what happened, just a date, with no one able to adequately explain the event behind it. If you think that this cannot happen, ask young adults about the Korea of 1950, that keeps raising its ugly head in current times. Has any young or mid-aged parent asked, “what is this all about?” Those involved in the global war of WWII are dying out faster than a bullet can hit its target. Soon there will be no one to understand that terrible, horrifying, horrendous, still unbelievable, terror that murdered millions in the horrifically evil schemes of a solitary mad man. Worse still, no one will remember how one man from Austria could terrorize another country, Germany, and make everyone so fearful to obey his madness. Countless joined in his plans of one world order of puritans, and helped him murder their fellow human beings. He did it. It happened. And, not all that long ago. These scars are still showing, but only in some places, and by fewer and fewer people trapped in the horror of the times. A great sadness is that people in America (and possibly most cosmopolitan locations of the world) today do not have the same quality of values as people of only, say, 50years ago. Remembering priceless values in cost of human life so people in general today can continue to care less, is frightening, to say the very least. Frightening for the new generation, not necessarily for those of us that have been through it or vividly remember what our brothers and sisters had to endure. Equally bad is that American History is no longer a school curriculum, has not been for far too many years. Few American young adults and their mid-aged parents know or care little about America’s demanding history. I am not any sort of a prophet, but I recall the wisdom of the past when I say: “Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it.” That in itself is scary to me because the face of war has changed. The Changing Face of War Now, the demand for even more alertness is needed. War is no longer a battlefield event. Despite Iraq and Afghanistan that is proving my point. And despite all of those generals with as many combined stars on their shoulders as there are in the heavens, we have not learned. Vietnam was the last battlefield war, that once again authenticated “War is hell.” Now the enemy is likely to be in your neighborhood with his or her intent on ridding you from the face of the earth. Are you aware of this or are you indifferent to what is happening. If you are indifferent you are unmistakably part of the modern-day, cultural problem we face. Your indifference compounds our problem because our Legislative Government is dumb down to reality. They have gotten so out of what is real that they find good evil and evil good. Whether you consider yourself an infidel or not, makes no difference to your new enemy. Like Hitler causing fear of death, most of the German population joined him. The Muslim radicals want to convert you; will you be converted? They have had years of brainwashing and want you dead. As we should have learned, brainwashing goes on inside and from outside this country. Immigrants are allowed into this country, without security checks, as once upon a time was required, and then allowed to emigrate to regions within this country silently infiltrating right where you are to get their dirty work done. In other words, our own government is complicit, has been cooperating with our new enemy by bringing them inside the country, and, you can say, behind the lines. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day December 7, 2010 For all military and civilian Pearl Harbor survivors and maimed and wounded personnel, and in memory of our lost brothers and sisters who faced the brunt of the “surprise” attack by the Japanese Empire’s numerous, heavily armed aircraft and miniature submarines sent to destroy the United States Naval Fleet, on an otherwise quiet, unsuspecting Sunday, I invite my fellow Americans to join me today in rendering a generic salute with utmost respect and gratefulness. Our Warriors and Freedoms’ Defenders: United States Navy United States Marine Corps United States Army United States Air Corps (at the time) United States Coast Guard And now, the Joint Special Forces representing each branch of the military (colors representing each branch ->)Salute, Go with God, Bob Soucy, USAF, Retired

CHRISTMAS WARS

CHRISTMAS WARS IGNITE; NEW BATTLE WITH ATHEISTS The following report is from the "home front," the Catholic League who knows first-hand about these things. Quote: “The atheists are out in force this year trying to neuter Christmas. But they are being met with stiff opposition from the Catholic League. The battle lines were drawn early. On November 10, news reports stated that several atheist organizations were seeking to use the Christmas season to garner new recruits. Their weapons of choice: billboards placed on highways and bus shelters, and TV advertisements. The billboard campaigns run the gamut from the benign to the malicious. Some merely ask those who don’t believe in God to join them, but others are a direct assault on Christianity. American Atheists, for example, is currently featuring a billboard with a picture of a nativity scene which reads, “You Know it’s a Myth. This Season Celebrate Reason”; it is prominently displayed in New Jersey near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel that connects to New York City. As soon as news stories surfaced about the American Atheists’ billboard near the Lincoln Tunnel, we were contacted by an anonymous donor who wanted to do something about it. We suggested placing a graphic of a nativity scene on a billboard on the New York side of the tunnel, one that read, “You know it’s Real. This Season Celebrate Jesus.” He liked our idea immediately, so we made the arrangements, and he paid for it. This was a very Catholic League kind of rejoinder. Knowing how aggressive these activists have become in recent years, we were more than ready with a strong response. So on the same day of the news stories about the atheist campaigns, we pulled our trigger: we announced that we had just mailed a Holy Family Nativity Scene (crèche) to the nation’s 50 governors. We quickly heard from Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley thanking us for the gift. In his letter to the governors, Bill Donohue explained that it was our “sincere hope that it (the crèche) will be displayed in the Capitol Rotunda alongside secular symbols (e.g. a Christmas tree) this coming Christmas season.” It is up to Catholic League members to follow through by contacting the chief of staff serving their respective governors;… The atheists are not happy about our counter-campaign. But we are proud that we led the Christian community nationwide with an immediate response. Moreover, unlike their negative campaign, ours is entirely positive. And that is exactly how it should be.” (Unquote.) Unless you are blind or do not know how to read, you must hear and see an increase in ignorant activists depreciate Christianity in particular and Catholicism specifically throughout the year, but they get energized over our Christmas celebrations. Christianity is too tough for them to bear, so they must attack us. God always wins out. We must stand firm wherever we are against their antics to upset the weak among us who do not know what they can and can't do about Christmas decorations and symbols. Stay alert to what is going on against or derogatory toward Christians, as the Catholic Leageue has been fighting for many years in defense of religious and civil rights. Check them out at www.catholicleague.org (you may need to place that address in your browser then click Go. This is NOT an email address which must have an @ in the address.) It is a www. address that must go in your browser. Simply highlight, copy and paste in your browser. Thanks for visiting. - Bob Rom. 15:13 Merry Christmas to you and yours

December

I liked this when I read it; it seems to offer optimism in the face of true conditions, which started in November and increasingly affects many of us during December; perhaps you also will like it. If you do, please share it with others who may be depressed from the early dark of both morning and night. Remember, Winter begins December 21st and the days will begin to slowly lengthen once again. There often is a light at the end of the tunnel, and a time to smile once more. A dreary month of weeping. Of cloud and fog and rain, Is sorrowful December, And all the winds complain. For trees are bare and flowers are gone, And birds have hushed all song, And days are short and sunless, And nights are dark and long. But let us wait in patience, The days are swift to go, And even sorrow does not stay Long on the earth below; Some days must be for weeping, But God and heaven remain, And after nights of darkness The sun will shine again. - Marianne Farmingham (From an old manuscript) Thanks for visiting. - Bob Phil 1:21

God, Youth, and You

Satan may have done more to destroy this generation of young people then any generation in history. He is so fearful of what the Lord can do through this new generation that he has arranged for humanity to kill millions upon millions – one-third- of them before birth. Those babies that make it to birth Satan tries to abuse, brainwash, debilitate, and enslave through dysfunctional families, cults like secular humanism, substance abuse, and sexual promiscuity saturating all forms of media. Pay attention to the youth that say “no.” Satan’s major effort is to keep our young people from knowing God’s love and believing in Him. Those who survived the devil’s onslaught are those who give their lives totally to Jesus; by the Holy Spirit of love they will be the one’s to renew the face of the earth. For too many years, I have been alarmed, noticing first-hand while visiting home after home, the way children were being raised. Parents generally lost their own faith and belief in God (even when their parents did pass their faith along to them, the secular world was more attractive),consequently raised their offspring’s without faith. This terrible situation has existed for at least 50 years. Man’s most important thing in life is to know and love God with all of one’s mind, strength and soul…instead God was, and is, placed in the “back” of things in one’s life. That is a precarious state for the human soul to be in. Consider this: God said: “Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee and made thee a prophet unto the nations.” And Jeremias said, “Lord God, behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. And the Lord said to me: Say not: I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak….” Jer 1:5-7. (Note to remember: God does not change, He is the same today as yesterday, and will be the same tomorrow. Man is the one that changes; man is fickle, seeking transitory “stuff” and conditions that will have an end. Now, with that out of the way, please continue …) “This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, that I will pour forth my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams….” Acts 2:17. Why, you may ask, is this important now. Dear reader, the more knowledgeable, i.e. learned, among us know and say that according to Scripture we are in the last days. That is not to say that the end is imminent, on the contrary, we also know that according to St. Peter, a blink of God’s eye is as a thousand years. However, being aware of this does not take away the conditions found in God’s Holy Book. Jesus told us that the time is known but to God, Jesus also said, “Be ready, as you know not the hour.” “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are….” I Jn 3:1ff The preceding quotation supports my recently being made aware through writings that God’s Spirit is being poured out on mankind. A new Pentecost has been taking place in recent time. For those of you that do not know the meaning of Pentecost: For Christians it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It is the harvest-feast of Christ, since on that day Christ’s Apostles, through the power of the Holy Spirit, lost their fear, went forth and preached courageously, baptized thousands – a great harvest of souls for the early Church. Since the time the WWJD craze swept the Christian community, around the globe, not so long ago as you should have forgotten, it was a reminder to many people that we should have the heart and mind of Jesus. From that time good seed flourished among the youth that understood the message, “What would Jesus do?” and matured further into WDJD – What did Jesus do?” Understanding this more important question depends our salvation. Understanding WDJD is vital as described in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4ff. The claim that the Lord is raising up young people in a special way to renew the face of the earth, empowering new Jeremias’ “to root up and pull down, to waste and to destroy, and to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10), is a joy of real satisfaction for years of yearning for the good of our youth’s accounting. A new era is in the making. For our young to acknowledge their true God and, with His guidance, begin the healing peoples everywhere need to return to Him, has much to do about our salvation. These young “Jeremias” are not too young by God’s standards. St. Paul wrote to Timothy: “We must tell our young people: ‘Let no man despise thy youth, but be an example to the faithful in speech, in conduct, in charity, in faith, in chastity’” 1 Tim 4: 12. We all need prayers; from their birth, our young need our prayers, as they grow, they need our encouragement. As adults and parents, it is no less our duty to know and understand our God and do our duty to fulfill our natural, instinctive obligation to Him and His Commandments. God created everyone you know and meet. No one was made by anyone else. Your eternal salvation and the disposition of your soul depend on your willingness to know Who is in charge of your life and how you ought to live. God is Pure Love, God is merciful, God is patient, God knows whether you know right from wrong. He sees all and knows all. With God, nothing is impossible. Believe it! You were sent from heaven to your mother’s womb. He placed you on earth to do a certain something. You must find out what that is; we often need to commune with God to find out. There is no one quite like you. You are one of a kind. God wants to welcome you home when He calls you to return. As you reside temporarily on this planet, you have total freedom to decide and choose the destination of your soul. Your Judgment will be between Him and you alone. A major determining factor will be by the way in which we live, and whether or not we abide in Him. We cannot ignore the truth of God’s desires, we cannot ignore God and expect Him to allow us to enter Paradise and be with Him. It does not work that way. Earth is where you prove your worthiness. God sent His only Begotten-Son, Jesus, to earth where He not only taught, guided and suffered dearly for us, but established His one Church, (placing imperfect men in charge) so all would have a “House of prayer,” a holy place to adore, praise Him and commune with Him. His purpose has not changed; man alone complicates matters by going his own way, as if Jesus did not know what He was doing. Jesus prayed, “that they be one, as we, Father, are one.” What are your thoughts about that? Today it is as if the tables were turned; where parents are suppose to train and teach the youth, it appears that the young people will be the one’s within the home and among their peers to do the teaching, stepping up to the plate after a serious lapse of many years. This must be recognized and nurtured wherever and whenever possible. God’s will be done. Love and humility must be the guiding lights for our salvation unto Him Who made us. Our young have organized themselves into Christian Youth Groups. Encourage this and carefully listen to their words. Parents, neighbors and associates could find enlightenment by their discussions, activities as individuals, and as a group. Remember, too that “actions speak louder than words.” Many years ago, in retrospect, when it was the “thing” to discover and teach oneself right from wrong (which was really normal, and neither complicated nor difficult), and after all my teen years as a wonderer and adventurer, I responded to my inner “tug” toward God. I always tried to do what was right at the time - admittedly, with some human frailty. In time and in sporadic moments on my own, I learned more and more about why I am here among my fellow human beings, called brothers and sisters. One of many streams of personal learning came by way of living subjects of The Christophers News Notes. The term “Christopher” comes from the Greek word “Christophoros” which means “Christ-bearer.” The Christopher motto, since 1945, is famous the world over, “It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." (www.christophers.org) (If you will consider this article to be from a Christ-bearer I would be humbly pleased.) The meaning of Christ-bearer is mightily important. It sums up our objective as children of God encouraging individual initiative in taking into the mainstream of life the truths that can bring lasting peace. Peace to our country, to our families, to us, and to the world – truths that naturally are “there” in our hearts, minds and souls, and have come down to us through 2000 years of Christianity and Jesus; in addition, there are those truths kept alive by the Jews alone for ages before the birth of God’s Son, Jesus. Parents and Guardians With respect to the youth around you, it is imperative that you show genuine interest in their interests. You either have the respect of your sons, daughters, grandchildren, etc., or you do not. You naturally want their respect. Know this: That by your love they know you. Make Jesus, the Son of God, your Guide, let Him come into your heart then your mind will take on thoughts worthy of Him; then your demeanor will speak for you, perhaps in ways unfamiliar to you. If you are at a loss about it all, ask (the Lord in prayer of your own words), and it shall be given to you; seek (the Truth) and you shall find; knock (on helpful doors if need be and doors) shall be opened to you. As a parent, guardian, grandparent, or another charged with guiding the young entrusted to your care, you are responsible for, not only your soul, but also the souls of those around you; you are a messenger – a Christ-bearer; honest and true, you are. Normally I would say to you to blow the dust of your Bible, open it and discover what you have been missing. But I will not recommend that just now. Sometime small steps are best before taking strides. Rather, begin by wanting to know God. You cannot love Him when you do not know Him. Set your mind on reading good, sound literature about the religion’s who, what, why. There are volumes of good books available for you to read, but avoid them – for now. Just be brave and stop by the literature rack in the Church, usually in the entryway. Look over what is available. Help yourself to what interests you or piques your interest. Choose judiciously so as not to be overwhelmed. Above all, you must understand God’s commandments, especially the First. Then everything that is supposed to be will makes sense. Life takes on meaning or new meaning – you comprehend life, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, those in your life’s space, your neighbors; you acknowledge the existence of heaven, hell, just as you accept a rainbow, true, false, black and white, right and wrong, the reality of imperfection in all people. All fit; peace and happiness sets in your heart and mind without deceiving yourself. Another fact that cannot be disputed is that we walk this way but once. What I have just described are powerful truths! They are likely matters that have been subordinated for other things in your life, or been allowed to slide out of your heart and mind altogether. Know that, as you continue to walk the face of the earth, our patient and merciful God desires your return to Him in Paradise in due time. Everyone, I repeat, everyone, regardless of what they temporarily call themselves, feel or experience the tug of righteousness and God in them, and makes a conscious decision about how to respond. That is God’s way. He allows you total freedom to do as you will. He also provides ways to heal errors made as He, above all, knows human nature. You must ask, seek, find. Jesus assured us that He would always provide help from on high. The more we act as His messenger the more we can say with Christ as He spoke to Pilate: “This is why I was born, and why I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears my voice” Jn 18:37. For the young and not so young, it is more prudent to walk with God than without Him and find yourself in the alternative to heaven. The more you learn, the more you come to realize that you are in this world but not of it. You are God’s creation and come from God’s Kingdom and should care for your soul in such a way as to want to return. Lastly, the expression “all the time in the world” is without meaning. “You never know.” †

Destination Plans

Chart Your Course - Now When we intend on taking a trip away from where we spend our time, it is normal for us to take time to prepare before actually departing. We have the vehicle checked and serviced, or we pay close attention to the airline schedule and seating arrangements, and items allowed to carry on or stow in the belly of the airplane. We, obviously, know our ultimate destination, and of any known stops or necessary changes along the way. To go successfully from “here to there,” you must agree, takes thoughtful planning, and personal attention to detail. There is a much more important “trip" we all need to plan for; someone put it this way: “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” That “life” is a trip that is often sudden, unexpected, or with grace from above, endowed with patience for ongoing preparation and attention. How would you say you are preparing for your trip toward your Particular Judgment Day before the general Judgment? Will the face-to-face stop before Jesus, Judge of all, have your soul destined to heaven or hell? Will your soul enjoy the fate of love and the inconceivable beauty of heaven, and seeing the face of God, and being with Him, His angels and His saints – and your departed loved ones? On the other hand, will your soul be relegated forever to the fires of hell, Satan and all his evil spirits? Despite how much you would want to have it otherwise, Heaven and Hell are not fictional or temporary destinations, they exist, and they are permanent. Your judgment is also permanent, final. It matters not what your status is or what your stature is in this life, you were always a child of God, He has always been in charge. At your death no clever negotiations, no arbitrations, no manner of excuses, no pleading after your soul instantly leaves your body when you die can alter the results of your life’s work on earth, period. After your death, it is too late to make amends. You must make your choice whether to hold on to things, which cannot save you, or let go, and fall into the hands of the Lord. It is so critically important for the destination of your soul that you cannot put off any longer the decision to choose for yourself whom you will serve (compare Josue/Joshua 24:15). Perhaps your present state of mind is not ready to believe that heaven or hell exists? More likely it is that you do not want to believe because it would interfere with your life style, or you are too careless to take the time to “think” of what is of paramount importance for your soul now and “after.” Whatever your excuse, it is lame, illogically based. No matter how bad you think you are, there naturally is a lot of good in you. That is, because you were created in the image of God, there is an ever-present tug toward Him in the very root of your being. Stop resisting it. Stop ignoring your conscience that tells you what is right and wrong; stop blotting out God’s voice. He loves you unconditionally. It has always been that way, you just wanted to do things your way – and He freely allows that – for now. Consider this: God has given us the choice whether or not we follow Him; but in reality, we are always at His mercy. “…we are clay, you are our Maker, and we all are the works of thy hands” (Isaias 64-8). What would you make of this short story from Matthew 22:23-32; Luke 20: 27-38) from the mouth of Jesus Himself? It leaves no doubt about our heavenly home and the hereafter. When explaining the question asked of Him by the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the body and which concerned the widow and the marriage of the seven brothers to her upon the death of each brother, and in time she, too, died. The question was “Whose wife will the woman be?” Now, carefully grasp Jesus’ reply, because the question gave our Lord the occasion to explain (contrary to people’s way of thinking - and it seems to me to have come full circle with the people of today). First Jesus began by saying: “You err because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Mt 22:29). Further, in answer to the question, Jesus said that the life of the risen will be totally different from that lived on earth. There, they “neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more because they are equal to angels and are sons of God (Lk 20: 35-36). The risen will receive their bodies again, but these will be in a glorified state and no longer subject to the laws of the flesh. Being immortal, marriage will no longer be necessary for assuring the preservation of the human race. Their life will be like that of the angels, and like angels, they will be children of God, being the children of the resurrection.” That the dead rise as was shown in the passage about the burning Bush, when referring to the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moreover, as seen by Peter, James and John (Mt 17:1-9; Mk 9:1-9, Lk 9:28-36) Moses and Elias appeared with Christ at His transfiguration while going up a mountain. His body retained its form but began to shine, His face becoming like the sun. His transfiguration showed what Christ’s glorified body would be like after the Resurrection and of what our bodies will be after the general resurrection. (Commemorative Family Rosary Edition, Holy Bible; Douay, Challoner-Rheims Version, Cath. Encyclopedia P.266, Sept. 1953.) Let us all realize so as not to be in error, that it is an undeniable fact that our God is not the God of the dead, but God of the living. All live to Him. What is more, Jesus spoke numerous times and ways about our heavenly home. He made it abundantly clear that He is in charge of life and death when at the cemetery, speaking with Martha Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me, even if he die, shall live; and whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25-26). What did Martha say? “Yes, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world.” Right then (after four days in the tomb) Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. I am right now reminded of the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as New Testament texts that speak to a final destiny of the soul (Lk 16:19-31; Mt 16:26-28; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:23; Heb 9:27, 12:22,23.) Since I am making this treatise an article on my Blog, it is possible that people from all different religions, and in various countries of the world, will read these words. Some for the first time in their lives will be introduced to the One God of all, Creator of heaven and earth, Jesus His Beloved-Son Who gave up His life for all, heaven, and a brief mention of the devil. This article contains information vaguely familiar to many others, still others will have a distinct understanding and, I pray, will make them stop and think of the condition of their souls, making ready for a life in heaven. For everyone, care of the soul should be a priority and not ignored until “the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work…” remains. At Judgment, do you expect God in His mercy to grant you a safe lodging and a holy rest, and peace at the last? The answer lies in the destiny of each of us, determined by what we, individually as children of God, have prepared for ourselves by our conduct here. Be aware that the day of judgment will be like a consuming fire for the wicked; for the just, it will be the manifestation of the mercy of God. “I will spare them” says the Lord, “as a man spares his son who serves him” (Mal 3:17). Activate Your Plan None of us is here forever; too many live as if “that’s all there is?” What a terrible perception. As this article intends to prove or show, is, if you believe that this is all there is, you are severely deluding yourself and making a certain guarantee of where you will end up in the hereafter. You need a plan to make sure you end up in the “better place.” What is more, you need to work that plan, it just will not happen without your active engagement. If you are inclined to be a good or better Christian, or desire to become a Christian, the first thing you want to do is seek out a Christian Baptism and have the Holy Spirit in you. Then review the Ten Commandments, begin with the First which is Love, and to which all other commandments are connected. Then, continue slowly reviewing the other nine. Return to the First and understand what God wants us to do. Fundamentally, He tells us that He wants us to know Him, to Love Him, etc. (If you do not know God, you cannot love Him.) What are you doing to be ready at any moment, often suddenly, for your last breath here and to prepare your soul for immediate Judgment? Pause and think logically about this. The only thing you can take with you is love. We are to live with Faith, Hope and Love. Of these, only love can be with our spirit and enter heaven. That is it, period. Nothing material will be piled upon your casket or into your urn. That is fact! My dear departed spouse use to (humorously) say, “I’ve never seen a casket loaded on with personal goods at a funeral.” I dare say that neither have you. Today can be your day of liberation from a prison of sin, fear, compulsive behavior, greed, avarice, envy, jealousy, gluttony, lust, hate, laziness, hoarding, gossiping attitudes and a host of character flaws, including a hardness of heart; ignoring God’s House of Prayer and worship, neglecting praying for others, for yourself, for those that need prayerful help, etc. Even if we have been in these prisons for most of our lives, liberation can come to us. Sincerely acknowledge Jesus as Son of God, Lord, and Savior and today will be not only the day of liberation, but also “the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2).In our acknowledgement of Jesus, to be saved rightly, we must not only believe in the Resurrection, but believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rm 10:9). We must have a deep faith in Jesus’ Resurrection (see I Cor 15:50-57). Beware; as there is Good in this world, there is evil also, just as clearly as you see black and white. Your commitment to believe draws the devil to you like a magnet, and he targets you. Connect the dots and you will understand the existence of heaven and hell. The devil will not let you alone; he will do all that he can to dissuade you from knowing your Lord and your God. That is his job, to test you and weaken you. Stand firm. God has provided you with all the internal, spiritual strength you need to face the toughest temptation. He has given us angels and saints to strengthen us and for us to call upon in moments of need. Look at the secular world around you and you see evil everywhere. The devil is having a “field day.” This is, because God made us free to do as we please, we do, and God is ignored. Individuals call upon our Father only when they are in trouble. That is insincere, empty faith, in the grip of the devil. Our own resurrection from the dead is part of our salvation in Jesus. Therefore, resurrection is a gift claimed by faith. Let us believe in Jesus, live lives in imitation of Him, and look forward with joy to our death. In Jesus, our spirit will rise immediately at the moment of our passing, and our bodies will rise on the last day when Jesus returns. We who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within us; because of our baptism our mortal bodies will be raised from the dead (Rm 8:11). Like St. Paul, a few readers of this article are on the threshold of dying, going to heaven, seeing Jesus face to face for immediate Particular Judgment. Today could be their last on earth, the first in heaven for their immortal soul’s eternal retribution Judgment, a day of liberation, salvation, death, and life. Is your soul ready for its destination? Will it be the blessedness of heaven, with God our Father, or everlasting damnation with the devil? God’s love and peace be with you, Thanks for visiting. - Bob Romans 15:13

Meet Jesus, Part 3 of 3 Parts

Note: To view Parts I and II click on dates Oct 22, Oct 23 (to the left). Later in the day, Jesus’ lifeless body was taken down from the cross, tenderly cared for, and placed in a new sepulcher with a heavy boulder sealing the entrance. Roman guards were in place to prevent anyone from removing the body. Sunday the tomb is found open,the Resurrection of Jesus had taken place. Mary Magdalene does not know where Jesus is.When Jesus speaks to her she recognizes Him and is marveled by His words. Jesus speaks saying “Do not be afraid; go, take word to my brethren that they are to set out for Galilee; there they shall see me.” “The eleven Apostles went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them to go. And when they saw Him they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus drew near and spoke to them saying, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been give to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world’” (Mt 28:16-20). Jesus stayed with His Apostles 40 days. They ate and drank together, He teaching more of what needed understanding. Before leaving them for heaven, He gave Peter, the chosen leader of the Apostles, all authority to bind and loose on earth; that which he held bound or loosed on earth would be held bound or loosed in heaven. He also gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. In essence, all authority for the followers of Jesus is given to no one but Peter, and handed to his successors since the undenieable assignment by Jesus, period. When Jesus did leave them at His amazing Ascension to Heaven, the Apostles stood as in a trance gazing up at Him. A couple of angels standing beside them broke their mindset by telling them that there was work to be done, that Jesus, Who was just taken up, will return at the close of the age the same way He left. Through Jesus’ sacred Passion, His sufferings and death on the cross, He actually effected the redemption of humankind, the work which in obedience to the will of His Heavenly Father He had come into this world as Incarnate Jesus, God-man, to accomplish. Today, Around 2000 Years Later Christmas is an ancient, glorious celebration in remembrance of Jesus’ birth. As described, He was born, became a real He Man, showing us what we must do to attain to our heavenly home. In the process of showing us and teaching us, He brought upon himself the wrath of the Jewish High Priests that were content to rule by distorted Mosaic Laws,and wanted to rid themselves of Him. This piece is not meant to judge;that certainly is not my place to do. This article is offered for people who do not know about God and Jesus,or people that think they know,and for people that ought to know their Brother, Who came, Who saw, and, through His Love, conquered, and Who now sits at the right hand of the Father, to judge the living and the dead. So, you, everyone, bar none, will meet Him for Judgment, no force that exists can alter that day that is sure to come. Amen. Now, and in the past dozen or so years, there are significant numbers of people and groups doing their utmost in mean-spirited, vile and illegal ways to destroy Christmas. They are atheists, people with guilt consciences from choosing wrong over right, and now choose not to know what to do to be at peace; people unable and unwilling to face their sins and cannot handle goodness and moral love. Yes, we also have fallen away Christians that cannot admit to the error of their ways, even as they form groups with Catholic Christian names. All,knowingly or unknowingly advocates of the devil. Moreover,we always have a segment of ignorant people who just do not know any better, and who have stopped learning, setting their minds in concrete. All of these repugnant people seem to be increasing in number yearly. What to do: In your space, remain vigilant, know what is happening that is not right, take a stand and have your say when you ought, keeping in mind that two wrongs do not make a right. Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” Also, “If you love only those who love you, what merit is there in that?” There is so much more that He wisely taught man how to live as a way to one-day reach heaven. All we need do is open His Holy Bible. Spend time with Him, with His Gospels. His words are as fresh and lively today as ever. I compare the evildoers that work to destroy Christmas today to the shouts of the malevolent people of Pilate’s day, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! The devil is happily behind the workings of both. Are we going to allow the evil mischief-makers existing in our day to continue in their yearly destruction of our Christ’s Birthday (Christmas)across this nation? I pray not. Doing nothing is not an option. Seek true peace – not in earth, but in heaven; not in men, nor in any other creature, but in God alone. – Thomas ‘a Kempis I have made an honest attempt to abbreviate the life of “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” To reduce more from the life of Jesus would be a serious omission. My prayer is that this message reaches everywhere in an attempt to repair an invalid gross indifference by Christians, and weaken the care less attitude by others of different dispositions that exists toward heavenly things about which Jesus taught. I hope, at the very least that “Meet Jesus,” which reveals much of the awful price He paid to save us will lead readers to the wonderful Love Letters from God, i.e. His Holy Bible, and His Love and Friendship; at best, I pray readers find themselves in the House of God with more understanding,and in His Sanctuary in prayer. God’s Love and Peace be with you, † I feel charged in telling you about Jesus, I do not feel charged in making you believe it. Thank you for visiting. - Bob Eph. 3:16-19

Meet Jesus, Part 2 of 3 Parts

Note: To view Part I of this article click on date Oct 22 (to the left). For three years Jesus taught, raised the dead, healed the sick, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk again or for the first time. The crowds increased, people sought after Jesus relentlessly, perhaps to get something from Him. There was no loyalty of any sort from the people; it was something people wanted from Him. After feeding thousands with so little, word of that miracle got around faster than the fastest computer of our day. One day Jesus took Peter James and John up a high mountain. As they were going up Jesus was transfigured, i.e. while His body retained its form, it began to shine, His face becoming like the sun, His garments like snow (or a shining light), and two men, Moses and Elias, representing the Law and the Prophets, were talking with Him. As they were speaking a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Him.” Having just foretold His Passion (Lk 9:22), Christ was transfigured to strengthen His disciples for the severe trials soon to come. Christ’s transfiguration showed an example of what His glorified body would be after the Resurrection and of what our bodies will be after the general resurrection. As His mission on earth was nearing a climax, He arranged for the Last Supper and His solemn hours with His Apostles. While together in the Upper Room, He indirectly told Judas to do what he needed to do now. Judas slinked out to meet with the Jewish High Priests who want to kill Jesus because they were afraid He would weaken their positions in the eyes of the people. Meanwhile, still in the Upper Room, while Judas was arranging for Jesus’ “capture” Jesus taught His Apostles a personal lesson in the importance of humility. Then Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, asking His Apostles to stay awake and watch while He prays. Judas’ betrayal took place here with a kiss. The ordeal began Thursday evening in the dark garden of Gethsemane, with this kiss by Judas. The Jewish High Priests brought false charges against Jesus. Because of the Jewish law, the High Priests could not kill Jesus. That led to sending Him to Pontius Pilate, who found no guilt in Jesus, but sent Jesus to Herod, who thought Pilate ought to take care of this, so Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate, who, because of the Jewish High Priests’ trumped up charge of Jesus being a threat, had Jesus tortured – even after he declared Jesus innocent four times! Without further ado, you could say that Jesus was “flogged.” That would not be correct. Jesus was tortured by the Romans beyond anything imaginable, including inhumane whipping no one but Jesus could endure. Then a crown of thorns* was crudely fashioned and pressed down upon His head and pushed into His skull; all of this would have killed any other man. Jesus was then returned to Pilate who claimed himself innocent for “this man.” * Click on Oct 12 for article "A Crown of Thorns." Pilate asks the Jewish Priests and the crowds “What do you want me to do with this man?” Like a political campaign with shills in the audience, the voices shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! There were more exchanges between Pilate and the people but the result was the same, “Crucify Him!” Those who were ignorant and those just plain evil were shouting louder,commanding more attention than those good and knowing. The Christmas birth, God-Man, who came into the world that He created, to the people He created, was now being condemned to an earthly death by the very people He loves and came to save by showing the way to heaven and eternal salvation. Jesus could have called on legions of angels to defend Him, instead He carries His heavy wooden cross, freely giving up His earthly life – no one takes it from Him, He gives it up to obediently fulfill His mission given to Him by the Father to save humanity. Reaching Golgotha, the cross drops to the ground and Jesus’ hands and feet, roughly handled, are nailed to it. The crown of thorns still pierces His head and now, His bodyweight, held by nine-inch crude nails holding his hands and feet to the cross, is pain beyond anything we can imagine. His horrible passion continues with taunting and laughter, and gambling for His clothes. Despite all, Jesus prays "Father,forgive them for they no not what they do." Jesus was just 33 years old; at approximately 3PM, Friday (now Good Friday), Jesus uttered, “It is finished.” His head slumped to His chest. The sky and earth blacken, the earth shook, and the curtains in the Jewish Temple tore apart. Onlookers became perplexed; for the first time many participants realized they could have made a mistake. Part III tomorrow, Oct 24, 2010. Be advised: I feel that I am charged in telling you about Jesus, I do not feel charged in making you believe it. Thank you for visiting. - Bob Eph 5:1-17

Meet Jesus Part 1 of 3 Parts

In December, Christians will commemorate the awesome birth of Emanuel, the Baby Jesus. Through God’s goodness, He became God-Man like us in every way except sin. The great moment of which the prophets had prophesized for centuries, and the psalmists had sung had arrived. A body had been prepared for Him to permit the Godhead to be veiled in flesh. This holy moment in history was marked by Three Wise Men from the distant East who followed a star to the place Jesus laid, bringing gifts; and angels from “On High” appeared to lowly shepherds with glorious song in the air of a star filled night, announcing the birth of the Savior, where to go and find and adore the babe. They all were the first to exalt the wondrous birth of Jesus. From the very beginning of Jesus’ life here on earth, He faced evil, as shown in Herod’s order to slaughter the innocent children as a way to stop His existence. By God’s providence, Herod failed to kill Jesus. His mission to walk the earth as a man and teach as no one has ever taught, and to suffer and die for our sins was set. God knew that man was incapable of making things right for the original sin of Adam and Eve, so God sent us His Only-Begotten Son to show us how to live and tell us of the Father and of heaven. Every year Christmastime reminds us of Jesus’ birth. Wherever we may be, with hearts aflame with love and yearning, we try to find our way to loved ones to be with them. It is a time for togetherness and reflections over past years together, and remembering those who have passed on. For Christians especially it is a time for holy celebration, and a time of heartfelt love. Genuine feelings are shared, often through precious, emotional moments to be long remembered. Deep expressions of love, often absent during other days of the year, are associated with Christmas and Christmas as a Birthday Celebration. Adam and Eve brought humanity disobedience and darkness. Through Jesus Christ’s obedience, we were brought out of darkness and into the light again. Now, above all, charity, i.e. divine love, is the needful grace for man to follow Jesus. Jesus came to preach to all men the Kingdom of God, to tell them what they must do to gain everlasting life, and to save their souls. By His words, He preached to all the truth, which they themselves could see verified in the example of His perfect life. Everywhere Jesus manifested God’s infinite love for sinful man, and everywhere He worked miracles to prove His divine claims. Jesus had been an obedient son to parents named Joseph and Mary. Joseph was Jesus’ stepfather and chosen by God to be Jesus’ earthly guardian. Joseph taught Jesus how to toil as a carpenter. After Joseph died, Jesus took care of His Mother, Mary. By the age of 30, Jesus’ ministry began. He had long realized His reason for being on earth was to teach man his reason for living. Jesus talked the talk and walked the walk in the real sense. He often spoke in parables. His wisdom has never been equaled. At the start of His ministry Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the last prophet to end the line of many prophets from the Old Testament times, transitioning into the New Testament and the life of Jesus. At this baptism, the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were seen and heard together for the first time “Behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon Him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well please.’” Jesus then went off into isolation for forty days to be tempted by the devil. When He reappeared among the people, John the Baptist was imprisoned. John revealed to his followers that Jesus was the One Who was to come. John’s few followers turned to Jesus to begin learning from Him. Soon Jesus gathered a small, select group, the Apostles, and promised to build His Church on Peter, whom He selected as their head. He called fishermen, a tax collector, a physician, and others, to become “fishers of men.” For the most part, they instantly responded, dropping everything they were doing. They sojourned and stayed with Jesus everywhere Jesus went. Jesus was constantly on the move, going from place to place; He taught His Apostles and delivered His message to the people who gathered about them, especially around Jesus. He taught them to pray, say “Our Father…” Becoming Man makes Jesus our Brother, God our Father. What a gift! Now and then I read no one knows what Jesus looked like. When I’m asked what Jesus looked like I heretofore only could reference that all you need to do is look at yourself and your neighbor and you’ll know what He looked like. God’s story tells us that we have been made in His image and likeness. What more could we ask for? Recently in an older book, I came upon the description of Jesus by someone who saw him and recorded his appearance. I came upon this quite by chance. It was a pleasant surprise to say the very least. I’d like to share what I read with you and with anyone who will value the story, take a few minutes and ponder it. Here, quoted exactly: “There lives at this time in Judea a man of singular virtue, whose name is Jesus Christ, whom the barbarians esteem as a prophet, but His followers love and adore Him as the off-spring of the immortal God. He calls back the dead from the graves and heals all sorts of diseases with a word or touch. He is a tall man, well shaped and of an amiable and reverend aspect; His hair of a color that can hardly be matched, falling into graceful curls, waving about and very agreeably couching His head, running as a stream to the front after the fashion of the Nazarites, His forehead high, large and imposing; His cheeks without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a lovely red; His nose and mouth formed with exquisite symmetry; His beard, and of a color suitable to His hair, reaching below His chin and parted in the middle like a fork, His eyes bright blue, clear and serene, look innocent, dignified, manly and mature; in proportion of body most perfect and captivating; His arms and hands delectable to behold. He rebukes with majesty, counsels with mildness, His whole address, whether in word or deed, being eloquent and grave. No man has seen Him laugh, yet His manners are exceedingly pleasant, but He has wept frequently in the presence of men. He is temperate, modest and wise. A man for His extraordinary beauty and divine perfection, surpassing the children of men in every sense.” --Above is believed to have been written by Publius Lentulus, President of Judea in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 14 to 37 A.D. -- Around this same era, Matthew (3:16, 17 ) recounted “…and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased…” It is conceivable that others have taken note of this description because before I discovered this piece my favorite lithographic image, which I possess and display, was always that image described above – in every detail. Let us thank God for Publius Lentulus for recording what he observed so very long ago. As far as I am concerned, Jesus, the Son of God, looked very much like the incarnate man he was meant to be and “in the image and likeness” of God Himself. I feel charged in telling you about Jesus, I am not charged with making you believe it. Parts 2 and 3 will follow in the next two days. Thank you for visiting. - Bob Ephesians 4:32

A Crown of Thorns

(In the name of The Good News) You nor I could never have endured the excruciating pain we can only imagine Jesus felt, and not for a few minutes, but for hours! Following the evenings Last Supper, and following Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was manhandled and ill treated by the Jewish priests and forced back and forth between different authorities for hours, into the next day. All the while terribly abused, denied and abandoned by His friends. He was physically alone. He knew what was going to happen before it happened. He knew that this mission was God’s plan and that He was on His last leg of His journey Home, back to His Father, our God. Jesus yet had to take our sins and punishment for those sins upon Him. This was about to take place with Pilate trying to satisfy the Jewish priests. Pilate ordered cruel and unusual punishment while proclaiming his own innocence with the blood of this man. Of course, that made history for its outrageousness. The mystery of the Passion is lost in the butchery. The guards were merciless in their scourging and flaying with metal-tipped whips slicing at Jesus’ body. That awful scene would have ended His life right there it seems, if one of the guards, a centurion, had not stopped the flaying; other soldiers sat Jesus up and managed to press a crude crown of thorns down upon His head. And, as prophesized in the Old Testament, “He opened not His mouth.” No one on earth that I know of could take this sort of inhuman treatment without screaming in unimaginable pain, and suffering murderous torture. Yet, Jesus was led on to stand before Pilate and the crowd, with all the welts all over His body from the brutal whipping – and the pain from the Crown of Thorns still penetrating His head, Pilate made the cowardly decision to accede to the priests and crowds’ cry to crucify Jesus. The ritual of Pilate washing his hands, while claiming to be innocent of murdering a known innocent Man, sealed Jesus’ fate. The barbarous soldiers made Jesus, with His body wracked in pain, carry the heavy wooden cross the long way outside the city to the place called Golgotha (meaning Skull Hill) we today, refer to as Calvary. There they stripped Jesus of His clothes, threw Him down to the cross on the ground, actually nailed Him to it. They then raised the cross and Jesus upon it, and dropped the cross into the hole in the ground with such force that Jesus, in all of His already existing, torturous pain, had to feel with the thud or jolt upon all of His body, pulling upon the nails in His hands and feet. As if this horrible treatment wasn’t enough, all of this suffering was followed by taunting and torment, probably from some of the same people whom Jesus may have helped as He walked and talked, and taught and shown so much wisdom and compassion and love among them as recent as a week or so before. We can muse: How soon humans forget, how insincere, superficial man is. All manner of miracles seen and experienced by thousands, were soon ignored. Then, as now, what seems to matter is “What’s in it for me?” Shortsightedness is a sad, common trait among most people in this world. People in general live as though life here is without end. Many find themselves surprised when their end does come. Meanwhile, dying takes on many forms. There is the dying in unbelief, dying in distortion, dying in failing to reason, dying in shame, etc., and literally, dying seems only to happen to other people. Obituaries and cemeteries are for others. How self-deceiving, delusional and grossly self-misguiding this attitude is. I hope there are many people who would like to save themselves from their hopelessness. There are a number of things one can do in this 21st century. What has been written, Moses and the prophets (Lk 16:31), i.e. the Bible, is your best chance for coming back to life from the death of selfishness and sensuality. Save yourself by wanting to know the truth. There is an end for each of us. When that end comes for you, then what? How sure are you about your answer? The Bible can bring you back to care and love again, and recognize God in people. Uncomplicate your daily life, make time to read the word of God in peace and silence; hear the word of God; God is pure love, you have nothing to fear; pray, as you know how. Live God’s word for dear life. Any other way leads to irreversible destruction. Why, you may ask, should I make such a change in my personal life? My reply is simply because you never know how or at what hour you will be called home for Judgment; there are things you need to do while you are here. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; only by Him can you come to the Father and return home. Of course, you have the God-given freedom to choose the alternative. However, with the Bible you know what to expect. God’s Bible remains unyielding from the ages, and Jesus’ New Testament of the Bible is our most recent Guide. The Bible, God’s word, will not pass away. Alleluia! Jesus’ Resurrection showed us the way, overcame the sting of death, and leads us home. The Bible IS our guide, always will be until God says “Time.” When He alone says that this time as we know it is over, it will be over; the end is His to call, not ours. By our increasing disobedience, we will be the cause for hastening God’s disgust for all of the many things we now do that abhors Him. God’s Love is merciful, not foolish. Jesus, God’s only Begotten-Son, became Man, walked the earth among man. God’s people treated Jesus’ love and His works with inhuman cruelty. Those who really knew Him loved Him, yet showed the weakness of humanity in virtually all possible circumstances. Despite knowing all about man’s weakness, before Jesus ascended to heaven He set the rules for life and living, and brought light into the world where there was only darkness. Jesus’ plan was that of the Father. He was destined to take man’s sins upon Himself to the cross and suffer. He did all of this for love of us. His giving Himself up to death for us, His glorious Resurrection, brought a new way of life into the world. The sin of Adam and Eve brought us death and darkness;Jesus brought us love and Light. If we die before He comes in glory upon the clouds with His angels, we will face Him on Judgment Day, then we shall see Him face to face and render an account for our life in this temporary place called earth. If He comes before Judgment Day, His actions will not only raise the dead and call them forth refreshed, but will separate the worthy from the unworthy en masse. That is why the warning: “Be ready. You know not the time when the Son of Man will come.” In today’s world, there is an apt slogan used in the Air Force that reads, “You can run but you can’t hide.” By Jesus’ death on the cross and His Resurrection, He made all things new. His inhuman suffering Passion and the Crown of Thorns, were voluntary acts of complete obedience to the Father, acts that would bring ignorant, straying peoples back to Him. He is the Light, the Life, and the Way to the Father. No power on earth can ever change that. Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus told His Apostles to go into all the world and proclaim the Good News, promising to be with them until the end of time. Now Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, receiving glory and praise from all who have gone before us worthy of His promises; for those whose time has not yet come, and who know and love Him, and keep His commandments, we pray and praise Him from earth until He calls us home. Upon our death, we will face Him either eagerly or with reluctance. As for me, I live and pray for eternal salvation; for all our Savior did for us I say with Saint John, Come, Lord Jesus! Thanks for visiting. - Bob Rom 15:13

Earth, Then and Now

Imagine being able to view earth from a height from between here and heaven, where you see no human, no human activity, nothing man-made upon it – absolutely nothing but earth in its natural form – just as God created it, period. This imagining is earth before the creation of man, and earth created by our Lord God and Master, in its original beauty. The first thing you would see is an unspoiled earth, a beautiful orb among the heavenly universe, free from smog, radiant blue sky with gorgeous clouds to spark the creative imagination, fresh running rivers and streams and unpolluted bodies of seas and oceans of water reflecting the blue of the skies above. Forests, trees (that only God can make) expelling necessary oxygen covering every inch of the globe. Silence everywhere, except for natures sounds punctuating here and there. Slowly, as God fashions the earth sounds would enter the void with the birds of the air, the roars from the animal kingdom, the sounds from flowing rivers, streams, waterfalls large and small, short and steep. The warmth from the sun would shine on all of God’s creations providing essential energy for the growth of all life forms. Night and day would be seen with their purpose, along with the stars and the far distant planets with its major, unspeakable mysteries and awesomeness, a universe that calls attention to itself for it majesty and wonder. All a reminder to future humans of an all-encompassing, self-sufficient place made especially for them to behold and enjoy. Fast forward. Advancements made only these past 50 or so years have brought humanity well outside earths orbit and into space, literally reaching for the stars, as it were. With all of man’s unsolvable ills among cultures and among nations, and severe pollution of this beautiful, planet, whether or not it is prudent to reach heavenward is not for such as I to say. However, I ask, why? What can we do better elsewhere that we cannot do right here on earth? If the Good God allows man to achieve the incomprehensible, who will go into space to live nearer to the stars? Who will not be allowed to venture skyward to reside in a new place? Not everyone will be capable of escaping whatever it is those who envision a future on earth want to escape. It seems to me to be a case of “jumping ship” or, rather than admit that earthly problems among humans cannot be solved, they would occupy their minds with aspirations of “another place” away from here. Of course, this future speculation is far ahead in the unknowns of time – or is it? Let us remember that not so long ago we were just thinking about flying. For centuries ships were primarily for crossing oceans; airplanes now break the sound barrier without thought. Many seagoing vessels are for entertainment, some ships are now nuclear powered, and tremendously huge in size. Yes, we have even had men go to the moon - more than once. We need to put these advances and those that spring up virtually every day, in service for the good of all humanity, right here on earth, instead of planning an escape from earth. I mentioned that man has gone to and actually landed on the moon. We have been blessed by the foresight of astronauts who have taken pictures of earth from the moon; pictures which showed us the natural, multicolored planet on which we live. It is a breathtakingly beautiful and awe inspiring, sufficient to make anyone, no matter who he is, to think about earth to be as beautiful as anyone could describe. God, in His infinite mercy and goodness knows what He is doing. Undeniably, He has blessed earth with abundance, anticipating and fulfilling our every need. God especially guided freedom-loving men to come to these shores to form a land of Freedom and Liberty called America. These men did so under divine guidance. History tells us it was not without terrible cost. Today we not only have an unsettled globe but unbridled treachery, unnatural human frailty, in the best and worst of men; we are now in the process of allowing the unraveling of America’s historic past (deserving to be copied), by men elected to govern on behalf of the masses, men who have lost their way, choosing between good and evil. The devil is in the details. Sadly, the earth our Creator designed for us is in a self-destructive, ugly mode. Let us pray. Thanks for visiting. - Bob Gal 6:3

Been Thinking

Do you ever wonder about things that just makes you wonder? Try these: A. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle? B. Do you ever wonder why you gave me your email address? C. Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup? D. If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from. E. If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests? F. Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway? G. If “Jimmy cracks corn..”and no one cares, why is there a song about him? H. Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze these dangly things and drink whatever comes out? I. If you are home alone, do you still close the bathroom door? J. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? K. In the 60’s people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal. L. All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. M. Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. N. Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. O. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. P. Healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. Q. Life is sexually transmitted. R. There are two kinds of pedestrians: The quick and the dead. S. I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. T. Why did Kamikaze (suicide) pilots wear helmets? Thanks for visiting. - Bob Eph 5: 1-17

Children Are Quick

Art Linkletter, famous for recognizing humor in children and reporting it, missed some of them that arise periodically. The following came to me via a hand-me-down. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did for the few minutes that I needed to briefly change the course of my thinking: T + Teacher S = Student C = Class T: Maria, go to the map and find North America. T: Correct. Now class, who discovered America? C: Maria T: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor? S: You told me to do it without using tables. T: Glenn, how do you spell ‘crocodile?” S: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L T: No, That’s wrong. S: Maybe it's wrong, but you asked me how I spell it. T: Now Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating? S: No sir, I don’t have to, my Mom is a good cook. T: Clyde, your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s, did you copy his? S: No sir. It’s the same dog. T: Harold What do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested? S: A teacher. T: Donald what is the chemical formula for water? S: H I J K L M N O T: What are you talking about? S: Yesterday you said it is H to O. T: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn’t have ten years ago. S: Me! T: Glen why do you always get so dirty? S: Well, I’m a lot closer to the ground than you are. T: George Washington not only chopped down his father’s cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louis, do you know why his father didn’t punish him? S: Because George still had the axe in his hand? Thanks for visiting. - Bob Eph 5: 1-17

Listening to Your Conscience

There is no such thing as a child born badly. God does not create any thing or any one evil. God, pure love, creates only good. Man fails in following God for reasons of his own making and reasons of others’ interference. From the beginning of time, each of us has had an instinctive awareness of the existence of God and of our own mortal soul. We can ignore it for a time, but eventually we realize the truth, and we decide our fate,our eternity by our actions. It has been said that conscience is one avenue God uses to commune with man, His creation. Trifling with your conscience (which tells you right from wrong), trying to reason with it to make it come around with your preference rather than what your conscience tells you, is often the cause for ignoring God, your heavenly Father. Your relationship with God ought not to be set aside because you do not understand God’s providence. For God’s law see Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, there are only slight variations between them. The First of the Ten Commandments instructs us: Love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul and with all your strength, and have no other gods before Him. You may ask, “what other gods?” That would mean anything or anyone that you place before and above God Himself. To obey the first commandment we need to know our God. If you do not open and read His Holy Book there is no way you can fulfill the command to know Him; there is no way you can understand and obey the other nine commandments so vital for an orderly, peaceful heart and mind, and eventually attain eternal life with Him in heaven. There is no other way. The risk of loss is greater than you have given time to imagine. Not paying attention to your conscience has consequences that interfere with, even distort, your normal thought process. At risk, each time you try to make an excuse for not listening to your conscience, is erosion of your mental peace. What peace you may have had becomes corrupt. In time,if God graces you with more time,a behavioral change is necessary to recapture the peace previously enjoyed in your age of innocence – i.e. before you began negotiating with your conscience to have your way. It is not hard to understand that when you ignore your natural conscience your life takes a detour. This can be temporary; however, if you never learn it becomes permanent,with self-condemning consequences. This danger need not be the situation. Listen and follow your conscience when it instinctively tells you right from wrong, you will be confident you are doing what is natural. Then enjoy peace of heart and mind as meant to be. You cannot put a price on this condition. The more you obey your natural instincts, plus the more you learn about our God, the more you will come to know Him and love Him while in this world, and be ready to be with Him in eternal bliss in the next. † Thanks for visiting. - Bob Mt 10:29-33

All is Vanity

“There is an appointed time for everything, a time for every affair under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die…” Poetic. The meaning is that things are going to happen when they are going to happen. Perhaps the best lesson we can take away from Ecclesiastes is that you don’t know what you have till it’s gone. You won’t appreciate the “after” if you don’t remember the “before.” In this respect, we are talking about how it was before Jesus Christ. Then was darkness, confusion, misery, disorder, etc., where Jesus brought us out of the darkness and into the light, teaching us how to live and explaining the reason for living. Before Jesus, God graced Solomon to be the wisest man in the world. Solomon’s treatise dealing with life as vanity, found in Ecclesiastes, provides an abundant source of logical references about life and living. Despite our resistance to the facts, the subjects of life and living are always timely, but especially now in our frantic, accelerated pursuit for the toys of our times, making them gods. “Where your heart is there will your treasure also be.” Ecclesiastes (Old Testament), though comprised of 12 chapters, is only about eight pages, and holds much meaning for everyone and every age, time immemorial. If you ever opened an encyclopedia to search on a subject and found yourself unintentionally perusing related or other subjects, you can expect similar to occur when you open up to Ecclesiastes. In fact, may I recommend that you read Ecclesiastes in a moment of quiet and solitude? Doing so will have your mind comparing then, B.C., with A.D., and now, in this 21st century called the “modern era.” A time easily described by the word “folly.” So much of what you read will make you think outside of your normal routine. Many, because of how times and human practices can change the mentality of individuals, mostly for personal preference, may even think some of Solomon’s writings strange, incomprehensible. For those who maintain their sensibilities about themselves, in essence, you should find yourself agreeing and thinking how logical and sensible Solomon’s findings, conclusions and discernments about everything being “vanity of vanities” are. For your best reading, your Bible should contain footnotes that refer, compare or explain. Also, try to make your Bible the oldest you can have. (This will keep the number of modern writers’ interpretations to a minimum, in their attempt to update today’s Bibles.) If need be, it would be helpful to you to understand the different shades of meaning for the word “vanity.” You would do well by opening up your very best dictionary and look it up. You should discover more than a simple definition, quite a few in fact. With a good grasp on the word, you should reasonably be able to keep up with Solomon’s treatment of the subject. Read how he says vanity applies to man and the world. Learn. Enjoy! Thanks for visiting. -- Bob II Tim 4:2