Knowledge has increased experientially in the last 60 years. There has been a race for knowledge like it has never been before. Man is so proud of himself about all the advances made in every field. If the tech companies don’t outdo each other every 6 months, we believe they are closed for business. And not all advances are good or work like they are supposed to. Weaponry alone has come from the dark ages to modern warfare. Desert Storm was about testing all the new weapons developed since WWII. It perfected the Cruise Missile system. Do you know that 1 of those missiles cost a $1,000,000 each. 297 missiles were fired during Desert Storm. Heart surgery was developed by Dr. Michael Debakey in the 1960’s. Life expectancy is about 80 years in the US. More drugs are developed each year for diseases I never knew existed. And listening to the side effects, the cure is worse than the illness. It is funny how that knowledge has empowered man to do more. It is also funny how knowledge has formed elitism in man. The more knowledge the better a person is in this world. Which isn’t not true at all. Just because you know something doesn’t make you a better person. Some of the finest people I know didn’t know how to use a computer or have a smart phone. So what is all this noise about technology? Are we to believe that we will be perfected by things? The bible says that the increase in knowledge is one of the signs of the last days of earth. No one knows that time or date of God’s coming. But He is coming again to this earth. The title is a scripture. Let me finish it off. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
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When God set up the Promised Land for the Israelites, He set down rules and regulations for the people to follow. One of them had to do with the land itself. If you know about the Middle East, there isn’t much arable land to use for farming. It fact most of it is deserts. So land usage is an important part of life. When the Jewish people came back into the Promised Land, an almond grove from biblical times was discovered in the Negev desert. Each tree was surrounded on 3 sides by a small wall of stones to capture the rain. All the walls were facing one way. The Negev’s annual rain fall is about 8 inches. 8 inches of water a year isn’t enough to take a bath in. The almond crop in California uses 10% of all water used for crops and people. So water usage was of upmost important. The land in Israel was given as God inheritance. Not everybody is a farmer. Those that chose to sell their land could do so for 7 years. Then it was to be returned to the original owner. This way no one could lose their inheritance. On the same 7 year cycle, each person was to farm the land for 6 years and let the land rest on the 7th year. Most farmers do that today to allow the land to recuperate from farming. But people became greedy and wouldn’t give the land back after 7 years. Nor would they let the land rest on the 7th year. The bible says that the land sprued the people out because of the sin of the people was heavy upon the land. For 490 years, the Israelites wouldn’t follow God’s word. So the Israelites went into captivity for 70 years. And no one farmed the Promised Land for 70 years. God gave the land rest. The bible says in Romans 8:22-23 “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Have you ever seen the earth groan and travail? If you haven’t just look around. It is happening now.
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We always hope that our parents will leave us an inheritance. Something substantial, like land or money, but it is not always so. An inheritance can be something else. Some people are just not rich in their life, so they leave what they can like a good name, understanding or knowledge. Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Give a person a fish and you feed him for the day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for his lifetime. The Israelites are made up of 12 tribes. God promised them a Promise Land, flowing with milk and honey. All the tribes had an inheritance in the land, except the Levites. Moses and Aaron were Levites. When they were in Egypt, they were the teachers of God’s law to the Israelites. God gave them an inheritance in Him. God divided them into three families. Each one had a job in the temple and they were to share in all that was collected at the temple or Tent of Meeting. This is how they made their living. God provided for them. About the time that Jesus was born, the Levites were pushed out of the temple by Sadducees. The Levites formed monasteries to be able to live. This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls came from. God’s inheritance is not just food or shelter. An important part of His inheritance are our children. That is why children are so important in our lives. My parents left my brothers and I an inheritance of money. But more than that they left us the knowledge of God. What will you leave to your children?
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My son’s dog Olivia was raised in our home. While my son was in college, this was his home. Olivia came to identify our home as hers. No other animal could came into our home except Olivia approved. We have had cats in our home also. But as is Olivia’s right as head mistress, she decided if they could live here. The last animal in our home was a calico cat, named Calli. This cat was taken in as a kitten. It was a rescue cat that we found on the side of the road. She had been beaten up pretty badly. When Olivia first saw Calli, she knew that there was something wrong. Olivia began to clean the kitten as if it was her puppy. The kitten bonded to Olivia and followed her around. She became her mommy. The kitten would sleep with Olivia. Calli also played with Olivia. The strangest thing happened, Olivia taught Calli how to be a cat. She taught the kitten how to hunt and pounce on prey. Olivia was always the prey. She didn’t mind and played with the cat and still does. My son has moved away and Olivia lives with him. Our beautiful calico cat Calli lives with us. She is now mistress of the house, until Olivia comes for a visit. Calli want us to pet and play with her, but still will not let us hold her. Calli takes all the best spots in the house unless Olivia is here. Her mommy can have the best of everything. God showed us this relationship for a reason. The bond is strong between Olivia and Calli. It isn’t broken just because of time and distance. It will always be there for each other. Just as the bond God makes with us. No matter the road we travel, the bond between our Father and us will not be broken. The opportunity to build a relationship with God is open to anyone who will come. All you have to do is ask and you shall receive, seek and your will find, and knock and it shall be open to you. God is ready and present for you.
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End of my workweek. It’s time to decide what I am going to do. It is also Mardi Gras weekend. There are parades and activities from now until Tuesday night. People will be pouring into the city for everything. Our city is about 160,000 people. They estimate about 500,000 more people will come over the next 5 days. I have been going to Mardi Gras since I was 1 year old. My mom enter me in the cutest baby contest. And I won for the cutest baby girl. I guess there were some ugly girls that year. I am a guy. We have worn costumes and not. We have gone with my parents and friends or with my family. I have seen parades from here to there. A couple of years I was in the children’s carnival as a duke. It’s now called the Krewe of Obrion. All that effort was spent on something that was so fleeting. It came and went. Today it is hard to believe how much money is spent on costumes each year. They say that the Mardi Gras Queen’s costume is about $50,000. The king’s costume is about $25,000. Then there are at least a 12 krewe’s with kings and queens. All of this for one day in their lives. Because they will never be king or queen again in their lifetime. How important is your life to you? What would you be willing to do for yourself? Would you be willing to do whatever it took to please yourself? Then why don’t you see about your after life? Why neglect your spiritual life just to satisfy your carnal life? Do you think that it will end well for yourself if you don’t know God? Life is so short. And there are no do overs. Once your life is gone, it is gone forever. It is time to think about what is going to happen to you. If you can’t see a future then you need to turn to the only person who can give you one. That person is Jesus.
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As each of us grows up to figure out who we are, then we have to turn around and figure out who everybody else is. It is the art of human dynamics. Everybody has a place in this world. They have a purpose and plan for their lives. It sometimes takes all of our lives to figure it out. Then we to figure out where we fit into everybody else’s plan or purpose. Sometimes it is so confusing I want to scream. I have studied people for a very long time. I would just watch as people interrelate to each other. Some are good, some aren’t. I lost my first girlfriend because I didn’t call her every night of the first week we were girlfriend and boyfriend. She didn’t want to hear I was in high school or I had a job after school or that I had chores and homework. All she knew was that I didn’t call her. Where did that rule come from? What playbook was she operating out of? It sometimes takes a while to understand human dynamics. But to get along with people you have to understand it. I have always tried to be a kind soul to people. It takes a lot to provoke me into anger. So as I grew into a man, I would watch people interact. Why do some people only respond to confidence or intimidation? Why don’t people respond to a kind word or two? It is human dynamics. Everything that we have gone through has alter us in some way or design. Every relationship we have had also has altered us in some way. Where you grew up or went to school has changed us in some fashion. Who your parents were, who your grandparents were or your children will alter your life in some way or the other. It is human dynamics. God made us each an individual. We are different and the same at the same time. How God did it I don’t know, but I trust that God has it all in control.
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There were 150 people in the Upper Room that received the baptism of the Holy Ghost some 2000 years ago. When the zealots caused so much trouble in Jerusalem, the Roman army marched into Israel to put down the rebellion. This caused the church to scatter to the world. It’s funny how people don’t like to do something hard unless there is a more difficult reason that will prompt us to. The church scatter to the world. Saul, the apostle Paul, had already traveled to Europe. James, the brother of John, had gone to Spain and returned when Herod killed him. Doubting Thomas went to India. When there is still a church in his name today. But most of the church nobody knows where they went or what happen to them. There is a real reason why. Because it wasn’t about the individual Christian. It was about spreading the gospel to the rest of the world. God knew where each person was and took care of each one. But it wasn’t about them. It was about Him, Jesus. Guess what happen to the world. It was turned upside down. With all the efforts the Romans put into finding and killing Christians, they couldn’t stop them from doing what God sent them to do. When the Romans would kill Christians in the arena in Rome, more people would join them from the stands. Eventually the Romans had to stop killing Christians in the arena. No man is a match to God and His efforts. When God’s plan is in play, all man can do is get out of the way. Jesus gave all disciples the commission. He said in Mark16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Let’s hope that God doesn’t have to send an invading army to scatter us the world.
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The question is as old as man. I have filled my life with things that I wanted. I always went that way. I like to cook and eat good food. Is that who I am? I have an education with some college. Is that who I am? I have been on this journey for a long time trying to make the right decisions all along the way. I have made real whoppers that took years of pray to undo. I have made some good ones that I know helped people in their life here on this earth. Is that who I am? I love music and was a music director for a Christian radio station. What music I like best is Adult Contemporary. Does that make me who I am? I have always been concerned about who I am. I never wanted to be the odd man out. I wanted to fit into society. Is that who I am? I married and had 4 sons. My wife and I raised them as best we could. We wanted them to grow up to be good men. Is that the answer? I fairly gentle soul. I don’t wish harm to anyone. I have become angry with a few people in my life. I have never willfully harm anyone. Though I wanted to. Is that who I am? My perception of this world has been shaped by what I have done. All the years of walking through this world. I have seen things that would amaze you. And I have seen things that would repulse you. But I am still here. And I am still walking through. I life has always been filled with struggle. At first I thought that is my fault. But as I kept walking in this world, I wasn’t alone. It seemed that everybody else struggled right along with me. Is that who I am? Answering that question was a driving force in my life. As it is in everyone’s life. That question was answered for me so long ago. I know who I am. Do you know who you are and what is your purpose on this earth? I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I am more than a conqueror through Him who strengthens me. I am healed by His stripes. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power unto eternal life. And that is who I am.
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It is Carnival or Mardi gras season. Did you know that there are more than 50 nations that celebrate Carnival or Mardi gras season? It has to do with the Catholic population in that country. Right before Lenten season, which is the 40 days before Easter, there is a time of celebration. During Lent it is traditional that Catholics will fast and pray before the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. So before lent starts there is a festival or party that last for a month or two. It isn’t something strange or unusual. This has been going on since time began. The Jewish people have Passover, Pentecost, Succoth and Hanukkah. Our feast days coincided with these. Easter is about the same time as Passover. Succoth is about the same time as the fall harvest of Thanksgiving. Christmas is about the same time as Hanukkah. All though we don’t have a feast day for Pentecost. Pentecost is usually in May or June. Easter has come early this year. It is March 27th. It is on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox. This year I saw in the news that many nations have petitioned the Pope to make Easter on the same day every year. All of them want more time to party, before they have to fast and pray. What is interesting is the time of carnival is based upon the work that God did setting up this earth. God set to sun, moon and stars in the heaven so we could tell time. Seasons of our lives are determined by the time that God set up. And so many people still try to prove that God doesn’t exist. Did you ever figure out what would happen if God didn’t make the sun to rise each morning? Or if the earth stopped rotating? With all this in play man still refuses to acknowledge God as our sovereign Lord. It make you want to cry about humanity sometimes.
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