We are in the age of information. It comes so fast it is hard to process it all. The news media tries to keep up with it. But most of the time it is just nonsense. Everybody has ideas and usually it is displayed on social media. All this information is not always informative. It is just new. I have heard this story before. Oh yes, the people of ancient Athens had itching ears to hear something new and endless discussions. But never coming to a conclusion. It seems that information is more to confuse people than to help. Having more information isn’t always a good thing. Most people believe that they receive information about this world through their mind. You can see with your eyes, hear with your ears, speak with your mouth, but that is only part of the information you receive. We hear with our hearts.  We as a human being are made up of a body, soul and spirit. The body comes from the dust of the earth. The soul is the life that God gives to unite your spirit and body. The spirit is who you are and is eternal. When people talk about your heart, they really mean your spirit. God made us in His image and likeness. We have attributes that God has that we can access, such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness and temperance. Our heart searches for these attributes all of our lives.  Hoping that we can find them in the things of this world. That is why the heart is a lonely hunter for God. The only way to receive what God has is to receive it from God himself. There is no other way that the Heart can truly be satisfied. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way.

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

Troubles seem to come to us as easily as the sun rises. I see it in people’s eyes. The sadness and lack of hope that anything will work right. People become afraid of circumstances and I hear in their voice. And they don’t know what to do. Ever felt like a stranger or an outcast in your own home? I grieve for that mother who buried her teenage son yesterday and for the families that lost their fathers. People who have no hope are willing to do anything to try get some safety back in their lives. This is how wars are started. I use to live this way. I had no hope that anything would work out. It was so frustrating. It scared me so much that I was willing to do anything. Then I was shown that hope did exist. Hope in my life came when people believe that I was worth something and my life could be good. People showed me that there was a way. It took almost three months for me to believe that this could happen to me. They used patience and love to show me the way. And when I began to believe my life began to turn around. You see the only hope for this world is Jesus Christ. He can change lives and restore us to our proper place. When I saw how much my Father, who is in heaven, loves me, I began to cry for the sin in my life. God believes that every person on earth has value. And His judgement is correct. God never made any trash. All of creation is perfect. And you can be again. Accept the hope God is offering.

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

What do you do when all hell breaks loose? Many people would say you respond in kind. But that isn’t what is necessary. Anger words stir up strife. Violence will be met with violence. Many of the disciples of Jesus found many places unwilling to hear what the gospel had to say. Some were stoned and some killed. But the answer to violence has always been the same. Today we heard about the violence in Baton Rouge. 3 policemen were killed. It mobilized the entire city police, sheriff’s department and the state police. Helicopter were called in and a man hunt began. And they will not quit until they have all the shooters in custody or dead. During the day I saw the mother of the first young black man that was killed speak of TV. She called for the end of violence. She said to protest the killings peacefully. She said many things that Martin Luther King said. Social change doesn’t come with violence. But peaceful demonstration does change what people think. I remember as a child seeing the horrible way the protesters in the peace marches were treated and knew there had to be a change. And change came. Jesus told His disciples to love people and speak the truth in love. He said this will change the hearts of people. And you have to have a change of heart before anything will change. And another lady said that we need to pray to ask God to change circumstances. This is the only place it come from. Pray fervently for peace.

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

I look at the world as see one thing prevalent in all societies, the lack of trust. The way the world is going no one will trust anyone. It is like the saying, its dog eat dog world, is true. Everyone is out for themselves. Money seems to be the prevailing rule. He who has the gold rules the world. What happens when the world economy crashes like it did in 1929? I wasn’t a trusting person before I met the Lord. I mistrusted everyone. I was hurt by literally by everyone. And I was going to get even. It is hard still today to be open and trusting. I look at my world and people are still as greedy as ever. They want what they want. And no one is going to get in their way. What I know is that I came to the end of myself. I was drowning in my anger and mistrust. I needed help to get out of my situation. I knew where to go to get help but I wasn’t willing to go there. I needed proof that I wasn’t going to be hurt again. And that proof came along in the faces of 2 men who gave of themselves. They did it just to help me. It took time for me to believe and to trust. But I am glad I did. Because I saw what was real and what wasn’t. What I thought was real really wasn’t. I had to relearn everything. For the longest time I have seen people hold up a sign that read John 3:16. I know now that what it says is true. It says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In this saying I can trust that my life in this world and the world to come is secure. Place your trust in Him and He will secure your life too.

www.josrph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

Compelled has different definitions. It can mean forced or voluntary. When I was younger I subscribed to Time Magazine. I always enjoyed reading the articles. I love to read. In the fall of 1978, I was lying on my bed reading about abandon children in Brazil. At the time, they estimated that there were 14,000,000 abandon children on the streets of Brazil. The next thing I remember was that I was standing on my feet crying out to God to do something about the children. I realized then I was called to a life of service to God. I was moved by compassion. Brazil was a 3^rd world country and had no real industry. The country was so impoverished that parents were abandoning their children because they couldn’t feed them. I know of 2 international known Evangelist that worked in Brazil. Bernard Johnson established over 200 churches. He led over 1,800,000 Brazilians to a relationship with Jesus. He also built several bible colleges. The German Evangelist Reinhardt Bonnke did the same. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. The economy of Brazil came back. Life became better for the average person. God intervenes in the affairs of men. Today Brazil has the 9^th largest economy in the world. It is also the 7^th largest purchasing power in the world. There is nothing too great for God. As He says, what is impossible for man; is possible for God. If you let God’s compassion led you, you will discover a whole new world.

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

It seems so far away from us, but in all actually it is right there. Crossing that threshold is one of the greatest steps you will ever make. Eternity is a place that every human will go to. Now where you go in eternity is strictly up to us. The choices we make on earth will decide where we will live in eternity. It is funny that so many people believe that there is a hell or hades, but not heaven. Or that heaven is their version of hell. We are immortal beings and will never die. This is true, but our physical body will die, but not our spirit. Our spirit is who we are, our mind, will and intellect. That will live forever. And people are gambling on their future home because they don’t want to listen to God. The bible says that we are gods, little g. It is because we have a free will and know the difference between right and wrong. We can choose what we will and do accordingly. But the only holdback to that is we have no power the change anything. We can do things, but can’t change it back if it goes wrong. How many things have gone wrong in our lives that we can’t change? Then we live with regrets or sorrow. Eternity is a permanent situation. Once we reach that point there is no changing the outcome. The shame of it is that once we make wrong choices the easier it becomes. It is called the spiral of death. And we rush headlong into death. There is only one way to change your eternity and that is through the good graces of God. He alone has the power to change our lives. And all we have to do is ask Him to help us. Reach out today and ask for deliverance. God isn’t willing that any should perish, but remember that everyone has the right to choose what they do.

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

Sheep are many things. They provide wool, milk and meat. To some people they are there livelihood. In Australia there are vast herds of sheep. One of their exports to the world is wool. A sheep is dumb before its shearers. It doesn’t make a sound will it is being sheared. If a sheep sees something good to eat, it will go after it. Even if the food is in thorn bushes. The shepherd has a staff with a crook or hook on the end to pull sheep out of thorn bushes. You see sheep aren’t very smart. They have to be lead to water and food. But the sheep know their shepherd. They know the shepherd’s voice and follow. This is because the shepherd lives with them. The shepherd will protect them at all cost. Depending on the size of the herd, the shepherd will have 3 to 4 dogs with him to protect and guide the herd. It’s funny that Jesus used this parable to teach the disciples about what He saw when He began His ministry. Jesus referred to Israel as a lost herd of sheep that had no shepherd. He actually called His church sheep because they hear Jesus’ voice and follow. When the wolf came in the herd scatters. And unfortunately the church is scattered all over the place. And they aren’t listening to the shepherd. Jesus also said that He is the door to the sheepfold and no one enters in but by Him. The sheepfold is heaven, a safe place for all that belong to God. Jesus also said the My sheep hear My voice and will not follow anyone else. How will you enter into heaven if you don’t hear His voice or follow after Him?

http://www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

It is an idiom. The saying is, you are going to hell in a handbasket. It means that a person is rushing into a situation that is detrimental to their health and wellbeing. I know that people in this country are angry about a lot of things. One is the federal government. I agree that the entire congress and senate, judicial and executive personal should be gotten rid of. I was discussing the situation with a person I had just met and he agreed. The people that are in office don’t care for the American people. And the job of elected officials are to see about the needs of the American people. And not for their own gain or purpose. What happen in England was the same thing. The European Union didn’t care what happened the British people. So the British people voted to leave the European Union. Their vote was against their national government. The English Parliament is now reorganizing. Of course this is against the one global government and economy. For years, little by little, America has pushed toward the one world government. It was never a big move. It was always just a little at a time. Now China owns most of our debt. Japan owns Hawaii. Our national debt, the one the past administration said that was George Bush’s debt, has been quadrupled in size. Spending hasn’t ended. Medicare was solvent under the Bush Adminstation. Now it is bankrupt. All the money was diverted to the general fund to spend more money. Ulysses S. Grant was a better president and he stayed drunk in office for 4 years. Now, is not the time to panic. It is the time to seek God and His kingdom. It is because the only person who can change people to change situations, is God Himself.  

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

Everyone remembers the past with fond memories. Things that happened when you were a child or even as an adult. You can see them as clear as if they just happened. But they are just memories. My wife and I went on a vacation. Our children are grown and we wanted to do something together. We get so little time together that we strengthen the bond between us again. As we drove to San Antonio, Texas, we kept remembering things we did with the kids and before we were married. I lived in San Antonio so many years ago. I won’t tell you how long ago. We walked on the River Walk near the Alamo. I just couldn’t believe how many young people were walking around. And how many babies they had. San Antonio as usual is hot. The weathermen predicted it would be over 100 degrees for the next few days. That means hot as hell. But the skies were clear and blue. I was very surprised how green the countryside was driving into San Antonio, Texas has had a drought for the past 5 years. But this year has been record rainfall. But there is a record amount of people visiting here. There has been so much development in town, I hardly recognized it. Since I lived here San Antonio has doubled in size. But I have always found that the people act like this is a small town. Everybody knows everybody. As long as I have visited San Antonio, I have enjoyed it. My wife and I will be here for the next few days. For this is the day the Lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it.  

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com

On the news was the shootings in Dallas. 5 policemen are dead and many wounded and the shootings in Baton Rouge. People are angry about whatever. Everybody is pointing the finger at everybody else. I want you to do something for me. Point your finger at something. Then look at your hand. There is one finger pointing at something and 4 fingers are pointing directly at you. It doesn’t start with someone else. It always starts with you. What are you going to do? Where is your anger going to take you? I have been so angry that I cursed God. I know what it is to have raging anger. And the only person I hurt consistently was me. Anger will eventually kill you. It has no use in anything we do. And it carries with it a great amount of pain. A pain that doesn’t subside very easily. So what are going to do? I know what I did and I would do it all over again. I had to get forgiveness for my sins before the anger and the pain subsided. This is the only place I found in some 40 years of my journey. I didn’t want to give up, but I just couldn’t stand the pain anymore. My life had to change and it did. People would ask what happened to me. Because they saw the difference in me. I know it takes courage to confess that you are wrong. But if you do, life will change as you know it. It will become better than you can expect. And all you have to do is ask God to forgive you and ask Him into your life. And the anger in your life will fade away. So what are you going to do?

www.joseph1637.com

joseph1637@juno.com