God promised us paradise. To the Jews, it’s the land of Israel and heaven. To the Christian, it is heaven.  So, why is man trying to build one here? Wealth and riches seem to be the goal in life to make a paradise here on earth. Technology has increased. Wealth has increased. If we have improved so much, why is there so many homeless? Why is there so much misery in this world? Yes, Jesus said that the poor will always be with us.  But He came for everyone, not just the people who support a church with their wealth. Jesus went to the poor and sick, because they needed the Physician.  Jesus went among the people who were left out of society. He didn’t care if they were jew or gentile. Jesus felt compassion on people, because they were a flock without a shepherd (pastor). It’s great to fellowship with the saints. But look around you in this world. There are people suffering and dying without God in their lives. Jesus came for everyone, every human being.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

Cold front coming in. It rained over night. This year I have seen more rainbows. The rainbow is the promise of God that He will not flood the earth again. A promise that He has kept. The promises of God are yea and amen. Something you can bank on. When you see a rainbow remember that God is there and wanting for you. 

I was listening to a song, which I put on Facebook before. It isn’t Christian, but it calls to me. I listen to the lyrics and how it speaks about humanity. It calls for man to be better. I find that appeals to everyone. Unfortunately, man doesn’t have the power to change. But the song pulls on my heart strings. A man who looks in the mirror and forgets what he sees, is doomed to repeat himself. And will never get any better. The one thing about the song is that it calls for us to see who we are, not who we think we are. Because only then can we actually begin to come to the truth. It is call coming to oneself. The prodigal son came to himself and saw that his father’s servants live better than what he had. And he went home and repented to his father. Who, by the way, took him back into the family. My Father, God Himself, is waiting for us to come home. And what God wants for us, is to come to ourselves and realize that there is a way home for us. He is waiting and praying that we return home.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Fear, fright, horror, panic, dread, dismay, or distress, are some definitions of fear. Fear is a belief. It is just like faith, but the complete opposite. I have dealt with fear all my life. It is a devil and one to be cast out in Jesus name. I had a discussion with my son the other day, about the devil and his power. I should say the lack thereof. Lucifer, the arc angel, was God’s right hand man. Until he led a rebellion in heaven against God. Of which he didn’t win. Jesus told His disciples that He saw satan(Lucifer) and his followers fall from heaven as lightning. Unfortunately for us, he fell to earth. Lucifer doesn’t have any inherent power. God strip him of it. He has to get his power from us. It is by believing him, he attacks us. And if God allows the devil to attack us, God always makes a way of escape for us. God gave believers in Christ, dominion over this earth. This includes power over the devils in Jesus name. The power of belief is enormous. We as Christians can move mountains in Jesus name. But first we must believe that He is and a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him(God).
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
Www.joseph1637.com

This comes from the book of James in the bible. This James wasn’t the brother of the Apostle John, who was killed in Jerusalem. This is James the lesser, generally considered the son of Joseph and Mary, the half-brother of Jesus. He was considerably younger than Jesus. And he didn’t believe at first. But later came to believe. He was martyred around 62 AD. James was writing to the Jewish diaspora. When he got to prayer in his letter, he said they prayed amiss. It means for things to satisfy your lust. He said because you lust for things, there are wars and rumors of wars. When you ask for things to satisfy you, you will not receive them. He used rather strong language. But said if you are a friend of the world, you are an enemy of God. He said God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. He also said, submit yourself to God and resist the devil and he shall flee. James was an orthodox jew. He believed in Jesus and the laws of God. He didn’t care what people thought of him. He wanted only to do what God wanted. These men and women began preaching the gospel to a world with no Christians. They were the beginning and I believe we have to start again.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
Www.joseph1637.com

I woke up this morning to the sound of pouring rain. Which lasted about 4 hours. A cold front has come through. The last 2 days have been perfect, clear skies and 60-degree weather. But for the past 40 or so days, it has been rain. Rain is a blessing from God. Unless it floats your boat in your back yard. I was flooded out in 2016. And with God’s help to buy a new house in a flood free zone. It seems that no matter what I do, I need God’s help in every situation. This is a good thing. I want and welcome God’s help in anything. Despite what I think, I am not the sharpest tool around. I get into trouble more often than not. But I know that I can depend on God and His help in the time of trouble. It took awhile to get there. But I am there now and will stay there forever. God cares about me and my family, my animals, my house, my cars and whatever else I own or have dealings with. I have prayed for a dying man in a coma and God raised him up. I have prayed for a dead dog and God raised it up. I haven’t found anything that I was concerned with that God didn’t respond. So, you see that the rain in Spain doesn’t stay there.

Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

We look around at the world today and see the needs of everyone. It is all around us. There isn’t anyone on this earth that doesn’t have a need. Most of the time, it is multiple needs. If it isn’t food, shelter or clothing, it is something personal. Selfishness is the order of the day. To what length will you go to make sure you have what you need or want? I have seen people so focused on their needs that they lose everything else, just to get what they want. The saddest thing I have ever seen, is when they reach their goal and then lose even what we struggled so hard to get. We weren’t designed to acquire things. Our life was put into motion to see about other people. As a social being, we need other people to fulfill our lives. What we are given isn’t for us. It is for other people. The happiest people I know are the ones who give their lives to others. Why is this? Why were we designed to be charitable? We are the image and likeness of God. We were designed by God to be like Him. So, you are telling me that God has needs. Yes. God gave His son for us, so that we can choose Him. So, we can love God freely. This is what we were made for. And in turn meet the needs of mankind.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Who am I that anyone would listen when I am complaining? When I am in pain and suffering usually because of something I did. But still no one wants to hear complaints about anything. All they want to hear is I am fine. Not everyday is a good one. And I know what God says, but we still suffer pain. It is because we love or am frustrated. This is the very reason I came to God. I was in so much pain, that I couldn’t stand it. My Father reached down and just loved me. And I knew that it was Him. It not that I’m perfect, it is that I am loved and forgiven. God will listen and love me back to health. There is no one else in this world that will do this for me. And I know that I am not the only one. It doesn’t matter whether you are a believer or not. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever would believe on Him will have everlasting life. God is love. And He loved me, and I have been following Him all these years. God will listen to you. Talk to Him. He loves you.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Ever since I could understand, I wanted to know where I belonged. Even with my parents, I knew that I wasn’t home. I always wondered what that was about. As I grew, I searched for home. A place I would feel safe and secure. It was the strangest thing. My parents tried their best to provide a good home for me. I did appreciate their efforts. But I wasn’t home. I searched for many years but didn’t find what I was looking for. The more I searched, the more I got homesick. I couldn’t understand why I was so homesick for a place I had never seen. But I was going to find it, even if it killed me. My brother asks me to join his business. The businessmen began talking about this place where they were going. I recognized it immediately. I listen and learn how to get to this place. Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. They introduced me to the person who could take me home. His name is Jesus and my home is heaven. My homesickness was the will of God, calling me home.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com