Do you remember the saying, that anyone who forgets history is bound to repeat it. Why do think that saying rings true? If you look at man’s history, the same thing keep happening over and over again. One, war has never ceased. There might be a lull between wars, but it happens again and again. Two, man’s inhumanity toward each other. Every body remembers the Holocaust of World War II. But do you remember Rwanda and where the Hutu tried to exterminate the Tutsi. What about the Syrians that drove half of their population out of their country. Or the Russians who are fighting against the Ukrainians for their oil.

Why do you think that all of this continues? Solomon who was considered the wisest man that every lived said this.

“All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”Ecclesiastes 1:8,9.

Solomon saw the world as it is, not as people thought they were. He saw the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. It’s not very pretty to see who man really is. And before you say, I am a good person, God says there is none righteous. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That means we are all sinners and unless we are saved by the grace of God, there is no hope of anything.

So, how do we receive the grace of God? God wrote it down some 2500 years ago.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

If you want to see yourself and the world changed, turn from your sin and repent. Ask God to forgive you and accept Jesus into your heart.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When we get inspired, we have dreams and visions. Do you remember the first time you were inspired and you wanted to mimic someone, like a fireman or policeman. It could have been a cowboy or a soldier. You saw yourself as being that person when you grew up. That is a dream. As we got older our dreams seemed to change. But the thing about dreams is that we could never become anything unless we dreamed it first. So with the dreams, we set our goals on the prize.

If we can see a goal, even if it is hard to obtain, we can achieve it through persistence. It is a really reason why we should not discourage our children about dreams. If it is unobtainable, the person will come to that understanding. We don’t need to keep telling them that they can’t do it.

My oldest son did very well in high school. He scored high on his ACT tests. He wanted to go to a big university. There was a major university in Texas that was actively recruiting him. But he didn’t want to go to that school. I couldn’t afford to send him to an out of state university. So, he made up his mind what he was going to do. He received two bachelor degrees at the same time. One degree was Accounting and the other was Computer Science. He is now an IT guy making 6 figures a year.

Without a vision, people perish. If you see a dream in front of you, you can accomplish it if you persist. Knowing where you are going and doing something about will accomplish your dream. Don’t give up just because it is hard. Put the effort into your dream and watch it manifest itself before you.

“And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” Genesis 11:6.

God saw the Babylonian people in one mind and one accord and they would accomplish what they dreamed. So, dream a dream and pursue it.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

What is stress? It is a natural response to difficult situations. If it is a natural response, why then does it cause so much damage? It is true that stress can kill us. It is part of our flight or fight response. In other words, it is our response of fear to any given situations. Fear was given to us to keep us safe. We can use fear to assess any situation to see whether or not we should go forward. It is a tool for us. But when it is out of control, fear can mentally and physically damage us.

So, how can we control fear not to be destructive in our lives? Fear is the lack of training and confidence in our lives. It can be applied to anything. Let’s look at the first time you handled a firearm or a gun. It posed a threat of real danger to us. The gun if not handled properly can kill ourselves or others. But once we began to handled the gun, were trained on how to use it and began to fire the weapon, our fear began to lessen. But the threat of death was always there. That’s physically now let’s look at mental fear.

Mentally it is a different story, but the threat of death is always there. Death is repugnant to every human being. No one wants to die, because of the fear of the unknown or I should say what will happen to us. Everyone knows what is on the other side. This knowledge is built into us by God. And facing our destiny is not something many people are willing to do. Fear makes us do things we normally wouldn’t. It can control of actions if we let it. Fear has caused heart attacks. So, what can we do?

The bible says the fear of death holds us in slavery all of our lives. But the word of God sets us free. Free from the law of sin and death. In Romans 6:23 it says, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Now that you have heard the truth, what are going to do about? Slavery isn’t what we were meant to live under. We were meant to live free in this world. But only you can decide what you are going to do. It is your choice to be free or live in slavery. A life decision is never easy, but it is always simple. Choose life and live free in this world and in the next one.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When you become serious about any subject, you begin to focus on it. And when you seriously focus on anything, you see what is really there. As a baby when you eyes first focused on someone, you saw who was there. Then your eyes followed the person as they moved around the room. Growing up, I could spot my parents anywhere I could see them. I knew who they were.

As I adapted my focus to learning, my understanding began to grow and mature as I did. Seeing and understanding knowledge gave me confidence in life. The more I focused, the more I learned. The more I learned the more I could do. And I wanted to do as much as I could. In high school, I learned about isometrics. It is a form of exercise to develop a certain part of your body. I always loved to run. Growing up, I could run great distances without tiring out. I wanted to develop my legs to be stronger. I would stand in my bare feet and hold on to something. Then I would lift myself by my toes and repeat the exercise often. I developed my legs to the point that they became thick. I gave me stamina in running. I focused on running.

I came to the Lord Jesus and was saved, when I was 28 years old. I didn’t know who He really was. So, I wanted to learn all I could about Him. There is only one book in the world to learn about God and His son Jesus. That is the bible. I didn’t read much of the bible growing up. I had not become serious about understanding myself and God. If you want to understand who you are, you need to compare yourself to someone greater. Then you begin to see where you stand in life.

As I read the bible, I began to understand the love, mercy, goodness and gentleness of God. And to what lengths God would go to make sure that I was alright. My relationship is a strong bond between a Father and son. After 45 years, I still don’t know everything about God. And I wont until I reach heaven. The bond is in the journey. I am walking all the way back home to my Father God.

I have seriously focused myself on my relationship to God and have found peace and contentment in this life that so few know.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

I look at people in mental pain and am reminded that it is their conscience that is bothering them. But what is your conscience? I will endeavor to explain what the conscience is and how it effects us.

Everyone has heard of a guilty conscience. It is when we do something that goes against our social mores. It is defined as a specific socially constructed idea that defines morally acceptable behavior. That means that what we believe we will do or don’t do. And when we go against those morals, it affects our physical being. Anger causes cancer. Just like cancer, anger eats us alive.

So, what is your conscience? Our conscience is our heart. It is our mind, will and intellect. It is who we are. You can’t escape yourself. You can’t run and hide from who you are. We carry everything that we have ever done in this life. Even if we hid what we have done deep in our heart, it will pop up at the most inconvenient time of our life. It manifest itself as greed, drunkenness, anger, murder and a multiple other options. We can’t escape the face in the mirror. We see who we are and so does everyone else.

So, how can we escape or correct what we have done in our lives? We don’t have the power to change our hearts. Even if we stop doing destructive behavior, it doesn’t mean that we have changed. We were wonderfully and skillfully made. Specifically constructed to live a good life. And that hole in your heart was put intentionally. It is because that hole can only be filled by one person. And it’s not your wife children or friends. God was the one who constructed us and put that hole in our heart for one reason. So that we would call upon Him to fill that hole. And He is the only one that can.

People have harden their hearts against God and Jesus. Jesus said that the light of God came into world and world received Him not. It was because they had hardened their heart against God. So what do you do if you harden your hearts against your conscience?

Some people go mad, some drink themselves to death and some drug themselves to death. We don’t have the power to change anything. Only God does.

In Hebrews chapter 3, it talks about what happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness.

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)”

God also said, all you who are burden with heavy labor, come to Me and I will give you rest. Turn to God and repent and God will forgive you and give you peace.

Crain Blanchard.

Joesph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

People are taught that prayer is nothing and doesn’t make any sense. For the longest time, I never even expected that God would make any difference in my life. I felt alone most of the time, but I knew that God was calling me. I didn’t want to surrender my life, because I was the master of myself. For me it was a sad joke that I could control anything. My life went from sad to bad and I couldn’t do anything about.

Until one day, a friend invited me to join his business. I am a terrible salesman, but I was interested in his proposition. I continued to go to his business meetings. For three months, I had coffee and listened. Finally, one day he asked me if I wanted go to church with he and his family. Surprisingly, I said yes.

It was an interesting day. First, I was greeted by multiple people and shook hands with I don’t know how many people. We sat and the service began. I stood when they stood and sat when they sat. I was watching all the people sing worship songs. I didn’t say anything, but just watched everyone. Then the pastor came and began to preach. Everyone was listening intently. I was still watching the people. Then the pastor stop in the middle of his sermon and said hello. It was an expression that I used all the time. I looked at the pastor who stopped talking. Then I heard a voice speak to me. The voice said, what more do you want.

I knew who spoke to me and I knew what I must do. When my friend asked if I wanted to go up and talk to the pastor, I said yes. We prayed the prayer of salvation. A peace came over me that I longed for. Then the pastor asked if I wanted to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I said yes and God came down and surrounded me. People shook my and talked. I don’t remember anything except walking into my house. I don’t remember driving home. It is because I wasn’t driving. That closeness with God has never stop.

You see, prayer is talking to God. Just like Adam, God wants to communicate with each us on a daily basis. We talk to God and He talks to us. And the more you pray, the better you become at it.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

People are taught that prayer is nothing and doesn’t make any sense. For the longest time, I never even expected that God would make any difference in my life. I felt alone most of the time, but I knew that God was calling me. I didn’t want to surrender my life, because I was the master of myself. For me it was a sad joke that I could control anything. My life went from sad to bad and I couldn’t do anything about.

Until one day, a friend invited me to join his business. I am a terrible salesman, but I was interested in his proposition. I continued to go to his business meetings. For three months, I had coffee and listened. Finally, one day he asked me if I wanted go to church with he and his family. Surprisingly, I said yes.

It was an interesting day. First, I was greeted by multiple people and shook hands with I don’t know how many people. We sat and the service began. I stood when they stood and sat when they sat. I was watching all the people sing worship songs. I didn’t say anything, but just watched everyone. Then the pastor came and began to preach. Everyone was listening intently. I was still watching the people. Then the pastor stop in the middle of his sermon and said hello. It was an expression that I used all the time. I looked at the pastor who stopped talking. Then I heard a voice speak to me. The voice said, what more do you want.

I knew who spoke to me and I knew what I must do. When my friend asked if I wanted to go up and talk to the pastor, I said yes. We prayed the prayer of salvation. A peace came over me that I longed for. Then the pastor asked if I wanted to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I said yes and God came down and surrounded me. People shook my and talked. I don’t remember anything except walking into my house. I don’t remember driving home. It is because I wasn’t driving. That closeness with God has never stop.

You see, prayer is talking to God. Just like Adam, God wants to communicate with each us on a daily basis. We talk to God and He talks to us. And the more you pray, the better you become at it.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

My younger brother died from cancer a few years ago. For the last 6 months of his life, I stayed with him everyday. He knew that my faith in God is strong. He asked me many questions about death. I have learned many truths about death. One is that our 5 earthly senses are in tact until we die. It doesn’t make any difference whether we are conscience or not. Another one is that physical pain is on this side of eternity. This physical body can’t go into the spiritual realm. We are made of the dust of the earth and because of the sin of Adam, the dust of earth was cursed by God. We are spiritual beings. Our heart is our mind, will and intellect. This is the part of us that is eternal. And when we die, our spirit and body separates. Our spirit goes into the next realm. Our body returns to the dust of the earth.

My brother asked me what it is like to die. I said that when the time comes that he will close his eyes and Jesus will be waiting for him. And you will walk into the next realm. Just like walking into the next room.

And the peace of God that passes all understanding shall guard, kept, your heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:7). This only happens when we are reconciled to God through the forgiveness of sin and the shed blood of Jesus. I knew that my brother had given his heart to Jesus. His life was an example of the love of God. So, when died, he had the peace of God.

I miss him, but I know that I will see him again. He is part of the great cloud of witnesses in heaven that watch me. I don’t fear death because I know and am known by God and Jesus. Come Lord Jesus.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

We all know the story of the prodigal son. He take his inheritance from his father and spent it on booze and women. When he had nothing left, everybody deserted him. The prodigal son ended up living and eating with the pigs. As story goes, when he came to himself, he remembered that his father’s servants ate well and lived in a good house. He decided to go home and ask his father for forgiveness and to work as one of his father’s servant.

As the prodigal son neared his home, he began to see the estate. What do you think his thoughts were as he approached home. I am sure he was afraid that his father wouldn’t accept him back again. What did he see on the horizon that compelled him to go home. When he saw his father running toward him, I can see his heart drop within him. But he was determined to go home to his father. The prodigal must have been amazed that his father hugged him and showed his love for him.

It is a poignant story that is played out in each of us. We waste what God has given to us on nothing. Then when we are caught between the rock and the hard place, we look for a deliverer. Those who are sincere find our way back home to our Father. Who by the way, loves us unconditionally. Those who want nothing more than to get out of trouble, never find peace in this world.

Our Father, God put this story into the bible to show us that we can go home again. But it takes repentance on our part to make that connection back to God. You can’t fake it with God. He knows our heart and hears what we say. So, if you are fed up with the trouble the world gives us, turn back to God and repent.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

When I was young, I ran track. I wasn’t much for the field part of it. I couldn’t throw the javelin or shot put. I didn’t have all that great of upper body strength. But I could run like the wind. I was faster than any kid in school. I ran track in high school. My best time in any sprint was done in a practice run. I ran a 10 second 100 yard dash. I loved to run. It gave me a feeling of exuberance that nothing else could. I was a sprinter not long distance. In the military, you have to run a mile under 8 minutes. I jogged the whole way and came in a 71/2 minutes. There is just something about running that is precious to me.

Hebrews 12:1 “and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

Galatians 5:7 “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

Habakkuk 2:2 “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”

From the scriptures, we can see that life is running a race. It is all about winning the race. People will do just about anything to win. But God expects us to run this race according to the rules. And what rules are those? They are God’s rules. We can’t expect to win any other way. If we lie, cheat or steal from ourselves or others, we lose the race. And the loss is greater than winning it. People don’t quite understand the cost of losing the race. It is unbearable knowing that we chose to lose.

God made the rules of the race knowing who man is. It is not always easy, but it is simple. God said that He would go before and make the way for us. So, we could run the race almost effortlessly. We are to read the word of God, fight the fight, run the race, obey the truth and finish our course. Then we will win for ourselves an everlasting victory.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com