Monthly Archives: June 2024

Fear and Doubt.

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I don’t have to introduce you to fear and doubt. They are old and familiar friends that we were raised with. I wouldn’t call them friends, because they always got us into more trouble. As much as we don’t want them around, they were always there in times of trouble. When we couldn’t see a way out, they would stick close to us. Fear has been clinically proven to cause heart attacks. Doubt will stop us dead in our tracks from doing anything productive. Fear and doubt are the opposite of faith and hope.

I should say hope and faith. It is hope that we receive first. Hope that our lives can be changed into something better. Hope is the promise of the future. It is what leads to believing in ourselves and someone greater. Usually hope comes when we hit the wall running and fall down nearly dead. We come to ourselves hoping for an answer that will solve our problems. If we see that there is an answer that will resolve our pain and misery, we being to hope. Hope is a fleeting thing. It will not last forever. If we decide to accept the way out of our problems, then our hope will grow. Then when we see our problems being solved, we begin to believe and our hope becomes stronger. Then our hope becomes faith.

In the beginning, it is always hope and faith are sketchy. We are looking for proof that our lives will change. But once we have decided to follow the plan to change our lives, then we will see the proof we need to believe what God says it true. It doesn’t mean that our faith will not be tested. What it does mean is that our hope and faith can grow into what God wants for us. Anything that we receive without any adversity isn’t worth having. So hope and faith come by adversity, knowing that we have decided on the God’s plan to change our lives for the better.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Why would God create and sustain mankind?

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When God created mankind, He knew that man would fail. How did He know this? His 1/3rd angels that He created rebelled against Him. God had to expelled them from heaven. Knowing this God made man anyway. Why would He do this? The scripture that always comes up explaining this phenomenon is very familiar to everyone. People have heard up signs with this scripture everywhere. There was even a US court case about that very scripture. It was ruled that holding up a sign with the scripture name and number wasn’t illegal, no matter where it was. I bet you can guess the scripture I am talking about.

“ 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.” John 3:16.

So, what does this scripture say? It says that God loves this world, mankind and creation, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. This was to allow mankind to come home again. And anyone that accepts God’s offer of clemency, can enter into heaven once again. You talk about faith in this world. God’s faith that man would accept His offer, from the offset, seems risky at best. So, what makes the difference in this offer? It is the love of God. It is how far God will go to bring us back home again.

So, let me ask you a question. How is heaven our home in the first place? We were wonderfully and perfectly made by God. Our spirit, who we are, is immortal and comes from God. This is what will return to heaven to be with God. Earth is temporary and will disappear in the end. Our home will be either heaven or hell. Heaven is where the children of God reside. Hell was made for the devil and his angels and all the people who don’t chose God’s offer. As individuals, we have a choice to make, whether or not to chose God. With that choice, it decides where we are going to living eternally. I chose to accept God’s offer and to live in the kingdom of His dear son, Jesus.

It has been written out for us for over 4000 years. It is called the bible. Read for yourselves and decide whether God is telling the truth or not.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Our Soldiers and Veterans.

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I have four sons. Three of them served Operation Iraqi Freedom. My older brother and I served during Vietnam War. I have a cousin that died serving during the Vietnam War. I have a cousin that died in Korea with the 1st Marines. My dad and his two brothers served during WWII. Whenever there was a need for soldiers, my family answered the call. The average age of a soldier is in the military is 18. That means they are giving their youth to serve their country. My family served as Minute Men in Massachusetts and in the Atchafalaya Militia during the American Revolution.

During each and every war that America served in, men gathered to answer the call. When they gathered, their families were there to see them off. The families did not know whether or not they would see their sons again. So they laughed and cried and cheered them on. Do you know how many times since the founding of our country that families gathered to see their sons of to war?

I want to tell you about an experience that I had when we saw our second son off to the Iraqi war. We were gathered with many families. Some were crying, some were laughing and everybody was being brave for their soldier. We got there about two hours before they left. The longer I was there, I kept hearing a song go through my head. I couldn’t shake the song out of my head. In fact, it got louder. The song was from the American Revolution called “Johnnie has gone for a soldier”. The more I heard the song, I looked around and thought about how many times families have gathered to send the children off to war. And how we were no different than those families in the American Revolution. As much as we say that things have changed, they still remain the same.

I am proud that my children have served and that my family has served also. Honor the men and women that serve our country. They have given their youth for your freedom.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

The Uncertainty principle of our lives.

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The principle says that the more something becomes certain, the more everything else becomes uncertain. It is like all things, atoms, are in motion. And they will fly apart if there isn’t a stabilizing element to everything. There is truth to the principle. If you look at mankind throughout the ages, you can see how uncertain or unstable he is. Man has never been able to keep the peace anywhere for any length of time. War always breaks out somewhere. This is a fundamental flaw in mankind. Man doesn’t have the power to overcome this flaw. Mankind can hid this flaw only for a certain period of time. Then it crops up and destroys everything around them. Peace isn’t an attribute of man.

So, why is it that mankind can’t live in peace? It is because we are born flawed or defective. God made us with this hole in our makeup. The only way to fill that hole in our makeup is through obedience to God’s way. As smart as man is, we are powerless to change our makeup. Do you remember all the self-help books that came out? The premise for each book was that we, mankind, can change our destiny through determination. It is a half-truth. Just like the half-truths that the devil spoke to Jesus in the wilderness. They seem to be truthful, but are a trap.

If we, mankind, align ourselves with God and accept His plan, God will use His power to change our lives for the better. We don’t have the power, only God does. Then our uncertain world becomes certain, if we follow after God and obey. This is where determination comes into play.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

This Day in June.

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What do you remember about this day in June? I remember the end of school and summer camp. In high school, I remember working each summer delivering newspapers 6 days a week. I remember missing a vacation trip my parents to California to go to college. My life is filled with memories about every stage of my life. As each period of my life transformed, I saw the future and was uncertain what would happen to me. But I never backed down. I didn’t care if I stumbled and fell. I would get up and go again. I was determined not to stop, even if it killed me. Then one summer, I sat and listened to 2 men about Jesus. It fascinated me that these men lived a life that I rarely saw. I listened intently. And finally decided this life was for me. So, when they asked me to go to church with them, I had already made up my mind.

My life in Christ has never been easy. There has been ups and downs. But I have been determined to follow Jesus, no matter where He leads me. I remember the first time I realized that He was talking to me. I was so excited that God cared enough to want to talk to me. I never thought that I was anyone special to God. But I was wrong. I am a son of God. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus died and was resurrected for me. And not only for me, but for everyone. And the sad part about all of this is that not everyone will chose to follow Christ. God said that Jesus will not return to this earth until the gospel is preached to every creature. So, that everyone will have the opportunity to accept God’s plan and return home. Praise God.

So, remember today what God has done for you and chose to go home to heaven to be with God.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com