We just came out of the Christmas Season. I have seen more Christmas trees in the trash every day. There are a few holdouts, who still have their lights up. All the gifts were given, and food eaten. It’s a new day, so leave yesterday behind and move on. There are people to see and things to do. We don’t have time for anything but living. Sentiment is fine for birthdays and holidays, but the rest of the year is about making money and living well. Remember living well is the best revenge. When did we lose our innocence? Why is our drive being about the worthless things of this world? Even if you gain the whole world and lose your soul, what is it worth? Our lives were so much better when we were innocent, and we cared about the things of value. What is valuable in this world. Those things are even written down. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. And as it says, against these things there is no law. Those wonderful attributes and attitudes can’t be bought or stolen. There is only one place to restore your innocence. That place is in the arms of God. And all you must do is to ask Him, and God will respond. In fact, God will run to meet you and welcome you back into the family.
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How long is a Good Life?
In the beginning, man lived for hundreds of years. One man lived over 900 years. Then came the flood that destroyed most of mankind and man lived a shorter life. As man progress, life became shorter. During the Dark ages, man’s life was about 30 to 40 years. And most people died from violence or disease. Still life had never expanded more than 50 years. Then came the Industrial Revolution and medicine. The scientific endeavor to medically help man live longer is still raging. More money is pump into medicines than almost anything else. The pursuit of the miracle pill that will keep us alive for a long time is what the race is about. You know what is funny about all of this is the side effects of the new medicines. When they list all the side effects the last one said is death. So most of the new medicines can kill you. Well then how do you live a long life? You have to look at the people who lived a long life. And most of those were from about 6000 years ago. Most people don’t want to hear why those people lived so long, but here goes. The people that lived long were farmers, shepherds or otherwise lived in the country. Their lives were mostly free from stress. They ate healthy food. They got the proper amount of sleep. They lead a normal life with an extended family living around them. And most of them served God all of their lives. They lived their life as God had intended man to live. You want longevity in your life, then follow their example serve God and live.
Driving Force
I have seen people motivated by so many different things. The silliest ones were people driven by blind love. They did things you would just laugh at. I have seen people motivated by greed that did things that were horrible. Everyone is motivated to do or accomplish certain goals in their lives. Each one was motivated by a driving force. For us to get off dead center, there is a good reason behind it. Whether it is for love or some other reason in our lives. Our driving force needs to be a correct choice in our lives. There is no mistake that it is a choice. And we are responsible for those choices. It is popular today to say, it was because of my father or mother or brother that I did this or that. But when it comes down to who did it, it is always you. No one can make you do anything. Yes, I have seen people coerced into doing things. But it was always a choice, your choice. Each person chooses what they know. It is more like monkey see and monkey do. I want this because they have it, or it is pretty and I want it. People learn from what is around them. Sometimes to their own destruction. When I think things out I usually can accomplish all my goals. But the driving force behind me has changed over the years. It can change from day to day or some can be with you forever. No matter what the force is you need to make your driving force a correct choice. Let the forces for good influence your life. For that to happen your will need a good moral compass. There is only one place to get what you need. It will never come from this world. The only place I have ever found in this world is God Himself. He is the only person who has ever genuinely cared for me. He was always concerned what happened to me and provide motivation to accomplish the goals that would help me. And all you have to do is to sincerely ask Him to help you.
The Making of a Friend Indeed
I admit before God and man, that I haven’t been the easiest person to like. My life has been about extremes. Before Jesus, I was the most bitter and angry person I knew. I could, at the drop of a hat, cut someone up with my tongue. My barbs were vicious and mean-spirited. The reason people didn’t like me was very apparent. But all I was looking for was someone to love me for me. I was 28 years old before I found anyone who would even try. And what I came to understand, was that He was there all along. He hurt when I hurt. He cried when I cried. His heart was for me, just as I was. He was calling me all along. But I didn’t hear His voice over my pain. When my pain finally subsided a little, I heard this voice calling my name. I looked around and it seem that no one was talking to me. But He was. The day that I gave Him my life and He gave me His, I made a covenant with Him, a life for a life. My allegiance and life belong to God. I made a commitment to Him. That was 40 years ago. With that commitment, I had no fear of what man or devils could do to me. With no fear, I became courageous. What I became was a friend indeed. I will work in the kingdom until I go home. You too can know this friend, who has loved you before time began. God is calling you home. Listen and obey, and you too can become a friend indeed.
Absolute Power
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This saying has been proven over and over again. And yet man still tries to obtain absolute power through every conceivable way. About 100 years ago, a young man, destroyed by WWI, tried to conquer the world. What he did was to destroy a nation and kill over 130 million people. About 225 years ago, a young man tried to conquer the world and destroyed most of Europe. Over 2000 years ago, a young man took his soldiers and conquered his own country. Then he tried to conquer the world. His own friends killed him. Over 2500 years ago, a young man killed his own father to take control of the kingdom. He conquered many nations and died before he was 33 years old. There is nothing new under the sun, about the pursuit of power. It was in the beginning when a brother killed a brother because he was jealous. The only absolute power is in the hands of one who is not corrupted by earthly things. That is because He created them. God is all powerful. Even one of God angels tried to take the power away from God, was cast into hell. Jesus said that He said this angel and his followers fell from heaven like lightning. Unfortunately, this angel and his followers fell onto earth. And has been a plague to man ever sense. God knows how power can corrupt man. So that is why we have to ask God to intervene. Because it is His power not ours. As we build our faith and belief in God, we can get closer to God. With our faith, God will answer our prayers and use His power to help man. Do you know why the world is in such a turmoil? The stage is being set for the return of Jesus. As the bible says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.
Babies
Why are we drawn to babies? Babies of all kinds, human or animal, are cute and cuddly. It seems that every young couple I know has a new baby. They are everywhere. Big one, littles one, fat ones or skinny ones, babies are here to stay. Too bad they don’t stay little for too long. That precious smile when we talk to them or when they cry because something is wrong. Life for them is simple and uncomplicated. It is black or white because there is no in between. Then they grow up into whoever. And you wish you had a little more time with that baby that was a handful. My children are grown and I want babies. They were as demanding and selfish as anybody could be. They wanted what they wanted and when they wanted it was now. They were also helpless and couldn’t survive if we didn’t see about them. Yet we didn’t mind because we loved them with all their faults and good points. Love is powerful. It changes hearts forever. Once you love a person, you always will. It like an indelible mark on our soul. We can say that we don’t love a person anymore but it is still there. Hidden in the recesses of our heart. For good or bad, love will change the destiny of our lives. So why does thing happen to us? There is a very specific reason that we love and can’t choose who we do or not. It is funny that way that our heart will choose for us. We were made in the image and likeness of God. God loves far beyond what we do. But He is showing us what He does in our lives. We love people and babies. It is that much more that God loves us, unconditionally.
Facing the Truth
I guess one of the hardest things in the world is facing the truth. I am not talking about our own reality or truth as we see it. But what is real in this world. Everyone has their own version of what the truth is. You get 12 people to describe an accident and there are 12 versions. It all goes back to how the accident related to the person. This is why the bible talks about in many counselors there is much safety. In all the people asked there is a truth that weaves through all of their stories. But how do we know the truth in the first place? God said that He wrote His laws in our heart and minds. So they were there to start with. If that wasn’t enough God made sure that the earth and all the heavens explained the truth about God. So God says that man is without excuse or there is no reason not to know God. It is interesting how it all points to God. It is very clear and understandable how God made everything. Man doesn’t have the power to create. Yet why is it so hard for man to accept what God has said? I know from my own struggles with God’s truth what it took for me to come to an understanding. It was that I was a sinner and separated from God and needed to come back home. I ran as long as I could and was as miserable as a person could be. I hate to tell you what happens to the person that doesn’t reconcile themselves to God but most people know anyway. It is seeing God for who He is and believing. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
To Help People
One of the most rewarding things I could do in this world is to help people. It stirs my soul like nothing else. But it seems like helping people has lost its luster. When I look at the news, local or national, the special story is about someone helping someone else. It looked like the only reason that person did help the other was to get on the news. That is a sad and pathetic testimony of mankind. Jesus talked about the Pharisees that made a great pretense of praying great prayers on the street corners of the city. He said they have their reward. But if you want God to bless you, pray in secret and God will reward you openly. The same is about helping people. You help people because are in need not to make a show of it. There are people who I have helped and no one knows about or ever will. It is not for sale. I went about doing good to make things right in this world. A kind word or gesture, like opening a door for people, goes a long way. Even if the person doesn’t see the gesture, you have done something for yourself. It is always a joy to me to know that I did a small gesture of kindness to anyone. It doesn’t make me weak or ineffective in anything. If fact it is a sign of strength of character in my life. Helping people used to be the standard in every community. People would come for miles to help build a barn or harvest crops. No payment was required. It was gesture of kindness in their lives. Now I wonder how mankind will survive in this world. People killing each other over nothing. There is only one outcome if it continues. That is the total destruction of man and this earth. The bible says if you want friends then show yourself friendly.
Your young men shall see visions:
Into each person’s life there comes an adventure. This adventure will take you somewhere you have never been and will possibly never see again. It is an exciting journey that may even scare you. But it is something that we each go on. Some people’s adventure may lead them to foreign lands, while most of us just stay home. But the world is open before us. Where we go or what we do still depends on you. On our journey starts in our home. We get glimpses of what lies ahead by the stories our parents tell us. We see marvelous things that are possible. This is why children want to be so many things. Each one is as real as the other. We are never really sure when the adventure starts. But when it does, it like a roller coaster. It is exciting, scary and very pleasing. I was young and now I am old and my adventure is almost at an end. It has taken me to faraway places. But I always came home. I never wanted to journey away from home too long. Because I would get homesick. My adventure started the day I figured out I could do something worthwhile. I began working to that end and have never stopped. My parents and grandparents are gone. My younger brother is gone also. I have seen changes in this world that I don’t like. I have helped make changes for the good. And I wouldn’t stop until it is my turn to go home. You see my adventure is my life. All the things for good or bad I have done make up my journey. That is why old men dream dreams of their adventure. And young men see visions of theirs.
Festival Season
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 April 1st. 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.
Joseph1637/Crain Blanchard 