The future is the past + the present. The present is nowhere without the future + the past. So what does all that mean in plain English. There is nothing new under the sun, what was shall be again. You remember the movie that talked about the circle of life. Life is a circle but not the way they mean it. You always want to be mindful of the things that happen in the past. Why, because they will happen again. The future, the present and the past are basically the same. Why would you say it is the same? It is because there is an element in there that never changes. And what are we talking about now? The basic element that never changes is man. Or rather I should say the corruption of man. From birth man is corrupt. People baulk at saying that babies are corrupt. Answer me this question. How do babies know how to lie, cheat and steal? Did their parents teach them to be dishonest? Did they learn it from their brothers and sisters? Did their aunts and uncles teach them to be dishonest? So where did it come from? Here is the answer that no one wants to hear. We as a member of the human race are born corrupt. Because we are born in sin. The sin of Adam and Eve has been and will always be transmitted to every new born baby. Thank God for His grace that doesn’t attribute sin to us personally until we reach the age of reason. When is the age of reason? When does a person begin to understand who they are and what they are about? For most people, it is about the same age. That is the age of puberty. When a young man reached that age in the Old Testament times, he was considered a man. He would have to start working either in his father’s business or someone else’s. For a young woman, her parents would start to look for a husband for her. Then when an agreement was made between the two parties, the young women was betrothed. Just like Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ parents. Life seems so complicated. But it really isn’t. God made it simple for man.
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America, America
How long have people longed to come to these shores? It has been a least a 1000 years. What did they see or dream about? Can you imagine what America looked like 1000 years ago? It was filled with trees and wildlife. It had beautiful pristine rivers and lakes. It was filled with everything people dream about and want in their lives. So many people came to these shores that no one will ever know about. They lived and died here on this land. And I am not talking about 500 years ago. Only 200 years ago, people came and moved west only to die of violence by man or animal or by sickness. And no one knows who they are except God. Yet people kept coming. They wouldn’t stop. America has always been referred to as the promise land, a land flowing with milk and honey. People saw a chance to improve their lives and their families. So they sold everything they had and came to America. Most of those people died within a year of coming. Those that survived carved out a piece of America for themselves. First it was the people of Siberia. Then the Vikings came. Then the people of Europe came. Then the Africans. Poor people from almost every nation. Our country is called the melting pot of the world. If you look at our language you will find words from every nation. One things has always been true, when we are threaten our people come together as one. We have lived through many wars. I have lived through 5 wars just in my lifetime. And still today, people from everywhere still want to come to America, the Promised Land.
A Friend Indeed
Everyone has heard of the saying, a friend in need is a friend indeed. We all have had people who called themselves friends, but at the first sign of trouble departed. I have a friend who is a brother to me. He hasn’t lived around me for 10 years. But my love for him and he for me hasn’t diminished because of time and distance. After our home was flooded out in 2016, he was the first one to offer assistance. This is what I would call a friend indeed. Our whole life is spent trying to make that kind of connection with people. We go to great lengths to develop a relationship that is worth having. My life, before Jesus, was quite different. I didn’t have these kinds of relationships. I was very bitter and angry about this. I just wanted someone to accept me for who I was. I didn’t want to jump through hoops to make people like me. And even if I did do this, it wouldn’t be real or lasting. My life, after Jesus, is quite different. God changed me into a likable person. People actually began to like me and to seek me out. My brother was my pastor and I was his assistant pastor. What I began to learn is that Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. As I began to change into the image of God, I shared the love of God with everyone. And people responded to that love. They saw me and they saw the hand of God. As God says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.
Gentleness
I can remember my mother being gentle with me. I would just want her to touch me and talk to me. She had such a sweet spirit. My mother died almost 20 years ago, and I still miss that gentleness. Most people see gentleness as weakness. You must be hard against a world in chaos. When I worked for a Christian radio station, I interviewed the leaders of most religious denominations in the US. They all had one thing in common. They were gentle and encouraging with me. It surprised me. I was expecting these no-nonsense men, who led a large group of people. But to a man, they had a tender heart for people. They were gentle, and this gentleness got them where they were. You see, gentleness isn’t weakness as most people believe. It is strength of character. It is a belief that isn’t shaken by the turmoil of this world. How many people do you know that are gentle? You see this attribute in people of all classes. It isn’t one group or another. It is just individual, who belief in their cause and work at it with strength and courage. These strength of character beliefs are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. It isn’t surprising, that these are the qualities that most people strive for. But to obtain these qualities, there is only one place you can get them. They are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are given to God’s children. But the good news is: all you must do is ask God to forgive you and come into your life. When He does, God will give you these gifts freely.
The Day Before New Years
Today we are to be thinking about the past year. All of it’s good and bad. Yet my mind goes back further than that. I see the past as yesterday. And I see the future as a reflection of the past. The only thing that is different is today. Then it will pass just like yesterday. My life seems to make a circle. I am moving at a breakneck speed to get to the end. But the end is just like the beginning. I came from God and I will return to God. You see this life is temporary. We are walking through a land to get to the other side. When we arrive on the other side, it is where we began. But there is a reason why we are here. God placed us here to prove what we believe and trust in. We have a choice to make. We can choose God and His plan or not. God didn’t make it difficult for us. There are only 2 choices. With all the shouting, fussing and cussing man does, it doesn’t make any difference at all. We have to choose one way or the other. Even if we don’t choose, we have chosen. And you can’t blame it on any body else. What you do is your choice. When we stand before God, we will have to give an account of our life on this earth. And there will be no excuses. You have today to make up your mind what you are going to do. You see, God only guarantees that you will live today. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. So, choose wisely.
You’re Heart
Your heart is a peculiar thing. It can beat a million times and just keeps on going. If it is interrupted, you can die. It seems to last forever but doesn’t. It controls the rest of the body. Without it you are dead. And it is the most neglected part of our body. It causes more diseases than anything else. So why don’t you protect it more? Most people relate your human heart to your spiritual one. As if they are interchangeable. I’ll tell you a truth, they are related to each other. What happens to your spiritual heart does affect your human heart. Have you ever lost a true love? The pain in your heart is spiritual but your human heart hurts like hell. They are tied together just like your body and your spirit. Your spirit is who you are. Your mind, will and your intellect are spiritual. This is what is the image and likeness of God. Your body is made from the dust of the earth. Remember, dust to dust, ashes to ashes, is how your body will go. Most games and TV shows have killing and violence. It always shows the people not being affected by all of it. This is a lie out of the pits of hell. There is nothing that we do that doesn’t affect our lives. And in turn affects our heart. So how can you stop the pain? You can’t but you can slow it down. Because of sin in this world there is pain. That will never change until the very end when Jesus arrives to reign and rule over this earth. But what you can do is to give your spiritual heart to Him. And allow God to take you on this journey that He plan for you in the first place. There are ways to protect yourself and Jesus is His name.
A Lonely Season
I can remember when I was young how our family gathers at our home or our aunt’s. My grandmother, mom and her 2 sisters would gather the family together for Thanks giving, Christmas and Easter. It was always a big production. The women of the family cooked before each holiday. Then they would bring the food and family together. Sometimes it was a lot of fun. We were nine 1st cousins, all boys. We were about the same age. We were within 5 years altogether. We lived near each other. We played on the same football, baseball and basketball teams in elementary school. But in high school, we were on different teams. It was a wonderful time for us. This last year we buried our last aunt. Then we buried my younger brother. We always talked about the older generation. Now we are the older generation. We all gather together at my son’s house this year for Christmas. My older brother lives in another state. We wished him a Merry Christmas. But it is not the same. Most of our family was missing. Either they are dead and no longer here or they live elsewhere. I know I can’t go back to that time again. But I miss my parents and my younger brother. Sometimes it is very hard to go on when so much is missing in my life. My family was sometimes the most irritating people on earth. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. What I wouldn’t do to have them back again. That is why this is a lonely season for me. Cherish your family because God has given you so little time with them. Don’t waste it on nonsense. Let you family know that you care about them. God gave us a family to make us whole. Then it won’t be a lonely season.
Express Yourself
All my life I wanted to express myself in some form or fashion. I wanted to be able to tell people something worthwhile. I didn’t want to tell a joke or antidote. Although I have developed a very dry sense of humor. Of which not everyone appreciates. But I have lived with people not getting me or understanding what I was saying. At first I thought it was because of the dyslexia I had. Words would get jumbled in my head and wouldn’t come out right in my mouth. But soon saw that it wasn’t the case. I was never loud or forceful. What I had to say was quiet but important. So when I arrived at college I figured that communication would be a good field for to go into. So I did, but became distracted with all the activities of college, especially fraternities. I didn’t stick to my plan and flunked out of school. I still wanted to communicate with people. I have never lost the desire to speak or write or teach. I went back years later but it wasn’t the same. I had developed the story telling ability in me. I can spin a good yarn or tale. I can transform people to different places with my stories. What developed was children’s stories. I work in radio and wrote a radio show for children. I still have the original recording with all the sound effects. And I worked in television. But this wasn’t the forum for me. I wanted to write. I can express myself anyway I want when I write. Writing seems to be a dying art form. I have always like to read. I used to get Time magazine. I would read it from front to back. It was interesting me about the world and its antics. I read all the time. It is the best way to learn things. As the bible says, for in a multitude of counselors there is much safety.
You’re Inspiration
What do you call a person that gives their lives to a cause? What do you think about this person? As you look around this world you find all kinds of people who have done this very thing. Some call them fanatics, zealots or just plain crazy. But there is something about them that is fascinating. Some are amazing at the amount of work that they have accomplished. Some have never been recognized as actually doing the work. Yet there are many people today that are willing to give their lives in causes. I have known many people just like this all through my life. They have inspired me into action. One person was Corrie Ten Boom. She was from the Netherlands. She was sent to the concentration camp because she hid Jewish people from the Germans. She survived a German concentration camp in WWII. Another person was T.L. Osborn. He went to the Far East and Africa after WWII. David Wilkerson, who started Teen Challenge in New York City in the 1950’s. Hubert Linsey, who was the very 1st Alfalfa in the Our Gang series. His preaching exploits are legendary. Bernard Johnson who went to Brazil when no one else would. At the time he went there were estimated 16 million abandon children on the streets in Brazil. He began to work with children. I didn’t know this man but Horatio Spafford , business man in the 19th century, helped rebuild Chicago after it burned down. Then went to Jerusalem and opened a medical clinic in the Arab section. And it is still open today. There are many people that you just hear about who have given their lives for the betterment of man. God has these people to do the work on this earth. If you ever meet them, stop and talk to them. Let their lives inspire you to work for the Lord.
Bah-Humbug
Everybody has seen or read the book “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Dickens was writing about the social morays of the 19th century. As bad as it had become in England, he knew that it could change for the better. So Dickens wrote his book. How would you like to see this on reality TV? Where the Spirit of Christmas visits people to see what they would do. I know a few people that need it right now. Bah-Humbug. Fear will make people do all kinds of things. But it is never a good way to change people’s hearts. To start with people have to want to change. I was watching a national news broadcast. Between wanting to throw-up and saying bah-humbug, I found that it was more a big joke being played on the American people. The insincerity of the commentators was sickening. They didn’t have anything good to say. Even the feel good segment was sickening. You know what is funny is that it really hasn’t change since the 19th century. What Dickens saw is still here. That is why we need that reality show today. There has been for several years people who hunt spirts. It is almost as ignorant as the commentators. There are a handful of show I would even watch. It is so bad that other cable channels are trying to imitate the worst cable channels. Bah-Humbug. They all need a reality check. What did Scrooge say? Let them all die and reduce the surplus population of cable channels. Charles Dickens was trying to show that Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Whether you have money or not. When you share of yourself, people will be blessed. So everybody needs to hold down on the Bah-Humbugs and bless the people around you. And the Spirit of Christmas won’t come a calling on you. I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
Joseph1637/Crain Blanchard 