I have heard it all my life. I will live forever, and nothing can stop me. It is that old saying, you are full of spice and vinegar. Everybody thinks of themselves as immortal and unstoppable. That feeling can last a lifetime. But in all actuality, it is just a feeling. Now we do have a part of us that is immortal. That is our heart or spirit. It is the image and likeness of God. So, there is some truth to living forever. We sometimes bank on that to get us through the situation. And we get through it by the skin of our teeth. And sometimes we hit walls and it knocks us down. Unfortunately, some are out for the count. The one thing we have going for us is the will to win. Our survival is the most important thing we have, earthly speaking. Our will to live is a driving force, not to be taken lightly. So, part of us is immortal. But we aren’t unstoppable. Where does eternity fall into all of this, since we are immortal? Where do we go after this world? There is a place called eternity. As if you didn’t know, God has a plan for us, including eternity. The thing about eternity is that nothing will change there. We have to make the changes here to get there. So. To answer the question, how far away is eternity? It is only a heart beat away.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Some would ask what in the world are you talking about. There is nothing like it anywhere. I have a desire that just won’t quit. This desire is in my heart. My heart is who I am. It has consumed me for the better part of 40 years. It is a driving force in my life. It doesn’t control me. It compels me. And I want it to. It is a love that fills me with compassion for this world. It burns like fire but doesn’t consume me. But again, it does consume me. This fire is everlasting. It has existed forever. It is there for anyone who wants it. It is a gift from God, Himself. It is the fire from the altar of God. It is the same fire that Moses saw on the burning brush. Sometimes I want to scream and holler out what God has done for me. It is the fire that burns in me. So, I quietly speak the message in this blog or teach in a church. I also speak to people about what God has done for me. If you see me, you can see the fire as it consumes me. Sometimes it burns brighter than other times. But that all depends on me. But the fire is there. And all you have to do is ask me a question about God and it will come out of me. And I am not the only one. Anyone who wants to follow God and give their heart completely will be consumed by the fire of God.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Everybody has their own opinion about what good works are. So, do I. But my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is what God says about good works. The Apostle Paul talked about having faith. But what he said was if you don’t use your faith in the kingdom of God, it is worthless. What God gives to you is to be used in the kingdom. If we don’t use of faith, it will die within you. Jesus talked about taking care of people’s physical needs, food, clothing and shelter. So, that people will hear the gospel and respond. Then He talked about people at the last judgement, who did all their works. He told many to depart from Him for He never knew them. So, it is not only faith and good works, but having a personal relationship with Jesus. The disciples began to see what God is calling us to. As He saved us from hell and set us on the road to heaven, God wants everyone else to see the transformation. Good works are a natural extension of beginning a Christian.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

The greatest gift anyone can give another is a sacrifice. You have seen it all of your life. We honor those that sacrifice their lives in combat. We recognize that sacrifice is giving of your life to another. Parents do it all the time. Their lives are sacrificed for their children. There something very real about sacrifice. It is where we come alive inside. Knowing that you have sacrificed brings such joy and contentment to our lives. Of course, sacrifice costs. We have to pay for it with our lives. Sometimes it is to the death. But the moment we sacrifice, we have done something real and meaningful, let alone coming alive. I look back in time and see another who sacrifice for me. He actually saw me and died for me anyway. It is what drew me to Him. I saw the real love and meaningful sacrifice for me. His name is Jesus, my lord. You too can see His sacrifice. All you have to do is to look in His direction and let God open your eyes. He is there for everyone. Because of His sacrifice, I am called to a sacrificed life and am blessed for it.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Nothing is ever great all the time. Nothing is ever bad all the time. It is usually up and down. We all have to go through the bad times to enjoy the good times. It is funny how that works in our lives. No one ever plans for the bad times, but they happen to us anyway. It is because we plan for the good times, that we are prepared for the bad. What is that old saying, success follows the prepared. When King David would hit the bottom of his bad times, he would recount the blessings of the Lord. This would encourage him to go on. God says that when we are tempted, that He will make a way of escape for us. So, we can get through the trial. So, how is your nothing today? Are you rejoicing and laughing at your circumstances? Or have you given up? It seems that our way out is through God, Himself. Turn to God and ask Him for forgiveness. Then follow Him out of the circumstance.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

To Testify, has many meanings. There are actually three words in that one word. It means to prove, and, to affirm. Did you know that you have to prove something before you can attest to it? That means you have to go through it, to be tested. You can’t be a witness without your experience. Then you can prove what you say is true. We all know how much we want to go through trials. Its like pulling teeth. We have to sometimes, but who wants the pain. Change is like this. We have to change but who wants to. But each time we do, we can testify about it. What are we trying to prove with our lives? So, we are going to prove that we went through a change and came out on the other side, relatively unscathed. It doesn’t make any difference that we are better off for it. The journey was this big, hard arduous task. We scaled this giant mountain and came out on the other side. Its funny how embellished our stories become. Change is necessary for us to improve on our lives here. God sees to it that we will enter the challenge. How we come out on the other side, is up to us. Then we can testify about our daring exploits.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and runs to its place where it arose. The wind does the same, the rivers run into the ocean, yet it is never full. Everything is full of labor. But everyone isn’t finished looking or hearing. Everything that has been, will be again. There is nothing new under the sun. it is funny how people forget after a while. Solomon searched for wisdom from God to understand what was happening on earth. God showed Solomon wrote the book of proverbs in one day. The kings of the earth traveled to Jerusalem to see the riches of Solomon. God made him the richest man on earth. And he was the only ever to control the earth, besides Jesus. Solomon looked at everything. He had 900 wives. It was a foolish thing. His son that succeeded him, killed as many of his brothers and sisters as he could. He didn’t want anyone to take his throne. Solomon said that he gave his heart to know wisdom. And he found much grief and the increase of knowledge causes sorrow. All this is written in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Everyone likes to listen to music. I like a variety of music, jazz, not Dixieland, classical, Bach, Beethoven. But mostly of I like Christian, Southern gospel, hymns and Adult Contemporary. I never thought I would like Toby Mac or Lincoln Brewster. I was the music director for a Christian Radio station. I got to listen to all the music all day long. It was great. I chose music that push the boundaries at that station. They were conservative. But they said as long as they could hear the lyrics and it talked about Jesus. My big push was Amy Grant and her song Emmanuel. Today, it’s Citizen Way and their song Bulletproof. Do you know why music connects with everyone? It is because God made music. In the old testament, they were limited with the instruments they had. But David using a harp, discovered a musical progression, that is still used today. Music is an expression of who we are. If there is light in your heart, your music will worship God. If not, it is of the other side. Choose carefully. What you listen to because it will affect who you are.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

I have always been looked upon as peculiar. Some would even say I was odd. I have always looked at things differently. Sometimes it sideways. But I always look for the truth, no matter where I find it. You can find the truth in some strange places. I looked at a garbage dump and found beautiful flowers. It is out there. And it is waiting for you to find. I have a dry sense of humor. And I laugh sometimes at what other people would say as inappropriate times. But I still see things that most people pass by. The world is serious enough and I don’t need to add to it. So, I look for things that are worth more than all the gold in this world. I look for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Because it is a sign that God has been there. And wherever God is or has been the world will never be the same. You have to know that bread will not sustain you. It is only the word of God that will sustain us. So, what are you wanting for. Seek God and let Him change you into something beautiful.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Everybody talks about love. There are many movies made about love, but not one of them actually knows what they are talking about. The drive for sex isn’t love. If people would know how they wreak their lives with unmarried sex, they would leave it alone. Love can be seen in this world. People don’t even know that when an act of kindness is done it is love. Showing gentleness toward a person is love. Being longsuffering toward an idiot is love. Giving a person a hand-up is love. Rejoicing with a person who has accomplish a goal is love. Weeping with a person who has suffered loss is love. Providing food, clothing or shelter for the poor is love. Doing for someone without expecting a return is love. Love doesn’t fail, it bears all things, believes for all things, hope for all things and endures all things. If you want a good example of love all you have to do is look at God. God loves man unconditionally. And man has done everything they could to destroy the love of God. Yet God still loves us. This is true love.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com