Jul 31, 2010

Extremism Begets Extremism Begets Extremism

During all of my childhood and growing up years, most Americans were more concerned about the "wrongs" being done by evil men than about their "rights". Justice was dished out by judges, juries and by individuals if the court system failed them. I believe in law and order but when the judges, courts and government cease to administer justice against crime and for the victims of crime, they themselves become responsible, when angry citizens take justice into their own hands. God created civil law for the protection of all people from each other. That Civil Law is only sacrosanct when it is doing "God's work" as assigned in Romans 13:1-6 as "a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil". Government "inaction" causes an equal and opposite "reaction". Unpunished "injustice" eventually creates and ignites a vigilante reaction against the law itself. Extremism is nearly always the result of its opposite extremism. As the seed of destruction is within itself, so the seed of extremism begets extremism.

The degree of determination of the American Revolution against British government in America was a reaction to unfair taxation without representation. The Texas revolution, against General Santa Anna, was for abuse of Texians in violation and then abolishment of his own Mexican Constitution.

And then you have such examples as the Cuban Dictator Batista and Fidel Castro's revolution. They succeeded in eliminating Batista and installed the opposite extreme, Communism, which was even worse. Anyone who visited Cuba before and after the revolution knows that Cuba went from corruption before to deterioration after the "change they believed in". Their "Hope", for better treatment, resulted in loss of what freedom they had and they were worse off than ever. Tens of thousands fled Cuba. Their living standards have not kept up with those of most of the world since then. The rise of "Black Power" was a reaction against injustice as was the "Women's Rights" movement. The problem in all three of these cases is that their legitimate complaints, after they won the revolution, grew into illegitimate demands. As it has been so many times in history, after the injustice has been dealt with and "equal rights" are attained, the force by which they attained justice continues beyond justice into injustice. That is, having built a strong organization, funding, and followers to their cause, they tend to continue their momentum, demanding more and more beyond justice, beyond equality, beyond reason. That leads, again to another extreme reaction against them by the opposite side demanding justice for themselves which they have now lost.

I think America is rapidly rushing to just such a point, demanding "change" against the extreme, radical "change" voters had not intended. The Tea Party movement and thousands of voters switching from both major political parties, to Independents or one of the lesser movements, proves the point. From all I've seen of the Tea Party, they look and act like patriotic, normal Americans to me. But, if a few Tea Partiers seem extreme, it is to be expected. They are reacting to the opposite extreme. Extreme breeds extreme. Now, extreme, Left-Wing Liberals have brought "reaction" upon themselves. Where human beings are gathered, there is no way to avoid more than one level of attitude and emotion. Churches have their contradictory hypocrites and hotheads as do clubs, police, nursing homes and politics. A small minority of extremists is impossible to avoid where humans are involved. Ignorance demands perfection in all but itself.

Except for the American Revolution and the Civil War, Americans have always been able, through our Constitutional rights and freedoms to resolve serious national differences. But when government uses its limitless power to abuse and violate our Constitutional rights and freedoms, it is time for a national reaction to "change" that government....or die trying.

Pass It On. RB

The Newest Thing In People And Computers

Common Sense Commentary: God and Bill Gates are in the "Innovation" business. Bill is continuously surrounding himself with Techs, Geeks, and Innovators creating new STUFF. God is, of course, the greatest Creator and Innovator in the universe....not just Silicon Valley. We know well what "create" means but what does "innovate" mean.

Innovate is from the Latin "innovatus", past participle of "innovare" which is from "in" plus "novare" "to make new". "If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature...." 2Cor.5:17. God is in the eternal, spiritual business of Creating, and later "Innovating" (Making New ) what He Created that got broken by sin, and even after that He will "Renovate" what He first Created and then Remade which then gets damaged by sin again. He will Renovate (Repair Restore) it. The message here is that every human being, whom God created, because of the fall of the entire race in Adam and Eve, needs to be Remade by the "New Birth" and every "Born Again Christian", damaged by sin needs to be Repaired, through prayer, by the Master Craftsman. He who built us in the first place, saved us from our ruined condition and will repair us, his children, as well.

See the transformation, innovation of future computers at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7H0K1k54t6A

Pass It On. RB

Justice, Courage, Honor and America

There was a time in this country when robbery was less profitable and more dangerous. During the early history of America, right on up to the early 1960's , most robbers wound up in jail for long, hard years...or dead. The philosophy during those times reflected the tough, courageous, characteristics of the people as well as their strong sense of Justice and Honor. Generally, they would not tolerate crime, bothering a good woman, or challenging their Honor, Courage or reputation. If you dared rob somebody, you were the one most likely to get hurt .... at the scene of the crime or later in prison.

People who survived in those days worked very hard for what they had and they didn't give it up easily to thieves. It was as much "the principle of the thing" as it was economics. In my hometown, Sweetwater Texas, during the 1930's and 40's, the general attitude was, "I will share what I have or I may give it all away for a good cause, but you will not take it away from me without a fight". Justice was a "holy" cause in those days .... and we were more secure as a nation and our streets were safe, even in large cities, usually. Crime did not pay much if any.

Today, things are different. We "play it safe" at all costs. That philosophy has sifted all the way down to the pizza man. The advice given young men is, "Don't stick your neck out" or, "Don't be a hero" or, "It's no skin off of your nose" or "Let it go, we're insured". Of course, a pizza is not worth dying for, but where does it stop ....a bike .... a car .... a crude oil tanker .... a cruise ship ....
a nation ? Illegal drug use could have been easily stopped when it first started, but not now. It may take a hundred years for it to burn itself out. A forest fire begins with a spark or a match and destroys millions of trees and often, hundreds of homes. An ounce of water would have prevented it, but once it is out of control, all the emergency methods the nation has can't stop it.

How about "the principle of the thing" ? Do we teach our children that the best way to survive is to surrender, give up, quit, or simply avoid bullies, drug users, thieves and entire neighborhoods ? What about when they are grown and gone from home and are forced to deal with all those things ? Will they take on the attitude of the majority and overlook such things or pretend they aren't happening. That only makes a bad problem worse. Do we teach our children to face up to difficult problems. If not, do they in turn neglect to cultivate character in their own children ?

Someone somewhere has to help turn the tide by setting an example of Courage, Honor and Justice. Surrender has to stop somewhere and the sooner we stop surrendering, giving up, and looking the other way instead of facing injustice, government violation of our Constitution, bullies, and intimidaters, and repent of our own "wicked ways", the sooner our nation will be healed. 2Chron.7:14.

You will be forced to draw the "Alamo line" somewhere in your life. Our nation must draw it somewhere, and soon, or our "land of the free and home of the brave" will be gone for ever. When first learning to type, we typed over and over, "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country". Right NOW is that time, August, September, October, and November 2, 2010. America must have some new Champions of Justice, Courage and Honor to step across that Alamo Line and campaign for, and support honest, patriotic, descent Candidates for offices of leadership. Who among them is the best for our nation not for the Democrats or Republicans but for God first and America second. Left Wing Liberals must stop trying to make the best nation on earth perfect, created in their own image. Strengthen America by improving yourself.

Pass it on. RB

Jul 27, 2010

Character and Commitment ! Unusual Times require Unusual People

For Believers Only: "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth....Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labor for that which satisfied not....Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 54:5 & 55:2, 6-7.

This is God's remedy for Israel and for our nation which was once called a "Christian Nation". God's people, Israel, turned from their Messiah/Christ (Hebrew/Greek, same word) and paid a terrible price for it. Similarly, the United States has now turned from this same Messiah/Christ and the price we will pay has only just begun. Jesus fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy concerning the coming Messiah/Christ. The Jews had every reason to recognize Him but as with US, their Religious and Political leaders led them to reject all the evidence of miracles and prophecy that proved Jesus had to be Messiah/Christ. In both cases, it was jealously, greed, sin and RELIGION that turned their hearts and ours away from Christ. It should be obvious to any sincere, honest person that something horrible, of "Biblical proportions" has both countries in its grasp.

Our country is in desperate need of a restoration of old fashioned Character and Commitment and we Christians are in even more desperate need of a Revival of Holy Commitment to Christ.
Jer.17:9 . These are unusual times but truly great leaders do not arise from pleasure and ease;
Fame maybe, a talented speaker maybe, but soft times breed soft people. Its tough times that breed tough people. Truly great leaders arise out of pain, difficulty and persecution. An honest observation will verify that Education, Entertainment, Religion, Wall Street, News Media, all branches of Government, and even most churches are hopelessly corrupted , anemic, or dead. Not many of us are "hopeless" with God but our lack of Character and Commitment render us useless in His service and therefore on dangerous ground.

Few Americans, over forty years old, would deny that we are on the brink of even worse disasters than we have yet seen. Yes, these are "unusual times, for America. Other countries have seen it before, but our country has never endured what Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe have experienced. Some of our finest Leaders came out of the Great Depression and World War II. We became prosperous and well fed and were leaders and an example to the world. But, ease, pleasure, and the good life became our goal in life. The 1950's, 60's, and 70's were easy years but bred weakness of character in our national conscience. Selfishness, laziness, and fatness took root and shoddy workmanship, broken homes and every kind of sin mushroomed. Out of this evil soil sprouted HIV, Aids, Perversion, Drug Abuse, Crime, Political Corruption, Flagrant Immorality, Greed, Dishonest Investment Agents, Broken Homes, Christless Churches, and Blatant Promiscuity.

Confusion, anger, fear, depression and hatred are eating away at the souls of millions of Americans. Many, even Christians, will break under the stress and pressure or give in and quit trying or follow the path of least resistance. The battlefield will be strewn with casualties in this war between good and evil. We have little time to take a stand. Everyone has a place at the front lines. It is a Spiritual conflict and nobody is too old or young or weak to pray and stand up for truth and join the good fight to win back our nation and churches from the evil in them.

Don't be misled in the fall elections and in our churches. We don't need geniuses, another lawyer, a smooth talking serpent, a sweet Pastor or a politician. Whatever else they may be, we need Christian Character and Commitment to lead us out of this Black Hole we are being sucked into. People are angry and confused and blaming everything and almost everybody for "this mess". Bush is to blame, no Obama did it, no it was Republicans or Democrats. Its the Bankers or the Fed or Wall Street. And, yes, they are all guilty to some extent; Some much more than others. Even I carry a bit of the blame. I could have been a better father, husband, pastor, man, American, Christian....But I am eighty years old now and have little left to give. Evidently, I can still at least pray and type and I will do that and witness to neighbors and worship our Lord. But some of you are still able and capable of active leadership and know the truths of our God. You can make a difference. Carry your light to this darkening country. Lift your pastor up in prayer. Speak up when others speak down. Take the abuse which may result. Be faithful and help our churches and our country out of this swirling suction of wickedness which has infected and engulfed us all.

Pass It On. RB

Jul 25, 2010

Our Lord Uses Availability More Than Ability

Common Sense Commentary: Yes, it is true in every "real" Church among "real" Christians, that our Lord uses those who make themselves "available" more than He does those who have great "ability" .... but are not "avail able". "Avail" means "Usable"; and "ability" means "capable". Though Christians may have "ability", if it is not "available", they are "unusable" to God. Let's say that Availability ranges from Level One to Level Ten.

Level One is the small child who puts on her own clothes, and then puts them away and always wants to help Mommy, and does her assigned tasks faithfully. She is Mom's little helper. Or, maybe it is a handicapped little boy who smiles all the time, cleans up after himself, gladly does what Mom says and wants to "help Dad work".

Level Two is the mentally handicapped young man who loads my wife's groceries, at Kroger's, and unloads them into her car....talking all the way and saying exactly the same things every week. He has been on that job for years, never misses, and is always happy and friendly to everyone. His job is extremely important to him. He is "available and useable". Mrs Blair just loves him and admires Kroger's for hiring dependable, handicapped people. She expresses it to me almost every time she shops there. He always brightens her day. Level Two would also include older children and I am sure other examples as well.

Then, there are the millions of healthy, intelligent, capable, and able, Christians in Levels 3 through 8. These are people from teenage through middleage. There are vast numbers of them. They are those Christians who have huge ability and still have energy and health. Their only hindrance...or "handicap", for most of them, in being "useful" to God, is their unavailability. They have no time, too tired after work, play golf or fish on Saturday and need to rest up for work on Sunday. Tons of "ability" but not much "availability". God always uses "availability" but not necessairly "ability". Be careful about judging older people concerning their level of involvment in Church. There are a multitude of totally unseen, physical ailments and difficulties that no one knows about but themselves, and they are not telling. They, not we, are their own Stewards of their bodies, talents, time, and ailments too. I am eighty and have learned a lot about old age since I was seventy. Your turn is coming.

Levels Nine and Ten are the elderly or those with cronic, difficult, physical problems or "invalid". This word means "not valid or null and void". "Valid" means "strong, capable, efficient". I don't like Webster's definition, "not valid or null and void". No one is "not valid" and certainly not "null and void". The fact is, anyone, who still has mental capacity, can be a blessing and can make themselves available to God if it is only a smile, a kind word or a prayer. God never expects anyone to do what they cannot possibly do, but He absolutely expects us to do all we are "able" and have the "ability" to do. Nothing more but nothing less either. My elderly Great Grandmother prayed for me when I was about five years old and changed my entire life. That one prayer added more to my life than almost anything anyone else ever did. She didn't have much ability left in her old age, but what she had, she gave to God. Sitting in a rocking chair, she prayed for me. Dear Grandparents, do not underestimate the importance of praying for your grandchildren.

I think of the poor widow, who had only a handful of meal and a few drops of oil left for her son and herself before they starved to death, during a famine. She had almost no ability at all left in life....but she was "available" to be useful to God. He had told her about the prophet Elijah's need before He told Elijah to go to her house. She yielded her availability to God and gave her last corn muffin to God's prophet and was prepared to die with her son. Of course, God did not leave her out on that slim limb but provided for her and her son throughout the famine. God was available to her because she was available to Him. If she had not yielded to God's will,she would almost certainly have starved. Many widows did. 1Kings17:8-16.

Another poor, old widow gave her very last two mites (2 cents) to God's Temple offering before she too, would starve. God didn't need her two mites but no doubt had plans to help her in her need. SHE needed to give her last two coins to that offering. Jesus said, she had "cast in all her living", which means her life, and I am certain that Jesus did not walk away from her without doing something wonderful for her, though it is not recorded. You wouldn't ignore her and God certainly didn't. Hundreds of millions of Christians have been blessed and motivated by her story in Mk.12:41-44.

Even little children can be used of God, and often are, in a thousand different ways. Remember the little boy who seems to have gone on an errand for his mom to get five small loaves of bread and two "small fishes" but stopped to listen to Jesus, probably on the way home. This boy had very little "ability" but some very brave "availability" and Jesus accepted it and fed five thousand tired, hungry followers with the boy's availability. The account of this miracle in John 6:5-13, does not record what Jesus did for the boy but, again,I am as certain as if it had been recorded, that Jesus sent him home with more bread than he gave, to take to mom. They had 12 baskets full left over and picked up every scrap even though Jesus had the power to miraculously perform a similar miracle everyday. The lesson of the left over bread is that Jesus did not believe in any measure of waste. Good Stewardship demands similar frugality of all of God's people. Do not waste any amount of your substance if it has any value at all. God put you in charge of what you have. Invest every mite, every penny wisely..... It belongs to Him. We are only managers of it. Whatever our abilities, let us be available when God speaks to our hearts. When the Lord said, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us...", Isaiah answered, "Here am I; send me". Isaiah6:8

Pass It On. RB

Jul 24, 2010

Seven Steps to Spirituality And Christlikeness

Common Sense Commentary: Jesus Christ is the Foundation of Christianity and His Church (believers) are the building on that Foundation."For other FOUNDATION can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1Cor.2:11. "In (Christ) ye also are builded together for an habitation of God...."Eph.2:22. I am visualising Christ's Church as a "habitation of God" still in this earth. Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man, enter in, he shall be saved...."Jn.10:9. All the members are in the same building but there are two floors and a stairway of seven, progressive steps to the top floor. The top floor is still in this world, but has many fewer occupants than the first floor. Those on the top floor are serving God faithfully, worshiping Him, declaring His truths, loving Him and people too, growing in grace, and nearly ready to depart this world. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

I'm sure there may be other spiritual, Christlike attributes which we could add to the seven listed below, but I want only seven, and these are rock solid, basic ones which came to mind, without which there is no real Spirituality or Holiness. Of course, "service" can mean a thousand things depending on health,ability, age, marital status etc. Also, I consider "faith" to be the result of Bible Study. "Faith cometh by hearing...the word of God."Rom.10:17. Also, prayer and church
attendance are forms of "worship".
"The Holy One of Israel is our king." Psm.78:41. ........
"Ye have an unction from the Holy One". 1Jn.2:20. ...
"Put on the new man, which after God is created. .......
......... in righteousness and true holiness. ......................
"Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1Pet.1:16. ...........................
We are "Partakers of His holiness." Heb.12:10. ............

..........Seven Steps to Spirituality, Holiness, Christ likeness.......

1. TRUTH ............ declares the Faith, Service, Humility, Love, and Worship, of Holiness.
2. FAITH .............. believes the Truth, Service, Humility, Love, and Worship, of Holiness.
3. SERVICE .......... demonstrates the Truth, Faith, Humility, Love and Worship, of Holiness.
4. HUMILITY ...... bows before the Truth, Faith, Service, Love, and Worship, of Holiness.
5. LOVE ................. embraces the Truth, Faith, Service, Humility, and Worship, of Holiness.
6. WORSHIP ......... adores our God of Truth, Faith, Service, Humility, and Love, of Holiness.
7. HOLINESS ........ is the sum total of all these Christlike, Spiritual attributes in a believer.
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27 ..... Praise our God.
Now, Pass it on. RB

Jul 23, 2010

Civil Law & Religious Law Versus God's Law

Common Sense Commentary: It needs to be repeated, obeyed and passed on to all Christians what God's Plan is for the welfare, protection, and civil order of His supreme creation, "in His own image", the human race. Designed, not for the race as a whole but for each individual person within the race. God provided for our security and freedom through His Law and His designated, very limited authority to every society for Civil Law. Jesus, Himself, gave a short, two point, sentence summing up all legitimate law in Luke 20:25.

I. God's Clear Division of The Powers of LAW, Secondary and Primary in Luke 20:25.

...1."Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's,.......
......and to God the things that are God's." Christians have a citizenship responsibility to obey Civil Laws except those which violate God's Greater Laws.
...2. God instituted Civil Government in Genesis 9:5-6 for the protection and freedom of every single human being who ever lives on earth. GOVERNMENT HAS NO OTHER PURPOSE OR POWER OR AUTHORITY!!! "And surely...your lives will I require... at the hand of man (society); at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man (society) shall his blood be shed:for in the image of God made He man." In these verses, God gave ONE, FOUNDATIONAL COMMANDMENT for the SANCTITY and SAFETY of Human Life. Upon this ORIGINAL LAW, all of God's Commandments rest; and ALL God ordained Civil Law MUST be based. God takes the murder of those created in His image as an attack upon Himself, "for in the image of God made He man".
...3. Our U.S. Constitution incorporates this principle and extends it to the individual States. It clearly says that Federal Government powers are LIMITED to exactly what is there in the document, the Constitution, and ALL other Powers belong to the individual states! ALL ! Any government law which violates God's Word should be disobeyed by Christians and....
...4. Since God instituted Civil Government, any law, decree, or "public policy" which violates our Federal Constitution, is illegal, and should also be disobeyed. When Caesar's, Roman Law was violated by the Roman Centurion and Jewish Pharasees, The Apostle Paul called the Centurian's hand on it and forced him to consult higher Roman authority and they turned him loose. Here, the Religious and Civil Authorities were the law breakers, not Paul. Acts 22:25-29 & 23:27

II....God Expanded Gen.9:5-6, His One, Original, Civil Law dealing with Murder, to Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-17 and included "Thou shalt not kill."v.13. The Hebrew word translated "kill" is "Ratsack" and means, "MURDER". In the very next chapter, Ex.21, God prescribes that the penalty for "MURDER" is "DEATH" by "EXECUTION". The Hebrew word for "DEATH" is "muth" and means "execution". Two entirely different words in adjoining chapters. That is not a contradiction !

IV....Luke, the beloved physician, recorded in the "Actions of the Apostles", how Christ's Apostles disobeyed Religious and Civil Law when it contradicted God's Law. Acts 5:26-29 "Then went the Captain of the officers....and when they had brought (the Apostles) they set them before the Council: and the High Priest asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in (Jesus) name ? Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." God's Law supersedes all Religious and Civil Law.
V.....The Apostle Paul Emphasised the Importance of Obeying Civil Laws and Powers and the Consequences of Disobedience in Romans 13:1-6 and sums up his reasoning with, This is why you pay taxes. But none of the Apostles obeyed Civil laws or powers which contradicted or violated God's Laws. Don't miss this video.........
http://www.colsoncenter.org/the-center/the-chuck-colson-center/two-minute-warning/15561-civil-disobedience-chuck-colson

Pass It On. RB

Jul 22, 2010

How In Thunder Did The Universe Get Here Anyway ?

Common Sense Commentary: I guess I'm going to have to hire some "Good Ole Boy, Redneck" to cuss for me. Any applicants must be non smokers, no alcohol, no flirting with my wife, or using God's name in vain. If you use damn or hell, it must be in reference to eternal judgement. You can use words I am not comfortable saying in public such as, heck, dang, doggonit, darn, and dadgummit. I can use baloney, shoot and shucks for myself and often do, in reference to the news media, bad guys, and Huck Fenn's cuss word. Also, when discussing Liberal Politicians, I say "What in Thunder","Great Day In The Mornin", and "That's asinine" with no apology. Now, where was I ?

I read this morning (AP) that the Royal Astronomical Society just reported that a scientist over there in England has found, "The Most Massive Star Ever Discovered". Its name is R136a1 and ^*$%&#@ Howdy yall scuse me,but the preacherman jus hared me to do his cussin then had to leeve so I red whut he wus ritin about an wil tri to do my nue job gud. Now less see, he wuz sayn this hear nue stars name is R136a1 an ...Wel that sonds like a convic or alian or ilegale emigrunt to me. this here geneus feller says this here star thang is a hunerd tims biger then our sun an wuz bornd overwate an is (let me quot "already middle-aged and has undergone an intense weight loss program." dont blam me, ats thyr eggact wurds. ive seen lots a sky stars but not a sengle fat un yet. wel if you belev it i dont. that bornd overwait thang musta ben ahful hard on its maw but bein fatter then a hunerd suns an then put on a diat is a mispellprint or a mity big whapper one, an i dont mean a berger king. if God put it on a diat, it got whut it desarved eben if it wuz a ilegale alian convic or sumpum els. they didn say how they nue its name wuz R136a1 but...

I'm back ! I was very fortunate; awhile ago the Lord must have heard my joking request for a "good ole boy red neck to do my cussing for me". This guy knocked on my door, as I was leaving on an emergency, and I hired him to carry some heavy boxes to the garage. He finished before I returned and was sitting here reading my blog. Hope he didn't touch anything. As I was saying, this is the most "massive" star ever discovered. It shines at, "one hundred million times the luminosity of our sun and is "265,000 light years away from earth". One light year is the distance light travels in one year. Since light travels 186,000 miles per second, that would mean light travels 5.8657 quadrillion (5,865,696,000,000) miles per year. That,multiplied times 265,000 equals a long trip to this newly discovered star. I suppose it is up there as they say but, as far as that is away from earth, it is still just in the second heaven, (where the stars are) and could be another centellian or zillion miles to God's throne. There are a centillion directions up so we don't know which "up" points to God's throne. There is just one direction down from the surface of the earth. "Down" stops at the center core of earth. All other directions are infinite.

I am an astronautic agnostic (can't know) when it comes to some scientific "expert" telling us he has weighed this star a hundred million miles across (100 suns) and a zillion zillion miles away and took billions of light years for its shine to reach earth and he knows what it weighs.

The Soviet scientists boasted, when Sputnik returned to earth after its historic orbiting of earth, that their astronaut "didn't see any God way up there". Compared to the infinite distances of outer space, that puny, little, speck, spacecraft was only a hair's breadth above the earth and their astronaut was looking into the face of God and saw only what he wanted to see.

I have a question for the evolutionist/atheist: If the universe evolved, "from what?" If that "what" evolved also, "from what?" So where did the first of those uncountable "whats" come from and "where" was it doing its little evolving trick and where did that "where" come from ? If you can't tell me where and from what this universe came,you will show wisdom by being quiet. Isn't evolution and atheism harder to believe than an intelligent Creator? I don't deny a "Big Bang". Considering the infinite(is humongous a word), vast expanse of the universe and the centillions of stars and planets, when God said, "LET THERE BE....", it had to make a "Big Bang". If you don't believe that, its like studying the bang and analyzing the shot pattern and overlooking the shotgun in favor of "Nobody knows what caused that big bang, it just happened." Link to the above mentioned article follows:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/ap_on_sc/eu_most_massive_star

Pass It On. RB

Jul 21, 2010

Don't Force Any Pedestals On Me

Common Sense Commentary: Our dear children, please don't force any pedestals off on us; your mom wouldn't stay put five minutes and I wouldn't either with her gone.

My mother never would stay on the royal pedestal her children provided. She was a busy woman. My father was the hard-handed, gentle hearted, master plumber and farmer but the pedestal we put him on was far too limited in working space and too far from the ground for him to dig in the dirt or split wood on. So, as you can see, our family already has two perfectly good, dust covered, unused pedestals. We have no need for a new one. Our children have tried many times to put their mother on one, but she has gardens to tend, fruit trees to prune, quilts and paintings to finish. She seldom even sits down and could never stand still way up there on that thing.

One day, years ago, someone said,"Pastor, you don't look like yourself, to me, in that pick-up truck". I'm sure that was true to her, but I looked like me to me, in a truck, and I try to stay in touch with who I really am, not what people think I am. I always knew our precious church wanted the best for my wife and me and wouldn't have objected if I drove a Mercedes, which I once did, but they knew me and let me be myself. Actually, now that I'm retired from the pastorate and eighty years old, nobody even tries the pedestal thing any more and for that I am thankful. Anyway, I'm too old to carry one of those things and I couldn't survive having one pushed off on me, I'm fragile.

One time, in the 1980's, I was installing an underground sprinkler system in our yard. I was nearly finished when I broke a part and had to go to the plumbing supply store. It was a hot, August day and I was wearing cut-off jeans. My legs, arms and face were smeared with sweat and mud, my shoes were worn and dirty, so I put on an old ball cap to hide my wet, tangled hair and sunglasses...as a disguise. When I walked into the store, a man I didn't even know said, "You're out of uniform aren't you Preacher?" I didn't get to enjoy a day like that often, but that muddy uniform fit my frame every bit as well as a business suit, and much better than a pompous, clerical robe. The soil is where I came from; it's what I am, and I try to live the truth. Not that I always succeed,but if I robed myself in an appearance of holy perfection, those who believed it, would think it possible and try to do the same. The final result of that would be failure and disillusionment in God or themselves
and quit even trying to walk with God. I have seen that happen. "We are but flesh" Psm.78:39

Some of our members once brought a huge portrait of me and placed it in the foyer of our church. I walked past it three times before I just could not bear it and took it down. When I retired there in 1992, it was still in a closet somewhere. I still regret the money wasted enlarging that thing and the expensive frame they put it in.

Another time, some wonderful members wanted to redecorate my fifteen year old office.
I much appreciated their love and loyalty and wouldn't want to frustrate their plans to create an office as beautiful and impressive as they had in mind. But, I could not be comfortable spending a lot of money changing something I was content with. There were other priorities, and besides, all those things my friends had given me over the years just wouldn't have looked right in the midst of a lavish decor. One member, an interior decorator, Russ Brabec, a great friend, told my wife, Bettie, that, "The Pastor's idea of redecorating his office is changing the drapes...and that out of recycled material". My wife laughed at that until the tears fell...as if Russ had pressed some magic, funny button. I appreciated Russ and the staff and those who gave the money, for letting me be me and not forcing any prima donna pedestals off on me.

I prefer the pulpit to the pedestal. Jesus never allowed them and never chose one for Himself. Pedestals are for cold, dead images of has beens who live only in the memory. But, of course, there are living preachers who feel too small in reality, who insist on high titles such as "Doctor","Right Reverend" etc. to feed an ego or maybe to impress, but not so with Jesus, Peter, John, and Paul who used their first names. Jesus didn't even use such a thing for Himself, much less should we, mere messengers of His Good News. "How beautiful are the FEET of them that preach the gospel" . Rom.10:15. Put my " feet" on a pedestal, when I'm gone, but leave me off it. Luke was known as "Luke the beloved physician" but I doubt he insisted on that as a title. At least he was a real doctor. Of course, referencing someones vocation or accomplishments is in order but when Paul asked, "Lord, who art thou?" Jesus said, "I am Jesus......." Call me Rayburn or Brother or Pastor or Preacher but leave off the the Pedestal engravings. Inscribe on my gravestone, "Rayburn Blair, a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rom.10:15". Please don't put, "Dr." or "Rev." or "His Holiness" or some such foolish, presumptuous nonsense. I have two honorary doctorates but don't use them. God's assignment to His ministers is that we be hidden behind the cross and that our ministries reflect Jesus in the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit....not ourselves. No, I am not pedestal material. I am the common son of common parents who worshiped the majestic, high and lifted up God of the universe and nothing casts a shadow on Him.

We can't even put God Himself or Jesus on a pedestal. It is ridiculous to try. It would be a "forbidden" graven image of Ex.20:4. We don't even know enough to create anything in their image. The only information we have on their appearance can not be put on a pedestal. We should "lift up " Jesus with our words and our lives for the world to see as Jesus said in Jn.12:32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" that they might be saved. Give no one else His glory.

Pass It On. RB

Jul 20, 2010

Never Liked Pedestals. Couldn't Carry One Anyway

Common Sense Commentary: "We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise." 2Cor.10:12


In 1988 I wrote an article for our "Word Of Truth" news letter to several thousand members and supporters of our various ministries entitled,"Don't Force Any Pedestals On Me". My inspiration for the article was a School Board meeting at one of our Christian Schools in a neighboring county. A Board Member of that school asked me, "Pastor Blair,who is backing you in all these ministries you have founded? You aren't smart enough to have done it on your own." I thanked him for his accurate perception of my abilities and for recognizing that there was an unseen intelligence and source of funding supporting and directing me. He just couldn't see how anyone could start from nothing and build a large church, three Christian Schools, a Rescue Mission, City Food Bank, Children's Home, TV Station, and a World Missions Program, in such a short time. He was absolutely right. I was not smart enough, strong enough, rich enough or financially "connected" enough to do what had been done in those three counties...in ANY length of time. He asked if I had a "Denomination or secret benefactor" supporting me. My answer was,"No" to both suggestions.My denomination was"The Kingdom Of God and His Church and my Benefactor was no secret. God The Father, Son and Holy Spirit did it all through His Bible and an unexceptional, not too intelligent, simple preacher who tried or tried to try to do his best and several thousand of the most precious, sacrificial, committed church members any preacher ever Pastored. If it looked like a series of miracles, God, even dealing with us at all is miraculous. Using His Church, His Children, to any degree is miraculous. We do nothing, worthwhile, except as God has used us like the clean, strong hand in a worn out glove or a puppeteer, masterfully playing our strings. "Christ IN you is the hope of GLORY" Col.1:27. "HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE" Jn.3:30.

Dear Lord, why can't we Christians, especially Pastors, Preachers, and Evangelists, by our words and actions,point people's eyes to You, not exalt ourselves and our little, feeble successes ? If God didn't, Himself, do what we take credit for, it is "sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal". 1Cor.13:1. For a God called Minister to boast and brag and cast the spotlight upon himself is nothing less than an act of heresy. One might expect that of a counterfeit, self righteous or fake preacher, but a true man of God is supposed to be humbly Christlike not, as Paul describes in 2Cor.11:13-15, how Satan himself and his ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness. We Christian Ministers have a higher calling than ourselves, our pride, selfish ambitions, hunger for recognition, power and pleasure.

Joseph in Egypt is a classic example of a man of God being promoted to power,riches, honor and recognition and remaining humble and faithful to God's calling and purpose for his life. When his brothers, who had sold him into slavery,came to Egypt seeking food for their families, in a seven year drought, Joseph, instead of punishing them and boasting how he had risen from a slave to great power, second only to Pharaoh, wept for them and gave God all the glory for his success. In Gen.45 Joseph forgave his brothers and said, "You didn't send me here but God sent me, for His own purposes and calling for my life." He took none of God's Glory or credit for what was accomplished through his life but praised and glorified God and blessed his brothers.

Isn't it enough reward that our Lord has blessed us with the holy privilege of service to Him and to others ? Why is there such a controlling power within this flesh to "take credit" for what God does and even what others have done? Are we so spiritually weak or blind or selfish that we greedily grasp every straw of praise ?
Let us take the admonition of Apostle Paul when he cautioned..."For we dare not compare ourselves with some that commend themselves." He also challenged us, "not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to your hand."2Cor.10:12. David agreed that "...the workers of iniquity boast themselves."

My next blog will be the article, "Don't Force Any Pedestals On Me", mentioned above with time revision for today.

Pass It ON. RB

Jul 19, 2010

My Resume Is My Platform For USA Precedentcy

Common Sense Commentary: I have dreamed of being THE "PRECEDENT" of the U.S.A. since I was born and even prior to that. Now that no sane American Citizen, foreign or domestic, wants JOB ONE...it having become an impossible nightmare over the last few months, I am your man. Lyin Lyndon said,"Politics is the art of the possible" so, now that the world and outer space seem "hope less", doomed, dissected, destroyed and deluged with "change", I will tip toe up to that volcanic ring of fire...and toss my turban in. Here is my RESUME/PLATFORM.

1. My qualifications for Job One are without question... obvious to me..............
2. My amazing life's "story" began in Hawaii and Kenya where I was born.............
3. My foreign policy experience was gained in all of those different countries......
4. My historic knowledge extends from there to Indonesia and other places...........
5. My parents were all exceptional, free lovin, loud demonstratin Gypsies...........
6. My ancestors trace all the way back to Haight Ashbury and Mecca in Europe........
7. I have vast talent and long experience for the Precedentcy of my choice,USA......
8. I rush cautiously to greasy,red necks in need and sing "Dixie" in Alabama........
9. I will make no mistakes unless they are the right thing to do for the USA........
10. My pollsters tell me that I love this country as it loves me; thank you All ah..
11. My first priority is to stop these "Go Getters" at the Get Go ! Gotcha..........
12. My next priority is to make all employees CEO's and visa versa...Quick..........
13. My "Populous" breeding includes all colors, religions, national origins etc.....
14. My religion is multi-faceted with billions of virgins and poor lost sinners etc.
15. I pray three times a day toward that holy site, Meccarusalem...Amin & Amen......
16. I swear to you on a stack of Kor...bibles that I know whereof I speak...........
17. I love ecology and honeymooned in a tree at a beach on a high mountain..........
18. I "don't know how" to tell a lie and I have proven it many, many times..........
19. My answer to OIL INDEPENDENCE is, "We have abundance of oil in the Gulf"........
20. I promise you can trust me to "change" your savings into coin of the realm......
21. I will even invest your $ mulla with my $$ Mullah in gas,oil, and Abu Dhabis....
22. Yes, comrade, I will drive the moneychangers out of the Temple and back to
....Washington, in "limousine one", where they are needed and surrounded by friends..
23. When I have finished our great country, you will say, "He was the greatest......
...."Precedent" in our history, He changed America and the world. What's next?"...You WILL say that !!!
24. Yes, my children, I see you are with me and feel that tingle up your leg, that other "precedent" set by my beloved Chris Matthews. Yes sweet Hollywood,yes my loyal supporters there in San Quentin, California and similar communities across the land.... What is next ? A new and higher challenge. The greatest institution in all the universe....THE UNITED NATIONS. As Secretary General, I will unite all nations, continents, Christians, Communists, Muslims, Headhunters, Money Bags and Dirt Bags alike, we will all be truly UNITED and truly equal in health, wealth,skin color, politics, and communes .... Heaven on earth with fifty eight vir...angels each in your own apartment. Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar.
25. We have already begun planning an international monument to world unity, in New York City, on that holy site where the walls of division came crashing down. There, a magnificent, Holy Moskoleum will rise to the skies in memory of those brave few who voluntarily gave their lives and have gone on to meet their fifty eight,sweet vir....uhh..angels.

Yes, dear voters, you can trust me to do all I promise and more,much, much more.....
Pass It On. Rayburn Blair

Jul 18, 2010

An Old Highway Through My Past

Common Sense Commentary: Many of us.... older folks, grew up on the family farm or in some isolated small town. "Going back home" with great expectations of seeing familiar faces, names and landmarks, stirs old memories with excitement. But then, arriving in that holy place of your childhood, deep disappointment puts a lump in your throat and fills your heart with sadness. Your unbelieving eyes tell you, "Its
not as I remember; what happened to it"? There, where the auction barn was is a stark, steel tower. And, over there, where we kids played, hundreds of old, rusting cars all grown up in weeds. Why did they tear down that beautiful home and put a 1950's gas station and an old rusting tin building there ? Would you look at our house... its just an unwanted shack with junk in the yard.

Such was my experience when returning to my home town after years away in a thousand distant places. I left the expressway and turned west down old highway 80, through west Texas. Its The Old Highway Through My Past.

...........Driving down an old highway..................
...........Through the land of yesterday................
...........Spirits hover here and there.................
...........Haunting dreams of long ago..................
...........Ancient boards mute as death.................
...........Rusting fences falling down..................
...........Chimney gravestone standing oer..............
...........Shattered hopes of the past..................
...........A tree and flower linger still...............
...........Living witness to the dreams...............
...........Of home and happiness in this place..........
...........Which somehow faded with the years...........
...........And now are gone...sadly gone................
...........Pass It On. Rayburn Blair

Jul 17, 2010

Seven Things God Cannot Do

Common Sense Commentary: There are seven things, recorded and asserted to, in God's Word (all in N.T.), which God cannot do. All seven are, of course, negative, impossible things, but which might indeed be considered possible by unbelievers or confused, weak Christians. None of them are in the Old Testament.

1. God cannot fail = Matt.19:26 ".... With God ALL things are possible". ............

2. God cannot deny Himself = 2Tim.2:13 "If we believe not...He cannot deny Himself.

3. God cannot save someone twice = Heb.6:4-6 "For it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, and HAVE tasted of the heavenly gift, and WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST, And HAVE tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 'IF' (If it were possible that) they shall fall away, to RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE: seeing they CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, and put Him to an open shame." To paraphrase, "IF a truly, Born Again, Christian could fall from grace, and be lost AGAIN, he or she could never again be saved because Jesus Christ would have to be crucified again and therefore put to an open shame because He could not keep them saved the first time". That denigrates the words "saved" and "everlasting". Jesus Himself, said in Jn:3:16, "God...gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should NOT perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." If a true Christian "Lost" it, it WAS NOT EVERLASTING after all. Even a "pretending christian" can't lose it because they never HAD it in the first place. Only a person who thinks he is saved, or kept saved, by his good works is fallen away from grace. It happens when someone turns away from the clear teaching of God's word "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast".Eph.2:8-9. Only that person who thinks they are saved by the "self" righteous works of the law have "fallen from grace" or away from grace. Gal.5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." God is not speaking to true believers here but to those who thought they could be saved by the good works of keeping the commandments and being "good"enough. Nobody is !

4. God cannot be tempted with sin = James1:13 "Let no man say when he is tempted, I
am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man."

5. God cannot tempt us with sin = James1:13 "...neither tempteth He any man."

6. God cannot lie = Titus1:2 "...eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised
before the world began."

7. God cannot violate His Word = Heb.6:13,17-19 "For when God made promise to Abraham
, because He could swear by no greater, he sware by Himself....Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of PROMISE (us) the immutability of his counsel, CONFIRMED IT BY AN OATH: That by TWO immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, WE might have a STRONG consolation....Which hope we have as an ANCHOR of the soul, BOTH SURE and STEADFAST...."God first made us an ironclad, "blessed hope"promise of forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ. That promise was "immutable" which means "unchangeable". And then, to give us even more assurance, he wrapped the promise in an oath and swore by Himself that the promise was double true. We have here God's absolute PROMISE to keep his PROMISE to us. And then, He reiterates His promise to keep His promise by another assurance, to us,that these two unchangeable PROMISES, one atop the other, of our BLESSED HOPE is an ANCHOR of our souls both SURE and STEADFAST...both certain and eternal. How much more certainty does a Christian need ? How much more eternally secure could we possibly be ? If God "Fore Knew" who would or would not accept Christ as Saviour, before the world began, He could not "Unforeknow" what He "Fore Knew". While you are thinking of this,read Acts 2:23, Rom.8:29, 1 Cor.2:7,2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 1:2, Rev. 13:8

Pass It On. RB

Jul 16, 2010

THE TRUTH Cannot Be Twisted !!!

Common Sense Commentary: My title speaks of "THE" (definite article) truth, concerning any and everything as to exactly what actually happened and was, as God saw it, heard it and knows it. It does not incorporate supposition, suspicion, accusation, convincing clues, witness testimony, or evidence to the contrary but the absolute truth as God Himself knows it. The truth is the truth is the truth. Many people want everybody they know to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth....But they, themselves do not. They swear they "don't lie", but they misrepresent, mislead, exaggerate, and falsely insinuate, all of which is ...Lying !
If a person "thinks" what they are saying is the truth, they are not lying: they are misinformed or have a flawed memory.

We often hear about people who "twist the truth". Actually, the truth cannot be twisted.People's words may twist at it and all around it. Some people's minds are twisted about the truth. Erroneous doctrine may twist or be twisted, but "THE" truth still is and always will be "THE" truth. "THE" truth is written in God's record books before it happens...and is indelibly embedded in the Rock Of Ages. Every "God's honest to goodness truth" is on record, written in His eternal record books which will be opened at the Great White Throne Judgement prophesied in Rev.20:12. "....and the books were opened....". Those Holy, transparent, record books are accurate to the last jot and tittle, period and comma.

Truth has just one very narrow category....ABSOLUTE FACT. A thing either happened or it didn't. It is what it is, either true or false. Truth is the eternal and totally accurate fact of a matter as God knows it. All truth is God's truth and though He may not be pleased with the matter, He is pleased with "THE" truth of the matter. Truth is reality in bold, luminous, headlines across the sky. No one or no thing can change it ...forever. There is no bad truth or wrong truth or even half truth. A half truth is a whole lie. A white lie is a big black lie and that's the truth. The truth may be lied about, denied, sworn against and attacked, but it remains "THE" truth. Truth is truth whoever disagrees or agrees with it. Truth has within itself the very power and presence of God. Jesus said, "I am the truth..." Jn.14:6. Apostle Paul challenged, "Speak the truth in Christ, and lie not". 1Tim2:7.

Truth is an everlasting pillar reaching from Heaven to Hell and from eternity to eternity. It cannot be twisted. To seek to do so or to change it or escape it is a fool's endeavor. Truth is no more or less than exactly what it is, irreversible and eternal. Church Doctrine falls into just two categories: TRUE or FALSE. True Doctrine, based firmly and completely on God's Word, THE BIBLE, harmonizes with the whole of it or it is completely false. False Doctrine is based on men's traditions, interpretation, understanding or willful perversion of the Holy Bible. Doctrine that is not founded and proven in the Bible is not Bible doctrine. Truth tainted by error is no longer the truth.

Truly mature Christians should not be misled by lies, half truths, false doctrine and perversions of God's Word for two reasons. (1) They have the Spirit of Truth dwelling within them. This is true of all Christians including the very young, either in age or spiritually stunted. Jesus said, "The Spirit of truth...shall guide you into all truth".Jn.16:13. (2) More developed, mature Christians have another spiritual asset, that of "discernment". "...Those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Heb.5:14. Though you have God's Spirit of Truth, without faithful Bible study and prayer, there is no spiritual growth possible and you may be spiritually gullible.

"If we believe not, yet He (God) abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself." 2Tim.2:13
.... "God cannot lie" Titus 1:2

Pass It On. RB

Jul 15, 2010

"Power, Love And A Sound Mind"

Common Sense Commentary: God's Word has an answer to every truly important question
and a "key" verse or verses for every needy lock on your life. Courage over Fear, Power over Weakness, "Love covers a multitude of Sin". A fragile, fearful or troubled mind is over powered by a sound (faithful) mind.

Besides answering all questions, and needs, God's Word is a never ending source of strength and blessing. Every new day throws a new light on an old verse. God serves up His Word according to the need of the hour. No, the Bible doesn't change but our understanding and daily needs do. A verse I have preached and taught many times suddenly unfolded to my heart with new meaning, to me. One very traumatic day, God knew I needed this verse. It was there all the time but my mind was not fertile or ready to see it in a new light with new understanding. I can't even describe it with these words. I think world and national degeneration, catastrophe, financial ruin, death of so many close friends and family, and constant crisis over recent years has softened-up my mind and heart as a more fertile ground for the seed of God's Word.

The verse is this, from 2 Tim.1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." I needed and still need this verse and I am sure you do too in these fearful and insane times. Our God cares for us.


When Jesus Christ hung on that cross and God provided our salvation through His agony and death, he was not purchasing for us the "spirit of fear". "God is love" and "perfect love casteth out fear". IJn.4:18. Fear is of the world not of faith. We cannot reach the world with the Gospel in fear of the world or of man or of Satan. Fear drains away our faith and cripples us.
No, God has not given us the spirit of fear but of:.................................

1. POWER....power to live in a wrecked world; power to overcome depression; power to keep on keeping on; power to grow and expand and attack the "powers of darkness" when the whole world is retreating and surrendering, and power to survive to serve Him faithfully.

2. LOVE.....love for Christ, love for Christians, love for lost souls, love for the unlovely. Jesus said to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" Mk.12:31. Love your neighbor and love yourself too, because God loves the both of you, equally. He does not say to love others "more" or "instead of", but "as thyself".
3. A SOUND MIND .... in an unsound world. Sound in thought, planning, and prayer.
Sound in danger, sound in turmoil, sound under pressure and in crisis. THINK with God's word in mind. Think long and hard on every serious problem...and pray........

There is no superman but there is a SUPER GOD and He lives in you....Christian. ....
Pass It On. RB

Jul 14, 2010

West Texas Wind And Water

Common Sense Commentary: Born on the Double Heart Ranch, near Sweetwater Texas, I roamed those West Texas hills and ranches throughout my boyhood. Jim Powell and I often rode his donkey, Old Blue, all over that dry, hot, country. Old Blue never did care much for it. He would regularly head for a mesquite tree and scrap us off with a low hanging, thorny limb. We spent half our time sitting on the ground in a patch of grass burrs. After trying to ride Old Blue, or just wandering through the tumble weeds,cactus and mesquite for a few hours, on a hot summer day, we would head for the nearest windmill, if we could see one. If not, we would just drink and swim in a cow pond called a "tank" in Texas. The water was brown and tasted funny but the cows were standing in it drinking (etc.), so we knew it must be okay to drink.

The wind was nearly always blowing in West Texas and everybody out in that country had a windmill. Ranchers had quite a few, for their cattle, out in the middle of nowhere. Jim and I, hot, tired and dusty, could see those windmills for miles, usually, and knew, like an oasis in the desert, we would find cool, clear water there. "Cool Clear Water," by the Sons Of The Pioneers, is still my favorite song. Unless you have been there, you can't know how .... almost heavenly that was to Jim and me. The sun was radiating down on our whole world, the hot wind was blowing from the desert southwest with the smell of desert blooms, the blades were spinning atop the windmill tower, there was shade by the big metal water tank and cool, clear water, from deep in the earth, was pouring out a metal pipe.

Shade, in such a dry climate, turns the wind into nature's air conditioning. In zero humidity, hot wind across a sweaty body in the shade, is very cool. I often go there to relive those sweet memories but its never quite the same. However, I did get to lead Jim to our Lord just before he died a few years ago. Wind is a blessing to a desert dweller. Even as the mighty wind filled the place where the Apostles awaited the coming of God's Spirit to empower them for service, and as the trade winds filled the windless sails of ocean ships of old, and drove them powerfully to their destinations, the wind was a blessing. That same restless, mysterious wind, when I was a boy, whispered through the mesquite trees of West Texas, over the hot stony places where desert fragrance lingered, to bless adventurous little boys, cowboys, and windmills. Lord, may other little boys and girls have such precious memories.

Pass It On. RB

Jul 13, 2010

Are You A Liberal Or A Conservative Christian ?

Common Sense Commentary: There is a misunderstanding in a lot of Christian minds as to whether they are a Liberal or a Conservative Christian. Many Christians love the word "liberal" because they understand it to mean "generous", and that IS one of its definitions. Witness Webster, "Bestowing in a large and noble way; generous; bountiful; open handed." By that definition, I too would like to be known as a liberal Christian. I would like to think I am liberal in giving, in forgiveness, in loving people and in free thought. There is, however, another definition of "liberal". Again, witness Webster, "Free from restraint, unchecked licentious,lawless, not bound by orthodox tenants of religion." That's not me !Now, "orthodox" simply means, "right, true opinion and Sound in opinion on religious doctrine." Every major teaching in the Bible is a "doctrine" and deserves "orthodox"
acceptance by Christians. The word "orthodox" is akin to "fundamental" which simply means"An essential".If you believe that there are a few things which are "essential" to a person being a Christian, those are fundamental doctrines. If you believe that, but do not want to be known as a fundamentalist or as orthodox (Satan has besmirched both words), you can be a Christian "Essentialist" or "Conservative", since none of those words are in the Bible anyway. A Conservative Christian simply wants to "conserve" or "preserve" the Christian principles in God's Word. That is my stand. I am a Conservative Christian Essentialist. Liberals call me a Fundamentalist, which is fine, and a few Fundamentalists call me a compromiser for not putting the word on my stationery. It matters not; none of these words are found in the Bible and that's where I find my convictions.

To assist you further in understanding whether you are a "Liberal" or a Conservative
Christian, here are seven "Yes" or "No" questions which should reveal which you are.

1. Do you believe heaven and earth were created by God as recorded in Genesis one ?
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative concerning God's Word. .......
....If your answer is No = You are a Liberal concerning God's Word.


2. Do you believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God as recorded in 2 Tim.3:16 ?
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative..................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal........................................

3. Do you believe there was a world wide flood as recorded in Genesis 7:17 ?........
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative.................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal.......................................

4. Do you believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God as recorded in Jn.3:16
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative.................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal.......................................

5. Do you believe Jesus was born of a virgin as recorded in Matthew 1:23 ?...........
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative..................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal........................................

6. Do you believe Jesus was crucified and arose from the dead as in Matt.28:6-7 ?....
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative..................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal........................................

7. Do you believe Jesus is Coming Again for His Believing Followers ? John 14:3....
....If your answer is, Yes = You are a Conservative..................................
....If your answer is, No = You are a Liberal........................................

It is dangerous to be open minded to change (Liberal) with God's Holy things, the Bible, the virgin birth, Jesus's diety , His death and resurrection, Heaven and Hell etc. It is quite simple, if you believe God's Word, repent of your sins and accept Christ as your Saviour, you are a Conservative Christian. If you do not, you are not.

"The vile person shall be no more called liberal ...." Isa.32:5

Pass it on. RB

Jul 12, 2010

Balance: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual

Common Sense Commentary: God created the universe in perfect balance. The earth is in perfect balance, forests, seas, animals, air, day and night ... all in balance. He also created our minds and bodies to stay in balance ... if we do what is right with them. Men certainly cannot get the universe out of balance and probably not the earth either ... unless we cause another Ice Age, maybe. Strangely, the "Global Warming" religion has changed it's name to "Climate Change" since a record number of record cold temperatures around the world. Now, either way it goes, warming or cooling, they will be righteous. Man, as in "human", certainly can and does get his body, mind, spirit, home and often other people's out of balance with nature and nature's God.

Every highway, however narrow, has a center, a right and left side, and a ditch on each extreme. Even on a one way, one lane, "strait way" such as Jesus spoke of, in Mt.7:14, it is important to stay on the road away from the extremes.

Many a "religious" heart is convinced that he/she is on the "strait and narrow, middle of truth" because of the opposition he encounters from one side of the road or the other. "I'm being persecuted", he says, "because of my uncompromising stand for the truth." As he bemoans his "suffering for Jesus" or "for humanity" or for "the brotherhood of man", he points from his extreme ditch, across the "high way" to the opposite ditch, and accuses those heretics over there of "gross error" because of their preachments against what he is for or for what he is against.

From the other side of the "high way", in the opposite ditch, arise similar clouds of complaint, like smoke signals before the massacre. And so, rocks, Bibles and quotations are hurled back and forth, across the "high way", in the battle of the ditches...the two opposite extremes away from truth.

Up on the "high way", trying to walk with Jesus in the middle of His "Way,Truth,and Life", is Mr. Christian Balance, who really has it tough. He and Jesus are in the crossfire between the two extremes of harsh Legalism and wishy washie Compromise. He/she is being bombarded from both left and right ditches and accused of being "on the other side...warming by the enemy's fire". From the left ditch, fingers point at him and voices shout, "You're teaching LEGALISM." From the right ditch, fingers point at him and voices shout, "You're saying Christians can live like the Devil."

From up on top of the road, trying hard to keep out of either ditch, comes the "balanced" voice of reason, "Christ died for our sins". "For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." "EVEN SO, faith, if it hath not WORKS, is DEAD, being alone. 1Cor.15:3, Eph.2:8-9, James 2:17 .... So, you have your choice of the DEAD WORKS RELIGIOUS DITCH or the DEAD FAITH RELIGIOUS DITCH or up where Jesus walks with you in Spiritual Balance.

There is a ditch and rock wall on the Legalism side of that "narrow way" and a ditch and precipice on the opposite side. Veer to the right of truth and you hit the rock wall and fall wounded into that ditch. Veer to the left of truth and you hit that ditch and hope you don't bounce off the Cliff.

Thank God for those who remain steadfast, and faithfully walk the "strait and narrow", always weaving a bit, but close to the middle of truth, through daily Bible study and fervent prayer. Spiritual Balance is more important than walking a tight wire between sky scrapers. Balance is important whether you are walking, driving a car, riding a bicycle or skates ... especially on the "narrow way" that leads to eternal life.

Balance, between the extremes, of all good things, from interpretation of Scripture, rules, enforcement, home, business, ... is essential to any real success in all endeavours. Analyze your options, decisions, and actions. Talk to yourself, cross examine your strongly held opinions and convictions, never God's Word itself, but your opinion of what God is saying, your own tightly held convictions. Seek accuracy in your UNDERSTANDING of Scripture NOT accuracy of Scripture. Do your opinions truly harmonize with Scripture, or do some of the things you embrace actually reflect what your preacher friends or denomination insist upon. Often, convictions reflect what Momma and Daddy believed. God holds us responsible for ourselves and what we believe and teach others, with serious consequences.Rev.22:18-19. IT MUST BE RIGHT WITH GOD and His Word, no matter what anyone else believes. True and accurate understanding, of what God's Word is actually saying, is absolutely necessary in Spiritual Balance. Jesus promised, "The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth." Jn.1613

If you think, or someone or something, tells you it is God's will for you to do "church work" fifteen hours a day, when you have a wife and children to feed and care for, someone or something is lying to you. Even if you are single or on a Church staff, there is a reasonable balance. Every single thing we do each day should be for God, in faith. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin".Rom.14:23. That includes everything, "whatsoever", working, playing, eating, sleeping, bathroom, and "church work". The Apostle Paul had to make tents for a primary income. He did it in faith... for God. Satan perverts every single thing God created. That old Devil has counterfeit churches, Christians, love, doctrine, salvation and a long list of other holy things he has twisted and perverted. He even has counterfeit Christs, Apostles and Ministers. 2Cor.11:13-15. Just because it looks religious does not mean it is Christian and true or in spiritual balance.

We can get totally out of Spiritual Balance doing "Church Work" as opposed to simply walking with Jesus. Search the Scriptures and pray to our Lord for TRUE SCRIPTURAL BALANCE. And then work on physical balance (food, sleep, exercise) and mental balance (cultivate good thoughts and reject bad ones). BALANCE,BALANCE, BALANCE. Pass it on. RB

Jul 9, 2010

How Will Our Country Survive....FREE ?

Common Sense Commentary:

This has nothing to do with politics....except as politics have caused the problem. It has to do with our constitutional freedoms. Whichever party runs a Conservative, Constitutionalist, All American, for whichever office, wins my vote. It matters not whether that person is male, female, black,white,old,young,ugly,or inexperienced; I would vote for a non-Christian who fits the above description if his opponent was a "professing" Christian but just another social planner, big spender, tax crazed, morally bankrupt, Liberal. I'd rather hire an agnostic, experienced mechanic or doctor than a"professing" Christian impersonating a doctor or mechanic or even an inept, bleeding heart, politically Liberal Christian...if there is such a thing. My litmus test for political candidates at this critical juncture of our nations SURVIVAL is boiled down to a single requirement ... "SAVE OUR NATION", which means, STOP what is now happening to her !!! If the Democrats run such a candidate, they will get my vote for the first time in eighty years. If the Republicans don't run such candidates, I will dump them like a broken Timex, and join the Tea Party. I know for a fact that millions of Americans are fed up with Democrat AND Republican LIBERALS in high office or low down, spending us into bankruptcy with both hands.

Dear readers, this November is when and where the rubber meets the road, potholes, spikes,detours and all. The "BRIDGE OUT" signs are flashing. Our nation, with all of our families, is speeding recklessly through the night toward the precipice...and I am not exaggerating the danger. As Mordecai warned Queen Esther, "Think not...that thou shalt escape....Who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this." If you do not vote THIS year, in "the land of the free and home of the brave",you will very quickly be no longer free, and a coward as well." If, not voting, is just laziness or inconvenience, jerk your self off the couch and vote early. Get an absentee ballot "early" and mail it in. If you are not registered to vote, GET REGISTERED NOW ! That old, Whinnie excuse, "One vote doesn't count for much", is the Devil's lie. SHUT UP you wimps; one vote is all that does count. A few or a hundred or two or a thousand "one votes" is what wins or loses elections.How do you think elections are won anyway, a thousand bus loads, or trainloads at a time ? A lot of vital elections are won by a very few votes. They are all won by one vote at a time. A huge bunch of good guys, scattered all over the country, cast one vote each for the good candidate, or else, a huge bunch of idiots cast one vote each ....or maybe two votes each or three or ten or 50. STOP IT. We need some poll watchers who check identifies...get down there and sign up. If you are a conservative who doesn't vote, or a Socialist Liberal who does, please don't tell anyone you are a friend of mine. Pass It On. RB

Jul 7, 2010

My Favorite Character Words

Common Sense Commentary: There aren't many things that are absolute. One of those things is change. No one on earth is the exact same today as they were yesterday. We all grow a little older, happier or sadder, fatter or slimmer, plus a million other small and large differences...change. Age, experiences, maturity, and companions change a person's perspective over time, their favorite things change, their temperament,patience, and many many other aspects of life change constantly. We change but God never changes. He grows no older, no more mature, no more knowledgeable. What he believes does not change one iota. He Knows everything in His universe in finite detail. He knew it all before the beginning, he knows it all in the present and always shall know with perfect knowledge.Prophecy is a small sample of the foreknowledge of God. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Heb.13:8. He IS the "beginning and the end", "first and last", "He who was, and is and is to come".

My Favorite Words(I do not classify God,Jesus,Holy Spirit or even people as "words".

In 1952, as a young minister with a conservative heritage and not long out of the Marines, my philosophy was reflected by my favorite "character" words....truth, courage, work, honesty, patriotism, commitment, loyalty, dependability, punctuality, and strength. I was an idealistic zealot with unlimited energy and no patience with cowardice, laziness or vacillation.

Such young people are essential on the battlefield, athletic field, oil field roughnecks and as law enforcement officers. Alone, however, these dynamics are not enough to guide a parent in bringing up children or a pastor who must minister to faulty human beings with every conceivable problem, heartbreak, divorce, wayward children, indebtedness, out of work, emotional and mental problems plus every kind of sin.

Many years of parenting and pastoring have adjusted the above list of traits and personal description of who I wanted to be then. It isn't so much the difference age makes except as age relates to passing time, pain, a vast store of experience, failures, disappointments, a wounded heart, greater sensitivity to sin, and a deeper knowledge of the holy attributes of Jesus. At eighty, God has changed me and added some milder, kinder words to my list of favorites....Moderation, kindness,love, leadership, patience, faith, forgiveness, maturity and balance, balance, balance. I still hold on to the first list of favorite words but hold just as closely those God's Holy Spirit has added.

God is neither a zealot nor a pacifist, an extremist or a compromiser. God is neither a legalist nor an apologist. God is in perfect balance. God's universe is balanced. If you don't know it yet, you will ....in time....if you survive. Excess kills, temperance heals. I will write on Balance soon. Pass It On. RB

Predestination...What Does The Bible Say ?

Common Sense Commentary:They, like us, have a free will to choose to love, obey and serve God loyally or NOT. God did not predestinate Lucifer and these angels to rebel and to betray Him; but His perfect, all knowing foreknowledge KNEW they would before they thought it, and that made it inevitable. What God's foreknowledge knows that WE WILL to do, we will do. That makes it "destined" or "predestined" but not by God's choosing, before the fact, but by OUR FREE WILL CHOOSING to do so on our own. That makes us responsible, not God. God did not want or make Adam and Eve to sin. That makes no sense in the cause of their sin or in the character of God . Therefore, His judgement on us is just. We deserve it. Knowing who would REJECT Him before they actually did it, He rejects them, and knowing who would accept Him, He accepts them. "But Preacher, isn't that unfair?" No, they bring judgement upon themselves. What would be unfair is if God chose one sinner over the other and sent the other to hell predestined NOT to accept Christ because God didn't want him to. There has to be room here for "Whosoever WILL". We are not predestined pegs on God's game board. "Predestination", without the "foreknowledge" of 1Pet.1:2 and Rom.8:29 borders on heresy. "But, Preacher, can a lost sinner or his mother pray for his salvation and God answer the prayer?" Yes, of course, but the Prayer of faith is also foreknown by God and is incorporated into that sinners case.

Jul 6, 2010

Fallen Angels vs God In The Battle Of The Ages #1

Common Sense Commentary: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer ... how art thou cut down to the ground ... For thou hast said in thine heart, 'I WILL ASCEND into heaven, I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE the stars of God: I WILL sit upon the mount...I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHTS... I WILL BE like the most High'...Yet thou shalt be brought DOWN to HELL, to the sides of the pit." Isaiah 14:12-15.

A spiritual battle is raging, behind the physical scenes, in our country between the POWERS OF DARKNESS and the FORCES OF FREEDOM and TRUTH (Eph.6:12). This same "BATTLE OF THE AGES", all across the world, is being fought, in varying degrees, in every nation on earth. It has been constant and continual since it first broke out in heaven as recorded in Isaiah 14, above, and the verses below. This enormous conflict hatched in the "free will" of a jealous, prideful, power hungry Archangel named Lucifer. The above account of Lucifer's huge ego, pride, rebellion, and his enlistment of a third of the angels to his treason, and their banishment is revealing. It proves that the angels are, as are humans, free moral agents not programed to be good or evil. One must voluntarily worship and obey God. Lucifer and his followers did the crime and have to do the time...for eternity. They had the choice and followed "beautiful" Lucifer. We also have the choice, Accept Christ or reject Him. It's your turn to choose.

Abaddon, generally known as Satan or Devil, was originally named Lucifer, which means "Shining One". There were only three Archangels, Gabriel, Michael and Lucifer. "Angel" means "messenger". Gabriel is God's messenger of "Good News" (meaning of the word "gospel"). Michael is God's messenger of Judgement and War. He commands the angelic armies of God against the equal but opposite, power, Lucifer, the fallen Archangel. Michael wars against all that is evil and Lucifer wars against all that is good but Jesus makes the difference. God gave only Jesus "all power in heaven and earth"Mt.28:18.Lucifer's name means "Shining One" but the "Shine" wasn't his but God's. Lucifer was the only one of the three archangels whose sole purpose was simply "reflecting or refracting the Glorious, Shining, Light and Beauty of God throughout the universe. He is also the only Archangel without "El"(a contraction of Elohim, God) in his name. That fact could well have been a root of his jealous pride. Lucifer was like a super nova, mirroring or refracting, as a witness, the glorious light of Jehovah God even as a prism refracts the sun in a myriad of brilliant colors. But this universal, majestic honor wasn't enough for Lucifer. He didn't want to just glorify the Holy God, his Almighty Creator. He wanted to BE GOD,not faithfully reflect Him. His uncontrolled pride and jealousy was his downfall. "Pride goeth...before a fall." Prov.16:18. When Lucifer ceased to "Shine" for God, he ceased to shine at all. It may have been that moment when God cast him out.He willfully traded all that is good for all that is evil and led his one third of the angels into the conflict and darkness.

The moment God discharged him from heaven into the earth, Lucifer, the "lightless" archangel became Satan, which means a "hate full arch enemy", and Devil, which means "Demon Accuser". This all happened in Genesis 1:2 after Gen.1:1 and before Gen.1:3. We know not the separating lengths of time between these verses.

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (sky & earth)." I personally think God originally made the earth with form and not void and dark as it became and was found to be in Gen.1:2.

Genesis 1:2 "And the earth 'was'=(Heb. word 'haugh' means 'became' not 'to be') without form and void; and darkness....." Satan the lightless,demon (devil) and arch enemy of God, brought his darkness with him to earth.

Genesis 1:3 " And God said (spoke the Word) let there be light. And there was light." When God speaks the "Word", Christ immediately fulfills it and Heaven and earth obey. Read John 1:1-14 for proof text concerning the fact that God's "Word" (capitalized proper name) in Jn.1 is another name of Jesus Christ. Read it and you cannot deny that Jesus is the Living Word of God who "created all things".

In the later part of Gen.1, God created man "in his image and likeness." In Gen.2 God gave Adam work to do, Eden with abundant food, one law,v.17, "Thou shalt not....", and a wife, Eve. The very next thing we see, in God's recreated earth, is Satan in Gen.3. He has lost his beauty and glory but not his pride, jealousy, and hunger for power. He now crawls in the dirt, a loud mouthed snake. He knows that having originated in heaven and having seen and enjoyed its blessings and the very close presence of God,if he couldn't handle that, there is now no hope of restoration or a saviour for him,for eternity. That is why he hates all things related to God including Israel, God's ethnic nation people and also Christ's church,the bride of Christ, born again Christians of all races, and God's spiritual people.

When God cast out Lucifer and one third of the angels (Rev.12:4,7-11) into the earth, it "became" without form, void and dark, without any light at all. Light is really "something". It illuminates,warms, kills germs,heals and nourishes (vit.D). Light has a physical element, a visual element and a chemical element. Sunlight contains infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light. Light IS really "something", but darkness is absolutely "nothing" except the ABSENCE OF LIGHT. Jesus said, "...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life". Jn.8:12. Heb.1:3 Jesus, "is the brightness of God's Glory, and the express image of God's person." Jesus,God's "only begotten Son"(Jn.3:l6), came to earth and gladly did what Lucifer's sole purpose of existence was. But Lucifer hated that holy calling, to reflect his Creator's glory, and coveted it for himself. As a matter of fact, that is exactly our purpose also...to let Christ be seen in us, to let God's glory and goodness shine through us. "Christ in you is the hope of glory." Col.1:7.

Read as "proof texts" of the fallen angels here: Job 4:18, Matt.25:41, Eph.6:12,
2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6, and Rev.12:9......Pass It On. RB

Jul 5, 2010

On Credit Cards and Counterfit Dollars

Common Sense Commentary: Remember Joe Blewit and Ida Fritteraway, the couple who lived on Fantasy Ave. just off Reality Blvd. ? Well, Joe and Ida have a boy and a girl, Dittle and Dally, and that takes a lot of money these days. They both have jobs, but don't make enough money to meet all their wants. They only earn $120,000 total per year, after taxes and deductions, so Ida says, "We have to get a new Credit Card every now and again to increase our income". "But", Joe says, "a new Credit Card only lasts about five or six months before its empty". "So", Ida frowns, "We have to slave away filling out another of those aggravating, unnecessary application forms to get another card to pay our bills. We only have seven between us....well, four more that are maxed out." Joe, with insult written on his face, chimes in, "One Bank had the gall to turn us down so we are never going back in there, and I told them so. We will do business where we are appreciated."

Joe and Ida, like thousands of other "average" American couples are actually at an unfair disadvantage. Their Uncle Sam, who taught them everything they know about finances and how to be "World Class Consumers" to help out multinational businesses here and abroad....Well, Sam is going for his seventeenth doctorate. He has decided on a full scholarship, plus a long list of benefits, from Icelandic School Of Advanced Consumption. Greece also offered a full scholarship, books, health insurance, and a salary if he would attend their Athens University School Of Finance. He turned Greece down because "Iceland offered a better deal and besides," he says, "he is more interested in Consumption that Finance." So, as I said, Joe and Ida are at an unfair disadvantage trying to do their patriotic duty and spend faster than their more experienced Uncle. Sam is one of the leading experts, in that field of endeavour, in the world. Besides, he has a fleet of the finest, high tech,Speeduvlight, lazier,G-5, U.S.Mint, printing presses, in the Universe which he bought from Russia for only $700,000,000. Old Sam already out spends all the couples in the world, so getting his seventeenth doctorate and with these new Speeduvlight presses, he will be even more proficient with printing perfect counterfeit dollars for budgets, foreign aid, bail-outs, stimulus at home and abroad, free everything for everybody...well, as you can see, it is a real success story of the American Dream. Of Course, Sam is drooling at the prospects. He told me, in private, that he is "partnered with U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve and IMF to inflate the U.S. money supply by a thousand percent." I said, "But isn't that..."NO, he said, STUPID, IT IS NOT STEALING !! YOU ARE IN MY HOUSE, SO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP." Slipping out, while Uncle's eyes were rolling with dollar signs, I drove straight to the voter's registration office and switched to the Tea Party. Later, I was trying to explain it to Joe and Ida but they wanted to talk about their neighbors, Bill Payer and his wife Frugal. They were worried about Bill and Frugal's mental health. Joe says,"No wonder they are so poor, they drive an old car, never get any new stuff or go out to eat or to the movies. They just work, work, work,...No wonder they are so poor. Now get this,says Joe, this guy Payer next door, told me personally, that 'California is a worse basket case than our Uncle Sam'. Can you believe such ignorance, California, the most beautiful, prosperous, high paying state in the country...'A basket case he says'. I knew Frugal didn't know from nothin about finance when she said, "California is trying to cut 14 Billion dollars from their budget. She doesn't seem to know that anybody who can cut $14,000,000,000 MUST be in good shape. When I told them my brother picks up trash out there and makes a hundren grand, well, Bill and frugal just shook their heads and walked off without a how do you do. They go to church but we need to pray for them." Yes,Fantasy Competes with Reality and Corrupts. Pass It On. RB

Jul 3, 2010

Must Jews Accept A Gentile Messiah /Christ ?

Common Sense Commentary: The Old Testament Hebrew word "Messiah" means "Anointed of God". The New Testament Greek word "Christ" means "Anointed of God". So the question is, Must Jews accept a Gentile Messiah/Christ ? I once put that question up on our church marque by a busy street. A Jewish gentleman wheeled in to our parking lot, the next day, and wanted to know why I was so insensitive, uncaring and dumb to put up such an "insulting question". I asked him what was wrong with it. He answered, "Jews do not have to accept a 'Gentile Christ'." You are correct, I told him, Jews do NOT have to accept a Gentile Christ....but Gentiles must accept a JEWISH Christ." He stood there a full minute mulling that over in his mind, turned, got in his car and drove off. You see, Mary, the mother of Jesus was a Jew. He lived on earth in a Jewish body, was raised by Joseph, a Jew, and had Jewish relatives, read a Jewish Bible (O.T.), and had Jewish disciples except for one. Jesus was a Jew and Jews, Negroids, and Gentiles, descendants of the three sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth, MUST accept Jesus Christ as Savour or remain lost until they do,if ever. Most Jews believe in a coming Messiah, but not Jesus Christ...but Muslims also believe in a coming Messiah whose name is Mahdi (Google it. Very interesting).
Mahdi could very well be the anti-Christ but pretending to be Christ. Muslims believe Madhi will teach Jesus to pray and Jesus will convert to a Muslim. Christians and Jews both believe in the same Messiah. Jews believe he is yet to come. Christians believe the Jewish Messiah is Christ and are looking for His Second Coming.

Now lets put it together in as few words as possible. I will only use phrases and sentences from Scripture which relate most directly with my points and are not repetitious. I cannot reprint half the Bible, so I will skip large portions of text and use (...) to tie thoughts together that relate and keep the truth flowing in as few words as I can. (Words in ( ) are added for clarity.

The Apostle Paul,a Jew, writing to Christians in Rome, a Gentile nation, said, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom 1:7. These were both Gentile and Jewish Christians living in Rome.

Paul continues in 8:3-16 "....What the law (of Moses) could not do (because the flesh is weak) God sending His own Son (Jesus) did ....That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk...after the Spirit (of Christ) .... Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his ....For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, They are the Sons of God .... (You Roman Christians) have received the Spirit of 'ADOPTION', whereby we (pray to)....our Father. ... We are the children of God. Next Chapter Rom.9:2-33. "I have...continual sorrow .... for my kinsmen...Israel .... of whom Christ (Messiah) came (born of an Israelite woman). ...They are not all Israel, which are of Israel. (God said) ...I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy ....(including Gentiles) Even us, whom He hath called, NOT OF THE JEWS ONLY,BUT ALSO OF THE GENTILES....I will call them my people, which were not my people, and her beloved which were not beloved (Gentiles). (Paul asks a Question & then answers it) What shall we say then ? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness which is (by) faith (in Christ)." But Israel, which followed after the law(of Moses)for righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness (Why)? because they sought it not by faith ...but by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written ... I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:("that rock was Christ" 1Cor 10:4) and whosoever (Jew or Gentile) believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." (Rom.9:2-6,15,23-24,30-33,10:1)

The Apostle Peter, also a Jew, writing to the Christians (Jewish and Gentiles) living in that area between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, writes in 1Pet.1:1-2 & 1P.2:2-5,8, "Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to....(the) elect...of Jesus Christ ...To whom coming, as unto a living stone, ...ye, also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house (Christ's Church) acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture (Isa28:16), 'Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, ....unto you therefore which believe, He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient .... a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, which stumble at the word."

God sent Jesus first to His chosen, fleshly, children, the descendants of Abraham, but the majority, not all, of the nation of Israel rejected Christ as their Messiah and still do. This fact, however, was prophesied (741 years before the fact)in the Jewish Old Testament in Isa.8:13-14 "The Lord of hosts....He shall be for a sanctuary (to believers); but a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel...." They also had Isa.53 which perfectly describes Jesus Christ.

The Apostle John, a Jew, observed in Jn.1:1,3, 10-17 these immortal words, "In the beginning was the Word (capitalized=proper name), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, ...as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (God spoke the worlds into existence with "WORDS" "Let there be").... He (the "Word") was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own(Jews), and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God,even to them that believe on His name. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

At the end of this, The Church Age, outlined in Rev.3, when all the Muslim nations surrounding Israel with sympathizers from around the world, come together as one to Armageddon to destroy God's chosen people as described in Zec.12(read the entire chapter). In V.9-11 "In that day, I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom the have pierced, and they shall mourn for him (Jesus) as one mourneth for his only son....in the valley of Megiddon." Israel will accept Jesus Christ as their prophesied Messiah in that future day. Pass It On. RB

Jul 1, 2010

One Lane To Life....Many Lanes To Destruction

Common Sense Commentary: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: But,"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,... few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets ...." Jesus' words in Matt.7:13-15.

One Way To Heaven....Many Ways to Hell

That one and only way to heaven is, of course, God's way ... which is the Bible way
... which is the Jesus way. All other ways to Salvation, whether it
be religion, denomination, good works, church membership, self righteousness, giving money or baptism .... all lead through an easily accessible, unrestricted, all inclusive, wide gate. Entry there is free, no toll at the wide gate, just continue to follow the crowd, where the heavy traffic is, onto the broad way. You hardly notice the gate at all its so wide ... but you do see that beautifully lit up sign ... "BROADWAY LOWWAY". "Hey, Darlin, would you look at that. Wow, what an expressway ... two, four, eight, sixteen ... how many lanes are there anyway ? "Well, Honey, it really doesn't matter, there are plenty and this is the smoothest, easiest Lowway in Texas." "Darlin, we are going to have a wonderful trip and tons of fun. Look out world, here we come." "Honey, did you see those weirdos back there where the road split. They were all lined up to get on that little ole, narrow, one way, one lane mountain road that branched off to some nowheresville burg named LIFE ?" "Ha ha ha, yeah Darlin, what was that all about anyway ?" "They all looked like they live in LIFE." "Ha ha,live in LIFE, that's funny ... like they wuz born in a barn, ha ha ha ha." "Uh Hu, like that Jesus character ... oink oink, cackel cackel, hee haw ...funny hicks huh ?" "Man, this traffic is fast ... but the sign back there said, 'Do Your Own Thing, No Limits'".

Yes, there are two ways leading out of this world into eternity. One is a "narrow", one way, often rough, mountain lane with rocks in the road and an upward climb. Its the high road highway which leads to life, "abundant life" in this world and "eternal life" at the end of the road. Unlike the "wide gate", there is a heavy toll price to enter this Narrow Gate ...but it was fully paid by Jesus 2000 years ago. Entry at this narrow "Jesus Gate" is free to all who have the "mustard seed" faith to approach the gate and step through to Jesus. Simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We must enter that narrow opening of Faith in Him plus nothing...but, "true" faith...repents of sin. It is indeed a restrictive, strait gate, but wide open for each believer. Jesus said, "I am THE door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved...." John 10:9. The gate is narrow. The road is also narrow, meaning there is a definite plan, a singular way and no other. It is narrow because it screens out everything and everyone who does not believe. It is the single way in Heaven. That is the JESUS way taught in Holy Scripture ... "I am the door, no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Jesus said it in John 14:6. That's the way it is." "Narrow" "One Way." This high way is so narrow, once you are on it, you cannot turn around or go back through the Jesus Gate of Salvation. You may look back, remembering that easy Broadway down there in the valley, and run into the ditch, as Lot's wife longingly looked back to Sodom. She died in the ditch. You may even decide to stay in that backslidden ditch, off the high way and out of God's will but you will not rest or enjoy a dirty ditch for long if you are truly saved.

My point is, the narrow way leads to "abundant life" here and "eternal life" up there on top of the mountain. This is "the way" of which Isaiah spoke when he said, "A highway shall be there ...it shall be called THE WAY of holiness." Isa.35:8. He also promised, "You will hear a voice behind you saying, "THIS IS THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT." Isa.30:20. This is also "the way" Job described as, "The way where light dwelleth". Job 38:19. And, "God knoweth the way I go". Job 23:10. It is the way of which King Solomon said was, "The way of life is above ... that he may depart (avoid)... hell beneath." Prov.15:24. Wise King Solomon also challenged us, by God's grace, "Train up a child in THE WAY he should go...." Prov.22:6. But, the greatest spokesman for the narrow way of truth, and life is Jesus Christ Himself who declared to the world, "I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE; no man (or woman) commeth unto the Father but by me." There !! THAT is why He calls it a narrow gate and a narrow way .... because it is a ONE WAY GATE and a ONE GATE WAY and a ONE WAY TRIP. Nobody gets through that narrow, Salvation Gate onto the narrow high way but through and because of Jesus. The wide gate and Broad way look and seem easy at first and fun most of the trip but Solomon insisted, "The way of the transgressor is HARD." Yes, the worldly way, when one is young, looks exciting and desirable, easy, and a lot more fun than that old fashioned and narrow way Grandmaw and Grandpaw believed in. And, yes, Moses confirmed it, that Egypt (type of world) was a place where they "enjoyed the pleasures of sin for A season." Heb.11:25. The pleasures of sin are always short term, "for A season". That is, for ONE SEASON or time. The older one becomes, the harder sin is to give up, and the less it satisfies the lust it has created. Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, promiscuity, gluttony, gossip, lying, stealing, and all sin, slowly embeds itself deeper into the flesh and soul of a person .... but satisfies and pacifies the lust less and less. The unrepentant sinner usually retains the unshakable habit and burning lust but without any relief anymore. The habit becomes a controling, painful, desperate monster. Often dragging the addict to overdose or some other destruction which is always the destination on the Broad way. For those still traveling down the "broad way to destruction", you will regularly pass exits which turn off to the narrow, Jesus way of life. Isn't it time to get off this expressway to certain destruction ? Jesus awaits you, at the strait gate, with His hand reaching out .... to you.
Pass It On. RB