Seeking Happiness.

Seeking happiness………wherever it can be found……. has always been one of the utmost priorities in life.  Of course that means focusing on self, instead of others.  We live in a “Me-ism” world.  Whatever makes me happy is what I want!  This has been man’s dilemma from the beginning…”Eve don’t you want to be like HaShem….knowing good from evil.” That would make you happy.  She had it all…….but it wasn’t enough.

But happiness becomes evasive.  It eludes us.  We might be happy for the moment but, alas……..we remain disillusioned.  What I thought I wanted really didn’t satisfy after all. 

We have a GenX group of kids trying to decide what life is all about.  It is sex? Will I find pleasure in drugs?  Will taking up a “cause” make me feel good about myself?  Am I popular with my peers? 

The more “mature” folks aren’t far behind.  We seek some type of perfection but this leads to disillusionment and sorrow.  Instead of gratefully accepting what we have, we ask “what if” or wonder if we had only done that ”other thing”  we would be happy.  The underlying assumption is that everything should cohere with our desires and wishes. 

Instead of seeking the “good life” in this dying world we must face reality by acknowledging our brokenness.  We can’t fix it.  We must acknowledge that the world is not always going our way.  If we feel life should follow our own script we are facing disappointments.   If we refuse to let go of our demand for personal happiness, we will eventually be shattered and blame HaShem for our troubles. Is He rejecting us?  Is He in control or not? 

HaShem did not intend His promises to those who seek contentment in this world.  Yes, He is in control and understands our needs……but He didn’t promise happiness. Yeshua said “In this world you’ll have trouble, but be courageous—I’ve overcome the world! “ (John 16:33)

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom.  We have a joy that doesn’t come from what happens to us or around us.  We don’t search for happiness.  It just happens. HaShem created you in His image.  Look in wonder and amazement at the beauty we see.  Focus on that.   Snatch life and enjoy it.  We are thankful for blessings that come our way.  

There is an ancient saying…….”Trees with strong roots, laughs at storms.”

  Can I hear you laughing? 

A Light in the Darkness.

Many of us will remember this spring of 2020 as a time of the Virus or better known as Covid 19.  We are besieged with how and what to do; when and where to go; no meeting with friends etc.  We witness a surge of bungling experts, over-reaching government mandates, riots and mayhem in our cities; insane proposals to change in our laws.

As a consequence, ordinary Americans have lived through three months of fear and uncertainty.  Many remain unemployed, businesses closed as well as church assemblies.   Across the country, looters and vandals sacked thousands of stores and businesses are set on fire.  There is hatred and killings.  We ask ourselves,” is America finished? “

We as believers hold fast to our faith.  God is in control, but He also allows us to make choices.  This is nothing new of course.  He also has provided for us happiness and peace if we but know where to look.  Just watching current events or reading the daily paper one might fall into bleak moods or despair.  However, we all can find solace in the little bits of pleasure that come our way.  They are given by the One who can bring joy out of sorrow. 

First: Limit the News.  Yes, keep yourself informed and keep abreast of the turmoil but then take a walk.  Spring has brought us the joy of being able to see life blooming all around.
 Luke 12:27  ”Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Third: Counting our Blessings.  Many of us, including me, have trouble with that one.  We get so wrapped up in disasters large or small that we forget the good in our lives.  Just dropping  a bottle of milk on the floor can send me into a funk.  But then I still had more in the frig.  I had food for dinner and we never go hungry!  I am blessed to be able to give to others.  
Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man will abound with blessings….” Luke 6:38   “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Fourth: Remembering Who We Are:   Whether we are newly minted citizens or whether we can trace our family tree to Immigrants who landed on Ellis Island, we all share one thing in common: We are Americans.  Our country has its flaws, but we still remain the envy of much of the world.   A friend of mine wrote on her Face Book page, “I just won the Lottery.”  I was amazed and just about to write about her winnings when she replied.  “I was born in America in the middle of the 20^th Century!!”  Now that’s a person who understands gratitude! 

Let’s reject despair over our present difficulties.  Let’s do battle together and let us always be thankful for the blessings we receive each day.

Matthew 5:16     “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

                                                          That’s Us!!!

Life Lessons from Weeds

I have come to the conclusion that the war on weeds is a losing battle.  Although I live in a lovely gated retirement community and most of the yard work is done for us, I can still see those critters hugging close to the ground or standing tall and proud among the flowers.  Unfortunately it doesn’t matter how many times one can rake and pull it’s a never ending battle and we are losing.

While sitting with my morning coffee and gazing out the kitchen window I realized that our war with these hostiles have taught me several valuable lessons.

Resolution: First of all ….the weeds need pulling.  I have several bad habits that each need to be pulled from my life.  I make wonderful resolutions and fully intend keeping them.  Probably within a few hours I have already either forgotten or did the very thing I have resolved not to do.  The politics of the day are very upsetting to me.  I have resolved not to worry about what is out of my control.  However, watching the news and reading the paper, my resolution on worry disappears and I become angry and upset. Why isn’t God doing something about this?  Surely He must disapprove at the violence and the perverting of justice in our society.

Habits: I have made it a habit to start the day with a cup of coffee and my Bible.  The weeds are also habitual.  They disregard whatever sprays, or pulling we do.  They may give up a few of their kindred but there are others willing and able to take their place.    Every morning I see new ones. The famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” I wish I could amend some of my bad habits as easily as the weeds regenerate themselves.

Winning battles: For most of us, every day is a battle of some kind.  We scrabble to make a living; we are determined to be kind to our spouse for leaving dirty clothes on the floor; we forgive the neighbor whose dog just pooped on my grass!  Some battles we can win, but we must accept the fact that many will be lost.  The weeds lose battles but they continue to thrive and come back for more.  Ah, they are resilient.  So must we be. 

Losing or winning a war.  We may win the war on weeds for a short time.  We may conquer our bad habits; make friends with the dog and the spouse will even put the dirty clothes in the hamper.  But sooner or later, these same issues will come again.  For all the weeds we pull there are hundreds of others waiting to take their place.

You and I are part of this world now.  We try to be the person that God would have us.  We know however, that sooner or later we will be buried in the earth.  However, God doesn’t leave us there.  We are promised a better life than this one.  The weeds of the earth will be left behind and we can look forward to a New Heaven and New Earth.  There will be peace for all mankind.  We won’t need to worry about the weeds!!

Welcome to the Twilight Zone

One of my favorite shows was the Twilight Zone produced and directed by Rod Sterling.  It was only a 30 minute program with that old black and white picture.  I rarely missed an episode because each one had an intriguing story and most had a moral element.  The show ran from 1959 to 1964.  It was a big hit.  Each story featured memorable individuals coping with novel challenges thus finding themselves in the Twilight Zone. 

Sometimes I feel as though we are living in our own Twilight Zone.  Have you ever faced the world as we see it today?  First, we find ourselves in the midst of a life threatening virus.  Everyone is on lock down and when out and about we are still wearing masks and keeping away from friends at least six feet.  Why six feet?  I guess the virus is smart enough to get us if we moved any closer. 

Next, comes the anarchy, chaos and rioting due to the death of a black man at the hands of one policeman. Yes, it’s a terrible thing but I don’t want to be held accountable for his death.  I didn’t do it and neither did you. Yet we are all being blamed for something, although I’m not quite sure what that is.  Everyone, when interviewed, seems to have a different story.  All life is sacred…….except these same people view life in the womb as a “women’s choice” and can be terminated whenever she chooses. 

The values that held our country together are no longer seen as necessary.  Perhaps we owe an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah!!   We have left the moral absolutes of the Bible and written our own code of ethics……if you can call it that.  There seems to a “herd” mentality also.  People are caught up with the idea that destruction is a way of “getting even”. But why are the innocent being attacked? 

So why do the heathens rage?  I have no answer except that perhaps we are seeing a great dividing line……..people of faith who still believe in the goodness of man as he was created to be vs. those who only see man as a tool to be used for his own destructive ends.  As Christian believers, we know that God sees our faults and how far we fail in living up to his standards but He also sent a Remedy!

I wish I could be more positive in all of this.  I wish that somehow, God would just intervene right now and make bad things go away.  However, I do have faith that God is still in control.  However, we must take a stand.  We have been silent long enough. We can’t afford to be the “silent majority.” We need to be more active in our communities, our state and our nation.  We need to be armed with the proper tools.  We need to make sacrifices to become more proactive in taking back our constitutional rights.   We need to make our voices heard.  Hit the purses and back pockets of those who can twist the truth for their own agendas. 

Let’s get out of the Twilight Zone and move to reclaim our country.   

More Values for your Dollar

No, I am not writing about bargain hunting.  I am not perusing local fliers, news paper ads, emails or writing on how to get the biggest bang for your bucks!  Actually I’m talking about moral values……the traditional values that you and I hold dear.

We believers are now facing an assault to these values in our everyday life when we buy food, appliances or even insurance as well as many of the various agencies that request our dollars that seemingly support worthy causes.   If you are like me, I was never fully aware of the challenges facing our faith or moral values when I walk into a particular store, shop in a local market, or even buying insurance.  Let me share what I have recently learned.

I receive the American Family Journal every month.  This last issue had an interesting write up about an organization called “2ndvote”.  Here I quote…..”Every day we witness the attack on our traditional Judeo-Christian and the manipulation of our children.  Our society is being assaulted by overwhelming anti-Christian messaging that will negatively influence our future.” Dr David Black, founder of 2^nd vote. 

Dr.  Black goes on to say…….”We look to educate individuals on how they spend or how they donate their dollars and advise them on seven critical issues that are under attack by the Left.” Then he goes on to list these:  Sanctity of life, (abortion) religious liberty, 2^nd amendment (right to bear arms), marriage, education, and environmental issues. 

They examine every angle of each company before assessing judgment.  They also call the businesses and organizations to check whether their information is correct and then they assign a number from one to five……with one having a liberal bent, five having a conservative bent, and three being politically neutral. 

So here’s a few examples;  Family  Dollar  rated a 2; Pizza Hut 2;  March of Dimes donates to Planned Parenthood; YWCA, YMCA; Progressive Insurance; Wells Fargo; Microsoft; Susan Komen; HR Block; Am Express; Master Card; Prudential; Bank of America…….the list goes on and on.    

So here’s a clue for you!  Be cautious about where you shop, where you eat and even where bank.  Most of you donate to worthy causes and trust those with whom you share your finances but peruse the list on their web site.

But here’s something we both  can do……….write letters.  Complain that you and thousands of others do not support Planned Parenthood, etc. We  do support religious liberty (such as refusing to make cakes for a homosexual wedding) and the right to bear arms. etc.

 Be aware of the insidious infiltration of the socialist mindset in many of our nation’s largest businesses.     If you believe in moral absolutes, value Biblical morality and recognize that we are a nation founded on Christian principles then beware of the great Deceivers!  They want your dollars but not your values.

Visit this site for more information:  2^ndvote.com. Take a stand and make your voice heard.  Remember Madeline Murray O’Hare.  She and her small group of atheists were able to take prayer out of the schools. 

You are one small voice but you can make a difference!!

              God bless us and our great country and values of that we hold dear.

                                             The Articulate Atheist

I got a wonderful surprise for my birthday this year.  The family was able to gather all my blogs from 2012 to 2019 printed and bound in a book!  What fun to reread my writings again.  My writing style has changed somewhat but I was amazed that my thoughts were more or less the same.  One particular blog caught my eye and I wanted to pass it on.  It was based on an article in the Opinion section of the El Paso Times (4/20/12) and thought it was worth a repeat here.   We were living in El Paso at the time.  I have added a few more thoughts to the original.

The writer of the article was voicing his opinion concerning inconsistencies of Scripture.   He gave two examples.  The New Testament is replete with stories of loving one’s neighbor, going the extra mile and doing good works for others.  Then he quoted Psalms 137:8-9 where the writer is praying for the destruction of Babylon and its people.  So how can God be saying two things which appear to be opposites?

True……the Bible is a collection of stories. Also true that the stories were given /handed down to a particular group of people 2000 years ago and longer.

These articulate atheists are quick to quote verses which might cast doubt on the veracity of the Scriptures.  But think about this.  The Psalms are a collection of writings by men who were expressing their own feelings as well as their faith in God.  They spoke in exaggerated terms and metaphors.  One must read Scripture not only as a collection of inspired writings…….some were  direct commands or instructions……. but must be read in the historical context in which they were given. 

This particular atheist also comments by saying….”I love my children and have not subjected them to a belief system that extinguishes inquiry, has such an abhorrent history and apparently retards logic.”  

Christians should never be accused of backing away from inquiry.  Blind faith without reasoning will not stand up to the insults and the fractured thinking of unbelievers.  Faith involves commitment as well as knowledge.  We don’t leave our brains at the church door!

The author is confusing issues.  God is not to blame for the horrendous atrocities committed in His name.  God is love Himself and showed us love in a Person!  Man himself has authored his own destructive behavior.

The atheist also wrote. “The Bible was written by men to an illiterate audience.”  How does he know they were illiterate?  They didn’t have access to the printed word but learned by hearing, through teaching and doing. 

How could it be that man alone could develop the principles that have stood the test of time and has guided and shaped our great nation as well as a code of ethics and behavior that have impacted the lives of millions of people! Even the most primitive societies have a code of ethics.  Some type of moral behavior was instilled in mankind from the beginning.  However, it is the Bible itself that brings all of us a faith which has produced wisdom, charity, hope and love. 

I have only one question for these articulate atheists:   “Where do you derive your standard of moral ethics and behavior?  Will you teach your child that stealing is wrong and that hatred of another leads to wars and murders?
Your morality comes straight from God! 

Old MacDonald Theology Meets the Real Jesus

Context is everything when we read our Bibles.  But most of us only read the scriptures based on our own conditions, our own time period, or what we conceive that Jesus might have meant.  How do we really know what was going through the minds of the writers when compiling the writings of the Bible? They had their own audience.  They didn’t think like we do.  If we were able to have the Israelite or the first century Jew living in our heads we might look at Scriptures differently.  They were writing to people who were like them.  They were not writing to us.

 Yes, they are writing for our benefit…….all Scripture is for our benefit.  That’s why God called inspired men to put down in writing what we need to know to make our lives meaningful.  We know from the Scriptures what God has intended for His creation.  We are to become a people fit for His new Kingdom on earth. 

However,   when reading all Scripture, especially the words of the New Testament ( I like to call them the Apostolic Writings) then we must read them as our Lord intended for His 1^st century audience.   Yet the biblical writings are not limited to the ancient world.  “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable …in training for righteousness,” Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:16)

When reading out of context though we end up studying the Bible as if it were Old MacDonald’s farm! Here a verse, there a verse, everywhere a verse, verse.  But if we pay attention to what surrounds the verse as well as the cultural setting we get a clearer sense as to what we are to learn from Scripture.

But you ask, how can we apply it today?  Here is a case in point.  In Matthew 5:42 Jesus is telling the listeners……” Give to one who begs from you and do not refuse one who would borrow from you.”  How should we understand this verse today?  Should we simply give to anyone who asks of us, or did Jesus mean something else entirely?   Now read Matthew 5:38-48

You will need to look at the verses before and after this saying.  He prefaces this with an example from Exodus…21-14…..eye for an eye! Then he talks about slapping but not slapping back; tunics and cloaks; loving ones neighbor; tax collectors; Gentiles (those who don’t know God); holiness or perfection…… (having completion or wholeness, moral and ethical integrity).

Jesus is reflecting the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures.  He is fulfilling the teachings or completing them to make them meaningful to his hearers.  Loving ones neighbor is a quotation of Leviticus 19:18. Hating your enemy is not found directly but an allusion to a number of verses or perhaps even a saying of the time. 

By taking a closer look at these statements (before and after v. 42) we can see the larger theme being given.  Jesus is addressing how to treat someone who has wronged you…….not what to do when someone asks you for money!! These verses are of a larger theme………..we call it the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus is telling his hearers (and us) that as disciples we should reflect God’s sacrificial love; this sums up and is the intent of  God’s laws.  Doing unto others as we want them to do to us! 

So give the guy some money when he is needy and in want. Give a cup of cold water to the thirsty. Show the love of God through you.  This is what disciples must do!  It’s a matter of the heart!

Saving Us From Ourselves.

So the menace  is not the Russians, Chinese or even El Qaeda.  It’s unseen but deadly.  Of course it’s the Covid 19 virus.   Even the agony of 9/11 pales in significance to the numbers that have died with this plague. 

The National Day of Prayer will take place on May 7^th.  This annual event has been observed since 1952.  President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1988, designating the first Thursday in May for this special day.  Many Americans will be joining their voices together to plead with God that the virus will die out and our countrymen will be spared……as well as our way of life. 

2 Chron. 7:14 promises and history has recorded, when God’s people get serious about prayer and repentance and humbly seeking the will of God, He pours out His blessings and will heal our land.  In the Hebrew Scriptures we read how the Israelites would disobey God and then suffered the consequences.  They prayed, fasted and pleaded with God to restore them and continue being with them.  Will this work for us also?

We read of a  great Prayer Revival in New York (1857-1858).  Every week saw more and more people coming to this a little Reformed church.  God was working.  Can you imagine that happening in New York today? 

We Americans are no different than the rest of the world.  We have focused on nothing but our happiness and comforts denying the reality of a living God. 

Can God save us from ourselves?  Can prayer save America?  We have seen him save others in times past and we should be calling on the great Almighty to do it again.

We need a new work of God for a new generation, so the world may know that there is indeed a God who lives, who empowers His people and who can change the destiny of those who call on Him.

(Parts of this blog has come from the American Family Association)

                                                       Canceling Easter?

As Christians approach the Easter season we wonder about the world around us.  Should we cancel Easter?  It really doesn’t matter though.  In the long run we don’t need a special Easter ……….we only need knowledge and faith that there was a point in history when a Jewish man living in the 1^st century was crucified on a Roman cross on some particular day closely associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover. 

He claimed to be the Messiah.  He brought Good News….He was declaring that God was stepping into history and was bringing about the promised Messianic Kingdom.  He was here to declare that the time was coming when Heaven would come to earth.  He told his disciples to pray….”Thy Kingdom come”…. that is to pray that God’s will for man would be accomplished on earth.    He himself was the Promised One sent by God.  His actions and His words fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures and the covenant given in Jeremiah was about to begin…….

“The days are coming says the Lord…….when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers…………I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts and  I be their God and they will be my people  No longer will any of them teach his fellow members……….I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.

In the farewell discourse, we often call the Last Supper (John 13-17) Yeshua (Jesus), explains to the disciples how they will experience the kingdom of heaven in their lives even though the Messianic Era has not commenced.  Wow.  What good news for the Jewish people!! 

However it seemed as though those hopes were smashed.  This man named Jesus didn’t live to be king.  He upset the hierarchy among the temple Priests.  He didn’t belong to one of them and was just an itinerant rabbi who was upsetting their  status with the Romans.  However, He was gathering many followers and the Temple priests needed to get rid of Him.  How best to do that? By declaring that this imposter was a hazard to Roman rule and He was a revolutionary causing disturbance and anarchy.  The Romans had no problem putting another Jewish rebel to death.

However, what happened next would be the basis for life changing events in history.  This Jew was crucified and died.  He was put into a borrowed tomb.  Then something amazing happened…just as He himself had predicted.  He was given life again.  The world would never be the same.  God was giving to humankind a hope and a faith.  Not only would this Messiah of Israel be the promised King Messiah but that all the nations (Gentiles) who believed in Him would be included in that promise of the new covenant.  By His death He fulfilled the laws of sin and death due to man’s disobedience to what God had given to Israel. 

Now even Gentiles who knew not the Torah or anything about the Jewish  sacrifices…….now they too could be counted as part of the elect. Jesus had fulfilled all the requirements of the law and had become the only sinless man to have lived.  

By accepting Him …….we Gentiles have been grafted into the house of Israel by our faith in Jeshua…..the promised Messiah.  The promises to Israel have also been given to us.  We have forgiveness of our sins and we now have access to God’s gifts as well.  We have no fear of death because of our faith.   The new covenant is being fulfilled in history……..but we aren’t there yet.  God’s timing is not ours.  It might take more than a plague, wars and death.  But something wonderful is coming.

               A New Heaven and New Earth. The Messianic Kingdom on earth.                      Now that really is Good News. That is the Easter message.

Doom and Gloom.

We believers recognize that God is always in control.  Right on!! Do we realize though that we might also be part of the problem? 

We have left the Ten Commandments as part and parcel of worn out theology which doesn’t apply today.  Neither have I read any writings on repentance from neglect.  Neglect of obedience to what God has commanded from us.

We have allowed the world to dictate standards of righteousness. 

We have taken the lives of millions of unborn babies and called it “women’s choice”.  We don’t discuss the problems of homosexuality under the guise of tolerance and love.  We don’t discuss the problems of being covetous; we don’t discuss discipleship; our theology has become only one of love.  Love your neighbor but don’t preach to him! 

God is trying to get our attention.  Yes, sin and corruption are part of the human condition but we as believers have failed in our mission.  We are somehow fearful of labels!!!

I appreciate the good work done by those who bring comfort to others.  Visiting the sick; helping those in need…both spiritually and physically.  Certainly that is commanded also.  But along with all the good works of faith, there is a need for repentance.  I am afraid of those who only preach love for loves sake.

 Yes, God is love and therefore He also knows what man needs to find happiness in life. He has set that forth in His writings moral codes of behavior.  When we neglect those then we can expect God taking action to get our attention……one way or another. 

Do I sound like gloom and doom?  Sorry. But I am finding a milk toast Christian religion.  No “meat” being preached from pulpits.  No thought that we as believers need to take a stand on issues where God has given us a direct commandment.  We can expect more frightening things happening in our world where good is taught as wrong and evil becomes the norm.