Sacred Fruit

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.(Gen 2:8-9)

The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it.(Gen. 2:15-17)

My daughter has been taking a Bible class on the study of Genesis and we were discussing Adam and Eve and Cain killing Abel and the wickedness of man following the sin of our first parents.  However, we rarely discuss the other tree in the garden……the “Tree of Life”.  After the sin of eating the forbidden fruit from the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”, Adam and Eve were forced from the garden. 

Actually the exiling of the pair from the garden was an act of mercy. How is that?  Had they remained in the garden they might have eaten of the Tree of Life.  God did not create them immortal, yet he left immortality hanging within their grasp.  They only needed to reach out and eat of the Tree of Life which was never forbidden in the first place!!  If they had eaten of that tree in their fallen state they would have been consigned to an immortal existence in rebellion against God, not unlike the Devil, unredeemable for all eternity!  So in His abundant mercy, God, exiled them from paradise and banned them from immortality. 

God created our souls and our bodies for the Garden of Delight.  In some spiritual memory, every human being can still recall the taste of the “fruit of the garden.” All human beings have a longing wired into their hearts for the place of God, which we cannot quite understand.  We thirst for water that we have never tasted.  We long for fruit that we have never eaten.  We hunger and thirst for the presence of God.  That’s why you are reading these words.  That’s why we are always seeking to fill the empty places of our lives, and why we are prone to addictions, sensuality and self destructive behaviors.  We are actually longing for Eden. 

There is a way back to Eden, past the flaming sword and between the cherubim.  It’s called the way of the Tree of Life.  When our Master Jesus died and the Temple curtain was torn in two it cleared the way for us humans to again enter into a relationship with the Father.  He Himself is  “The Way, the Truth and the Life.” 

The early sect of Jewish believers who followed Him and believed Him called themselves, “The Way.”  He has made the way through the curtain, into the garden, to the holy of Holies and the Tree of Life. 

  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  (Hebrews 10:19-20)

                        Are you longing for that fruit from the Tree of Life?

Child Sacrifices………

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will set My face against that man, and will cut him off from his people, because he has given some of his descendants to Molech, to defile My sanctuary and profane My holy name.”  Leviticus 18:21

Molech was an ancient god worshiped by the people neighboring Israel during Old Testament times. While much about Molech’s nature and origin are uncertain, the Bible mentions Molech on eight occasions, providing some context regarding the problems associated with this ancient god. Molech represents the most repulsive of acts in God’s sight, the ritual sacrifice of children to a pagan god, which was condemned in the strongest way by the Lord, including punishment by death.

No society today offers child sacrifice, do they?  Well, perhaps not by fire or on an altar. I take that back!! We do have child sacrifice, however, now it is called abortion and on an altar called a “women’s to right choose.”

There are other more sophisticated forms of child sacrifice…….it is  visual and available and offered on the altar of entertainment.  Aside from the available child pornography sites, now Netflix is exploiting for profit a situation that will undoubtedly result in increased abuse and the sexual exploitation of children. 

I watched with horror while viewing a preview of a film made in France but shown by Netflix in which little girls (just reaching puberty) were dancing provocatively in explicit sexual dancing, with the title of “Cuties.” In case you don’t know it, we live in a society where children are being sold and bought as commodities for the benefit of adults. 

The company released a statement defending the film while snubbing the deserved complaints of the film’s critics.  What Netflix is doing here is no better than if a major TV network were to air an X-rated film and then defend it as a morality tale with virtuous qualities!!  This is worse than creepy; it’s sick and demented.  Are we becoming a society that is becoming desensitized to offering children to “Molech” with the excuse of exercising freedom of choice? 

Did you know that California now has laws regarding the decriminalization of child prostitution?  There is also an exemption of some pedophiles from mandatory registration with the state if they engage in sexual behavior with “consenting” children!! 

 The sexualization of American children is nothing new.  I remember attending a convention back in the 60s when SECUS (Sex Education Council of United States) introduced textbooks into the public schools under the guise of teaching sex education to little children as young as 5 about intercourse, homosexuality and masturbation. I was shocked at the explicit pictures and stories.  Isn’t this the parent’s job to teach their children about the sanctity of the marriage bed in the privacy of the home? What right was given to public schools to teach about sex? This isn’t all schools of course.  There are many, if not most public schools who are fully dedicated to providing top quality curriculum to their students. 

So what can we do to make a difference? We can certainly choose to cancel our Netflix subscriptions; however, perhaps a better and more effective response would be to take a look at what is happening with our public school curricula and the propaganda that progressive teachers are feeding our children.  I wager that that the daily harm from hypersexualized, agenda-driven, sex-education curriculum is far worse than the “Cuties” film. 

American has lost its innocence and sacrificed it is own children on the altar of immoral appeasement.  Will this appalling abuse be allowed to continue?

            God issued Israel a warning…….can America be far behind?

The NFL and Socialism

Hey football lovers.  It’s just about that time again.  Pull the beer from the frig and gather the troops for a Sunday afternoon of your favorite sport!  Perhaps a little popcorn would make it even better.  Too bad you aren’t allowed in the stands, rooting for your favorite team!  Oh, well.  Perhaps it is all for the best.  Considering the men who now make millions from the very country they deem isn’t worthy of their respect or honoring the national anthem and flag.

On Sept. 10^th the NFL season kicked off with a marquee matchup.  Despite having a captive audience viewing the game in their homes, I read where the Nielsen ratings were down 16 percent.  Sunday night was even worse………28 percent.  Rightly so.

Most football fans resent the players disrespect of the national anthem and the politics that invade the sports arenas. However, there is much more here than just disrespect. The fans frustration is only the tip of the iceberg when they analyze the real ideology that lies behind this so called “taking the knee!”

Many professional athletes feel they have a responsibility to speak out about injustice, as they perceive it.  The BLM movement, which they support, is much more than just about so called police brutality.  The leadership of the Black Lives Matter uses the vague desire to make this country a better place for the black community but in reality is a cover up for the classic Marxist strategy to create a utopian one party state.  The radical socialist strategy is to polarize society.  Socialism has never worked and never will.   This along with the Green New Deal will bring our country to a standstill!!

The end of the road is dictatorship headed by a strong central government who is in control of the economy which in turn controls the lives of its citizens.  With the promise of social justice and socialized medicine, many well intentioned BLM supporters and entertainers are devouring the hand that feeds them.

Although the stadiums are empty with the threat of the COVID virus, there is more danger here than even the virus can inflict.  It is the polarizing tactics of the BLM supporters and the football players themselves, and the disregard for the very freedoms that have made our country the greatest on earth.   

NFL’s fans………..change that channel! 

                                                   Canceling Culture

I watch with horror the latest episodes of people tearing down statues, deleting libraries of books and limiting a free flow of ideas. Even the statue of John Wayne wasn’t exempt, not to mention the “villains” of the Civil War which must be eradicated from memory. 

Do you remember the movie Fahrenheit 451?  The movie was based a book by Ray Bradbury first published in 1953.  Almost instant success.  It is rather on the order of George Orwell’s classic 1984.  Both speak of the destruction of society and how people were lead into false thinking by charismatic leaders.  There is also a newer movie which came out in 2017, although I have not seen it.

The movie is rather apocalyptic in that it foretells what could possibly happen to a culture/society which wants to destroy the past.  Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of a fireman whose job is to burn books in this dystopian world that suppresses creative expression, and destroying all remnants of a past culture, which are found in books, statues, museums. The protagonist, Montag, explores the mysterious power of books while evading the clutches of an authoritarian government.   I find it to be both literal and spiritual.  

It is a story about WHY the books are burned and WHAT the books represent.  It should open our eyes and minds to what we are witnessing today in our society.  However, it is so much more than just about books. There is so much in-fighting in society today because everyone claims that something they read or see offends them!! This also means that certain forces in the government are attempting to erase history.  Sound familiar? So to make everyone happy, the offensive materials are to be destroyed.

The year this was written (1953) Ray Bradbury could have not envisioned the internet or social media. If he had, it would have been heavily censored also. In 1953 ideas and knowledge were shared through print as they had been for hundreds of years.

For me the novel rings true.   It seems true today ….many people are offended by another person’s ideas, thoughts, actions, and beliefs.  So is all contrary thinking to be condemned and destroyed?  Isn’t history a part of our culture, despite the wrongs or rights of a previous society? Aren’t we are to learn from the past?  However, we should not want history rewritten, only depending on the views of current historians.  We need open discussions with all opinions welcomed.

Our hero is led into a secret place where he meets a renegade group of people called The Book People.  Each one is a walking book!  They have each memorized a whole book or novel which they are continually rehearsing in their minds.  It’s an amazing story. 

 The burden of society that continually condemns old heroes /old history takes us deeper into the age of suppression of the individual’s desire for serious and critical thinking.   Our response to literary suppression is one that will continue to significantly limit intellectual thought in the pursuit of a society free of offense at the cost of our beloved history; a society where ignorance is strength!!                         
                                                  Will our Bibles be far behind? 

Traditions: Why They Matter

The famous musical “Fiddler on the Roof” is still remembered and loved even today.  It is set in a Jewish village in czarist Russia.   The main character is a poor milkman name Tevye.  He compared the precarious position of the Jews in the village to a fiddler on a roof and asks the question, “And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word….Tradition.”  

The traditions of Tevye’s age are long gone.  Arranged marriages, sons following in the father’s footsteps, women raised to be wives and mothers.  Although each culture has retained their own traditions, in our Western culture, these have long passed. 

Does Tevye have a point? Do traditions help us keep our balance?  Remember the “blue laws”? No work or trading on Sunday.  Families were expected to have a traditional day of rest from the activities of the week.  Stores were closed and only certain essential items could be sold from select stores only. This is a direct tradition from the Jewish observance of the Sabbath now moved to Sunday for Christians.

Soon the idea of restricted “buying and selling and needing” got in the way of the Sunday restrictions.  With women working out of the home, Sunday might be the best day to do the family shopping. Also, the internet never rests…….always something to buy 24/7.

However, not all traditions have died.  Most families observe Thanksgiving where friends and family gather together….although rarely are the origins of the feast discussed.  Then there is Christmas.  Although to many, it is no longer a religious occasion but a chance to exchange gifts and perhaps, just perhaps, take in a worship service at the closest church to home. 

The main line churches each have their own traditions.  The congregants feel comfortable knowing that everything is in a certain order and this is way it has always been.   I think most of us would feel rather uneasy if we were allowed to go back in time to the original worship services where both Christians and Jews worshiped together while living  in a pagan culture such as Rome.  

Our traditions large and small help us keep our balance.  They draw us together as families, as communities and as Americans.  We may misunderstand the origins of these customs, or ignore them even while practicing their rites, but we nonetheless observe them. Traditions are the glue holding our families and culture together. They somehow bond us to our past, provide pleasure in the present, and act as a ballast as we sail into an uncertain future. 

A famous theologian and writer, G. K. Chesterton once wrote; “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors.  It is the democracy of the dead.  Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about!” I could put a smiley face here!   

When we honor our traditions we do give votes to our ancestors and keep our balance on the rooftops of life.  Tevye had it right. 

                                                   Seeking Superman

Oh, Superman, where are you now?   Many things seem to be happening and going wrong all at once.  With the COVID19 pandemic, lockdowns, economic devastations and political polarization; civil unrest, violence in the streets….anxiety levels rise as these crises collide and combine to make the perfect storm of social distress. 

If only Superman could save the day! 

Of course, as a fictional character, Superman can’t physically save us but perhaps he might be able to provide us desperately needed inspiration, as he done many times before. 

Back in 1938 the Man of Steel made his sensational debut, nearly a decade into the Great Depression, inspiring millions of kids as they and their parents struggled through the last of these grueling years.  During WWll, Superman’s popularity soared even higher.  He was immensely popular among young troops, lifting the spirits of thousands as they faced the perils of war. 

Fast forward to 1978, when Superman’s blockbuster movies inspired yet another generation of Americans  as they emerged from the doldrums of the past decade. 

However, our hero has been replaced with other Super Heroes.   Spiderman, Batman and Iron Man.    Why has Superman, once so admired and imitated, become a relic of the past?  His conduct was clearly and overtly American.  He had the perfect moral character. 

Wasn’t his motto, ”Truth, Justice and the American Way?”  What IS truth, justice and the American way?  Now we are questioning those words.  There seems to be no standard of excellence in our society. Accordingly, to a common worldview, many forms of “being super” are often considered as not admirable, but suspect—not worthy of emulation, but of resentment –not a source of inspiration but of envy.   People with values like industry and frugality who dare to encourage others to work and save are denounced for “poverty shaming.”

Superman, as traditionally conceived, was the ideal of human excellence; of health, vitality, self-discipline and heroism.   Superman was too powerful; too moral, and so movie moguls have tried to remedy that and give the “modern” Superman feet of clay.  They have powered him down and made him vulnerable to getting knocked around, even beaten up.  Moreover, they have weakened him morally. 

But there is hope.  Our Superhero must be relevant to the human heart.  He must be virtuous, resolute in the face of danger……… perhaps even willing to give His life for saving others.

In fact we have him already!!!………our very own Superman!!  His name is Jeshua or Jesus.  He is our perfect Super Hero!  He shows us true virtue, truth and justice.  He is above and beyond any human super hero.  He is every lasting and His qualities of greatness inspire us. So look no further…….”Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever.”  (Heb. 13:8)

Our forever Superman!

                                                       Perilous Times

Watch out! Dangers lurk everywhere——these are surely perilous times.  One of the great themes of scripture is to always be on guard.  The epistle of Jude forewarns us about scoffers who distort and resist God’s truth as we believers desire to seek it.  Twisting truths have become the norm.

If you are like me, we earnestly seek the Lord’s return.  He called on us as believers to be godly “salt and light” while on this earth. (Matt. 5:13).  While the promise of the Lord’s Second Coming is assured, we deal with the world as we live it now. 

We are assured though that God’s truth never changes…….no matter how humanity may warp and twist it.  Rejection of God’s word has been with us since the days of Noah, Abraham and Paul.  So rebellion against God in this once-Christian nation should come as no surprise.  Rather than anxiously hiding and waiting for the storm to pass, we are called to stay active and to use whatever abilities and opportunities we have to sow, water, and reap in fruitful service to Him.

However, we must ever be watchful of Satan using mankind for his own destructive ends.  He is able to manipulate man through an organized system of corrupted government, education, entertainment and even religious institutions.  In turn this is blinding people’s minds through lies and confusion. This fosters and enslaves people through the pleasures of sex, killing the innocent and intimidating believers through sanctioned harassment and persecution.  The Bible describes the “world” not merely as a concept but an entity used by Satan to manipulate people into submission to the same thinking as the masses. 

The world system is particularly intolerant of independent thinking, nonconforming opinions or any oppositional ideas.    Thus the world (Satan) is triumphant when someone surrenders and willingly conforms to the world’s pressure for sameness. Have we become like little robots in our thinking…preset and without questioning what the majority wants to tell us?  Resetting the minds and hearts of people is a tool used by Evil to bring about world crisis and confusion.   

The apostle Paul cautions Christians not to be deluded, ”tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. “ (Eph. 4:14)

There is an old Puritan prayer which reads: “Oh God, may thy dear Son preserve me from this present evil world, so that its smiles never allure, not its frowns terrify nor its vices defile, nor its errors delude me. “     
                                                            Amen to that

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!!