Some Things Won’t Change

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

June 29, 2021

July 4^th comes every year. The actual events and documents which gave us Independence Day on July 4^th don’t change. There is a current movement afoot which seeks to delete facts and history and replace it with a disturbingly negative story. This disturbingly negative story seeks to install their propaganda at every level of education, major media outlets, big corporations, and the military.

Our military will no longer be an efficient cohesive combination of various size, shapes, colors, and backgrounds of people under this disturbingly negative story. Simply put in a foxhole when enemy rounds are incoming the real care is that those in the foxhole have each others back. If the disturbingly negative story were implemented in the military members of the military would not trust each other and the enemy would overrun our military. We’d be defeated from within. (1)

The governing document of our country is shorter than many contracts, has no fine print and easy to read, see (2).The Constitution of the United States is the foundational document of our American Government. It lays out the system of Government and the limits what our government may and may not do. Some say the Constitution lists the rights of the American people. Our Rights come from God not the government. It is the people who establish the government and grant certain powers to their representatives and government to act in their stead.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”

A little spoken of Amendment to the Constitution, number Nine, supports the power is retained by the people.

“The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

The War of Independence against British was fought to free Americans from the tyranny of the British Monarchy who arbitrarily imposed rules, laws, regulations, and edicts without consultation or consent of the governed.

Americans endured an oppressive form of government under the British and formed a bottom up form of government, a Constitutional Republic. Oppressive governments rule by fear, fear they may displease the ruler. Fear, anxiety, depression, and suicide run rampant under oppressive governments. Summary executions with due process become common under oppressive governments.

The Constitution has three parts. The Preamble tells the purpose of the document and Government. The Articles set up how the Government is organized and how the Constitution can be changed. The Amendments are changes to the Constitution. The First Ten Amendments are called the Bill of Rights.

Any laws which violate the Constitution are void, can not be enforced, because they are UnConstitutional. The Constitution can not be changed by legislative or executive fiat.

Refuse to be bullied into the disturbingly negative story.

The Constitution and Bible when correctly applied are recipes for Freedom, Liberty, tranquility for all and Independence.

Have a Blessed, Safe, and Happy Independence.

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org  and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

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(1) https://narrowpathministries.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/video-former-army-captain-purple-heart-recipient-sean-parnell-rips-joint-chiefs-chair-gen-mark-milley-for-defending-crt/

(2) http://founding.com/founders-library/government-documents/federal-government-documents/united-states-constitution-1789/

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The Mountain Is Not Hiding The Finish Line

 

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

September 29, 2020

 

 

 

It may be tough to lift a mountain and move it out of the way unless you move one stone at a time. Why not just go over, around, or through it.

Anyone who would take the burdens of the world on their own shoulders by themselves, after watching the world is falling apart news, is setting themselves up to make drug companies and psychiatrists  rich.

No runners have ever won the race without crossing the finish line before others. Years ago Rosie Ruiz was stripped of two Marathon Crowns, Boston and New York, because she spent most her ‘winning’ times on the subway.

“Her friend Steve Marek told the Boston Globe that Ruiz had admitted her ruse to him, but that she didn’t intend to be the first woman to cross the finish line”, according to the Post.

“She jumped out of the crowd, not knowing that the first woman hadn’t gone by yet,” Marek said. “Believe me, she was as shocked as anyone when she came in first. But at that point they had put the crown on her, gave her the medal and told her she’s the winner. How could she say, ‘No, I’m not’?”

Ruiz joined race in final half mile.

She jumped into the final stretch of the race to finish ahead of Jacqueline Gareau, who set a course record of 2:34:28 that would not be recognized until days later when Ruiz was disqualified.

Ruiz drew suspicion when she seemed clueless about common marathon jargon in a post-race interview with race commentator Kathrine Switzer.

 

“Have you been doing a lot of heavy intervals?,” Switzer asked Ruiz about a marathon training technique.

“Someone else asked me that,” Ruiz responded. “I’m not sure what intervals are. What are they?”

 

Other runners said that they hadn’t seen her on the course, and her bib number was not recorded at numerous race checkpoints.

A pair of Harvard students later confirmed that they saw Ruiz join the race in its final stage.” (1)

You can win by cheating.

Everything done in secret will be laid bare.

Going underground, sneaking about to gain an edge may grant some momentary advantage but will end badly.

Emerging from the subway or basement for the last half mile does not give you, other participants, or interested parties a clear view of you or the true situation.

Rosie Ruiz’ cheating caused her to change her last name and legal problems. She eventually lost her ten year battle with cancer at 66. For forty years she carried the burdens of her world wide renowned cheating.

When you face the mountain and go over, under, or through the mountain you can be inspired by those cheering you on. That inspiration can assist you in your endeavor. Ask any real athlete how the roar of the crowds made a difference to encourage them to make that extra effort and capture the win.

Go for the fair, clean win, with honor and integrity, something your mother would be proud of.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

 

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(1) https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/infamous-boston-marathon-cheat-rosie-ruiz-dies-at-66-234559903.html

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You May Have Been Ordered Closed, Not Muted

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

September 1, 2020

 

 

Since there have been Preachers, there have been local leaders.  Those called to be Preachers know the hours are long and the pay is short and is not the reason for becoming a Preacher. Often times Preachers don’t get to enjoy their days off. Some laugh at the idea of a day off.

The COVID-19 virus has given certain officials an excuse to order churches to shut down or not gather and/or not to sing.  Some churches argue that they must give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and must shut down. Then there are a few, like John MacArthur, who believes that Preachers are called to preach the Gospel to all the world. They believe that they should obey God before man.  I see no written exceptions in the Bible or in history for preaching the Gospel to the world.

If anything, I see that history shows that when times are tough, people need a message of hope delivered by Preachers. During many periods of our history, it was the church which provided community support and it was the church which was the source of information.

The British targeted Preachers, who they called the Black Robe Regiment, during the Revolutionary War to censor the message of Liberty and Freedom.

Over the years, just as today, there are hirelings occupying the position of the Preacher, ready to accommodate Caesar. (1). A true Preacher is a servant of the flock, and a servant leader who is ready to rescue the one in his flock who has needs or goes astray.

The community today may appear be to partially isolated and we’re not, just the opposite: we’re bound in Jesus. “If one member suffers, all the members suffer” (v. 26 nasb). As believers in Jesus, members of God’s family, we move toward one another into the pain and into the sorrow and into those murky places where we would fear to go alone. Thankfully we do not go alone. Preachers are needed now more than ever to help heal the body, and the community, and the country. Hirelings won’t do. They will run in the face of difficulty.  The Gospel supports Law and Order and rebukes chaos. The Gospel teaches that the devil is the author of chaos.

Chaos relies on fear, anxiety, and corruption to control and intimidate people.

No matter what your trouble is, your helps comes from above. The peace that surpasses all understanding comes from above.

Conflict is part of life on earth. Peaceful resolutions come from above. Peacefully resolving conflicts is preferred by most parties.

Unfortunately there are those who have no interest in peaceful resolutions and, in which case, disengagement is warranted and third party assistance may be required. At times self defense may be required.

Let’s all try to be true servant leaders finding peaceful resolutions wherever possible.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

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(1) https://preacher01704.wordpress.com/on-the-difference-between-a-hireling-and-a-shepherd/

http://www.blackrobereg.org/history.html

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Ed-u-ma-cation

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

August 4, 2020

 

The fully gowned graduating class of engineers sat ready to hear from a class leader waiting for an encouraging send off. With his stoic Dad sitting in the front row my cousin opened with: Yesterday I could not spell engmaneer… today I are one.  My uncle led the approving applause.

Educating our children, our future, as we know it today is a far cry from where we started out in our country.  Reading was taught at the mother’s knee and continued in the barns, fields, or shops by the father’s side.

The private system of education in which our forefathers were educated included home, school, church, voluntary associations such as library companies and philosophical societies, circulating libraries, apprenticeships, and private study. It was a system supported primarily by those who bought the services of education, and by private benefactors. All was done without compulsion. Although there was a veneer of government involvement in some colonies, such as in Puritan Massachusetts, early American education was essentially based on the principle of voluntarism.^[1]

Two hundred years in American history, from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, public schools as we know them to day were virtually non-existent, and the educational needs of America were met by the free market. In these two centuries, America produced several generations of highly skilled and literate men and women who laid the foundation for a nation dedicated to the principles of freedom and self-government.

The cornerstone of early American education was the belief that “children are a heritage from the Lord.”^[2] Parents believed that it was their responsibility to not only teach them how to make a living, but also how to live. As our forefathers searched their Bibles, they found that the function of government was to protect life and property.^[3] Education was not a responsibility of the civil government.

Home education was so common in America that most children knew how to read before they entered school. As Ralph Walker has pointed out, “Children were often taught to read at home before they were subjected to the rigors of school. In middle-class families, where the mother would be expected to be literate, this was considered part of her duties.^[4]

For many, formal schooling was simply unnecessary. The fine education they received at home and on the farm held them in good stead for the rest of their lives, and was supplemented with Bible reading and almanacs like Franklin’s Poor Richard’s.

Philadelphia also had many fine evening schools. In 1767, there were at least sixteen evening schools, catering mostly to the needs of Philadelphia’s hard-working German population. For the most part, the curriculum of these schools was confined to the teaching of English and vocations.^[5] There were also schools for women, blacks, and the poor. Anthony Benezet, a leader in colonial educational thought, pioneered in the education for women and Negroes. The provision of education for the poor was a favorite Quaker philanthropy. As one historian has pointed out, “the poor, both Quaker and non-Quaker, were allowed to attend without paying fees.”^[6]

A college education is something that very few of our forefathers wanted or needed. As a matter of fact, most of them were unimpressed by degrees or a university accent. They judged men by their character and by their experience. Moreover, many of our founding ‘fathers, such as George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Ben Franklin, did quite well without a college education. Yet for those who so desired it, usually young men aspiring to enter the ministry, university training was available. Unlike England, where the government had given Cambridge and Oxford a monopoly on the granting of degrees,^[7] there were nine colleges from which to choose.

Education is as important today as it has been since the settling of our nation. What a child learns in school at an early age shapes generations to come.

Before the left sought and succeeded in removing God from schools they had the goal of running the education system. With professors and teachers indoctrinating and pushing anti-American socialism and communism the left could take over American. Their plan requires government run public schools as the only option where they control the message. To be successful they must shut down private and charter schools and all homeschooling by any means possible.

The China virus lockdowns have caused a variety of harms according to reports and studies. Hunger, unemployment, Fear, Anxiety, Depression, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Suicide, and Homicides have skyrocketed since the China virus lockdowns began.  Indeed Homicide rates have exploded by double digits and experts blame school and church closings alongside the anti-police movement, reports the Wall Street Journal. (8)

It is time to support Homeschooling, Private and Charter schools and leave the socialist and communist indoctrination prevalent in public schools behind.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

 

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1.   Clarence B. Carson has emphasized this point in his The American Tradition (Irvington- on-Hudson: The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc., 1964).

 

2.   Psalm 127:3.

 

3.   Romans 13.

 

4.   Ralph Walker, “Old Readers,” in Early American Life, October, 1980, p. 54

 

5.   Louis B. Wright, The Cultural Life of the American Colonies (New York: Harper and Row Pub., Inc., 1957), p. 109.

 

6.   Carl and Jessica Bridenbaugh, Rebels and Gentlemen (New York: Oxford University Press, 1982), p. 36.

 

7.   Ibid., p. 39.

 

 

8. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/08/03/nolte-school-and-church-closings-anti-police-movement-blow-up-u-s-homicide-rate/

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The American Mind

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

June 29, 2020

This month we celebrate victory over a hard fought battle against the best military of its time to win independence in order that we may have Life and Liberty, and pursue Happiness.

According to Jefferson: The “the object of the Declaration of Independence,” he wrote, was “not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind.”  

Jefferson restated these noble sentiments in the Declaration of Independence, simplifying the prose: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (1)

Today’s battles include the tyranny of those who are attacking the First Amendment especially Free Speech and the Freedom of Religion. The Second Amendment is also in the attacker’s sights.

To put it mildly, there are some who have strayed from the founding principles of respecting “certain unalienable Rights… [such as] Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” for all.  A certain combination of evil groups have banded together to try to turn our country into a third world nation.

First, there was the China virus attack which caused hurt, pain, and death from cabin fever, domestic violence, fear, anxiety, suicides and the catastrophic illness.

Then there is the invented word which has caused fear, pain, violence, and destruction of property since 1927. The word was invented in 1927 to browbeat dissenters of the communist ideology by Leon Trotsky and is still used today to shut down all nonconformists and businesses; the word is “racist” The destruction caused by and the misuse of the word “racist” is beyond measure and has become increasing vicious.

Since we can identify the perpetrators of this evil, it is incumbent upon us to stand up to these bullies and prosecute them for their appropriate crimes.

Bad apples can be found in many groups and organizations and they must be held accountable and if appropriate prosecuted as well.

Since we are a nation of laws, law and order must be reestablished in rogue areas.

And since we are a nation of laws, due process needs to be afforded to all, by all, without politically motivated knee jerk firings.

A close examination of the tactics of those trying to turn this country into a third world nation will reveal that they are using the communist playbook.

Fortunately we have some leaders, including the White House, who are leading the battle against the evil doers.

Together we will get back to the ‘American Mind’ that Thomas Jefferson wrote about, as we stand together against the bullies.

We know that good triumphs over evil. God is in charge. Let’s follow His lead.

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

(1) https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/03/thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence/

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Test Failure

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

May 25, 2020

 

 

 

 

We sure did study for this test and its failure is a welcomed result, now to get out of the twilight zone.

The thirty day free trial of socialism was extended, and for some the free trial was extended even longer. There has been a push to destroy our Republic and install Socialism. During the lockdowns we experienced 24/7 home confinement with restrictions on pretty much everything outside of the home.

The gifts of Socialism gave us more: untreated heart attacks resulting in more deaths; deaths by suicide; prohibited cancer treatments, resulting in more deaths; untreated mental health issues; increased incidents of domestic violence; increased anxiety;drug abuse; and denial of regularly available health care. All this reminds me of the ‘death panels’ often discussed in government-run health care where a bureaucrat behind a desk with a calculator decides whether or not a doctor can treat us.

The gifts of  Socialism also gave us high unemployment with all its devastating affects such as the inability to buy food, pay the rent or mortgages, just to name a few.

Some would argue, and some schools teach, that we have a democracy which is not true. In a democracy the rights of a minority opinion can be denied by a simple vote.

Marvin Simkin said: “Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99 percent vote.”

True democracy is the tyranny of the majority. True democracy is mob rule. Thankfully, we do not live in a democracy. We live in a republic. Article IV Section 4, of the Constitution: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of government …”

In a pure democracy, Madison argued, there is no check on the majority to protect the weaker party or individuals and therefore such democracies “have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention,” where rights of personal security and property are always in jeopardy.

In both a republic and a democracy, citizens are empowered to participate in a representational political system. They elect people to represent and protect their interests in how the government functions.

Key Takeaways: Republic vs. Democracy

• Republics and democracies both provide a political system in which citizens are represented by elected officials who are sworn to protect their interests.
• In a pure democracy, laws are made directly by the voting majority leaving the rights of the minority largely unprotected.
• In a republic, laws are made by representatives chosen the people and must comply with a constitution that specifically protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority.
• The United States, while basically a republic, can be described as a “representative democracy.”

In a republic, an official set of fundamental laws, like the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, prohibits the government from limiting or taking away certain “unalienable” rights of the people, even if that government was freely chosen by a majority of the people. In a pure democracy, the voting majority has almost limitless power over the minority. (1)

Democracy is “a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.” The Greek demokratia is derived from demos, “common people,” and kratos, “strength.”

Basically, in a democracy, the head of state is usually a president, and the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote (which is then exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them).

Capitalism is part of democracies (not communist or socialist countries). The community as a whole does not own all of the property and wealth in a democracy.

Socialism is a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Socialism theorizes that a collective cooperation of citizens will make all governmental institutions public. For example, no one will receive a healthcare bill when going to the doctor because they, and everyone else, have paid a hefty amount in government taxes. That’s where the collective cooperation comes in.

What is communism?

Communism, on the other hand, is a branch of Socialism. It’s similar in that it’s still founded on the idea of collective cooperation, but differs in that communists believe that cooperation should be run by a totalitarian government made up of one and only one government.

Marxist theory is the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.

Socialism and its relatives of Communism and Marxism are big government with big spending and the big taxes to go with it.  Socialism and its relatives of Communism and Marxism control most aspects of our lives.

If you are happy with the gifts of the Socialism: untreated heart attacks resulting in more deaths; deaths by suicide; prohibited cancer treatments, resulting in more deaths; untreated mental health issues; increased incidents of domestic violence; increased anxiety; drug abuse; and denial of regularly available health care, ‘death panels’, government run health care where a bureaucrat behind a desk with a calculator decides whether or not a doctor can treat you; and  with high unemployment with all its devastating affects such as the inability to buy food, pay the rent or mortgages, just to name a few, then perhaps moving to Venezuela would be a panacea for you.

I on the other hand prefer the Republic and its Freedoms. I think I’ll side with the approximate 94 percent of American voters who say they want an economic nationalist overhaul of the United States’ economy in the wake of the Chinese coronavirus crisis (2)

As we emerge from the failed test of Socialism we have a chance to correct mistakes which brought us to that failed test. Let’s heed the lessons and Make America Great Again.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

 

 

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References

(1) https://www.thoughtco.com/republic-vs-democracy-4169936

(2) https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/24/poll-up-94-percent-want-economic-nationalist-agenda/

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/05/26/consumer-confidence-2/

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/05/26/kudlow-american-economy-workers-and-consumers-poised-for-great-american-comeback/

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Standing Tall Through It All

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

April 18, 2020

 

For five years, from hospital to nursing home and back a few times, he was a model and inspiration to all those who ever thought of giving up. In high school he was known as ‘Smiley Jackson’. Even through it all he stood tall without a complaint. I had the privilege of speaking with him about the same time most mornings with no subjects off the table.

At one nursing home during the 2016 election, whether by walking, wheelchair, or by walker, he made sure that he looked in on every patient, even if it was just a wave or smile. I asked if him if he was running for mayor and he replied “Yes.”  After the election some nurses even called him Mayor.

Matthew was known for his gentle and kind spirit. His smile was infectious. He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and followed all the Boston sports teams.

Playing Santa for the kids was his favorite Christmas honor. Actually Matthew loved anything Christmas.

Matthew was a devout Christian and an active member in the Brockton Greek Orthodox Church.

Mathew was a longtime, and well respected, employee of the Heights Crossing Assisted Living home in Brockton.

Matthew suffered a severe brain injury in 2015 and throughout his difficult rehabilitation he fully cooperated and never complained and achieved remarkable improvement.

Unfortunately the Coronavirus was a challenge he could not win. His journey in this life was much shorter than that for which we had hoped. At 61 he went to be with Jesus April 10, 2020.

Throughout these recent difficult medical times Matthew maintained his positive, friendly and gentle disposition.

“What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 (NAMI) has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.”  https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI.

One kitchen table in Massachusetts that grew to more than 500 local affiliates was my mother’s with three other women. The impetus and inspiration for the kitchen table meetings was her son, my, brother, Matthew.

The usual onset for a mental illness for boys is in the late teens to early twenties. Matthew started showing signs in high school by hearing voices and writing about it. In the 1970s there was no internet, no organizations, and no support groups.

A few mothers started meeting to gather information which would help the mentally ill and their families cope.  I joined in the search; soon the meeting grew too large to meet in the house.

Another goal of the mostly mothers group was to educate the public, media, and lawmakers about mental illness and end the stigma associated with it. The original name chosen was AMI, Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Through it all he stood tall. I told Matthew more than once that he was a great example for anyone to persevere, no matter how bad things seemed to be and his reply was always “Thank you”.

Matthew enjoyed a lot of successes at the “Club House” in Brockton, BAMSI http://www.bamsi.org . While I was the President of NAMI Greater Framingham, our local clubhouse in Marlborough called “Employment Options” www.employmentoptions.org was a shining example of how a clubhouse should be operated.

Another program which has been duplicated and worthy of review is the “Jail Diversion Program” program run by “The Advocates” https://www.advocates.org

Matthew never made it to Phoenix, however his spirit to stand tall through it all did.

Now its time for Matthew to continue to be an example for others to stand tall through it all, be the impetus and inspiration for a Club House in Phoenix, to be called “Matt’s Place”.

I won’t hear his morning greetings again. I will repeat his often said closing: “Go Red Sox!”

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

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Turned Tragedy Into Triumph

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

March 31, 2020

 

 

As a butterfly isn’t made overnight, neither are we what we become. What we are today is not what we were yesterday or will be tomorrow.

It takes four stages to become a butterfly: egg; caterpillar; chrysalis, then an adult butterfly.  To become a butterfly, a caterpillar first digests much of itself. But certain groups of cells survive, turning the soup into eyes, wings, antennae and other adult structures.

The cells in our bodies are dying and are being replaced all the time as our appearance gets older.

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
― Thomas Paine

On a sweltering day in his small Iowa town, Matt Gage dove into a pool. When he surfaced, his entire left side was useless.

Fortunately, the nine-year-old’s cousin was there to pull him from the water. At the hospital, the doctor diagnosed heat stroke. But after being transferred to the Mayo Clinic, Matt was whisked into emergency surgery with a different diagnosis, the kind usually reserved for the elderly. Matt had suffered not just heatstroke but an actual a stroke.

The prognosis was grim. The neurosurgeon didn’t expect Matt to wake up. If he did, he’d be a vegetable.

But Matt did wake up. The neurosurgeon told Matt he’d never be able to move his left side again. With the young boy’s dream of becoming the next Michael Jordan destroyed, he ignored his father’s urging to try to move his leg. “I can’t,” Matt would say.

Finally, his father confronted him. “Matt, what did ‘can’t’ ever do for you?” his father said. “If you say you can’t do it, you’re not gonna do it. If you don’t start believing in yourself and believing something can happen, that you can get better, then you’re gonna be in a wheelchair.”

He began to make progress. First, he moved his left leg. Then he moved his left arm. He started walking with a brace before leaving the hospital.

Although his left side had a limited range of motion, Matt eventually played basketball, ran a 5K, and even took up skiing. He became a professor and athletic trainer for various universities. He now gives hope to other young stroke victims and their families by showing them that they, too, can get married, have kids, and enjoy successful careers.

Matt believes God used his stroke to help others. If he could relive the moment that changed his life, he says, “Now, today, I would tell you that I wouldn’t want it any different.” (1)

“Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory.”
― John Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

“Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.” ― Saint Frances de Sales

“Whatever troubles we may face, we can trust God to give us strength to triumph.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita

We are living in close quarters now as the wave of coronavirus weaves through different communities around the globe. None of us knows who will be affected next. We are in this together. Over the years we have drifted apart, not even knowing our neighbors. This is a good time to spend with your family, neighbors, and with God becoming our own butterfly.

Let’s call and write those whom we have left to ‘when we get the time’ today. Help everyone you can in anyway you can, making the load a little lighter for all of us.  We can accomplish more together than we can on our own.  Together we will make our community, state, and nation better than when we started this journey. We should see more butterflies as fruits of our labor soon.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

 

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(1) https://listverse.com/2014/12/23/10-inspiring-stories-of-people-who-turned-tragedy-into-triumph/

 

Team Player Or Blockage

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

March 2, 2020

 

 

You’ve probably heard me say lead, follow, or get out of the way more than once. Every true leader knows how to follow. Every good leader looks out for, takes care of his team and prepares each team member for leadership.

Then there are those, and you know who they are, who are an intestinal blockages to success.

There are times when all hands on deck are needed address a situation, like in a foxhole when the enemy is coming over the hill.

What if you can not see your enemy and the enemy has overrun your position? I am not specifically addressing spiritual warfare, even though there is a component of the same involved.

At the moment we have two enemies among us: one is a virus; and two, those who are trying to spread fear and incite panic over the virus.  Those spreading fear hope to cause sudden overpowering fright; acute, extreme anxiety; a sudden unreasoning terror that is often accompanied by mass flight resulting in chaos.

The virus, Coronavirus, COVID-19, has attacked all but one continent. At least here we have a high level team, a task-force leading the way to contain and eradicate COVID-19, (1), (2). The success of the task force is vital to not just our safety and security but that of each continent touched by COVID-19.

Then there are those, and you know who they are, who are an intestinal blockages to success.

An insistent group has continued their propaganda campaign to incite panic over the virus, a form of TDS.  Understand this is not a new out of the box strategy. Antonio Gramsci (3) was a model for Saul Alinsky who is famous for his 12 Rules for Radicals (4).  You can watch Saul Alinsky’s 1966 TV interview below and read his 13 Tried-and-True Rules for Creating Meaningful Social Change (5) The Gramsci/ Alinsky program is liberally used by several disruptive groups who clamor for change they do not understand, Socialism. Socialism is a power grab which has failed everywhere.

 

Hillsdale College produced the following video: Rules for Radicals: What Constitutional Conservatives Should Know About Saul Alinsky

 

Then there was Alex Cora who caused division in the team after a World Series Championship, one of those TDS sufferers (6).  It is an honor to be invited to the White House as a guest, an invitation most will not experience. The White House belongs to all Americans. Each occupant is entrusted with its care for a time and adds to the character and history of the White House.

Cora placed a divide so deep in the finely tuned team that set many records including the number of wins that he installed defeat for the next season.  Cora was found to be a cheater as he helped the Houston Astros cheat their way to a World Series Championship. The installed defeatism kept the Red Sox out of the playoffs the next year which partly lead to his firing in January of 2020.  Cheating did not payoff for Cora. Causing division led Cora’s his downfall.

Just as Cora sowed his path for his own destruction Alinsky followers and other an intestinal blockages are sowing their own paths to destruction.

Which path are you on, destruction or healing?

 

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

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References

 

https://preacher01704.wordpress.com/2020/01/30/danger-danger-danger/

 

https://preacher01704.wordpress.com/video-christianity-and-socialism/

 

(1) https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2020/03/01/dr-marc-siegel-on-coronavirus-ive-never-seen-an-emerging-contagion-handled-better/

 

(2) https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/03/02/vp-mike-pence-and-the-coronavirus-task-force-hold-a-press-conference/

 

(3) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonio-Gramsci

 

(4) https://bolenreport.com/saul-alinskys-12-rules-radicals/

 

(5) http://www.openculture.com/2017/02/13-rules-for-radicals.html

 

(6) https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/trump-curse-red-sox-manager-who-refused-to-visit-president-trump-in-the-white-house-with-his-team-is-fired-for-cheating/

 

https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2017/02/13/shoving-alinskys-rules-for-radicals-right-back-in-the-lefts-ugly-face-n2284892

 

https://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2012/04/13/12-ways-to-use-saul-alinskys-rules-for-radicals-against-liberals-n917872

 

https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2020/03/03/world-health-organization-fear-and-panic-over-coronavirus-dangerous-calm-down/

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/03/coronavirus_codswallop__by_the_numbers.html

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Covid-19 hit during cold/flu season.

Wondering if you might have the virus?

This chart on #covid19 v. cold v. flu is helpful: pic.twitter.com/iDk6eG0cm5

— Julia Belluz (@juliaoftoronto) March 9, 2020

Danger, Danger, Danger

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

January 28, 2020

 

 

People who practice their religious faith regularly may be getting some earthly benefits: They appear to be healthier compared to people who never attend a house of worship. A study conducted by sociologists at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., found that 4 percent of those who regularly went to church or synagogue reported poor health, compared with 9 percent of those who did not attend a house of worship. And 36 percent of weekly worshipers reported they were in excellent health, compared with 26 percent of non-attenders.

Why the difference? Researchers aren’t sure, but they say the reason may be that people attending weekly services may be more likely to see friends who ask about their health and can recommend a doctor. (1)

This tends to support the notion that there is safety in numbers. Like minded people who fellowship together give each other strength and complete each other with their different gifts and talents.

 

Really good players discipline themselves to do the right thing (in regard to football, or hockey, or whatever it is). They discipline themselves to do the right thing regardless of how the game was going at any given moment—and regardless of how everybody else was playing. They will make use of the truth about their game! And then he added, “When you have a whole team of men who do that, they win almost all the time.”

When a problem arises a like minded will have a multitude of counselors to assist in resolving the problem.

At this time the world is trying to contain and eradicate a virus that is quickly spreading.

“The coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, began at an animal and seafood market in the city of Wuhan and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. The illness is now said to be transferable between humans.

As news of the virus spread and death tolls began to spike, many have begun to question how dangerous the new outbreak is. Coronaviruses, which get their name from their crown-like appearance, come in many types that cause illnesses in people and animals.

Most coronaviruses cause mild symptoms such as the common cold that patients easily recover from. Other strains of the virus such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) can cause pneumonia and possible death.

SARS killed 770 of 8,000 people infected in 2002-2003. MERS killed about three or four out of every 10 people infected, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said

In an effort to curb the spread of the disease, the city of Wuhan shut down all air and train traffic to contain it. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Jan. 22 it would hold off on declaring a public health emergency of global concern.” (2)

The President offered China direct aid and assistance to fight the  coronavirus which currently has five victims in the USA.  China has declined the offer of assistance. I am not sure I’d like to see Chinese troops walking around the local mall. The problem is so severe in China they have four construction companies building two hospitals near each other. The video below shows the work in progress.

 

The USA is evacuating thousands of Americans from China.

Working together we’ll be able to find away to contain and eradicate this virus also.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that the country which has an aggressive war against religion is experiencing this fast spreading coronavirus which has left cities looking like ghost towns.

 

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA and AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenteraz.org

 

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(1) Spokesman Review, October, 1992

(2) https://www.foxnews.com/health/how-dangerous-is-coronavirus

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