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.
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.
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.
The Christmas Story is story of a hero. The greatest evil the world has ever known made the greatest hero the world has ever known. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of torture and execution man devised or used.
Not every hero since has given up his life for another. Heroes generally take no concern for their own life while trying to save the lives of others.
The acknowledgement and veneration of heroes has existed for centuries. It was the ancient Greeks who are accredited with first coining the designation.
A very recent tragedy brought to light another hero. A young graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, whose dream was to become a pilot, is a hero after he reportedly related crucial information about the identity of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola shooter to first responders, despite having been shot several times, a family member revealed.
Joshua Kaleb Watson, 23, was confirmed as one of the three victims who were killed Friday morning when Saudi national Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani opened fire on a flight training program for foreign military personnel, Adam Watson revealed in a Facebook post. (1)
“Today has been the worst day of my life. My youngest brother gave his life for his country in a senseless shooting. Joshua Kaleb Watson saved countless lives today with his own. After being shot multiple times he made it outside and told the first response team where the shooter was and those details were invaluable. He died a hero and we are beyond proud but there is a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. When we were little I gave Kaleb the name little poot and it stuck. It eventually evolved into pootis and finally uncle poot. Just wish I could talk to him one more time or wrestle with him one more time even though he could probably take me now. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. “(2)
Simply put, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.
Philip Zimbardo: What Makes a Hero?
Christians who helped Jews during the Holocaust were in the same situation as other civilians who helped imprison or kill Jews, or ignored their suffering. The situation provided the impetus to act heroically or malevolently. People choose one path or the other.
Some choose a path to meet the needs of others. For example there is New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson will use his custom-made “My Cause, My Cleats” cleats to bring attention to his One More Foundation. H e created the One More Thing Foundation to spread the love and hope of Christ to one more soul.
“And, we do that by following the three charges that are given in Micah 6:8 when it talks about doing justice, loving-kindness, and walking humbly with our God,” he explained.
Watson said that, for the last decade, the foundation has given him the opportunity to meet people with “real needs” and “to know the one who can meet their needs forever and ever.”
“Whether it’s promoting and giving food to those who are hungry, doing events around the holidays, promoting education, standing against injustice — whether that be sex trafficking, abortion, or racial injustice … and also, just bringing kindness to people,” he continued. (3)
Heroes | Restoring Faith in Humanity | 2017
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” — Arthur Ashe, professional tennis player.
There have been thousands of unnamed and unknown heroes over the centuries. Heroes include those who stood ready, who fought and who died for the cause of freedom, first responders, those who served others, and the many that have helped someone without regard to their personal safety,
The true Christmas Story is an everyday story.
The real reason for the season was born to die and save us all.
The News is not always good and sometimes it is downright terrifying.
There are terrifying times that try men’s souls. There are times when heroes emerge from the worst tragedies.
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” Billy Graham
“The pages of history have proven the absolute truth of this quote by Billy Graham. A courageous act by one brave person can truly inspire others to be courageous. No sane and rational thinking person can dispute the timeless truth of this quote. Brave individuals throughout history have often shown despots and tyrants the hard way that courage is contagious and can spread with amazing quickness once it takes hold.” Stan Burman
Heroes come in all sizes, shapes, and backgrounds. No true hero set out to be a hero. A true hero found himself in a place and circumstance where he knew he had to act. Examples of true heroes can be found in the 3,400 Medals of Honor recipients of our nation’s bravest Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration’s creation in 1861.
In the recent tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School many questions need to be answered. I’m sure you have heard of the Sheriff Deputies who waited outside hiding behind their police cars while students were being shot inside the school and 17 died.
There are many who tried to help as they were spurred on by one off duty police officer in shorts and a tee shirt. His courage was contagious, as Billy Graham said.
Reporters with the local paper Tribunist wrote what happened next:
“When the fire alarm went off, he didn’t think it was unusual. The panic that ensued changed his mind. When he heard shots, he ran toward the sound of the gunfire.
On the way to the school he found a student who had been shot in the leg. Sgt. Heinrich moved the boy to a dugout and stabilized him with supplies in the baseball team’s first-aid kit.
He then ran back to the school. There, he met a Coral Springs SWAT team member who had extra gear. Sgt. Heinrich threw on an extra vest (one that wasn’t rated to stop rifle fire). The SWAT officer handed over his sidearm so Sgt. Heinrich wouldn’t be unarmed, and they entered the building.
Sgt. Heinrich ran into the chaos. He didn’t wait outside. The officers from Coral Springs [Police Department] led the way. Behind them, paramedics were able to triage and treat the wounded [students]. The SWAT medics from Coral Springs provided crucial support.
[Only then did] the Broward County Sheriff’s Department [go] in after Coral Springs [people].”
Not everyone will face situations as dangerous as those faced by the Medal of Honor recipients or Sgt Heinrich.
Many of us can be heroes to someone at home or in our community by helping where we see a need. You may never receive a medal or make the news and that is okay. In someone’s life you made a positive difference and that is what counts. Real heroes don’t need a ‘Thank you’, but will accept it.
Billy Graham’s Last Message to America & the World…listen carefully…
Sometimes you can’t see the forest through the trees. Sometimes you feel like you are knee deep in alligators.
Have you become a boiled frog?
I’m referring, to the proverbial frog that, placed in a pot of cold water that is gradually heated, never realizes the danger it’s in and is boiled alive. The hypothetical boiled frog is a useful metaphor for a very real problem: the difficulty of responding to abusive situations that creep up on you a bit at a time.
Most of us become so comfortable or used to our current situation that we don’t really know how to escape from it? (the heat) Don’t put up with rising temperatures!
Let’s not be a boiled frog!
Are you in a job which doesn’t suit you, your skills, your values, your personality or in abusive situation? Have you become so comfortable or used to your current situation or in a situation in which you don’t know how to escape?
According to the Dictionary Abuse is defined as wrongly or improperly using one’s authority. This could mean between a husband and wife, siblings, co-workers, people in your church, boss and employees. There are different types of abuse with a common thread; an abuser’s control over another person, imposing their will upon someone else, to force them to do something against their will or prevent them from activities.
Signs that you’re in an abusive relationship
There are many signs of an abusive relationship. The most telling sign is fear of your partner. If you feel like you have to walk on eggshells around your partner—constantly watching what you say and do in order to avoid a blow-up—chances are your relationship is unhealthy and abusive. Other signs that you may be in an abusive relationship include a partner who belittles you or tries to control you, and imparts on you feelings of self-loathing, helplessness, and desperation.
To determine whether your relationship is abusive, answer the questions at the link below. The more “yes” answers, the more likely it is that you’re in an abusive relationship.
There are different types of abuse with a common thread; an abuser’s control over another person, imposing their will upon someone else, to force them to do something against their will or prevent them from activities.
Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone, yet the problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied. This is especially true when the abuse is psychological, rather than physical. Noticing and acknowledging the signs of an abusive relationship is the first step to ending it. No one should live in fear of the person they love. If you recognize yourself or someone you know in the following warning signs and descriptions of abuse, reach out. There is help available.
Unfortunately people have misused words in the Bible to impose their will upon someone else. It is not news, God Hates Abuse. One example is often repeated phrase that God Hates Divorce.
“God hates divorce!” (Read the rest of the verse…)
Christian wives frequently hear this first part of Malachi 2:16 as though the institution of marriage trumps the lives wrapped up in it. Rarely quoted is the second part of the verse which says:
“along with the one who conceals his violence by outward appearances.”
Christian wives often think they have only two options: endure abuse or face condemnation by God for not obeying the Bible. As a result, guilt, despair, internal conflict and heartache cloak every moment as they cling to survival, trying to please both God and their husband.
The future looks hopeless, and their identity and value obscured. Children grow up as secondary victims of domestic abuse, desensitized to God’s ways and primed to continue the cycle of abuse as adults. Read more at https://godhatesabuse.com/god-hates-abuse I highly recommend reading and keeping the book handy titled God Hates Abuse.
Victims of abuse often experience and exhibit various degrees of PTSD, the same PTSD suffered by combat veterans, police officers, fire fighters, and other first responders. They also experience and exhibit anxiety, stress and distrust issues. Help is available. Just like any a clock which is too tightly wound, the unwinding must be carefully done.
Abusers oftentimes have self-worth issues and feel empowered and mighty when they abuse someone.
Here are some real examples from one family of controlling abuse:
Father beats a third grader because the third grader had a friend come over to the house…the father did not want anyone to know what was said or done in the house. This is a real example of controlling abusive behavior.
A son was called to come to the house to pick up a script for the Mom who was sick and could not get off the couch. The father, her husband, told the Mom to get up and get it yourself. They later divorced. This is a real example of controlling abusive behavior with an escape.
Years later, another son from the same family as above learns he can control the family by withholding medical updates of a hospitalized loved one.
An unrelated example is a woman Mary, not her real name, was looking for bruises on another woman, Jane, not her real name, who had her boyfriend present. Mary asked Jane if that man was her boyfriend, Jane said yes. Mary said she was looking for bruises because in her mind that is how men showed their ‘love’ for women by beating them.
No one deserves to be abused. Help is available for the Abuser, the Abused, and those affected by the abuse, just not all in the same setting.
Do your part to stop abuse today. Learn what you can do to recognize and prevent abuse.
We have enough legitimate issues that need our attention and cry out for a resolution. A number of manufactured issues are being floated as a smoke screen to distract us from, and even hide, the real issues.
We have used plenty of smoke grenades to mask troop movements from the enemy. Smoke grenades come in handy when you want to confuse the enemy and keep your troops safe.
Unfortunately, there has been a rash of manufactured issues to obfuscate the real issues in order to prevent them from being addressed. Lawyers do it all too often to keep their clients from being held accountable for their actions and creating safe places for their clients to hide.
A number of today’s college students expect colleges to have safe places in order to protect them from hearing opposing opinions. If I made be so bold to ask, how does one learn anything without asking questions, hearing differing points of view, and debating issues? If no questions are asked and no issues are debated such lack of actions ensures that no problems will be solved.
How are those who are ‘educated’ in safe places every going to be able to make the decisions required in life, never mind in business, or government or as leaders?
It reminds me of a current running TV advertisement which has a patient in a dentist chair with a person examining the patient’s mouth. The examiner tells the patient how bad his cavity is and then starts to leave the room and get ready for lunch. The examiner was not a dentist, rather a ‘dental monitor’.
Unfortunately, we have a whole lot of people who no longer feel that they have to take personal responsibility for their actions. Rather than take personal responsibility, they monitor some other person to point out their perceived, real, or imaged flaws.
This is not a new problem. It started in the Garden of Eden when Adam blamed Eve. She in turn blamed the snake. Yes, the snake practiced deceptive practices, and still does today. Adam and Eve had the choice to act, or not to act upon what they heard from the snake.
Every person has a choice whether or not to act upon what they heard from the snake. Sometimes the snakes appear as lawyers, politicians, or lawyers who become politicians.
Can you imagine going to the emergency room with a life threatening injury only to be told, that because you are (fill in the blank), you will not be treated or told to wait, and wait. A case in point is Veterans dying, or accomplishing suicide, as a result of the unexplainable failure of the Veterans Administration to treat veterans. Veterans need action, not a monitor, or career politicians’ unfulfilled promises.
Can you imagine a person experiencing a psychotic episode who is left untreated? The person experiencing a psychotic episode may harm himself or others and end up as story on the evening news.
With all our technology today, there is no excuse for not treating our veterans, or others in need of medical care. After the failure to treat, often comes an army of lawyers to spin the story to have the victims sound and look like the perpetrators.
Then we have another manufactured issue solely designed to silence any opposing views. As a country, we experienced many growing pains from which we healed, or were healing. Unfortunately, some are using a distorted version of our history to silence people who don’t think the same way. I am talking about the claim, that certain people are racist to scare them into silence. From my view point, most of those being called racist are, in fact, not racist. In the past, a claim made that someone is racist, even by members of the same race, had those being charged looking for a safe place to hide. Fortunately, some being called racist today are standing up to the bullies making the charges of racism.
The bullies who are calling others, who don’t think like them, racist are just like snake the practicing deceptive practices. Just like Adam and Eve had the choice whether or not to act upon what they heard from the snake, we have a choice not react to those scream “racists”, at opponents.
There is one safe place in which all are equal and that is at foot of the Cross. There is no racism there, as no one is better than anyone else. Titles, worldly accomplishments, and riches, mean nothing in this safe place before God.
Let’s all challenge each other to peacefully work together to find real solutions to real problems and ignore the smoke screens.
Yes, the economy is in the toilet and people who mean us harm are at the door. Noisy groups want to blockade whole states, and tape mouths shut over who gets into a restroom.
Let’s be clear. This is not a new offense just dreamt up by someone. This is the latest salvo in a forty year plan to destroy the family (1). To be more precise its roots are found in Genesis 3:15.
To be clear, I stand with the Sheriff in the video who said that if a guy follows my wife or daughter into the restroom, we’re going to make the news.
Men are designed and called to protect women and children (2)
Psalm 82:3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The amount of documented cases of assaults and sexual assaults upon women and children is sobering (3). It is troubling that we are opening wide the restroom doors to any pervert who would be able to do their damage while barricading those who would protect them.
Let’s say Jane, who appears to be a full grown adult yet, has the mind of an 8 year old and is suffering with anxiety, depression, and PTSD is in a ladies room stall. In comes Jack with a beard in a dress and for the moment claims to be a women. Jack did not arrive in the ladies room to relieve himself and leave. Jack is looking for easy prey and his next victim. Jack is larger than Jane who innocently suspects nothing of danger while in the stall. Jack opens Jane’s stall door and brutalizes Jane leaving her in a heap curled up on the floor, never to be the same again.
Jack who claims to be a girl says he has a perfect right to be in the Ladies Room because he indentifies as a women. The sex thing…., it is okay… it is just part of his culture and she was there.
The same group claiming that Jack has a RIGHT to be in the Ladies Room also pushed for The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was the first major law to help government agencies and victim advocates work together to fight domestic violence, sexual assault, and other types of violence against women. It created new punishments for certain crimes and started programs to prevent violence and help victims. Over the years, the law has been expanded to provide more programs and services. (4) also see the factsheet (5).
Is Jack prosecuted pursuant to The Violence Against Women Act? Considering the current climate, it would allow the pervert to walk because he was wearing a dress and his culture permits brutal rape.
Jane on the other hand is revictimized every time she tells of her nightmare in the Ladies Room stall to a Police Officer, Judicial Officer or medical person and probably every time she closes her eyes.
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed have men go into the Men’s Room (it has three letters) and Women go into the Ladies’ Room (it has more than three letters.)
We came from soil, we go back to soil, and we are sustained by soil. That makes soil a pretty important part of our lives. What’s the difference between soil and dirt? Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet.
Think of soil as a thin living skin that covers the earth. It goes down into the ground just a short way. Even the most fertile topsoil is only a foot or so deep. Soil is more than rock particles. It includes all the living things and the materials they make or change.
Soil itself is very complex. It would be very wrong to think of soils as just a collection of fine mineral particles. Soil also contains air, water, dead organic matter, and various types of living organisms. The formation of a soil is influenced by organisms, climate, topography, parent material, and time.
Soil is also critical to our ecosystem and water cycle. The rain has to go somewhere, be held, feed plants and animals and evaporate, creating more rain. Different soils support different vegetation which are eaten or decay as part of the life cycle.
“And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.” Genesis 1:3
Some of the decayed plants and animals are consumed by us in the form of fuel.
Soil based products or organisms are used by us often such as glass and some medications.
Jesus taught the Parable of the Sower discussing Four Soils. A Parable is simply an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. Birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn’t deep. When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It produced a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than what was planted. Those who have ears should listen and understand.” Matthew 13: 1-9
The four soils represent the hearts of different kinds of people: the way they hear truth; and they way will conduct themselves after being confronted by the truth. Some simply can’t handle the truth.
Hard Path: Some of the seed fell on a path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some people hear the truth, but like hardened paths, they do not let it sink into their hearts Soon Satan takes the truth away. (In the Bible, birds are sometimes a picture of Satan.) If people do not receive and respond to the word with faith, their opportunity will be stolen by the evil one.
Rocky Places: Next, some of the seed fell onto rocky places. These people hear the message with great joy, but like seeds on rocky soil, they do not let it take root. They seem to be happy to hear about Jesus (the Truth) and His great love, but they do not let it sink into their hearts. On the outside, they may express great enthusiasm, but inwardly, they do not carefully consider it. There were great crowds who followed Jesus, but only a few were His true disciples. When these people face pressure or bad circumstances, they quickly forget about the Truth. A true believer follows Jesus no matter what.
Thorns: Still other seed fell among thorns. Some people hear the Truth and start to grow and bear fruit. But soon they become worried about the problems of daily living. They may think if they only had more money and more “things” they would be happy. These wrong beliefs take up all the person’s time and energy, just like the weeds steal all the nutrients from the good plants. These people do not focus on living in the Truth, so they don’t produce any spiritual fruit. There is nothing wrong with the sower or the seed. The problem is the soil, the person who hears the Truth. He must trust the Truth to deliver him from his worries and greed so that he can grow in the Truth.
Good Soil: Still other seed fell on good soil. It produced a crop 100, 60, or 30 times more than what was planted. Isn’t it great to know that some of the seed fell on good soil? This represents the people who heard the Truth and believed it. They put their trust in the Truth. Their hearts received the message of the kingdom, and the seed will take root.
There is a lot going on in our world today that can be traced to the Parable of the Sower.
People are being assaulted, shot, raped, murdered, or beheaded because the were in the wrong place, wore the wrong clothing, belonged to the wrong group or because they disagreed or used some word or phrase that arbitrarily became a real or imagined offense. Those who perpetrate the manipulation and crimes I just described would have in years past been placed in a locked ward for a significant amount of time for being a danger to themselves or others. Instead they presently have a significant influence upon what is being said on some media. Those who perpetrate the manipulation and crimes I described heard the truth and it fell on the hard path, rocky places or among the thorns.
Fortunately there are enough around who heard the Truth and it fell on the good soil. When it is time to rebuild what the others have destroyed it will done by those who have the deep rooted Truth growing in the good soil.
The good news is you can choose to plant Truth in the good soil at anytime.
Would you leave your doors and windows unlocked, or cash on the table, or your Credit Card with your pin number on the kitchen table, or go on vacation and expect all of that to be there when you returned? You might have been able to do that six decades ago and find everything where you left it, but not today.
In about a month this Country will choose between two main groups.
One Group wants to further escalate their centralization governing agenda to include:
– All your doors and windows unlocked, cash on the table, Credit Card with your pin number left on the kitchen table as you leave the house;
– The home you paid for is no longer yours, as your Right to owning private property has been taken away;
– Your Saturday yard work can’t be done as the local authorities did not give you the required permit;
– You can no longer decide what is best for your family, because the children you brought in this world belong to the state;
– The borders are erased between town, cities, and states with all decisions emanating from one central government; and
– The Fruits of your years of labor are taken from you and given to the many murders, rapists, and terrorists who just waltzed into our Country through the porous unprotected borders.
The Other Group has its roots in places such as Lexington, Concord, and the Old North Church wants us to return us to our Roots:
– The People were the Employer of those they elected to represent them;
– People and Leaders took personal responsibility and did not blame their failures on others;
– Locks on doors, which are only meant to keep honest people honest, were not always used;
– Neighbors knew each other, helped, and protected each other and their families;
– Each town, city, and state decided locally how to address their own issues;
– The Federal Government was responsible for keeping our borders secure and dealing with foreign Nations as their prime responsibility. The Federal Budget was minuscule compared to today’s Federal Budget.
Thomas Jefferson said that when the government goes astray, it is up to the people to make the correction. Too many of today’s elected and appointed officials have the frightening notion that they are the masters and we are their slaves.
Dr Ben Carson recently said that with Ebola unchecked and the heavy burden of those flooding across our unsecure borders reaping the many benefits would overwhelm and collapse our system and could result in anarchy. He said “…you have to recognize that we have a rapidly increasing national debt, a very unstable financial foundation and you have all these things going on like the ISIS crisis that could very rapidly change things that are going on in our nation.” He further explained that anarchy would most likely result in Martial Law and a cancelation of elections leaving the current president in office until some future date. [ The video below does not have the Martial Law discussion as that video is no longer available. There was a concern at the time that Martial Law would be declared to fight Ebola]
Our Nation is at a critical time in its history. Will it survive or will it die and become another great nation that passed into the annals of history? Are you ready to try to explain to your grandchildren what Liberty once was or will you experience it with them?
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