THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

IN THE MOOD BECAUSE OF RAIN...

For three days now, the lightening has been flashing, and the thunder rolling, and rain has been falling. Some times torrential downpours, but only very briefly. Last night, all night long, I sat for hours, listening and watching out my windows at the storm. It was soft showers that turned the sky lavender and made the streets look like shiny licorice. The garden  birdbath turned into a gently trickling fountain that watered the rosebushes.Thunder usually scares the cat, but Molly wasn't bothered at all by the grumbling that rolled across the heavens tonight.These last days everyone has been complaining about the constant moisture and humidity keeping them from the beaches, riverside, and pools,yet I feel it is such a shame they cannot see the beauty of it,or hear the music of the rain. When the wind picks up a bit, it spatters the raindrops against the screens of my windows, and they cling to them in big droplets, shimmering like diamonds. Around the windows the rain runs down the ivy in sheets,green sparkling waterfalls that end in foaming pools,that stray cats come and drink from,quickly,then melt back to the dark shelter of the bushes and undergrowth lining the wall. Thunder rolls again, and I lean back and close my eyes, listening to the rain as it picks up once more, accompanied by Wagner,softly playing on the television,and then the music changes to Vivaldi, as the storm ebbs and flows around me and it's as though nature is speaking to my spirit. God is saying, this is the way I heal the earth. I clean the air. I nourish the soil. I water my garden,and move the topsoil around. This is another act of love, there for your to revel in, if only you have the wit to enjoy it.

OUI?

GOD IS HOLDING MY HAND,HERE IN THE HOSPITAL!

In case you haven't  noticed, I 've skipped posting a day or two...ha,ha,ha! It's been a long while,but I have a perfect excuse. I been sick.

Okay, I thought I was dying. Could have been Asthma...or P-monia,but I was stubborn, as usual,and didn't want to leave my abode. I didn't want to go to the hospital,and be uncomfortable. I would not listen to yon son as he pleaded with me to go,even though he is the one person on the face of the earth that  I love most, in this I was being terribly selfish.Please son,forgive me.

I still don't know If I'll live through this,but after seeing the anguish in those beautiful brown eyes of  yours ,if I had it do over again, I would have taken better care of myself ,so we would have had more time together.But it was more important to me to get stuff done,than to consider the length of my life.

And yet,even as I write this,I'm doing it again.I've been advised to have another test,which I am ardently trying to talk my way out of!

Man is ever perverse. But,I have reason to praise the Lord,because the tape that Yon son brought up to me in my walkman was the very one I needed to hear, to help me make the descion.

Are you confused yet?

I know  I am!!

OUI?

TO ANGER, AND NOT TO SIN!

Anger is not a sin. It is a God-given emotion...part of the make-up of man, and as you know, we are made in the image of God!And Anger is right up there with Love, in that they are both multi-faceted.Love; whether friendship,family love,Eros, passionate love, or Agape Love, which is Love of God,or worshipful love.Anger too, has it's levels and stages. Naturally, the reason I compare the two emotions to one another, is because the most vivid expression of either,is when they are brought about when the other is involved.For instance, have you ever noticed that nothing and nobody will cause you to get hotter under the collar more than when your beloved spouse, or your darling child act in a manner that can only be described as a betrayal? When they do the one thing they absolutely know will send your blood pressure soaring into orbit? These tests of your patience, and your ability to look past their transgression,and love and forgive them are easier if you look at them as opportunities to grow. But through Christ's example, may I be so bold as to suggest that Christians,in the throws of righteous indignation,do NOT have to stand idly by, shaking with rage, their tongues nearly bitten in two, and their fists clenched until the knuckles are white. Most notably, the incident in the Temple, where Jesus actually seemed to lose his temper, and ejected the  money-changers from the Temple,tossing money and birds and other creatures offered for sale as sacrifices, and even over-turning the tables,thereby spoiling most of their wares,saying" My Father's house was meant to a be a house of prayer!"

But yet, Christ also said, forgive, 70 times 7 times. For if you forgive not, neither will my Father in heaven forgive you.So even though he berated them, I am sure Christ forgave the money changers,loving the sinner,but hating the sin. How can I be so sure of that? Well, if he didn't forgive them, he might well have dusted off his hands,and said, "You know what? Just for that, I'm not going to redeem you all.Why should I go through all the agony that awaits me on the cross when you people don't know nor care how holy the Temple of my Father's is,or what I am about to do for you?

But, he didn't. No. He didn't hold a grudge. He went to the cross,and even while hanging on it, he said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." So, even in his Anger,he made the decision to forgive,even while the rage was still coursing through his veins, he still did not allow sin to have any place in him. See, emotion is not good, or bad, it is only an emotion. What counts is, what you do about it...How you respond decides whether or not you will sin.

OUI?

THE " GOSPEL" ACCORDING TO JUDAS??

Two men were on the Today show this morning,talking about  a book called the Gospel according to Judas.They are novelist Jeffery Archer,and Professor/ Biblical scholar, Francis Moloney (rhymes with baloney),whom when Archer went to Rome and asked for a Biblical Scholar to help him, this is who was supposed to guide him in making his work, believable, and was told whatever he writes, it's got to be possible. This novel, otherwise known as the fifth Gospel,reportedly debunks much of what we know about Judas,including the thirty pieces of silver,and even the notion that Judas committed suicide. Apparently, they even go so far as to suggest that Jesus didn't turn water into wine, or walk on water.

Well! I don't care if Moloney, (Rhymes with baloney) was wearing a Roman collar or not. They can write their lies until their fingers bleed,and they are still not going to convince me that Jesus Christ wasn't the son of God, and I am certainly not going to plunk down my thirty pieces of silver to buy a book that says my Bible is wrong! Whatever their claims, I can only point them to the prophetic words of St. John the Divine, as he closed out the canon of scripture with these words;

"If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.." rev.22:18

Have a care, sirs. You are treading on dangerous, dangerous ground!

OUI?

It's been published in eight languages,and hits the stores this month.

HAVE YOU HEARD OF "THE SECRET?"

I caught a blurb on television today about this book, and even before that, I did happen to see some of Oprah's show when they talked about it. Well, I am not impressed.In the first place, Oprah has said many things which would lead us to believe that she is a Christian,and yet, at the same time, she has made it no secret that this is probably not so. Living openly with Steadman, and saying she does not plan to marry is part of this. She has all the money she needs to do whatever she wants,and she has done some very nice things, but that doesn't mean she's a Christian either. So, here she comes with this book, and being a very high figure in the world, and with a following that does whatever she wants them to do, she makes "The Secret" sound like this is absolutely true,and correct and right to read and to believe!  God help me, she even had me interested for a moment, right up to the point where she and her guests said that the Secret gives you the power to make your life and your world exactly what you want it to be.

Well, excuse me, but doesn't that fly in the face of the Bible and belief in God? Isn't he the supreme being? Doesn't he order the steps of a righteous man? Look out,my fellow Christians! The roaring Lion is walking again, seeking whom he may devour...only this time, he's doing it in book form!

OUI?

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: THE WEAPONS THEREOF,AND SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE!!

First, I begin by assuming that you are saved, and have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior,and also received the baptism in the Holy Ghost,with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. For, without these, your not going to get too much done for the Kingdom of God.Why else would Jesus have  commanded the apostles (Acts 1:4) to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father?(which was the Holy Spirit.) He also told them in verse 8, why they need the Baptism. For the power, that is going to help them to get things done. Then, in chapter 2 verses 1 through 4,describes one of the most beautiful occurrences that man can ever witness or be involved with,the infilling of the Holy Spirit, not just of the original 12, but of everyone who was there! This where the term"On fire for God" came into common use. So, now that I have laid the groundwork for this spiritual warfare, we go to Ephesians Chapter four, verses 29-32,and then to Chapter Five, 1-20, where it spells out specifically the demeanor and preparation of the heart of a child of God, and,finally, Chapter 6,beginning with verse 10,where it tells you to be strong in the Lord(be continually strengthened, which one does by constant faith in the Cross. But let us not forget that the Joy of the Lord is our strength! We in him, and he in us transports us from joy to joy! The power is at our disposal-the source is the Holy Spirit, but the means is the cross.)(1 Cor.1:18) And  then finally, in Verse 11,It tells us to put on the "whole Armour of God." And in the succeeding verses, it tells us what the Armour consists of, and why we need it. "Having your loins girt about with Truth..(the truth of the cross) vs.14 And the Breastplate of Righteousness.( The righteousness of Christ, which comes strictly by and through the Cross of Christ and his finished work) ...15Your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. 16 The shield of faith...17 The helmet of Salvation...The sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God! Put on your Armour every day, and keep it there by prayer and supplication in the spirit, ( incessant pleading until the prayer is answered) watching thereunto (being sensitive to what the Holy Spirit desires) with all perseverance (don't stop) and supplication (petitions and requests) for all saints...( Saints praying for other Saints...we are the saints to which Paul refers, not those plaster of paris or marble statues that some churches look to to keep them safe, or pray to for help!)

Put it on, and keep it on, so that you may be able to stand in the evil day. And having done all....STAND! Don't give an inch. Always make your object of your faith the cross of Christ, which is the only faith God will recognize,AND the only faith that Satan will recognize! The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, because we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Our foes are not human, but Satan does use humans to carry out his dirty work. Be aware that the very ones whom you least expect to bring you to temptation to let down your Armour, will be the first ones to try. Innocently enough,they will make suggestions,that you let down your guard, relax and have one little drink...tell you a funny story, that they know is totally inappropriate,or just worry aloud that you are spending way too much time in prayer. Or your Bible. Or in church. Or ask you if you've gone and joined a cult! And the closer they are to you, the more Satan will try to use them, to make you back down. Some of those comments hurt....they are the fiery darts that scripture mentioned above speaks about. Deflect the darts with you Armour and shield,turn away from their temptations, and just go on loving them anyway. And finally, I would be remiss, were I not to mention the use of the Name Above every Name,should there come a time when you need something to say to someone who is being used of the devil, and about to do you harm. It is.."IN the name Of Jesus...and to quote the Lord, "come out of the man, thou unclean spirit!"

Remember, God loves them, just as much as he loves you!

And that, m'dear is spiritual warfare.Basically.Admittedly,what I have given you is just the barest outline of a subject that I have been fascinated with for years,and for you to completely understand it, may take years of reading and research,which is as it should be.  Spiritual growth does not happen in an instant, it is a journey. If I sounded preachy,and like I knew it all, then please forgive that my answer to your request was done so badly. And yet, I have told you all I knew to tell, in so short a space. Remember, an Angel is only a messenger.

OUI?

WAITING FOR THE MOVING OF THE SPIRIT...

There is so little time left,( the spirit gives me such a feeling of urgency) that I may not have time to finish this piece.Two weeks ago, in church we had a word from the Lord, saying to "read the book of acts,and get ready!" Well, I have been reading, and praying over it, and every service and bible study since then, it has been mentioned, and I can see it on other's faces. They too have been doing the same. Now tonight, I felt as though the Lord had something he wanted me to relate, and I have been trying to keep myself still to hear him. Well, it's not like this is an easy thing to do. I've been told before that I seem to always be doing something. But I try never to say no to God. He, who even the wind obeys has trouble getting through to us. Isn't that awful? Sometimes we have to turn off everything...obviously the radio and t.v. and the phone, and appliances that make noise....but also our own thoughts, needs, wants and desires, in order to hear him. I mean, your sitting alone, in a quiet room, you read some scripture, and you say in your mind, Lord, I want to know what you would have me to say. And you sit still. Waiting. Listening. And you burp. Cough. Frown and fold your hands,and close your eyes, listening.Sigh. The quieter you are, the more you hear sounds around you. House settling noises. The furnace turns on. Your stomach gurgles. You yawn,and your eyes water...and you begin to think perhaps if you just went to lay down, God might speak to you in your dreams. Ha. In your dreams...well, maybe. He shall certainly speak when he is ready. He is not a cosmic bell-boy, ready to hop-to when you have time for him. Yet, on the other hand, he will make his presence known, and when that happens, it won't matter if you are sleeping or awake, in the bathroom, or drinking water, you will know it.There will be an incredible lightness of being about you, and an electric thrill runs through you. He says, "Son/Daughter, I love you. Don't be afraid." And then, he gives unto you a message, total and complete,just "boom!" he drops it into your heart/mind,and for a while, nothing else will be more important than to get that message down on paper, or into the computer. It only takes a second for him to give it to you, but it may take you an hour or more to translate what the Lord was able to bestow upon you into human language. And naturally, when this happens, if you are in the least doubt, always try the spirit whether it be of God or not.The Holy Spirit shall always bear witness to your spirit that Jesus Christ is Lord,an unholy spirit will not. And, of course you know that our enemy is always and forever engaged in trying to distract us from hearing our Lord's voice. In fact, I'll go a step further, and state that the more you want to draw closer to the Lord, and the harder you try to hear him, the more difficult it will seem. That's when it is most important to remain in an attitude of prayer,and wait on the Lord,because that is when you are about to make a breakthrough!

And when the fire falls,and the glory comes, Oh, praise God, that's when you realize that it's all been worth it!

OUI?

WORSHIPING GOD, IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!

When you consider the possibilities of that statement, it is a daunting idea. But in actual practice, it is either the easiest thing in the world, or else it is the hardest. In my spirit, I am forever singing and praying to my Lord, thanking him for who he is  and what he has done in my life,and I am always mindful of having to be truthful to him, and about him, and to speak the truth to those around me. I have frustrated people because I won't lie for them. Nor, will I lie for myself. This is the second time I have tired to write this post, for the simple reason that it is so involved,and so much else keeps coming to mind that I want to include. There are some people who will understand what I am about to say, right away. Some will never understand it.

Being a Christian, It delights me greatly when I have a chance to talk to other Christians. But that pleasure I get from talking to other believers can turn to total frustration when I hear things like the lady who lives next door. She comes to visit on occasion, and when she does, she tells me about her church. She tells me how beautiful it is,and how proud she is to be a member.The word "Pride" jumps out at me every time she talks to me.  I ask her if she has a good preacher there, and she always says, Oh yes, he's very nice. Did you get that? Not a word about what he preaches, just, he's very nice. Well, I would expect a minister of the Gospel to be nice, but that wasn't the question. I wanted to know if he was a good preacher,and she won't offer a word on what it is he preaches! This never fails to disturb me, and when I try to press her on it, she talks about how nice the organ is, and how wonderful the choir is,and how they (she and her sister) go there and have lunch regularly on certain Sundays....on and on. Frankly, I am worried for her soul. To me there can be only one reason why  she can't give me a straight answer, which is, she has no idea what I am talking about when I ask about her church. It is the only possible reason why she never has anything to say about the preaching. The man stands up there and talks,and she waits until he is done,and sings the songs,and eats the food,and talks sweetly to those around her,and then she goes home.If they even give one, she's never answered an altar call. Which means she leaves in the same lost, burdened condition in which she came. And nothing I have ever said to her has penetrated her brain either. I have asked her if she is saved,and she looks at me like I have lost my mind,and says, I have been going to this church all my life...since I was a child! It's the oldest church in town, you know. And then she is off, telling me more about the building, and nothing about her soul, her salvation experience, or her relationship with the Lord. Which tells me, that to her mind, the act of going to the church every Sunday is all that is required of her to make it into heaven, and my heart just hurts for her. She is so lost, and so blind to her lostness,that I am in pain over it. And the idea that there are many others just like her haunts me. They go to church regularly, but they've never prayed the sinners prayer and repented of their sin, and would be mightily insulted if I suggested that they needed to. They've been in church all their lives! How dare I suggest that they are sinners! Well? If they never repented, then they are sinners, whether they have been in church for 50 years or not!

Oh, the pain. What hurts the most, is the realization that her "Pride" may be the very thing that keeps her out of heaven.

OUI?

A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WALKING BY FAITH,NOT BY SIGHT!

You may have read last night's post, when I talked about Yon son's mysterious illness? Well, I also seem to recall mentioning lately about walking by faith, not by sight. These two may not seem to be related, but they are. For those of us who are not high-paid, salaried employees, the loss of a nights income can determine just how well fixed we will be next month about this time. I mention this only in passing, considering that the holidays are rapidly approaching, and not because I am worried about this being a problem. Naturally, My concern last night was over my son, and his health, not whether or not money was going to be lost by his not going to work. Long ago I made it clear to Yon son that his work, his income is his business,and I keep my nose, and my mouth completely out of his job, marriage,and finances, unless he wants me to do his taxes or something. But I could tell he was concerned about having missed work last night,and I reminded him that God has a reason for everything that happens,and when walking by faith, we need to trust in the Lord. He knows what is coming, even if we don't.

With that, Yon went to bed, and I came to the computer. Hours later, when I shut it down in the wee hours, and prepared to go to nest, I did my usual checking to make sure things were off and secure,and noticed that the crock pot was fragrantly smelling of chicken, so as I headed for my room, I called softly to Yon, asking if he had added enough water to the pot. The next thing I knew, he was up, bright eyed and bushy tailed, with plans for the soup and telling me had plans for breakfast,and when I got up, he would have this and that done.Sure enough, when I arose, he did indeed have a fresh pot of coffee made and errands run, and breakfast well begun, but events had marched. While I slept, as he set out to run the aforementioned errands, he discovered his car had a flat tire, and so he had a nice brisk walk to add to his morning's accomplishments. Fortunately, we have just purchased brand new tires all the way around, and in that package, there was a wonderful roadside assistance plan in full force since they are all still under warranty. After a dynamic breakfast of pineapple upside down cake and coffee, Yon left the house with receipts in one hand,and a can of fix-a-flat in the other, to get the tire replaced,leaving me to hold down the kitchen table until such time as my pain pills kicked in. He had only been gone about 20 minutes...(just long enough to have reached his destination) when his office called. I knew before I picked it up, this had to be an emergency! Yon works nights,and they know better than to call during the day, because by this time, normally both of us are asleep, until late in the afternoon. The panic in Marsha's voice was loud and clear. We need him, she said, NOW! Well, I understood that when I heard it was Marsha calling. Ordinarily, the dispatcher would have made such a call....Marsha is the bookkeeper! We only have one driver,she said...Mike! The one who should have been dispatching! I tried to be helpful, by telling her where he was, but this only served to increase her anxiety,and she pleaded with me to try to reach him. We're being slammed! She wailed. I promised I would. Horrors! It's bad enough to be slammed when they have six drivers, but when they have nothing but one dispatcher out there trying to pick them up and put them down...! Well, let's just say I understood her condition to be that of early nervous break-down and leave it at that.I tried to reach the place I knew him to be, but to no avail. Having done all I could do, I gave it up to the Lord,and within 15 minutes, here came Yon son through the door,and as soon as I related the message, he called the office and kissed my cheek goodbye,and off he went. Praise the Lord! Only God knew that there would be no day drivers today, and that Yon son was the only night driver that could get around quickly enough to cover an entire shift alone. No brag, just fact. I know it, the office knows it,and the drivers know it. He's the first one they call when they are being slammed like that. And God, in his infinite wisdom, saw to it that Yon son stayed home and went to bed last night, so that he would be rested, be on top of the flat tire situation so that he wasn't trying to get home about the time he was needed to go to work,and the time lost last night... is no loss at all! 

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

OUI?

MARY NEVER HAS BEEN PUT DOWN BY PROTESTANTS!

I noticed when following a referrer back to see what the original request was, that another author, on another site was going on about how suddenly we now are giving Mary some respect, with the song, "Mary did you know?" I could be wrong, but this may have been written by a Catholic brother or sister, who has mistakenly gotten the impression that Protestant denominations have denied her proper placement in the whole scheme of things. I would like to clear this up right now, and go on record as saying that this is a false impression. Not only do all Christians appreciate Mary....some more than others, but it would have been impossible for Christ to have come into this world without her. We all recognize this. What makes the Catholic viewpoint difficult  is, they have elevated her so far above where she was intended to be....praying to her, calling her a "co-redemptress", the mother of God, and the Queen of heaven, and by doing so, the protestant proper attitude looks disrespectful in contrast. This may rile some Catholics, but when you shower a figure other than Jesus Christ with such acclaim, you are in effect saying that this person is more important, or just as important as the Son of God, and that is just wrong. She may have given birth to him, and raised him, but that was the total extent of her role. She had no power to heal, as did Jesus. Had no power to save. She did not bleed and die for our sins. She was just a woman, of the correct linage to bear the child, that's all. She was not divine.

If you remember correctly, the Angel of the Lord came to Mary and said;

"Hail Mary, full of grace  (Unmerited favor) The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb," and instructed her to name the child Jesus, or Emmanuel, (God with us). That's it. She then responded, how can this be, seeing  I have not known a man? Everyone will recognize this passage as being the first part of the Catholic prayer, called the "Hail Mary", but the rest of that prayer was made up by the church, after the Christian faith of Rome was absorbed into the "Holy Roman Empire". All these years the Roman church has led their followers astray, leading them to pray to her, and worship her,and all the while telling them that they are to deny that this is what they are doing. And the worst part of it is, the Catholic church has been lying to them all these years,and saying they aren't worshiping someone, whom they are worshiping! It's bad enough to be in error, but when you are sincere, and you don't even know you are in error, when all the while you Love God and want to do right,as most Catholics do, it is very frustrating when you try to tell folks you love that they are being led down the wrong path,and they won't listen to you because they have been lied to for so many years!

OUI?