Hello and welcome to
Thursday, March 7, 2013, where I am once again playing some less than melodious notes on the old keyboard. (Computer ....typewriter). The news is hard to watch or listen to these days. It could be worse. I recently listened to a 22 minute CBS radio newscast from March 13, 1938. The world was alarmed by Germany's invasion and annexation of its neighbor, Austria. Adolph Hitler showed that he had no respect for established treaties and political commentators nervously wondered out loud where all of this might end up. A Congressman was interviewed. He saw these actions initiated by Hitler to be only the beginning of winds filled with great potential harm even to the United States. My oh my, how right he was! Troubles and trials. They've been around a long time. Wars and rumors of war. Today we have a resurgent Russia sending out signals that sound like a return to the cold war era , an Iran bent on having its own nuclear arsenal, and a North Korea that is threatening direct attacks against our nation. China is very much in the mix as well and we have all the so called freed Arab countries, many of which, seem to be bent on Jihad. President Woodrow Wilson prophesied that the Great War known as WWI would be the "war that would end all wars". He most likely should have been reading his Bible before making that statement. Truth is, we're going to have wars and rumors of war in an ever increasing number up until that Day that our Savior returns. That's good news because when He returns, He will make all things right and that's something we can count on. Hallelujah, praise the Lord.
Amen.
I know. Most would rather just tune it all completely out as being too negative and depressing. However, truth matters folks, and Jesus indicated that His return should be an event filled with promise that invokes hope and anticipation in the hearts and minds of His own. It should also encourage our readiness and our desire to see others prepared as well. It's not the proverbial message of 'the sky is falling', but, rather, it is a message of certainty that will not be invalidated by human reasoning or explanation. Think about how many people believed when this current administration came to power that the entire world would somehow usher in an era of peace. Those true believers are now left to blaming others for why it didn't turn out how they dreamed it would. I've said all of this to remind us of how the early followers of Jesus lived. They were expecting Him to return in their lifetimes. They lived their lives that way. They made day by day decisions based on their conviction of His soon coming. He wanted them to live that way and I believe He wants us to live that way today. Let's face it. This short life is nothing compared to eternity, and God is looking forward to when we will be forever with Him in our heavenly home.
Amen.
I don't know either. How could listening to that broadcast from 1938 lead to all of this? Good question. Maybe I will think of a good reason and then write about it. Or, maybe not. I am a Baptist by choice, therefore, when I hear a joke about Baptists, well, it can be pretty funny. I've shared this one with a few people and most of them got a good laugh out of it. Here goes: "The Muslims do not recognize Jesus. The Christians do not recognize Mohammed. The Protestants do not recognize the Pope. And, Baptists do not recognize each other when they happen to meet in the liquor store." It did cause me to chuckle. It also reminded me of our dear neighbor Ellis who lived across the driveway from us for twenty years. He and his precious wife Ruth were family to us. Ellis left us many years ago for his reward and our dear Ruth died a couple of years ago as well. Ellis, a lifelong Methodist used to tell me that he had observed one very distinct difference between his choice of Churches and the Baptists. He said they chose to do their drinking on the front porch while the Baptists did theirs on the back porch. That should be enough for one day. Take care and may God bless each one.
Amen. ...More later.
Hello and welcome to Thursday, March 7, 2013, where I am once again playing some less than melodious notes on the old keyboard. (Computer ....typewriter). The news is hard to watch or listen to these days. It could be worse. I recently listened to a 22 minute CBS radio newscast from March 13, 1938. The world was alarmed by Germany's invasion and annexation of its neighbor, Austria. Adolph Hitler showed that he had no respect for established treaties and political commentators nervously wondered out loud where all of this might end up. A Congressman was interviewed. He saw these actions initiated by Hitler to be only the beginning of winds filled with great potential harm even to the United States. My oh my, how right he was! Troubles and trials. They've been around a long time. Wars and rumors of war. Today we have a resurgent Russia sending out signals that sound like a return to the cold war era , an Iran bent on having its own nuclear arsenal, and a North Korea that is threatening direct attacks against our nation. China is very much in the mix as well and we have all the so called freed Arab countries, many of which, seem to be bent on Jihad. President Woodrow Wilson prophesied that the Great War known as WWI would be the "war that would end all wars". He most likely should have been reading his Bible before making that statement. Truth is, we're going to have wars and rumors of war in an ever increasing number up until that Day that our Savior returns. That's good news because when He returns, He will make all things right and that's something we can count on. Hallelujah, praise the Lord. Amen.
I know. Most would rather just tune it all completely out as being too negative and depressing. However, truth matters folks, and Jesus indicated that His return should be an event filled with promise that invokes hope and anticipation in the hearts and minds of His own. It should also encourage our readiness and our desire to see others prepared as well. It's not the proverbial message of 'the sky is falling', but, rather, it is a message of certainty that will not be invalidated by human reasoning or explanation. Think about how many people believed when this current administration came to power that the entire world would somehow usher in an era of peace. Those true believers are now left to blaming others for why it didn't turn out how they dreamed it would. I've said all of this to remind us of how the early followers of Jesus lived. They were expecting Him to return in their lifetimes. They lived their lives that way. They made day by day decisions based on their conviction of His soon coming. He wanted them to live that way and I believe He wants us to live that way today. Let's face it. This short life is nothing compared to eternity, and God is looking forward to when we will be forever with Him in our heavenly home. Amen.
I don't know either. How could listening to that broadcast from 1938 lead to all of this? Good question. Maybe I will think of a good reason and then write about it. Or, maybe not. I am a Baptist by choice, therefore, when I hear a joke about Baptists, well, it can be pretty funny. I've shared this one with a few people and most of them got a good laugh out of it. Here goes: "The Muslims do not recognize Jesus. The Christians do not recognize Mohammed. The Protestants do not recognize the Pope. And, Baptists do not recognize each other when they happen to meet in the liquor store." It did cause me to chuckle. It also reminded me of our dear neighbor Ellis who lived across the driveway from us for twenty years. He and his precious wife Ruth were family to us. Ellis left us many years ago for his reward and our dear Ruth died a couple of years ago as well. Ellis, a lifelong Methodist used to tell me that he had observed one very distinct difference between his choice of Churches and the Baptists. He said they chose to do their drinking on the front porch while the Baptists did theirs on the back porch. That should be enough for one day. Take care and may God bless each one. Amen. ...More later.
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