Ethics and Ethnics

 One of the subjects I remember when in college was christian ethics. It usually tends to lean toward what is right or wrong , simply put. We are also taught dispensation of grace and forgiveness among other subject matter. These ethical studies I find have been often missing by evangelical society. Everyone knows of God's amazing grace , he forgives even the undeserving as pointed out in book of Psalms and throughout scripture. We must also learn obedience in our walk.
 Ethnics is a subject often avoided - it speaks of our beginnings our background. Ethnicity can often become a permanent part of you, and sometimes we try to incorporate that into our walk. If you visit the town I was born in, there are Ukranian, Greek , Polish  and just about every ethnic church you can think of. Why is ethnicity brought into christian culture , often I ask myself that question. I prayed about this and we are not all the same , we are a multi- cultured people. There is no reason for us to all become German to be Lutheran, or Dutch to be Wesleyan. Imagine this if we spent all our energy trying to dispel the other christian due to their ethnicity- how would we reach the world with the gospel of peace.
 I accept any christian church of ethnicity or temperance as long as they have ethics. They teach the truth in that Jesus Christ came not to judge but save the world, in the teaching of Love , Hope and Forgiveness. My mother and I had a conversation about preaching, many of the young were falling away at her church - having children without getting married. Marriage seems to be on the chopping block in recent times. She said, her pastor was going to preach more about hell and put the fear of God back in the church. I was taken back by this and told her why not teach about inner peace and how important it is to keep this gift from Jesus Christ. Not only is salvation a gift  but Jesus said to his apostles my peace I leave unto you.
 There is always a big amen when souls are saved and go to the altar - many young , some fresh off the streets. What do you do after the dust settles, teach inner peace , teach the fruits of the Spirit of God. If the truth is told they will desire to be married under the bond of love for each other. The fear of God did little to sway the Egyptians , how many plagues did it take for the tribes of Israel to gain their freedom. The new testament of Christ teaches us to love the Lord with all our hearts and minds, let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. How can we steer the young folks with plaques or a promise of hell. I think with the rapid growth of the church and perhaps zeal of wanting to bring many into the fold , the teaching of obedience to God was left out of the equation.
 I find many evangelical churches are trying to increase their numbers at the expense of good teaching. They find themselves overwhelmed with too few leaders and stability becomes a problem. The church is becoming a social ground and not holy ground. Personally - I do not believe in mega churches, they have a history of being too impersonal ,  people tend to flock to them though. It is entertaining , they have big screens and make a lot of noise. When God is a still small voice that is drowned out, then how can we hear Gods voice to be obedient. We need to teach christian ethics as part of the body of Christ- Just a thought.

Holy Water for sale

 We see in movies this magical water called holy water when sprinkled on vampires makes them pour out smoke. I was curious about this special water with all respect to the religious of its power. Water  has always been an important elements of the Christian faith understanding this element would seem crucial to study. I also would note that holy water is used in the Catholic, some Lutheran, many christian churches in the Hindu and other religions. What makes water holy is that it is blessed by a priest. My wife is a catholic and we have a vial of this holy water purchased directly from the Vatican. I respect her beliefs and by the way I attend Lutheran services in which we do not use holy water , it may be an individual thing or maybe an attending catholic likes to use the baptismal fount out of practice. I say this because sometimes my wife comes to church with me and sometimes we go to catholic services.
  The power to create holy water is another religious practice that I will not judge as some are offended, I could not find a reference to holy water in the bible. Just because it is not in the bible does not mean it is wrong or right. We often have prayer shawls and other items we distribute to the members of the church that are sick to bring comfort. If this gives some comfort to sprinkle blessed water to deter evil then it may be a matter of personal faith. I will however oppose the sale of such things as to bring a profit to the church and also to sell this at $15.00 a bottle on amazon.com seems odd. The various religious items of crosses, amulets, beads and such things for sale to me are an affront to Christ , I remember the Jesus that went into the temple and upturned the tables of such vendors. He said my house is to be a house of prayer, evil is defeated by prayer.  Why do we subject ourselves to fear and allow it to effect the inner peace?
 We can defeat fear and evil by understanding the origin - do these imps exists. Is holy water effective against these imps which I call them. Yes - maybe temporary effective but if you want to defeat them forever pray - your inner faith is more likely to work than the potion of a priest.
 Sometimes I will purchase a bottle of spring water not knowing its origin- the label may say it is from the cloister of brethren or mountain springs of France. Does this water have a healthier value than tap water -hmm. I always felt better to drink it and it seems special cause its expensive. Sure it may have been filtered by the tiny rocks and sand in the spring or would just a pure water filter work from home depot. All these things when put into perspective do not matter.
 I do know that we are told by Jesus " I am the living water by drinking the living water one can drink and never thirst again."and John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. So, what is more important faith as Jesus describes in living water or holy water. I will take the living water any day -amen.

The Vision of Version

 In my studies of the bible , I tried many approaches. Also studied along with other groups of persons many well educated ,  and some just have a gift of discernment. Perhaps the most studied book in the world the holy bible has been re-written hundreds of times in various languages, versions , reference and study forms. Please do not let this confuse or discourage you as it often can lead to division amongst scholarly persons. We often go back to original hebrew or latin translation to get  deeper meaning. I can tell you this in all honesty the english is sufficient. I received the Holy Ghost and was able to find salvation reading the english version.
 I did have to study the latin, hebrew and greek to get  piece of paper toward a degree in theology. My vision of Gods word is not one of such great mystery or requiring mastery of an ancient language. The english is sufficient, do not get drawn into arguments of doctrine and theology. I have already gone down that road, it is more important  to know the nature of Christ and be able to apply that to our daily lives than the historical trek of the Jews and their customs. I do have volumes of books on those subjects world history and customs. Love, Hope and Forgiveness leading to Word , Thought and Deed are my only doctrine. These are all biblical and also the basis of many of the worlds religions.
 People of learning can sometimes  lose sight of the vision. The vision is to know the nature of Christ and apply that knowledge  in conquering fear , sickness - evil or whatever obstacle crosses your path. Keep in mind every parable has an application, a lot of prophecy has already been fulfilled. We live in the present do not get caught up in history or futuristic ideals. It is not just to live for the hope of someday making it to heaven. Live for today, enjoy your life - Jesus last words to the apostles were peace be unto you. Jesus wanted us to have personal peace of mind, he then breathed upon them the Holy Ghost. What I have found most about being in Christ is a peace that passes all understanding, I believe this was the peace Jesus was talking about.
 I do not want to share the gospel just for the purpose of the after life but in this life also. We have a joyful life to be shared now in the present. This is a gift apart from salvation the gift of peace. -Amen

Pain and Fear

 A relative of mine recently asked for prayer. She had numbness in her face and pain in her joints - along with that she had fear. I thought of this most diligently and my conclusion was to pray for her fear. Her pain may be old age or arthritis  but we all eventually get old, the fear is what concerned me. I thought of John 14 Let not your hearts be troubled , neither let it be afraid. Of course this is the beginning and the end of the verse. So eloquently Jesus explains why we are not to be afraid in the middle, in my Fathers house are many mansions, if it were not so I would not have told you.
 I also thought of the words of FDR as we were in a climatic moment during wartime, there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

 We all experience pain at one point or another , it is our body saying it needs attention either bones , muscle or tissue. Sometimes even an exposed nerve or even emotion can bring on pain. Emotional pain is as serious as physical pain and can lead to other complications. Jesus realized this saying "Let not your heart be troubled." This is not a band aid but a complete healing thought, if read  through neither let it be afraid. Fear comes in many forms as does pain. Fear of losing a relationship, Fear of losing your job or security. Fear of the unknown  is often the greatest fear of all, which is why Jesus goes on to explain what awaits the believer. To conquer death you must first conquer fear. I have held the hand of the dying in various time of my life. Once a relative whom I prayed with was dying - she went from a frown to a peaceful smile in the last moments. Not because of my prayer , maybe it offered some comfort but because they had a glimpse of the other side and that smile was the last impression on her face.

 It is not my intention to belittle anyones pain - certainly that needs to be dealt with either by prayer or  a physician. My experience has been the fear that follows pain is often worse than the pain itself, anxiety brought on by pain , even emotional can often lead to a heart attack. Jesus understood this and states ,"neither let it be afraid." Coping with fear or anxiety is something we can practice ahead of time. Think of a better time in your life , perhaps a favorite place or a word of inspiration. The worst thing you can do is let   fear grow. I know phobias are also real for some, fear of water, of heights,of being alone, of being in a crowd. Wow! thats a contrast some people actually afraid of crowds and others of being alone! Fear can muster itself in all kinds of disguises. The greatest is fear of the unknown , so here we have it  being afraid of things that are known and the unknown!

 It almost is sad, to think many spend their entire lives living in that fear of the unknown. That is why we need to establish our faith ahead of time. It is something like filling a canteen before crossing a desert or carrying a lantern into a cave. Why not fill your hearts with faith before crossing the divide between this world and the next. I always think of Psalms 23 , and it is often a favorite of the jewish faith - read at most jewish funerals and others.

 My only hope is my relative not be overwhelmed by fear. I think of a wound as pain and the bleeding as fear , we need to stop the bleeding before dealing with the pain. Calm your fears, then act on the pain. Jesus recognized these are both real issues we must confront and deal with.
-Pray for you Donna and all the millions of people going through Pain and Fear.
amen.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pain-of-reality-and-fear-of-unknown/

The Heart of a Child

 For some reason I have been dwelling on the words of Jesus saying about children, that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I guess it all started with watching some children color in a coloring book.
We could all use a little color in our lives at times. It made me content just to see them interested in something beside a video game or television. It was then that a castle came into my mind a bridge and a moat around the castle. The moat seemed to represent the complex religions of the world. The bridge the simplicity of Love , Hope and Forgiveness or the hand of a friend. In the moat they were swimming in circles of polluted mud and all crawly things. The children were walking over the bridge joy in their eyes heading toward the castle. Now some will say I have quite an imagination but these are the pictures that come into mind about religion and simple truths.
 I was attending a regular bible study , it was a nice social time sharing coffee , donuts and the bible. The study got deep into the hebrew translations and at first it was interesting. Then I realized all the many interpretations and directions things can take. Each person in the room all of the same church but many perceptions. Sometimes I think we need to put on our children's glasses and accept the simple truths. We just need to add some color to our faith. I enjoy being with other christians and especially those that are willing to share good testimonies.
  The heart of a child is so pure ,  and also  I have met a lot of elderly that have managed to maintain that purity throughout their lives, they are the real deal.
Thank you , Jesus.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/god-is-eternal/

Picnic or Panic

 Well it's summer  time for family gatherings and picnics. This year we decided to have a large family gathering in the state park over 100 attending. In years past we always held these gatherings but this is the first time for me as a grandfather and it is nice to pass on the tradition to our grandchildren. The whole concept of eating outdoors amongst friends and nature is just memorable. We usually play guitars, banjos and fiddles - yes we are a wild bunch. I have to say many are not christians but we grew up together, somehow the house got divided.
 Half my family are very devout christians and half are very devout party persons. We meet out of love for each other and some may panic because of the strange combination. My cousins are very close almost like brothers and sisters. We all lived in the same block or within walking distance growing up, now in different states and parts of the country. We still get together for fellowship and share our childrens pictures and stories. I remember visiting each relative and telling them about christ over 30 years  ago it was my mission to reach all members of the family. To this day when a relative is in the hospital - will take a ride out of the way home from work and stop to visit them.
 We all lived hard lives but the ones that turned to christ are still there, and their children seem to have more joy. Christ changes you but also the next generation , this is something of an experiment over 35 years. Seeing the difference in the 2 camps , so to speak -the new generation of faith is the best reward one could ask for. I always feel that it is necessary to come together with the other camp and remiss of old times , not just hang around with the saved. Jesus often would reach out to worldly , stay at their homes. He was often ridiculed for this , imagine eating and drinking with worldly, but he did.
“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost”
We can never be to proud to think we are better than others , we are just fortunate to have found grace and if we separate ourselves completely from the worldly will never reach them. It always baffled me in contradiction there was a word, come out from amongst them and touch not the unclean, yet Jesus did not adhere to that he was the living word but yet lived amongst the sinners. I think Jesus meant for us not to be monks and separatist but live in the world as an example. As hard as it may seem - we sometimes have to go to dark places to be a beacon of light. Many missionaries have settled in villages where they were not wanted , some go to prisons. I tried prison ministry stuck my neck out a few times for some troubled souls , got them jobs , places to live. It seems like they were appreciative but in honesty most returned to their own vomit. Prison ministry was many lessons learned , I think truthfully God wanted to touch the lost but some just were not reachable. Some persons do have a gift for that ministry , after years of trying I only reached a few.
 I will not go into details it would be a breach of trust but you do not need go far to help a young man or woman, before they go to prison is my belief. Prevention is the best cure. Don't panic if you made the same mistakes I have, cause you can be a mentor and make a lasting impression. Reach the younger crowd while there is still hope.
  Back to picnics wrote a poem about an inanimate object that diverts away from  usual thinking but reminds me of family get togethers.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-picnic-table/

Raising the ceiling.

  The term raising the ceiling has gained popularity lately. Partly because we have over extended our
spending in this country I call home. We spent trillions on war , aid to persons inside and nations
abroad. Yet - much of the country is still without decent healthcare , decent living wages and many
have lost their family homes. I do not blame the leaders totally but everyone that has allowed their
thoughts to be controlled by commercialism. Even our children cry out for the happy meal while driving
by the golden arches of the happy clown.


  Now its time to raise the ceiling, the ceiling of debt. We are already knee deep in you know what but
is that the only answer? What happens when we raise the ceiling Wall street will be dancing again but
will it change the common mans way of life. Will health care get better? Will people get back to their
homes? No. In our spiritual life we can contemplate debt, but as a christian we have none. I am happy
to report not owing any debt it is the least thing on my mind- spiritually. I did not pay the debt - Christ
did and many religions would have you think otherwise. With debt comes control of the group that holds
the lean. My how some will use the sin card almost like a credit card, and raise the ceiling if needed. To
me it is an opposite - lower your standards is actually raising the ceiling.


 I think the wisdom of the common man was neither a borrower or a lender be. Perhaps this was not
understood by americans in a capitalist society that would be a no, no. We see more and more banks

rising out of the concrete to be sure that they will out grow the golden arches. Why to bring us more into 

debt , believe me the debt ceiling will be raised because otherwise how will all the politicians get paid. 

They will be paid on credit , and everyone will be happy at least for a few more years. In the meantime 

we will be asked to take a pay cut , yes beware the average worker will get the cuts.

  I do not want to dwell on this because it disturbs me that we are so gullible , we will be effected. I 

remember in biblical times there was a year of jubilee. In that year all debts are forgiven , it was a unique 

way of dealing with a debt crisis. Lets just zero out all the balances and start fresh - this almost sounds 

like christianity and islam too. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, 

some replace the trespass with the word debt- the Lords Prayer in part. What? Islam teaches the Lords 

prayer? Yes. This is the greatest thing we have in common - the Lords prayer. We also have different 

beliefs but actually accepting the Lords prayer to me is a step in the right direction.

My reading in the Quran - as it relates to the Holy Christian bible both teach the forgiveness of debt.


  I was asked to lend some money to a relative- learned a lesson. The relative was down on luck and 

sadly it was a demise because they avoided my company afterwards. Not being able to pay the debt, I 

soon realized it was happening and visited the relative, asked them to forgive me and became the beggar 

of sorts forgiving the debt between us. It taught me jubilee is not such a bad thing, they were honorable 

and kept insisting on repayment but I knew unless tides changed it was better just to clean the slate.

  We need to deliver on the Lords prayer and forgive not just raise the ceiling.