Which Side Is Up?

I think the world has flipped its lid and it’s getting harder every day to keep from thinking and acting like the world. Newspapers are nearly void of believable, comprehensive information and television news is full of people who could be in trouble for their alleged actions in this or that. The truth about anything is generally buried in so much political correctness it takes a PHD to unravel the nomenclature. My selection of two dozen, out of two hundred, television channels, seems to be narrowing as the “idiot box” becomes more like a carnival sideshow every new season. Paul Harvey warned that we are becoming a nation of people well educated beyond our intelligence. I say if we keep homogenizing everything there’ll be no cream of the crop to float to the top, anymore. Non-monetary goals and moral responsibilities are fading with our once bright youth who have their brains swimming in an electronic fantasy.


I’ve pretty much decided that when I’m old and feeble, unable to properly care for myself, and someone decides it’s time for me to enter into some sort of “retirement” facility, I want to go to a federal prison. A few weeks back, radio personality, Art Ferguson, a.k.a. Charlie Tuna, had a short essay to share with his listeners, one that makes you want to go, hmmm. It was titled, “Put The Seniors In Jail and The Criminals In A Nursing Home”. Seniors would have access to showers, hobbies and walks. They would receive unlimited free medicine prescriptions, dental and medical treatments, wheelchairs, walkers, etc. Bedding would be washed twice a week. Simple clothing – i.e. shoes, slippers, jumpsuits, PJ’s - would be regularly washed and ironed, and returned to them. All meals and snacks would be brought to them. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library and legal aid would be free, upon request. Weight/fitness room, spiritual counseling and free admission to in-house concerts by nationally recognized entertainment artist would be available to all residents. There will be private, secure rooms for all residents, with an outdoor exercise yard complete with gardens. Each senior will have a P.C., T.V. and radio in their room at no cost and they could receive daily phone calls. A guard would check on them every twenty minutes. The guards would have a code of conduct to be strictly adhered to, with attorneys available, at no charge, to protect the seniors and their families from abuse and neglect. There would be a board of directors to hear any complaints and the ACLU would fight for their rights and protection. As for the criminals: They would receive cold food, most of the time. They would be left alone and unsupervised for most of every day. They would receive a shower once a week, if they weren’t too much trouble. They would live in a tiny room, for which they would have to pay $5000 a month. And, they would have no hope for ever getting out.

[2 Peter 1:12 - 2:10] It’s hard to believe, but it is estimated that there are some 40,000 distinct denominations of Christianity in the world today. The simple truth of God’s Word is being skewed by educated false teachers. Peter said, “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies…” (2:1). The writers of Biblical scripture were guided by the Holy Spirit (1:21) and were eye witnesses (1:16) of what they wrote about. How can anyone justify adding to or subtracting from an eye-witness account? Follow God’s Word and find the only church that Jesus built. Despise authority, suffer eternally.

The Duck Test

      Why are fire trucks red? Fire trucks have four wheels and eight firefighters, and 4 plus 8 equals 12. There are twelve inches in a foot. A foot is a ruler. Queen Elizabeth is a ruler and the Queen Elizabeth is one of the largest ships on the seven seas. Seas have fish. Fish have fins. The Fins fought the Russians. The Russians are red. Fire trucks are always rushin’. Therefore, fire trucks are usually red. Then there is the obvious. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck; so call it a duck. As much as I don’t like it, it seems the Lance Armstrong investigation evidences are painting a real picture of “doping” in a panoramic view of brilliant colors I never saw coming. There seems to be evidence of cheating from cycling participants, coaches, judges and even the officials of the governing body of the events association. Very sad days for the sports world, having Armstrong and others confess to their misgivings. I’m still not fully convinced of his selfish actions and at the moment I’m holding true to the feeling that Armstrong is folding under pressure that he can’t make go away without turning off the spotlight, himself. My logical thinking started out reasoning that Armstrong had been painted red by some crazy conspiracy group, but when the “Duck Test” is applied the heroic athlete is beginning to look like a dope.


      After pulling a farmer over for speeding, the state trooper started to lecture him about his speed, pompously implying he didn’t know any better and trying to make him feel as uncomfortable as possible. He finally started writing out the ticket, but had to keep swatting at some flies buzzing around his head. The farmer said, “Having some problems with those circle flies are ya?” The trooper paused to take another swat and said, “Well, yes, if that’s what they are. I’ve never heard of circle flies.” The farmer was pleased to enlighten the officer, “Circle flies are common on farms. They call ‘em circle flies because you almost always find them circlin’ the back end of a horse.” The trooper stopped writing and said, “Hey! Are you trying to call me a horse’s behind?” “Oh, no, officer”, said the farmer, “I have too much respect for the law to do that.” “That’s a good thing,” the officer said rudely, then continued to write the ticket. After a long pause, the farmer quietly mentioned, “It’s hard to fool them flies, though.”

      [Romans 16: 17-19] “All scripture is God breathed…” (1 Timothy 3:16); “…men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1: 19-21); therefore, the writers and the writings of the Bible are exactly as God wants them presented to you and me. When the “21st century church”, is held up to the 1st century church described in the New Testament, one notices some personalized differences. No where in the scriptures is there a provision for adjusting the structure of the church to “fit” the social ideals of the times. In fact, mankind is warned several times in God’s Word, do not add to or take away from that which God has proclaimed. I am fully convinced that I cannot bend, twist or break any of the decrees of God without suffering consequences for doing so. Ananias and Sapphira, (Acts 5:1-11) lied to the Holy Spirit about the money they were giving. Was it wrong for them to keep a portion of the money from the land sale? No. But when they said it was the full amount, then, they committed a selfish sin. God’s Word is not whimsical or difficult to understand. God’s Word can be used to apply the Duck Test to all aspects of life and living. Follow God, not the hearts of men.

Unified Like Mercury

      The flu season always conjures up some childhood memories. I can remember one particular year; I was probably 5, maybe 6-years-old, when the whole family was down with the illness. We lived in a two story house, the bedrooms on the second floor, and to save steps and energy my mother had us children all on a make-shift bed in the first floor dinning room where she could nurse us all at once. My mother was blind in one eye and couldn’t see out of the other posing challenges for her rearing of four children, but we all swore she had eyes in the back of her head. Anyway, I don’t know if you remember the old mercury thermometer or not, but the glass tube thermometer had to be shaken violently to compress the mercury back to a state below body temperature. I can picture it now, my mother shaking that thing and striking something solid in her apron pocket and breaking the glass tube spilling the mercury out on the floor. The, “Don’t touch that” warning meant nothing to four, totally bored out of their minds, children. I guess you know one can’t pick up mercury with the fingers. The more it gets squeezed the more it separates and runs away. But, one can also coax it back together to make one puddle. The game was soon foiled when mom returned to clean up the spill, but the game was instantly on again as the comedy unfolded watching her futile attempts in picking up the elusive metallic puddle. I think she finally got it cleaned up with the help of my brother and a couple of spoons in spite of all the laughter while chasing the mischievous mobile metal. Now they tell us it’s dangerous.


      I couldn’t help but draw a parallel in my mind of this story and the repetitive statement, “Congress, and government in general, are broken”. Like mercury escaped from its confines, government officials, on all levels, seem unable to come together on any decisions. There are champions of the American public that attempt to coax our representatives back together on issues, only to have some fractured group or lobbyist come along, to again, splatter them out into every unreasonable realm of thinking. It’s hard for me to believe that the American public wants to immortalize Caesar on a coin to cover our debts. The wise thing to do is; Stop buying things we don’t need; With money we don’t have; To impress people we don’t even like. Wise advice for all.

      [Ephesians 4] The church is the spiritual kingdom of God and Christ. Paul writes that the unity of church fellowship can only be accomplished through unity in the Spirit. The church is all about God and the thoughts of the world have no part in it. The members of the church must become one, the body of Christ, “…so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (v. 12,13). Why? “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful schemes” (v.14). The body of Christ cannot be unified with the properties of mercury. One cannot live in the body as he lived in the world, yet one can live in the world as he lives in the body. Just think what kind of government we would enjoy if our representatives carried the words of God (vs. 17-32) into the law-making chambers of Congress. Just think of the wonderful life we could all enjoy if all God’s children would live His Word. Don’t just be a reader, be a doer.

Who's In Charge Here?

      Do you remember the “Keystone Cops” and their antics on the silver screen? The comedic “gang” of actors was support in several movies running about with no direction of organization. The term Keystone Cops has since been used to criticize any group for its mistakes, particularly if the mistakes happened after a great deal of energy and activity, or if there was a lack of coordination among the members of the group. The more things change; the more they seem to stay the same, in some cases. How many bed sheets does it take to descend a twenty-story building? How many cops does it take to discover two inmates are missing from the twentieth floor of a Chicago high-rise Federal Prison? How long does one need to be incarcerated before he has collected enough materials to knot together a two hundred foot bed-sheet rope, fashion life-like dummies to resemble sleeping bodies in two beds and dig a hole through an external wall through which escape is possible? And do all this without arousing any suspicion! Two convicted bank robbers did this in less than two months, another clear-cut case that the inmates are still running the asylum and the Keystone Cops are guarding them. The Feds want to know why you’re buying so many guns. The blind leading the blind.


      I know a lady who can write a poem of love to soothe the situation of any tragedy and, in my opinion, she’s done it again. I would like to share her thoughts as she dedicated a poem to the memory of those of Newtown, Connecticut.

      “A Glimpse of Heaven” by Ruby Taylor Leonard. “Little children – Oh how sweet; Are playing now; At Jesus’ feet. Little hearts; As pure as gold – Are resting now; In the Shepherd’s fold. Angles are watching over them; As they go out to play; Sunshine and flowers; Greet them each day. No pain, no sorrow; No tears are there. If you’ll only ask Him; He’ll join you in prayer. By faith we’ll all see Him; and join them some day; Where all of our sorrows; Are taken away. They’ll be running to meet you; With arms open wide – Jesus will be there; To take you inside.”

      [1 Peter 2:19-25] It was a Saturday and he was doing some chores in the house. The front door was open, but the storm glass door was closed. Suddenly, he heard something hit the glass door, hard! Had someone thrown a rock or an out of control baseball? As he ran to the door he saw two objects lying on the porch. One, a dead white-wing dove. The other, a magnificent red-wing hawk, its wings spread out and its head motionless on the concrete. Evidently, the dove, making evasive flight maneuvers to avoid becoming dinner, mistook the glass door as an open pathway and both birds flew head-long into the door. In a few moments the hawk lifted its head and stood on unstable legs trying to regain some sense. Finally, it spread its wings and flew off, without its prize. There was nothing evil in the act. The dove and the hawk were both acting on the instincts God gave them. Sometimes I feel like the dove and other time the hawk. Like the dove, I’m going about life minding my business when something sinister enters without warning and like the hawk, here I am about to get something good I’ve worked hard for and an unexpected wall looms up to abruptly stop me. In either case, disappointment is the result. I don’t like it, but I’m okay with it. “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscience of God” (v.19) When I’m reminded I’m not in charge, my faith grows.