What Should We Believe?

 

The passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was quietly knifing its way through the waters of the mid-Pacific on its way from Vancouver to Australia. The navigator had just finished working out a star fix and brought Captain John DS. Phillips, the result. The Warrimoo's position was LAT 0º 31' N and LONG 179 30' W. The date was 31 December 1899. "Know what this means?" First Mate Payton broke in, "We're only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line". Captain Phillips was prankish enough to take full advantage of the opportunity to achieve the navigational freak of a lifetime. He called his navigators to the bridge to check & double check the ship's position. He changed course slightly so as to bear directly on his mark. Then he adjusted the engine speed. The calm weather & clear night worked in his favor. At mid-night, the SS Warrimoo lay on the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line! The consequences of this bizarre position were many: The forward part (bow) of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere & in the middle of summer. The rear (stern) was in the Northern Hemisphere & in the middle of winter. The date in the aft part of the ship was 31 December 1899. In the bow (forward) part it was 1 January 1900. This ship was therefore not only in: Two different days, Two different months, Two different years, Two different seasons But in two different centuries - all at the same time!

How much of this tale can be true or proven is all based on those aboard the SS Warrimoo, which at the time was observed to be in the general area of the incident. Of course, there’s a twist in the story with a sidenote of Mark Twain, once aboard the SS Warrimoo while on a yearlong world tour to help pay off some of his debtors, was authoring a book, “Following the Equator” in 1895-1897. Seems a similar tale is recorded in the book as Twain’s twisted mind conjured up the idea of possibility. Who knows?

We today have more important things to converse and worry about like the unlawful actions of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Incarceration) and UFO’s (Unidentified Flying Objects), oh wait a minute, sorry, UAP’s (Unidentified Areial Phenomena). On one hand, right is wrong, patriotism is terrorism, the family is a conspiracy cult, and belief in God and following His laws and regulations for righteous living is somehow destructive to the natural order of mankind’s behavior - not the world I grew up in or the life God intended for us to live. On the other hand, there are Congressional Hearings being held to investigate UAP’s. All I can say is, if other beings are visiting earth from another part of the universe, there just isn’t much we can do about it. If these sightings are of a spiritual nature, then the end is near. Just another smokescreen to divert attention away from the lawlessness of the present administration. I believe we actually survive all this 21^st century foolishness and what we’re observing are test flights of time travelers. Who knows?

[Psalm 8:3-6; 2 Peter 3:7-10] I stand with the psalmist, in awe of the fact that in the universe God has made, He is mindful of me, a microscopic speck in all creation. I believe all of creation was made for mankind, the occupants of earth and no others. Peter writes that when the end of this age comes, the time when our spirits (we are made in His image – Genesis 1:26-27 – spiritual) will return to God, and all of creation will be consumed with fire, then all will be gone – earth, sun, moon, galaxies, everything! We can attempt to come up with all kinds of scenarios to change the narrative, but no one can deny the truth in the end. A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) is being developed to create a new collective (Star Trek Borg) to better mankind. The best life is a Biblical life in the family of God.

A Saucer Full Of Wants

 

An overnight guest at the White House was having breakfast with President Calvin Coolidge in the morning, and he wanted to make a good impression on the president. He noticed that Coolidge, having been served his coffee, took the coffee cup, poured some of its contents into the cup’s saucer, and leisurely added a bit of sugar and cream. Not wanting to breach any etiquette, the visitor followed the commander in chief’s lead, and poured some of his coffee into his saucer and added sugar and cream. Then he waited for the president’s next move. He was horrified to see the president place the saucer on the floor for his cat! Whether we realize it or not, people are watching us and are influenced by who and what we are, and what we are doing with our life.

I tell that little quip because I feel so embarrassed for many of our elected officials and the direction they are taking this country and the world. They have been duped and convinced to follow ridiculous ideals to improve societies and environments that any person in their right mind can see that society and the environment are only being destroyed through these practices. Our elected representatives have been influenced by unelected and appointed, whether officially or self-appointed around the world, people who pose themselves as “scientists” and “experts” on everything from finances to environment, spouting what is best for the world to “survive” mankind. Our Congress has been simply and blindly following their lead now for years without investigating any truth behind their claims or any long-term consequences. Now that whistle-blowers are starting to come forward with truths and facts many are standing around with a saucer full of money not knowing what to do next. A bigger government and more control of the people is what’s on the horizon with a worldwide digital currency and ID system – very soon.

[Matthew 16:26] Which is more important – the physical life one can see, feel, taste, hear, or – the spiritual life that lasts an eternity? Sadly, mankind has continued to answer the question by the way life is being lived; the physical life is more important. From Adam and Eve giving into their desire, David wanting another man’s wife, Judas’ love of money, to today, mankind lives in a way that would suggest they don’t believe in the hereafter or that there will be consequences for not seeking God first (Matthew 6:33). On the one day of the week the Lord sets aside for the worshipping and praising of Him, many do not bother. The rest of the week, people who call themselves Christians live just like the rest of the world. So, back to the Lord’s question, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Not much it seems. One won’t give up sports or other secular activities. One won’t often give up sinful habits. One won’t give up their time to sleep on Sunday morning. That’s pretty cheap labor for the devil. People are willing to sell their soul for things that aren’t even good for their physical self. One could maybe see someone selling their soul to ensure the safety of another’s soul, but to sell one’s soul for alcohol, drugs, forsaking worship, sports, etc., a saucer full of wants, unbelievable! But it happens every day.

Is your soul secure? Or have you sold it to the devil for some trifle thing or activity? Please don’t get me wrong here. Life is meant to be enjoyed. All I’m saying is, the health of your soul (spirit) is more important, for the body will pass away, and we don’t know when, but the soul goes forward to live forever. Only healthy, sinless souls go to heaven. Take your soul back by turning back to God and put Him first in your life. After a while it will become a habit that you wouldn’t dare or want to break. Don’t sell your soul for anything! Jesus died to save your soul. Don’t give such a priceless treasure away!

Do What You Can To Help

 

A mighty warrior riding a magnificent horse was flying down the road, his cape fluttering in the wind behind him. The common folk made sure they got out of his way clearing the road for his passing. He noticed, however, directly in his path in the middle of the road, a sparrow. The bird was lying on its back with its feet sticking straight up in the air. The equestrian stopped and got off his horse and went over to the sparrow and asked, “Are you dead? And if not, what are you doing in the middle of the road with your feet in the air?” “No,” answered the bird, “I’m not dead, but I heard the sky might fall down and I’m helping to hold it up.” The warrior shook with laughter. He rolled on the ground and at last he wiped the tears from his eyes and said, “You silly bird! Even if the sky did fall down, what difference could you possibly make with those puny, spindly legs?” “Well,” exclaimed the sparrow. “You do what you can do to help.”

[Romans 1:18-2:11] Jeroboam II was the thirteenth ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He reigned for forty-one years (793-753 B.C.) during those days when both Jonah and Amos were doing their prophetic work. In the 250-year history of northern Israel his reign was one of the most prosperous. He successfully conducted wars against Syria, and he recaptured territory that Israel had not possessed since the days of David. During this era, Israel was very stable economically. Trades routes developed and wealth poured into the nation. The upper classes especially prospered, with certain families growing very wealthy in the acquisition of both land and money. In view of his remarkable success as a political leader, one would think that Jeroboam’s leadership would have been heralded in the Old Testament record, but that is not the case. The Bible largely ignores his administration. Jeroboam’s entire regime has been recorded in just seven verses (2 Kings 14:23-29). And this is his brief epitaph – “…he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.” This account, as well as others, clearly reveals the fact that the Lord does not evaluate political administrations in the same way men do. Of a political leader who has built roads, increased revenues, expanded boundaries, and created better living conditions, most would say, “He was a great leader!” However, it is not riches that make a great nation, it is righteousness (Proverbs 14:34). It is not fortune, but faith. It is not smooth highways, but spiritual homes! It is superficial how Americans generally evaluate national leaders today. They want to know – can he lower taxes? Not - can he reduce moral corruption? Will he generate jobs? Rather than asking – will he attempt to initiate a regeneration of the nation’s ethical policies? Can he produce a higher quality of economic living? Or will he support a lower, sleazier level of laws that will accommodate and promote debauched lifestyles? What each citizen should be asking about potential leaders is: Does he acknowledge God as a sovereign over the nation? Does he seek to help the innocent and downtrodden find a fair level of justice? Does he value the sacredness of human life; of humanity as being in the “image” of the creator? (Genesis 9:6). Does he act on principle, or is his approach the way of political pragmatism? Will he labor for the stability of the human family, the divine arrangement of marriage between one man and one woman, or will he cater to special interest groups who craft their own values from the perversity of their self-indulgent lifestyles? Any individual who is swayed more by economic stability rather than moral stability has revealed a lot of information relative to the content of his character. Such are oblivious to the truth that prosperity is the result of goodness. Hold your hands up to heaven. Pray for our country. Do what you can to help.

What's Your Hurry?

 

I felt like being a little nostalgic this week. There’s an old “Peanuts” comic strip that shows Charlie Brown and Schroeder walking in a deep discussion. Schroeder asks, “Is Snoopy a hunting dog?” “I guess he is in a way,” says Charlie Brown. Schroeder then asks, “What does he hunt, animals or birds?” “Neither” says Charlie, “What he hunts for mostly is an easier way of life.”

Here’s something to think about. It’s Saturday evening about 1921. You live on a farm. You have worked hard in the fields and doing chores all week. You go to the well and draw enough water to fill a large wash tub. Water is heated on a wood burning stove to break the chill of the cold well water. You use a cake of homemade soap to bathe with. You always want to be first in the tub before the rest of the family who will share the same bath water. If things go well, you’ll get to take another bath next Saturday night. Bringing the song “Count Your Blessings” to mind I can’t help but compare life today to what it was fifty years ago. Most people, and many Christians among them, are not very thankful for even the simple things that make life better. The greatest of all blessings is the blessing of is being able to hear and obey the Gospel of Christ. For most, the only thing denying this blessing in one’s life is going to get it. Many in the world can have this opportunity only with great difficulty and at times even under persecution. The Gospel offers the hope of salvation (Romans 1:16). The Gospel obeyed takes away our sins (Acts 2:38). The Gospel, neglected, costs one dearly.

I watch some antenna TV and there are channels that run shows from the simpler days of life. I was watching “The Andy Griffith Show” recently. Since the show began in 1960, I can remember with great fondness Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Opie, Goober, Gomer, Floyd, and the rest of the Mayberry characters as they entertained us with their humor and wisdom as well, along with some good moral teaching. One of the shows entitled, “What’s Your Hurry?” delt with a sermon that a visiting minister delivered one Sunday morning. Dr. Breen, all the way from New York City, extolled the value of rest and relaxation as he thundered his all-important question to the audience that day, “What’s your hurry?” Andy and his family and the gang talked about the minister’s message after Sunday lunch. They agreed that their lives were too busy, and they needed to do things that mattered and were relaxing and enjoyable. Reminiscing about the “good old days” they talked about when they used to have Sunday afternoon concerts on the town square. Someone mentioned they ought to do that again and before you knew it, they all started running around trying to organize a concert for that very afternoon. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong with their plans. Andy couldn’t get the band to sound like it used to. Aunt Bee and Mrs. Edwards found out how bad the band uniforms had deteriorated. Barney and his sidekicks found out that the gazebo’s foundation was rotten beyond repair, too unsafe to be used. Disgusted, they all ended up at Andy’s house worn out and frustrated by hurrying around so much. Ironically, the minister comes by to find them there and remarks that he is glad to see that they have followed the advice of his sermon. Andy invited him to come in and stay a while, but the minister says that he must be running on. The show concludes with Andy saying to the minister, “What’s your hurry?”

[Psalm 46:10] I know that this was just a television show. What’s sad is that too many of us are living this kind of life every day! The psalmist wrote, “Be still and know that I am God.” Maybe we ought to revisit Snoopy and hunt for a more fulfilling way of life.

God Save America!

 

Well, “Happy Birthday America!” Here we are 247 years down the road from the day brave and courageous men representing the Thirteen Colonies signed the Declaration of Independence separating themselves from the tyranny of King George of England. This led to the written contract we know as the Constitution of The United States of America forming a previously unknown new style of government by the people, for the people, with elected representation in the government that has promised to uphold the laws of the nation protecting her citizens from enemies, foreign and domestic, attempting to take away their freedoms found in their God given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Her citizens promised to live upright and moral lives based upon the righteous teachings of God’s Word as they formed state governments and applied to join the Union becoming a part of these United States. (Read the preamble of all our state constitutions.)

So, what happened? Here we are stuck in a malfunctioning government headed toward tyranny and putting its citizens back in a position of “taxation without representation” as was the case under King George! Those who are attempting to change the lifestyle of the “real” America, and the rest of the world for that matter, aren’t even elected persons by any nation on earth. Why are we caving into their wishes? Where have our elected representatives gone? God has become a disgusting thought in the minds of those who now worship money and Satan himself! Not only has our government failed to uphold their promise of protecting its citizens, but the citizens of these United States have failed in their promise to live righteous, moral, family oriented, Godly, lives! Trust me, it’s all about to fall apart, and the crying is about to begin – there is no free lunch.

[Matthew 16:26] One of the most tragic accidents that ever happened came about in the Mid-Atlantic on April 14, 1912. The Titanic, one of the largest vessels of all time, hit an iceberg and sank within a few hours. Many stories of heroism and courage have been written about this incident. Many women chose to go to their death with their husbands. An elderly single woman, who was allotted space on a lifeboat, asked permission to return to her stateroom. She was given five minutes, no more. In the room money and jewels were scattered all over the floor, but she took no heed of the earthly wealth. Rather, she sacked three oranges and hurried back to the boat. It seems almost incredible that the woman preferred oranges to diamonds. But, you see, death had boarded the Titanic, and with one blast of its awful breath, transformed all values – precious things became worthless and worthless things became precious.

Death has a funny way of changing things. All the things we work for and worry about seem reasonable until they are viewed in the light of our own death. The pursuit of pleasurable things seems most reasonable until one ponders the grave. Death just has a way of changing one’s perspective. The things that happened on the Titanic happen every day in real life. But remember - values transformed at death are values transformed too late! Will you transform your values today? “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Is it too late to survey our values and ideals in the light of a dying America? What’s most important to you right now will soon be gone as these United States transform into a third world country for the sake of “equality.” Our freedom of speech is all but totally censored, and the truth declared as “hate-speech” - including God’s Word. God did bless America, but I think no longer (Romans 1:18-32). We must now beg, “God save America.”