churches*

It seems there are never two churches alike. Most times they are as individual as the people they are made up of. I've been looking for months. Found some good ones, but just didn't feel quite right for one reason or another. There are no perfect churches just like there are no perfect people. I have come along way from when it was only the church I grew up in and thought I could only hear truth thru that organization. I've been to undenominational, Baptist, Black Baptist, Assembly of God, Four Square and other flavours also. I have visited Hope Church twice now and do want to go back. I believe it is a good place. I have heard a challenging word both times. The worship is good, and they sang one of my favourite hymns both times, "The Love of God". Not that that song is a defining attribute, it's not. I have been blessed by the majority of churches I've attended in the past. Some of my earliest memories of church are from when I was a child. Bro Kruckenburg use to pay me a nickel to sit with him. I use to think he liked me, now I think he was trying to help my parents out with all their kids. I learned some good stuff. I learned some stuff, Boeing was trying to teach us years later calling it ethics/ good business. I seem to keep learning or maybe it is relearning things I have forgotten. Church is an institution God created and blessed to sometimes sand the rough edges off us his children. One thing about churches to keep in mind, it is God that is the one we owe everything to. The Church is just a tool in his hands. If a church goes the wrong direction, some people will go down with the ship. It is God we need that attachment to, not any specific church. There are always people recommending this church or that church and I do the same, I always have. But it is God, Jesus Christ that saves our souls. This is the longest I have ever searched for a church. Some just happened to be the closest church to me. This one is across town from me. I have prayed about it and it seems God never answers the same way twice. I was actually getting discouraged and knew I needed to find a church home. I have no idea if Barbara will like it. There are two people to consider here, Barbara and I. I remember one time in the past that a spouse did not like the church I chose but even almost 20 years later I know I made the right choice at that time. I pray for God's blessing because I really need a church home. God Bless, LVZ.

I think I got it*

All, these years of being a Christian, some 28 years since that night in January 1984 when I recommitted my life to God. I grew up in church, was taught from an early age to tithe. I believe I have been blessed because of that practice. I remember trying to be a cheerful giver and giving anyway hoping God would bring the Joy later. I remember one time thinking that it is actually a form of worship etc. But one of the key verses of the Bible that almost everyone has heard, tells us "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." We hear the story of the good samaritan, that took care of the man left for dead at the side of the road, then left money to care for him until he returned. We hear of the rich young ruler, whom Jesus told " sell all you have and give it to the poor". Example after example of financial giving. This financial giving is oftimes used to demonstrate love for others. I saw a video clip of I think it was Dave Ramsey, talking about this subject. He was saying when he started out as a Christian, and people were telling him to give, that God needs my money, he didn't understand it came from God. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and created the hills underneath them. He created the stars, the galaxy, etc. and he laughs, how funny is that God doesn't need my money. Then the church needs my money, and just like me you may be a trustee or even a treasurer of a church and you see the bills that need to need to be paid, and you think the church needs my money. Then you see a church with a budget 100 times or more than my measly budget and you realize the church don't need my money. They have more than I have already and God always takes care of their needs. I remember Pastor Johns saying if the church needed a battleship it will be in the harbor. We are created in the image of God, the Bible is there to help us become more like Jesus. As we read John 3:16 above, greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. God gave his only begotten Son. God feeds the sparrows. God provides for us day by day. Who is a better giver than God? Who can out give God? He already owns it, if he decided to take me there would just be a grease spot where I was. It is actually funny, God needs my money. He wants us to be givers, followers of his example. That is who God is, a giver. Noone on earth can compare with, or even come close to his giving. That is part of being like him, a giver. Think of some of the greatest examples you know of, they were givers, not selfish. God doesn't need our money, he wants us to be like him. It is funny to think about it, to think God needs our money. God bless, LVZ.

Horoscopes*

I have noticed different ones post the daily Horoscopes on facebook. Psalms 1: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night." This has become more popular in recent times. Horoscopes are linked to astrology, the different signs of the zodiac. This was started some 2000 years ago and they say that now after 2000 + years they are off a full sign because of the way the earth wobbles. This is something we humans have taken advice from instead of going to God himself. Some may not take this seriously, but others may. It is a form of Idolatry, anything that we replace God with is idolatry. We need to continue to seek God for advice, and look to the word of God to find out what kind of person we are. Blessed are those that continue to seek God for advice. Daniel in the Bible was able to give a correct interpretation by going to God. Joseph also was able to interpret Pharaoh's dreams correctly by going to God. The sorcerers and astrologers of their day could not. God is still on his throne and has our very days numbers. He has the number of the hairs on our head counted. Why would we go to something for advice that is now a full sign off? God Bless, LVZ.

deceive*

Ephesians 5:6 "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. I try to keep a positive attitude. But when I read this scripture it puts me in mind that we do need to be watchful what we take in. We have a society that tells us being good is good enough. The Bible tells us "all have sinned", it also says "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." I grew up in a legalistic church and I try to watch myself that I don't return to the same legalism. I have to believe the Bible and accept it, but I want to have a spirit of love in the things I say and do. There is only one Jesus, that died on the cross for you and me. We learn about him from the Bible, from Preachers, from other Christians. It may sound legalistic when we quote Hebrews 10:25, "Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together...", but it is an important part of being a Christian that we meet with other believers for our edification and theirs. We would grow cold and be easy to fall for deceit when we don't stay close. There are all kinds of things that would try and separate us and isolate us from other Christians. Sometimes a hurtful word or action can be directed towards us. Sometimes it can just be life, that draws us away. We need Jesus and other Christians. That verse continues ... "and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." We have to be closer to that day then we were when I started this Christian life. We live in a society that has drawn away from God and the Church. There are so many things that can compete with Church on Sunday Morning. We even have good preachers on television on Sunday morning. But we must not allow this to draw us away and isolate us from other Christians. We must not allow anything to come between us and our God. We can be deceived with vain words, we are human. To me, vain words would be words that have an element of truth in them. I want to be in fellowship with other Christians. I need it, we all need it. This Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for the training I had. I am thankful for the teaching I have had thus far in my life. I am thankful for that night in January 1984 when God got my attention thru a preacher. It was God that touched me that night, it was the reinstatement of a journey that began when I was a young child. I had gotten off track, I had been deceived, but God was watching over me. We each have to give an account of our lives someday. Let us be careful that we can give a good accounting on the day we stand before God almighty. We begin this life with God at some point, and we grow. We do not know it all or learn it all in one brief moment, but it is just like a child growing up, we learn all thru life. We all need a good church home where we can be fed good things. God Bless, LVZ.

When I think of the goodness of Jesus*

When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he has done for me. I want to shout Hallelujah. I was reminded of his goodness and faithfulness. My life has not always been a bed of roses, sometimes it was a bed of thorns. But I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now. Some day I plan to find what eternity is like, either by grave or by the rapture. It is my goal to be like Jesus. I believe the Bible to be true, I believe Jesus died for my sins. I believe he also rose again and is preparing a place for me. I want to make it in, and take somebody with me. II Timothy 1:12 " For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." My soul is in God's hands, God Bless, LVZ.

Dance*

Psalms 149:3 "Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp." Psalms 150:4 "Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs." We visited at a United Methodist Church and I even thought with my preconceived notions how formal this worship was. There was something called the doxology on the program and even a statement "Holy Catholic Church" is something we read. Then during a song, the choir was singing, a moving song at that, an older gentleman in about his eighties got into the aisle and did a few dance moves. This was an eighty-year-old man and his moves were slow, but it just seemed to me it came from his heart in worshiping his God. It reminded me of the scripture above. There are many ways to worship God and many styles of music. Even tithing and giving an offering is a form of worship. God is truly worthy of our worship in any form given from the heart. I've seen more modern versions of dance by youngsters in some less traditional churches. May our praise in whatever form come from the heart. God bless, LVZ.

Sow Mercy*

The Bible does tell us we reap what we sow. The Gaither Vocal Band last Friday sang a song I don't remember too well but the line "sow mercy" has stuck with me all week. Proverbs 14:21 "He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he." There are many verses on mercy. "the merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh." Proverbs 11:17. To obtain mercy we need to give mercy. I believe that natural law is you reap what you sow. If you plow a field and plant corn, corn is what comes up and that is what you harvest. If you plant soybeans, the same thing, that is what you harvest. Sow mercy to reap mercy. Be kind to one another. Mercy is not something we earn, God's undeserved kindness to us, yet the scripture tells us to be merciful. Can we also be merciful to those that really don't deserve it? How do we really sow mercy? As I think on this, that line keeps going thru my head - sow mercy. Sow the good seed, sow mercy wherever you can. As I think on this and the scripture above, I have neighbors I do not like. How do I honor that scripture in my life? Sow Mercy. I can see her now, her weathered skin Old straw hat and crooked grin and she said child, let's make this garden grow. Let's till the soil, and pull some weeds And here's your bag of precious seeds 'Cause grandma's got a secret you should know You always reap exactly what you sow (Chorus) Sow mercy Sow grace Sow kindness Sow faith Words are like water, sprinkled with love You will harvest all your heart's been dreaming of Sow mercy We knelt right there and she took my hand That patch of dirt was Holy land And she said child I learned this long ago Oh, you can bless or curse You can live or die You choose the crop you want in life That's the greatest secret Grandma knows You always reap exactly what you sow Repeat Chorus 'Cause one day God forbid, you act a fool And fall down hard and fast, 'cause life is cruel If you ever reached to help a friend A hand you held might lift you up again What goes around comes back around you know You always reap exactly what you sow Repeat Chorus Complements to Gaither Vocal Band, it is still going thru my head, Sow Mercy was just released in September. God Bless, LVZ.

The Love of God*

This is a classic old hymn that I really like. I heard it sung at the Gaither Homecoming in Tupelo on Friday. It was sung Sunday Morning at Hope Church. This is a song I hope they sing at my funeral should I die before the 2nd coming of Christ. I use to have the third verse printed out on a 3 X 5 card taped to my toolbox when I was a mechanic at Boeing. Could we with ink the ocean fill, that is a lot of ink. And were the skies of parchment made, that is a lot of paper. Were every stalk on earth a Quill, that is a lot of pens. And every man a scribe by trade, that is a lot of writers. It would drain the ocean dry of ink to write about Gods love. There would not be enough paper to hold the stories of everyone changed by God's love. Think of every addict, alcoholic every sinner redeemed by God's grace over the expanse of time. We could tell the story of King David who had a man killed to hide his adultery and then repented. We could tell of the story of Joseph who went thru many things, falsely accused, thrown into prison, but at the end, even he realized it was all part of God's plan to save the human race. And O so many pages would be devoted to the Christ who God sent to the cross for the sins of the world. There wouldn't be room enough for my simple story. How God sent a preacher to talk directly to me from a pulpit at a Revival in Mount Vernon Washington. How that Preacher thought if this isn't God I will never see this man again. He believed it was God prompting him and from the pulpit called out to me, "Leon, when you stand at the Judgement day before God to give an answer for your life. God is not going to ask who hurt you, but simply what have you done with Jesus?" There were tear stains on that alter that night in January 1984, when God washed away the bitterness and hurt that had built up inside of me. The Love of God had penetrated the hurt that had been keeping me from even going inside the doors of a church. I'll never forget that night, I thought, I am strong enough to sit thru another church service, even if they are all hypocrites. You could tell the story of the slave trader who wrote Amazing Grace. Of Billy Graham, of Johnathan Edwards the preacher during the last great awakening in America. George Mcdonald, Billy Sunday, and what about all the little people whose name we do not know over the centuries? Would there be room enough to write it all? There is another song - There is Room at the Cross for you. There is still room for one. The Love Of God: 1.   The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.  Refrain: Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure— The saints' and angels’ song. 2.When hoary time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call, God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song. 3. Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. God Bless, LVZ.

post election*

In thinking about a lot of back and forth comments that surfaced of Facebook since the election and it seems there have been some hurt feelings between relatives. So with that in mind, I want to be careful with what I write today. I said it would be like this in my blog on October 12th, God is in control. Acts 24:16 "And herein do I exercise myself, to always have a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men." I hope I can do that today in this blog, not offend anyone. I have a lot of contact with black people just because I am married to Barbara because I have been a member of a mostly Black congregation of one church or another for some 16 years or so. Most have been very liberal in their thinking and it seems to me a great many have voted for Obama simply because he is black. But the African Americans for many elections have voted democratic in large numbers. I have heard as high as 95% to 98%. Recently a young black woman was verbally abused when she stated she supported Romney on facebook or maybe it was on twitter. Called everything from a house nigger to being told she forgot where she came from. It was brutal. So here is my question today: if this election had been Romney a Mormon on the democratic ticket running on a typical democratic platform for bigger government/tax the rich etc. and Obama, a black man running on a typical Republican ticket, smaller government / pro-business, etc. would you vote have been for the same party or for the same individual? God bless, LVZ.

What now*

Our election is over. The Democrats and Republicans are thru slandering their opposition. Now after all these harsh words have been said - they need to work together. The conservatives that feel Obama will be the death of this nation and surprise, the liberals that felt Romney would be the death of this nation, now need to work together. We are all looking to a man, either Obama or to Romney to fix this nation. It will not happen. We are looking at the wrong source. It doesn't matter if it is for personal issues or National issues, we need to look to God. Psalms 33:16 and on. Horses and might are not going to save us. We need God - individually and collectively as a nation. Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. We have been slowly moving away from God as a nation and we do need to return to God. Our younger generation does not believe this was a nation dependent on God ever. I do believe this nation is in trouble. I will put this in as simple of terms as I can. We are becoming a nation of takers. No longer do we think in terms of John Kennedy, Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. There are not enough rich people to take from. Here goes. If it takes ten apples to live for each individual and in my grandfather's generation there were 11 kids in the family. if each of them made 11 apples, that would give them 1 apple to use for the support of their parents. there are two parents, that would require 20 apples to live. that would give from the children's generation 11 apples when 20 are needed. Take now my generation, 2 parents and two kids, you can already see the math doesn't add up. there are not enough apples. we have only a few rich people that have millions of apples. But we have millions of people that don't want to work to be supported by the rich persons apples. It does not take long and there are not enough apples. We are becoming a nation of takers, and it does not work. It does get the votes as we have seen. We need God to intervene in our Nation, we really do. We take away the rich mans incentive to get more apples and he goes elsewhere to get his apples and we blame the wrong people. We really do need God. God Bless, LVZ.