Wednesday, May 27, 2015

It is unfair

I do not know how to say what I want to say in this blog without pissing someone off. I hate the latest video that I saw about police tasing and pepper spraying a man having a stroke. These unfortunate video's always get viewed the most. Lets think about this for a minute. Michael Vic, I think that's the name of the football player a few years back that was fighting dogs on the side. Got into a lot of trouble but when his jail time was over, another team picked him up. I wish we were so forgiving to our police officers when they make a mistake. Or how about the Rice fellow that was caught on an elevator video abusing his girlfriend. If you are good at sports, a lot can be overlooked. Its not fair. These sports stars get paid to much anyway. But Police officers who put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis and are underpaid to begin with make a mistake and all police officers pay the price. We demonize them all. A popular politician can lie and put the whole country at risk and we don't even consider their wrong doing. A police officer making a traffic stop for a brake light or head light out can end up getting shot, We want to continue to praise a crooked politician because they are a liberal darling. No wrong is too much if we like them. Its not fair, the police officer that risks his life every day, and one out of many thousands happens to be a white man that is sent to investigate young black Mike Brown and a fight ensues. Young Mike Brown who just robbed a store ends up getting shot as the white officer fights for his very life. Believe me if Mike had gotten the upper hand the officer would be dead, but there would be no protest on the white officers behalf. I look at these things and think what a sick world we live in. Because of Mike Brown an officer in Texas can walk up to a store and be called a pig. We want to praise a good sports figure even when they do wrong and a politician, when they do wrong because we like them. But let an officer make a mistake and the whole police force across the country pays the price. Where are the protest and demonstrations against the politicians and sports figures that wrong us. The police risk their lives for us, the sports heros and politicians play games. Yes the politicians play us for being stupid. They don't put their lives on the line for us. In fact a former secretary of state allows our citizens to be killed in Benghazi and risks our national security with her private e-mail and we call her good. Doesn't this look wrong to any one but me? Where are the protesters and demonstrators when the politicians and sports people mess up. Our police risk injury and death on a daily basis and we call them bad. Its unfair and so terribly wrong. God bless, LVZ.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Politically Correct

I am not trying to be politically correct anymore. If I have an opinion, I want to speak it. Others may not agree and that is OK. That is one of the most basic freedoms that we have in this country and I don't want to lose it by being politically correct. Yes I say some things that the gay community is against. I believe (notice how I say that}, I believe the gay community wants their lifestyle to be excepted by everyone. They want it to be legalized just like Ireland just did. They want to say this is the way God created me. If God created me that way, then it cannot be a sin. I think of the old testament scriptures where the Israelites started doing what was right in their own eyes. This politically correct stuff may look right in our own eyes, but does it hold up against God's word. You may think I am old fashioned and out of date, lets talk after judgement day.

Judges 17:6 "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Contrast that with 1 Kings 15:5 " Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he (God) commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite."

The Israelites started doing what they thought was right in their own minds. Isn't that what we are doing today with Abortion, and same sex marriage? It seems right in the minds of many. What does God say? That is what King David did, he did not turn aside from what God commanded and God blessed. We need to pay attention to what God says. The Israelites stop paying attention to God's commandments and his Prophets. Guess what, this politically correct stuff is not going to help on judgement day. We can, and I believe it will happen in this country, change the laws the way gays want them. When we stand before God we will be judged according to God's standards not ours. It is God's standard we should be concerned about. We should not mistreat any of God's created beings. Not gays, not blacks or any other race, nor should we mistreat Law Enforcement. I cannot help but feel God is so mispleased with abortion. What standard will we be judged with on judgement day, our laws or God's standard? Think about it, it will not change God, he changes not. There is redemption for all of us at the cross. None of us are guiltless and that is why we need Jesus. I think the major trouble is we always find someone with a worse sin in their lives than what we find in our own life. We do not need to compare ourselves with others, but just look inside. When you read in Revelations where God was speaking to the seven churches, or if you look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, God is speaking to his people. Those that are called by my name, he says in 2 Chronicles, or to the Church at ( ) in Revelations, he is talking to Christians. Turn from your wicked ways, or I have some what ought against thee, are God's words. He is talking to his people, those that gather together in his name on Sunday or what ever day they gather. We, Christian people, need to take a good look inside. We can gather to pray for this nation, but unless we discover what it is that we are doing personally to displease God, he will not heal our land. It takes more than just praying, it takes repentance and turning. I think that part of 2 Chronicles is over looked. We have accepted Jesus as Savior, so we tend to skip over those words. We have stood silently while our laws are being changed and we are much bigger than the 4% of the gay community, but look what they have done. It is time to stand and heed God's word, Speak it, repent of our wrong doing. It is not being politically correct that we need. We need to be Godly correct, and take a hard look inside. Repentance must start with God's people. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. God bless, LVZ
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Monday, May 25, 2015

everybody is doing it

I have heard this recently in regards to Ricky Thompson, He is a Black Court Judge in Mississippi that is under review for judicial misconduct. After the appeals process is over in June 11th, according to an article in the newspaper, he will never be able to be a judge again. There are a lot of black supporters of him that still have campaign signs in their yard to reelect Ricky Thompson. Everybody is doing it, are words I have heard. I remember saying the same thing about Richard Nixon many many years ago. He just got caught, What kind of a defense is that? All the judges are doing the same thing, its because he is Black. O really? How come you hear about people not wanting to go before Judge Carr? Who has retired. People want to go before Ricky Thompson. Why, they get off over and over again and do the same thing. If we elect someone, why are we not willing to except that they need to be removed from office? We need to look at other things besides the color of Ricky's skin, or Richard Nixon's political party. Are they actually corrupt? The judicial review board says so and I do not for a moment believe they are bringing him down just because he is black. We need to stop blindly supporting people that are corrupt. Here again we have people blindly supporting Clinton, in spite of the facts we know about her. Two things really trouble me about her, one Benghazi, why did she not make an effort to save our people in Benghazi? Two, the email server she set up to cover her butt. While it may have allowed her to cover her butt from scandal like Benghazi, it put all Americans at risk. How do so many people blindly follow a corrupt politician? Because they like her? How about looking at her character. She is willing to cover her own butt at the expense of the people she represents. Do people not see that? She lied about Benghazi, and a fake story was given to the public about some video that surfaced that enraged the people over there. That was found to be false. Do we not see how corrupt this person is? She has her own ambitions driving her and it is not to serve the public she is to serve. That is the last thing on her mind, to do what is good for us. It is her ambition and nothing else. Ricky Thomson was reprimanded twice, but did not listen and change his ways. We need to stop blindly supporting people who have done wrong, just because we like them and look at character issues. God bless, LVZ.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

A Sovereign God

Perhaps learning that God is sovereign over all is one of the hardest lessons of life. We don't understand God's decisions. There are many choices we get to make. If we serve God or not is our choice. Being gay is a choice, some today want to make it otherwise, because if it is not a choice it is not a sin. But God is sovereign, he does not let us choose everything. We did not decide when to start our life or end it. God is sovereign. We look at the quality of life and we want to make decisions based on quality of life. It is not ours to make. I don't understand everything God does or doesn't do. It is said, God never wastes a hurt. He accomplishes something through the difficulties of life, either in our life or in the life of someone else. There are so many lessons to learn in life and I wonder if the fact that God is sovereign is one of the hardest. We we take God's decisions into our hands it is sin. When we abort a life it is sin. When we live contrary to God's word, it is a sin. He has not and is not going to give up his sovereign position as God of this universe. He created it and us, some decisions are his alone. When we age and no longer want this life, we long for it to be over. We don't want pain, or hardship, but God sometimes has a lesson for us or perhaps even someone else. Once again God is sovereign, some choices are his alone. We bear the consequences of many decisions we make, if we squander the resources God gives us, we bear the consequences. If we eat unhealthy, we bare the consequences. If we smoke, we suffer consequences. God is sovereign, he tells us in his word the rules of life. It is his guide for us, but we live in an age where people are doing what seems right in their own mind and ignoring God's word. In history, the Bible has a lot of history, and God allows suffering to bring his people back to him. They would prosper as they returned and it seems it is not long before they forget again, and suffer, as God tries to bring them back to faith in him. We as a nation were blessed above many nations, but we have forgotten and are doing what is right in our own minds, forgetting the creator. God is sovereign. His word is the guide for life. Perhaps it is a hard lesson to learn. As we have made abortion legal, we are in the process of making the gay life style acceptable instead of calling it sin. In many of our churches, many who call the name of Christ, live no differently than none Christians. Our consciences are seared over. We make excuses for the sins in our lives. I did, I even used God's word to justify what I was doing. King David did it and he was a man after God heart. Sometimes God gives us examples in his word, to show us what not to do. I believe one of the most important parts of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is turn from their wicked ways, that is to me and you, anyone who calls the name of Christ. God is sovereign and nothing is hid from him. A sovereign God is to be respected. We are not perfect, no one is but we should try to live as God guides us. and not what seems right in our own eyes. Proverbs 21:2 "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts." God bless, LVZ.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Criminal class vs. law enforcement

The following is an editorial written by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. I could not have said it as well, I agree whole heartedly. Like the last line says, "It is time our politicians and citizens of America do the same." Stand with Law Enforcement against the criminal class. Don't forget that .0039% of the 53 million interactions police have with citizens are the bad. Think about that.

It is becoming apparent that a deadly conflict now exists between the criminal class and law enforcement across America. Make no mistake, this is not a racial conflict or a new civil rights movement by a group of Americans segregated and abused. This is an attack on law enforcement — a profession which includes the necessary burden to interact with violent and drug induced behavior by the criminal class.

As a former law enforcement officer, I can assure you no officer wants to be involved in a physical conflict with any citizen, even after they have probable cause to believe the suspect has committed a crime. The officers are trained to use only the necessary amount of force to affect the arrest.

Now comes the narrative of law enforcement officers who allegedly profile based on race, even when the police officers are minorities and when the suspect has violated the law. The incidents can easily be avoided and lives saved. Simply put, if you don't violate the law, disobey a police officer during an intervention and don't resist arrest, your chances of being in conflict with an officer are non-existent.

The criminal class, gangs and organized destructive movements, such as Occupy Wall Street, take advantage of tragic confrontations to bring attention to their cause. Criminals and thugs just use it as an excuse to riot, loot and rob. This criminality has occurred before in America during the days of the Wild West and the 1930's when gangsters and even two bit hoodlums like Bonnie and Clyde became celebrities.

In the turbulent 60's and 70's, police officers were called "Pigs" and often portrayed in movies as corrupt and racist. Again violent criminals such as the Weathermen and even the Hell's Angels were romanticized as simply anti-establishment. Now we know they were actually a criminal sub-class that took advantage of social unrest to practice their professions.

These criminal class movements were brought to an end by federal, state and local law enforcement working together across jurisdictional and political lines to restore order. The good, honest people of America had enough of lawlessness and supported police and politicians who stood once again for law and order.

The time has come for the people of this nation, of all races and cultures, to stand again against criminal behavior and with our police officers. On May 9, 2015, two Hattiesburg police officers lost their lives in a senseless act of violence. I believe the facts will show the perpetrator was no societal victim but a murdering felon who should pay for his crime.

Our city of Hattiesburg and all Mississippians are standing with law enforcement and against the criminal class. It is time our politicians and citizens of America do the same.

Phil Bryant is governor of Mississippi and a former deputy with the Rankin County Sheriff's Department.

Now is the Time to Have Trust Without Borders

Now is the time to have Trust Without Borders. Life is in God's hands. God says when it is over. No matter what we think it is in God's control. We do not understand all the things God sees and knows. His knowledge is higher than ours. One thing is for certain, all things end up being good for those that love God and are called according to his purpose. It does not mean difficulties do not arise. Difficult times and situations do arise, but God has it under control. Trust Without Borders, it is in God's hands. I may not understand today, but if I trust God, I must trust him in all things.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) Lyrics

from Zion

Lyric Video

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" is track #4 on the album Zion. It was written by Joel Houston, Matt Crocker, Salomon Lighthelm.

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Yeah

Oh Jesus yeah, my God

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Friday, May 22, 2015

The Media

I hate the way the media reports things. It seems to be pushing an agenda. On my last trip in another community a white man was shot by police. His arm was almost shot off, but he is recovering. The newspaper publishes the story in such a way as the police look bad. His own words, he saw the police and at least thought they were coming for him because of an outstanding warrant. He ran in his mothers car, parked it somewhere and tried to hide down an embankment. The police located him and shouted commands to him. Watching enough Cops shows, I am sure they were telling him to get down on his belly. His own words, he tuned them out and did not comply. But after the fact says they should have used rubber bullets or other means instead of real bullets. How are the cops suppose to read his mind? How are they to know that if he does or does not have a weapon to use on them. They want to go home to their families at the end of their shift. He is not deaf, he heard them, but just chose to ignore their commands. Don 't make the police look bad because some idiot didn't want to comply. They are in a dangerous situation and need to be in control. On cops, an old man in a stolen Porsche gets out of the car with the police pointing guns at him. He is told to get on his belly. He says I am not going to lay in the dirt. He does kneel down and has his hands in the air, but refuses to get on his belly with his hands behind his back. So after telling him a few times, when a second officer gets there, he goes ups and knocks him to the ground and handcuffs him. Wouldn't it have been better to comply? He paid a thousand dollars for this car earlier in the day and did not think it strange that he was given no paper work. I believed his story, that he was that stupid. But comply, your going to end up on the ground face first anyway. If you comply it will be easier on you and your clothes. We are doing a lot of damage by disrespecting officers and I put a lot of blame on the media and the way they report things. May God protect our officers. Comply, comply comply, let the cops be in control, their lives are on the line. God bless, LVZ.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Respect the Office

I think it is really important to respect the office. The office of President, the police officer, a judge and the list could go on. I don't like Obama and I don't like Clinton, but Obama is duly elected President, and even though I disagree with much, I think back to the way George W. Bush was treated. I didn't like it when I felt he was disrespected as President. So I must respect the office of President even now when we have what many conservatives think is the worst President of all. Just a few years ago the liberal crowd felt that way about George Bush. We need to respect the office. On the subject of police, we need to respect the office. I read an article that stated of the 53 million interactions with the public only .0039% of them fit into the category of Mike Brown and Garner from New York. But the media blows the ,0039% out of proportion and now we have cops getting killed just doing their job to keep us safe. In any job, there is the bad element. But lets not make all cops bad because of a few. Respect the office. Here locally a judge that has been reprimanded several times for misusing his authority is running for reelection. Or it at least appears that way with the campaign signs being posted. I don't know what happens when a judges is repeatedly warned to stop doing what he is doing, but I believe he will no longer be a judge. He is a Black judge, and it seems many in the black community still support him because of his race and ignore his actions. We need to respect the office, and let this man go away where bad judges go. He is not a bad judge because he is black, it is his actions. He is disrespecting the office. We need to look at character. People make mistakes. If this judge would listen to his superiors after the first and second warnings and learn, OK. After three times it is obvious he thinks he is above the law. I don't like Hillary, here is another politician that thinks because she is a Clinton, she is above the law. Her e-mail server was to save her own butt, and put us as a country at risk. She broke the law, or at least severely bent it. If we would base our voting on character and integrity, she should not even be considered for another public office of any kind. She does not respect the office. She considers herself and her career above anything else, even above the people she is supposedly serving and representing. We need to respect the office, locally or nationally and vote for people of integrity that do respect the office and our country and our constitution, and us. God bless, LVZ.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Police

I attended a memorial service for Police today. It was sad in some ways, because the wife of Tupelo Officer that gave his life for the citizens of Tupelo in December 2013 spoke. When she finished, her son that is still of the age to have a pacifier in his mouth but big enough to walk was fussing in the audience and she motioned his to come up on stage with her. That little boy is so young he will never remember his father. I saw a young man come in on crutches in both hands to be able to walk and I wondered if that was the other officer that was shot at the same time in December 2013, still recovering from his injuries suffered two years ago at the hands of a bank robber. Mention was made of the two officers that gave their lives just last Saturday in Hattiesburg, the day before Mothers Day.
The one officer had two kids, I don't know how old. There are many grieving Moms in Hattiesburg on Mothers Day. I wonder if the protesters from Ferguson and Baltimore stood in a moment of silence as we did in honor of the officers that gave their lives. I know I have said this many times, if we respect the Police when they are doing their jobs and don't fight or resist and force them to escalate their actions. We go on with our lives. Even in the situation of the bad cop in South Carolina, the victim would have lived another day if he had not tried to run. All lives matter, the little kids of these cops deserve a Dad to come home to them at night. They deserve to grow up and play ball with their cops fathers. They deserve to have a Dad to confide in as they grow older. It is not fair, that all that was taken away because of a criminal and his actions. The wives that loved them in spite of their chosen profession deserve to grow old with their spouse. They deserve our respect for putting their lives on the line. Their families do not deserve this pain. These officers were protecting us from the law breakers in our society. We need them, they stand between us and the criminal element. They deserve our respect. So many officers give their lives and then are disrespected by protesters in Ferguson and Baltimore and other places. Tell me what good comes out of these protests that makes it worth these officers giving their lives. When I look at the children and families of these officers, it makes angry that in addition to laying their lives on the line, they must put up with the disrespect also. Would you do your job and be disrespected like they are? They truly are servants of God. God bless and protect all our officers. LVZ

Trust without borders

Trust without borders was a phrase in a song we sang on Sunday. It caught my attention as I pondered what did that phrase mean? Here is what I think, do we trust God for our job but not our family. Or do we trust God for everything but finances? Are we able to trust God in the Political arena as well. Is there any area of our life that we have difficulty trusting God? If so there are borders on our trust. We need trust without borders. Proverbs 3:5 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6. in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." In every area of life, we need to trust God. He sees the sparrow, the hairs of our head are numbered by God. Nothing is unseen by God. Another verse says all things work to the good of those who love God. It means everything ends up for our good, even when it don't look so good at the time. Trust with out borders. God bless, LVZ.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Lies

I have listened to all the adds for the people that want to be our congressman from Mississippi. I wish I had written down each lie I heard. One candidate says. I'll pull the plug on Obama Care. That is a lie. He is one of 435 congressmen that will have to vote on something like that, plus the senate. Or one says he is going after the IRS. Only if a majority of the other 435 decide with him. I did like the stand on gun control, use both hands, now that tells me something about the man without lying. Or the one that is going to protect our Social Security, She will not do it alone. We certainly have enough people willing to run for public office, that we could have term limits on that office. Which I think even locally, we need term limits for all public offices. But the lies that are told and that is what we have to base our vote on. Lie after lie after lie. We need to vote based on integrity, if he lies to get the office, can you trust him when he is in office? Probably not. It is so ingrained in our political culture to tell lie after lie when running for public office and we need to object. We need people of integrity that will tell the truth and not tell lie after lie to get elected. God bless, LVZ.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Make It Personal 2

Once again as I have pondered 2 Chronicles 7:14, I have had things come to mind. As I have prayed and asked God to look into my heart there are a couple of things God has brought to my attention. I believe that is why God put those words "turn from their wicked ways" in that verse. The inward look into our hearts will reveal things that God wants to correct in our hearts and lives. If we really want God to move in our country, then we have to be willing to not only look inside but to change things in our heart. Allow God to look in the dark corners of our hearts to find those things that are not pleasing to him. This is a critical part of that verse: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We need to take that phrase seriously. What ever God brings to mind must be dealt with. Is that not what revival is? Searching the hearts of God's people and making corrections as needed. O God, help us to do just that, look inside and change those things that are not pleasing to you. If God's people will be willing to look inside and make changes, I believe God will perform the last part of that verse. As he heals us, he will heal this nation. I do not believe it will happen unless, we God's people, will turn from our wicked ways. Perhaps we do not like the term wicked ways. Wicked ways are the things in our life that are contrary to God's word. Wicked ways are sinful ways. However you feel comfortable in stating it, those things need to be repented of and turned from. God bless, LVZ.

Friday, May 8, 2015

submitting to Police

As I think about all the bad incidents that have happened with Police, some things should be considered. Per the interactions between citizens and police, the negative incidents are way under even a half percent. Sustained complaints are .0039%. So why does the media play up and spend so much time on such a small amount of incidents. Why is the public so enraged that they riot and destroy police vehicles. If you look at the statistics, it doesn't make sense. The outrages is a result of the media reporting of those .0039% of bad incidents. To look at it another way, 99.9961% are not even worth reporting. Even if they are not good, like getting a ticket, there is no problem with 99.9961% of interactions with police. Is this really something worth rioting about? Destroying businesses, burning police vehicles and injuring 100's of cops? This brings me back to just submitting. If Mike Brown had submitted, he'd be alive. If Fredrick Gray had submitted, he'd be alive. The New York guy and the LA guy would be alive. The guy in Texas that got shot when the reserve officer thought he had his tazer, would still be alive. The guy in South Carolina that got shot in the back by the police officer now facing murder charges would still be alive. Wouldn't it be more effective to teach the next generation to submit to police authority then to spread all this negativity towards police if we really want to save lives? The bad interactions are blown way out of proportion in the scope of all interactions between the public and police. The problem is the negative attitude towards police will not help but make it worse. Think this through, respect our police, make it better not worse. I cannot think of one incident at least in current times where it would have had the same outcome if a person had just submitted. Things are a lot better than they were in the 50's and 60's. Lets not go backwards. I was watching the show Cops. The cops go to a residence to investigate a complaint. The Mother and Father of a child were drunk and obviously not thinking right. The officer put the young man in the back of a police car without any handcuffs or any restraints at all, so he could continue his investigation with others in the residence. The next thing you see they are putting hand cuffs on because I guess he didn't want to stay in the car. They put him back in with handcuffs and go back to continue their investigation. Once again they go back to the police car to put a helmet on to keep him from injuring his head by banging it on the car. In the mean time the young drunk mother will not stay in the house while they are dealing with the young man. She is told several times to stay back and go into the house but will not listen or is just to drunk to understand. She gets arrested also for interfering with a police investigation and public drunkenness. Neither one would have been arrested if they hadn't been so drunk they couldn't follow orders. I see it over and over again, just submit to the police. God bless, LVZ.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Make it Personal

I don't remember how long ago I started contemplating 2 Chronicles 7:14 in regards to our 2016 elections. I think most would agree our country is in trouble. I see Franklin Graham urging Americans to pray. I saw a post on Face book where Australia is praying for the U.S. I saw another posting on Face book where the Church of God of Prophecy is requesting its members to pray for our country and its leaders. My church has been urging us to pray. Another group independent of local churches is gathering together weekly to pray for our community. That is part of what 2 Chronicles does say: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." I started out thinking if God's people in general would just start to pray we could turn things around in this country. Then one day the thought hit me, I am one of God's people, and what am I doing? It is easy to think if others will spend some time praying, but it really comes down to a personal level. First, am I willing to spend some of my time praying for our land. Just me, all by my self. Pray and seek sounds like a long term effort. When seeking something you are turning over every pillow, looking in every corner for the thing you are seeking. But what really made it personal for me is the words "turn from their wicked ways." I started asking God to look at my heart. What is in my heart and my life that is not like you. I believe that is where we are going to have to get to, to get God's attention. A personal look inside of our very own heart. Leave everybody else out of it. Don't worry what the person next to you is doing or even your spouse, but what is wrong in my life that is not pleasing to God. When John the Revelator wrote to the angel of the seven churches, there was something in each of them that needed correcting. Yes these were God's people that Jesus was talking to. Some had stood strong for the faith and were commended, but still Jesus saw somethings that were not right. In the same way today, if we really want God to move in our city and our Nation, we must look inside. Ask God to reveal to us what is wrong with our hearts and our lives. It is going to take that personal look and turning from our wicked ways to get God's attention. Me, myself and I and anyone else that is contemplating this scripture must look inside our hearts and lives. We need God to reveal to us the wickedness in our personal life and turn from it. It is not going to be enough to just know it, we must take action and turn, walk a different direction. Then I believe God will heal our lives and hearts and our land. It will not matter who gets elected, when God moves, he will move the heart of our leader to where he wants him to be. It needs to be personal and not think like I did, if God's people will just do this. I need to make it personal, I need to do this. God bless, LVZ.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Motivation

Do you ever look at your motivation for doing things? Occasionally I will notice that my motivation is not what I thought it was at the beginning. Sometimes God allows us to go through things and we see ourselves as we really are. Some of the ten commandments I looked at recently helped me in that way, to see things in myself, I didn't see before. I have often wondered when I look back how ingrained I was of the teaching I received growing up. The little church I was a part of believed at the time they were the true church. They believed as God gathered into one fold, it would be in them. They were the only church that teaches the full gospel. The whole Bible rightly divided. I sometimes think that even though they say that has never been an official teaching of that denomination, they still think that way. Sometimes things happen in a church and people get hurt, or there is a disagreement that they just can't seem to work through. I see times when people from that denomination will drive 60 miles or so to the next closest church of that denomination, rather than find a good church close to home. I have often wondered about that. Are we not suppose to be committed to Christ? I remember the time I started going to another church. It was a little community church, just a half mile up the road from where I lived. It took me about 4 years to feel comfortable with leaving the denomination I grew up in. I was so indoctrinated. That is the way it was when I was growing up. We belonged to a church of that denomination 80 miles from where we lived. I wonder today if people of that denomination are still stuck. It seems every so often I will hear about someone who is doing the same thing. Driving 45 or more miles to the next closest church of that denomination. They have to drive past many good churches much closer on their way to church. It makes me ask this question: are they stuck in that denomination? Do they still believe that is the true church? Our hope needs to be in Jesus Christ. Our first love needs to be God himself. He is a jealous God, and wants to be first in our lives. Is he truly first if we are so caught up in a denomination that we feel there is no other church other than that particular denomination? We need to watch for false teachers, that is true. Many times a false teacher will put a little slant on the word of God, that most, if we are not careful, do not even notice. I believe in praying and asking God to direct me to a church. I believe there are a lot of good churches, that teach the word of God and not just a feel good experience. It is important that we follow God direction and find where he wants us to be. The right church for me may not be the right church for you. It is so important that the word of God be preached and believed. I would also ask for spiritual discernment, to recognize and see the truth. We have a responsibility for what we take in. Just recently I got a glimpse into my own motivation and didn't like what I saw. When God gives a red flag, pay attention to it. I was at a funeral in the past year and I heard a person mutter, he is one of the good guys, He was speaking of the minister preaching. I realized later that the minister speaking was from that same denomination and that thinking was still there. You will only hear the real truth from our denomination. That is why he was one of the good guys, he was from that same denomination. I believe when we get to heaven it will be a mixture of denominations. If you go back 200 years, many of the denominations we see today were not here. Did those people that believed in God 200 plus years ago, miss heaven? It is so important that our hope and trust is in God himself and not a denomination or a particular minister. Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. God bless, LVZ.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Encouraged

I saw a picture in the last couple of days where the older baby boomer generation formed a line in front of the police in Baltimore to protect the police. The police were in their riot gear to deal with the protesters, and then these ordinary citizens formed a line in front of the police to protect their police. You'd think our country is going crazy, with these protests, throwing bricks at the police, burning police vehicles etc. Any excuse to vandalize seems to work. There have been countless cities across the nation that have joined in these protests to supposedly support Baltimore. Another thing that disturbs me is the report that I heard that Freddie Gray injured himself inside the police van during transport. The report said he threw himself around the van. Here again 6 officers are charged with manslaughter and other charges. I have seen it on the show cops where those arrested will bang their head against the vehicle. I just hope there is a thorough investigation and that justice is done. If the police were negligent or over exerted their authority, yes action needs to be taken. The most damage done is these insane protests against the police, destroying public and private property. Over one hundred officers were injured during these protests. I hope the black clergy are not supporting these protests. The protests that Dr Martin Luther King Jr promoted were peaceful and accomplished much for this nation. These protests in Ferguson and Baltimore have done more damage and have actually hindered the cause of justice in my opinion. Even a police officer needs a fair hearing. It is not OK to lump all police together because of the actions of a few. We need cool heads for justice fair and true. These mob actions by a bunch of hotheads and lawbreakers does not help, but in my opinion hinders true justice. Some how we need to take our country back, if it is ordinary citizens, black and white forming a line in front of our officers to protect them, then so be it. Our police are a God ordained authority. The Police Officer needs to be respected, a bad one, here and there does need to be dealt with but by cool heads that listen to all sides of the story. We need justice for all, but not mob justice. It is a shame to destroy our businesses and injure our officers and call it good. God forgive us and help us to do better. I was also encouraged by the picture of the Mother who found her son among the protesters and chased him home. We need more Moms and Dads like this. God bless, LVZ.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

What God thinks

Some of my blogs have been about what does God think about some of the things we do and the laws we make today. I have been listening to a reading of old testament scriptures in the last few months. I understand we live under grace in our present age. Still the Old Testament can give some insight into how God thinks. In Deuteronomy, God had his people set up cities of refuge for a man to flee to when someone was killed. There were two example given: first a man and his neighbor went to the woods to cut wood. When the man swung the axe, the head flew off and killed his neighbor. The man was to flee to one of these cities of refuge for protection, lest a family member of the man killed, kill him in the heat of anger in retaliation. Then it described a man that hated his neighbor and waited for an opportunity to kill him. He too could flee to the city of refuge. The elders were to judge and turn over the man that waited and killed his neighbor, to the avenger of blood. The man that killed his neighbor through an accident was to be protected. Maybe we do not have cities of refuge today, but we have law and courts, Police and jails to protect people. People are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. I do not believe God is please with the rioting that is happening in our cities. These officers need to be held accountable through the laws of the land and not through mob rule. God wants clear heads to judge the guilt or innocence of his people. I would urge any christian to not take part in these protest. They soon get out of hand, and other innocent people are harmed or businesses destroyed. Attacks are made on the police. The police are an authority ordained by God. We need to respect the office. I know there are some bad cops, but we need to let the courts handle these injustices lest we strike down an innocent man or woman in the heat of our anger. These things are to be established by multiple witnesses. Also if a false witness is found, they are to receive the same punishment as the accused. The more I ponder the lawlessness going on in our big cities, the more I believe God is not pleased. I noted here on a local level, the dispute between the Alderpersons and the Chief has people taking one side or the other. No citizens were at the meeting when the Police Chief resigned, so how can one determine if the Alderwoman or the Chief is lying about what happened. We did not witness it. Who is lying? Yet one citizen took it upon herself to defend an alderwoman and accuse the Police Chief of lying in an opinion written to the Newspaper. I have tried to be careful because I wasn't there, I do not know who is lying. But I tend to think the other way around because of what others have witnessed in the past. God doesn't like false witnesses either. Let us let the law take its course. Let us diligently attend board meetings and see first hand what is happening. As for this country, it is just so very sad that we disrespect all police officers because of a bad incident. There have been protests in Seattle, California, and other places because of what happened in Ferguson and Baltimore. If they think they are doing good and accomplishing something with their protests, they do not see the damage they have done to the good officers all across this country. It is like they have blinders on and do not see the damage done all across this country. We need to respect all authority and let the law take its course. Yes sometimes innocent people are convicted, yes sometimes bad things have happened, but the law enforcement officers that have laid down their lives for us on a daily basis far out shadows the bad. Do we even look for the good? Or do we just jump on the negative band wagon and destroy any respect for authority that this country so badly needs. God wants clear heads to judge for the innocent and guilty. Mob rule is like speaking out when you are hot about an issue and have not thought it through. There is more to each situation than what we the average person hears. Let the courts and clear heads prevail, Let our justice system be like the cities of refuge in the Old Testament to protect the innocent. Mob rule is not God's way. They may think they are doing good, but they are deceived. God bless, LVZ.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Romans 13

As I think on this chapter of Romans, it starts with "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: The powers that be are ordained of God." And then dropping down to verse 4, "For he is a minister of God to thee for good...". I have been troubled by the disrespect given to our Police Officers and also to our President. now I do not agree with the majority of things this President has done. I feel like he has done major damage to our country. But he was duly elected twice to this office. I feel he is partially responsible for the negative attitude towards our law enforcement. When he told the protesters to keep on doing what they were doing in Ferguson. It got out of hand and now we see the same thing in Baltimore. But he is our President, may we learn from this to never elect another President based on his race or the color of his skin. My we look to the character and the person he is inside. When Obama was elected, you could not voice opposition without being called racist or a bigot. He was black and that is the biggest reason why he was elected. Obama has done more to divide this country along racial lines that perhaps any President in recent times. Let us learn from this. As for the law enforcement, and the mistrust between the black communities and our law enforcement officers. I don't claim that there are no bad cops. Are there not bad doctors, lawyers, teachers, ministers and the list goes on. When a minister goes bad, we don't disrespect all ministers. When a teacher has inappropriate contact with one of their students, we don't label all teachers as bad. Yet something as critical as law enforcement, we have. There is rioting and looting, burning stores and this over an individual that is believed to have been injured in Police custody. What if a doctor makes a mistake, and it does happen. We may sue the doctor and the hospital to get justice, but we don't tear up our city and destroy businesses. We may see to it that a teacher is prosecuted and brought to justice, but we don't destroy the neighborhood in the process. A minister may be brought to justice and perhaps face jail time as Jim Baker did years ago. Or Jimmy Swaggart and his fall, but we don't destroy Billy Graham in the process. This is wrong what is happening in Ferguson and Baltimore, Perhaps there is some things wrong in these communities, but lets not destroy the city. That does nothing but hinder real justice. We need to be subject unto our higher powers, they are ordained by God. I hope black ministers are careful of the words they say from their pulpits and don't fan these flames. We need to respect the office of our President and our Police Officers, they are God's ministers. There are proper ways to handle injustice, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, did lead protests to gain justice, but they did not destroy the communities in the process. Much good for this country was accomplished by Dr King. He did it the right way. there are more things that need to be fixed in this country, but lest do it the right way and much will be accomplished. Lets not destroy our cities, and our Police Departments in the process. Let us not destroy jobs by burning businesses in the process. Lets not destroy a police officer's life over doing his job and lift up a thug to Sainthood. This is not right. We hinder justice in the efforts to figure out what happened to the young man in Baltimore. Over and over again I see bad things happening because someone resisted, or ran, or fought with the Police. In all these instances, would it not have turned out differently if the person had not fought, ran, resisted. Yes bad things happened, but could it have been avoided if someone had just submitted to the police? If it is a wrongful arrest, could it not be dealt with later, through the courts? Most of these were not wrongful arrests, and perhaps that is why they resisted in the first place. It don't make it right, but they have ownership in what happens when they resist and the Police have to use forceful means to uphold the law. There is a general disrespect towards authority in this country, that needs to be fixed. God bless, LVZ.

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