Does Love Show Through?

In John chapter 4 is the story of Jesus talking to the woman at the well. This woman was a Samaritan and the Jews avoided Samaritans as much as they could.  Jesus saw her need and as he is talking to her, he tells her to bring her husband. Jesus tells her about the living water, that will satisfy our deepest needs. Jesus is that living water. Jesus is the one that can change a heart, forgive sin. Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. John 4:16-19. In so many stories where Jesus confronted people with their need, his love showed through. As I read this and he brings out the fact that she had five husbands and that she is now just living with a man without marriage. He didn't condemn her. He was speaking to her need.  All Christians are called to be witnesses and point people to their need for Jesus.  I try but I don't know if I can speak to people with Jesus skill. Jesus brought out her need but she didn't feel condemned.  Jesus love showed through when he talked to  Zacchaeus. Here is a man that the Jews hated, a tax collector. Jesus sees his need and goes to his house. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.  Luke 19:10.  We are also called to be witnesses to those in need. Does Jesus love show through? Can we speak to the need and not condemn?  Can we show the same love that Jesus shows?  I believe now is a time when our love needs to show through. Our nation is greatly divided. We as Christians cannot stoop to the same level. We are called to love even our enemies. It is a difficult time we are living in. I think of the actions of the liberal left and their actions are often cruel. There were no riots when Obama won office of the presidency twice. We didn't like it but we did the best we could. We really need to show love. I know that what we are facing is spiritual in nature. It is the hearts of men that God is after. The most important thing is not that we have a President that seems to be doing things from a conservative outlook, but our real mission is still the hearts of men. Trump will not fix this nation, God will as he dwells in the hearts of our citizens. It is by our love that the world will truly see we are children of our heavenly Father. Test the spirits and see if they be of God.  The spirit in a man that will fight his neighbor because of a different view point is not of God. Our actions must match our profession of faith. Sometimes the actions of the left as they try to disrupt the new President tend to make us angry, but we must show love. It is their hearts that God is after. Perhaps there is a great revival on the horizon. Jesus went to the cross and even there in agony as the thief next to him requested, remember me when you come to your kingdom, Jesus said this day you will be with me in paradise. Jesus was always looking for a way into men's hearts. When they were in a raging sea and were fearful of drowning, they awoke the sleeping Jesus. Jesus with a word calmed the sea and the wind. In the raging storm we travel through today, it is Jesus voice we need to hear, Peace be still. The disciples were fearful even though Jesus was in the boat with them. Know this God is still on his throne. Know this if God put Trump in office, Trump will stay there till God says it is enough. In our troubled world today, in our own hearts as we are fearful, listen to Jesus as he says to us Peace be still. He can still heal, he can still calm raging storms, he still gives us Presidents as he chooses. He promises to never leave us. I have thought about this many times, if Hillary had won, we would still be at peace. Because we know God is still on his throne. The lack of peace in this storm is the same as the lack of God in hearts. Let our love show, this troubled world needs Jesus. I love the story of the Samaritan Woman at the well, Jesus exposed her need and she still felt loved. Perhaps in the storm of today, God is exposing our need for him. If he is knocking at your hearts door let him in and it will amaze you the difference God will make in your life. The Samaritan woman left Jesus at the well, telling her friends and neighbors about him and bringing them to the one who heals hearts. It is the heart God is after. I don't always understand everything God is doing, but know he is after the hearts of men. Let love show through. God bless, LVZ.

Rules for Christian Households

Rules for Christian Households

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,  not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.   Colossians 3:18-25

As I was looking for a word to post this morning I thought of working for the Lord.  This scripture was one of many that came up and as I am suppose to I look at previous and after verses to get the context and rightly divide the word of truth. Then I saw the title for this section, "Rules for Christian Households". The very first part is for wives to read and as a husband, I feel I need to start reading at the second sentence. Husbands love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Good words for me, especially as sometimes I come off as intimidating. My wife will tell me I give her that white man look. I don't want to come off as harsh. I don't want to give an intimidating look. But I suppose sometimes I do. The bible does have words for just about every aspect of life and this short paragraph has much to say. Children, obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. I know we are to honor our parents and perhaps this is for those parents that still have children in the home. Mine are grown and on their own and have been for many years. Actually they have been on their own longer now then they were under my roof. Honor our parents means we give weight to the things they say. We don't have to agree, but we need to give some thought to why they say what they say and not discount it lightly. Perhaps I wasn't a good parent, few are. We are flawed humans to start with. I have a son that has allowed a root of bitterness to develop in his life. He is angry with me because I raised him as my own when in actuality his natural father was someone other than me. Now some would think that a good thing, but he feels I lied to him. He has been an adult now much longer than he was under my roof. The responsibility for his life and what he does with it is on him. I did the best I knew. As fathers we are not to provoke our children, and I am not sure how well I did in that area of life. It is long past for me, and I cannot change it. Then it talks about bondservants and I would relate that to working for someone. Obey our bosses with sincerity of heart. Not by way of eye service as people pleasers but as for the Lord. Work as if you are working for God. We are serving the Lord Jesus Christ. What ever we do, if we do it as if God is our boss, we will do well. For we know God sees us at all times. I am running for a local office, and that is what I think, I want to please God in what I do if I win. I remember one time on the job at the company I worked at for 32 years, someone said, you have to know someone or be related to someone to advance. I thought to myself, I know God, I am his child and he is over the CEO. God indeed did bless me on that job. I started as a mockup mechanic and my last 4 years were as a Lead for Design Engineers in a Corrective Action Team.  God blessed me beyond what I thought I was capable of when I started. When I heard that man make that statement, "you have to know someone" was early in my career. I believed I worked for God and tried to work as if God was watching. He blessed me beyond what I thought I was capable of. So on this new job if I get it, I want to work as if I am working for God. I will be a public servant. God ordains civil authority and whatever decisions I make, I want them to be pleasing to God and for the good of the people that I serve. Our inheritance is from God. It is God we want to please in all we do. The Bible has a lot to say about how we should live after we become Christians and this short paragraph has a lot to say. Rules for Christian Households. God help me to be pleasing to you in all that I do.  God bless, LVZ.

Hostile World

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. Ephesians 2:13-16
I believe Jesus Christ is the answer for our Nation and our world. I was reading an article that listed 93 terrorist attacks sine 9-11-01. Some stick in our minds like the shoe bomber or the under ware bomber, or the brothers in Boston. Our world has turned evil. There have been 93 attacks, some were carried out successfully and others were caught before they happened. We see even the fighting amongst ourselves as our new President is attempting to control the terrorist that enter our country. There was even an assassination plot against President Obama that I did not remember. Jesus is our security. If we have our hope in Christ, no matter what happens we will be OK. I went to Church Security training and it almost seems foreign to have to be concerned with attacks against Churches, but it is real. The threat is there, any place where large numbers of people are gathered can be targets.  I pray many times as I arm myself, I pray that I will not have to use it, but if the situation arises that I will have the courage to do what I need to do. I have not been a gun toting individual and still feel somewhat uncomfortable. We cannot hide our heads in the sand, we must be vigilant. I will work to prepare myself and continue to pray for God's wisdom and protection. It is God that does protect us. But sometimes we are his hands and feet. I don't know if my thoughts are directly related to the scripture above. I do know we need Jesus in our hearts and lives. The hostility we face in this world is a lack of Jesus, a lack of his love. He gave his life for us. He tells us to love even our enemies. Even civil societies have Police to protect us from the criminals in our society. It is necessary to have law enforcement.  Who do we call when our car is stolen or broken into or our home is broken into? I read in the paper almost daily, something was stolen from an unlocked car. Barbara gets mad at me for leaving the back door unlocked when I work in the yard. I know, she is right, that door is not always in view. Just the other night some car thieves ran from the police and the chase ended up just blocks from our house, and I wondered if they were attempting to run into the woods behind us. I believe we need to prepare both spiritually and physically for the evil we face in this world. Most important is to be spiritually prepared. Christ is our peace, what ever happens, when our hope and faith is in Jesus Christ, we will be OK. Our eternity can be secure by knowing Jesus. I remember my father-in-law's last words, if you have any unfinished business, get it taken care of. I knew he meant to be prepared spiritually. At the funeral the other day, make sure your house is in order. Your spiritual house, none of us knows the number of our days. God protect and keep us in these evil days. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8. We must be prepared, both spiritually and otherwise the best that we know. God help us, protect and keep us. LVZ.

Earle Gilbert

Went to another funeral yesterday for Earle Gilbert a cousin of Barbara's.  It was very touching to see the tears and hear the words of the daughters. One daughter remembered me because of a picture of me and Earle she had from her Aunt Joyce's funeral. Earle's 93 year old mother is still living and this is the second child she has buried in her old age. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:15-22. It is at times like this I remember these words. One thing that brings comfort is we have this hope in Christ that we will see them again. The pastor spoke to those left behind, make sure your house is in order. He made it plain, he was talking about your spiritual condition when he said those words. None of us knows the number of our days. Rest in peace Earle, until the great resurrection, perhaps on the other side, when we are both in our eternity, we can get to know each other better. So sorry for the families loss, may God ease their pain. God bless, LVZ.

Are things turning around?

When I first heard about events in Ferguson MO, when they attacked a Policeman for doing his job and held up a thug as a saint, I thought this isn't good. It is going to get worse before it gets better. It has gotten much worse. I wonder if our former President regrets those words keep doing what your doing?, as we see war waged on our police.  I felt with out knowing anything it was a political plot to influence the 2016 election. I hope things are turning around. I hear so much disgust from Black people on Social Media about what is happening. The little 9 year old girl that got shot in a drive by in Ferguson is just too much. At the same time she was gunned down a thug was fighting and resisting arrest in another town another location and was shot and killed by police. Guess who is getting the protest, the thug who had a gun, not the 9 year old who was doing her home work. But many are just plain angry and are coming to their senses and see this for what it is. Most of the protesters are criminals and if they are felons cannot vote. Perhaps the Lefts plan is going to back fire, and in 2016 a majority will see the left for what it is and vote for decency and order. I am not saying the Republicans are not just as bad. I believe they are power hungry too. Perhaps people will stop and think things through and not vote for a politician just because he can strike a nerve, like Donald Trump.  Perhaps they will look at the near criminal acts if not criminal of Hillary and say enough is enough. Perhaps with the Planned Parenthood videos, enough will be second guessing what are we really voting for? The party of Black Lives Matter criminals. the party that has vowed to continue support for murderous Planned Parenthood. The party of Private e-mail to protect her own butt rather than the security of the nation? I wonder if enough Liberals and Conservatives have had enough of politics as usual. Perhaps we are ready to look at the character of a man and integrity rather than who can tell the best lie. How many people voted for Obama because of what they call the Obama phone? Maybe we are not there yet, but we can pray. I am hopeful because I am starting to see as much against Black lives matter criminals , against private email servers doing national security business, against private business being destroy because they stand for their religious beliefs, and how many Planned parenthood videos have we now seen? Perhaps this chaos will work against those that started it in the first place. One can hope and pray.

 When I wrote the previous few words some months back, I was actually thinking things were beginning to turn around.  Sometimes I let blogs set a day or two before I publish them because when I don't, I sometimes regret posting it.  In 2016 about 72 officers have been shot and killed. That is just the number gunned down, there were about 16 other categories of why policemen lost their lives.  It breaks your heart every time to hear of another one.  Then the TV reporter and her camera man were gunned down during a live report. I heard a black man talking about the officer killed near Okolona MS saying the officer had no business stopping the motorcyclist. I will not say there are no bad cops, I will not say there are no bad ministers either. We have had teachers and Professors also make the news at times for their wrong doing. Sure when an officer makes a mistake,  someone, either the officer or another person is dead, because that is their job, to carry a gun and enforce the law.  But why do we demonize even the good police with the bad?  Why is a political agenda so important that we have to label all officers as bad, because of a few? We do not do that to ministers, teachers, Professors, plumbers, reporters and others. We don't label all whites bad because of a few KKK members. We don't label all barbers bad because of one bad haircut. I realize most times with a bad incident with police someone gets shot. It is their job to carry a gun. Many more would not make it home to their families at the end of a shift if they were not able to protect themselves.  They call it embedded racism because it fits their agenda. Innocent lives like the nine year old girl shot in the Saint Lewis area and not a protest, not a word, it didn't even make the news the first night. But the next night another Black criminal with a gun, is shot and we are outraged at the police again.  That nine year old girl was black. Perhaps the black criminal that was shot and killed was part of the same gang that shot at the wrong house and killed the nine year old girl. It was in the same general area. Maybe not. Once again we attack the police. We need them to put a stop to these senseless killings. They are the ones trained to find and deal with these law breakers. They are the ones trained to observe and many times bring the bad guy off the street before the senseless happens.  It is not getting any better, but I believe we can make it better. I also believe making it better will start with supporting our public servants. Honor those who are still putting their lives in danger to protect us, in spite of the angry words and disrespect being shown them. They need our help, our support. Let us pray for the protection of our officers in these difficult times. Think this through, don't believe every thing you hear, think it through. Forget the black and white, and concentrate on what is right.   God bless, LVZ.  Once again I added more words and let this set. I feel it is still relevant so this morning I post.

Pray For Our Leaders

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
As I read this scripture this morning, I thought about our country and the divide we see. I just saw a post that showed street signs "President Barack Obama Hwy" and "Martin Luther King JR Blvd" at an intersection. I could not resist the comment they travel in different directions. And they really did. MLK did a lot of good for this country in civil rights. President Obama did a lot to divide us. I think the biggest thing we Christians have learned is we need to pray for our leaders. When we pray and get God's attention, we can expect good things to happen. I believe it was the prayers of Christians that got Donald Trump elected. Not Russian Hacking. That same praying for the leaders of our Nation needs to continue so we can lead peaceful and quiet lives. We need prayer for our country as we see riots in the street. We see Police officers shot and killed and injured in other ways. Civil authority is ordained by God, read Romans 13. 

civ·il   

[ˈsiv(ə)l]

 

ADJECTIVE

1. of or relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters.

2. Courteous and polite.

 

 Note the two definitions. The first definition referring to ordinary citizens would be our local governments and even the federal government. God ordains governmental authority or civil authority for our good. So that we can lead peaceful and quiet lives. But I also think we need to pay attention to the second definition, it may not be what the scripture was referring to, but what is wrong with being civil. MLK did a lot of good for our country, for all, not just for Blacks.  He was civil. He did not go around rioting and burning public and private property. He did not advocate breaking windows and hurting those that were against him. I believe God blessed his efforts because he honored God in his actions. Mainly what I get out of the scripture above is praying for our leaders.  supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. I believe that would mean congress and the senate as well as Trumps cabinet. I do thank God for Trump. I think I better understand why Trump. He has backbone. He had the resources to get elected with out owing a lot of favors to everyone who helped him. That is part of the problem, he doesn't owe everyone in DC and they do not like not being able to manipulate him. We face some spiritual battles ahead to correct the wrong direction this country has taken. If you do not believe it is spiritual take a good hard look at the spirit driving the opposition. Satan is the father of lies, the false news has not stopped. If it is the false news that MLK statue was removed or so many other things it is meant to stir things up. It does not come from a spirit of Love for this country. Who would be the author of the rioting and looting, God or Satan. Jesus died on a cross for us. Satan is the author of division and hate, confusion. Check the spirit that is driving these protests. Do they sound like they love their enemies. Will they lay down their lives like our police officers do to protect us. Who is the author and would drive  people to shoot and kill officers? That spirit comes from Hell. Where does the spirit come from that has deceived us into thinking Abortion is OK. Just like we had to correct slavery in years gone by we need tor correct the murder of babies. One of our state leaders told about walking down to the nearby abortion clinic, (Planned Parenthood). Someone talked him into going and he mentioned seeing 5 gallon buckets filled with baby parts and it forever changed him.  I wonder if many supporters of abortion would change their minds if they did the same thing and walked into a planned parenthood clinic and saw what happens when a baby is aborted, or even just saw what this man saw 5 gallon bucket with baby parts. We have a chance to change our country. There will be a price to pay for all the past abortions.  We are facing spiritual opposition as we try to take corrective measures. I do believe we must continue to pray for our leaders. We must not stop. Trump is not going to fix our country, God will fix our country as we turn to him. Pay attention to the spirit driving the opposition. Let us not give in to that same spirit, but continue to love others as Christ loved us. Even when wronged, God tells us to love even our enemies.  Sometimes it is hard to do. God bless, LVZ

 

The Body

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.                       1 Corinthians 12:12-13
As is my habit, in the early morning hours I pray and read and try to find a word to post on face book and in my blog. My thoughts turned to this scripture as I thought about today. The division we see in our country does not come from God, We are to be one body, Jews or Greeks, slave or free.  The body has many parts the benefit the body as a whole. We have hands and feet, eyes and ears, the all have different functions. There is a Christian man locally that is a Police officer which in itself is a minister of God. I certainly believe it is a calling and much more than a profession we choose. This man as a side job does training for Enhanced Carry here in Northern MS. Tonight I am attending a class free of charge for Church Security. I thought about this man as he is using his talent and training to benefit the Church in an unusual way. It has become necessary in our crazy world for Churches to protect themselves and their people. I remember a Mother -in-law that taught us how to wrap Christmas presents and many years at a smaller church it helped us with our finances. I remember the War room movie, and perhaps some members of the body pray for others. We all have purpose and if we look we can find a way to bless the body. Barbara and I talked with a seamstress that belongs to a different church than we do. When she retired from teaching, she started volunteering at the hospital. When I was in Tacoma, I used to mow the church lawn and pick up trash in the parking lot. I pull weeds and do what ever I could. I believe some at that church thought I was a landscaper, because several times I was asked to do that type of work that I really didn't know. I don't think they knew I was an engineer. But we can do what ever our hands find to do. Here I paint walls, replace light bulbs, hang a stage curtain, hang a TV on a wall. All of us can use our talents to bless our church or even the world around us. Sometimes we get paid, sometimes we don't. The man that does the Enhance Carry classes does charge for those classes but also does things like the Church Security training that cost me nothing. I also benefited from this man when I took the Tupelo Citizens Academy I received the Enhanced Carry training free of charge. I had to buy 150 rounds of ammunition for my gun and Barbara's gun, but that was all. When you think about it there are probably many ways we can bless the body of Christ, what talent do you have or what do you like to do. Find someway to bless the Body and the world around you.  God bless, LVZ.

Respect our Leaders

For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king. 1 Peter 2:16-17
I know it is wrong to divide our country. It is wrong to riot and destroy property. It is not wrong to protest. I think of the pictures I have seen in recent days. The rioting over President Trump, burning a limo, breaking windows, injuring Police Officers. It is wrong. I know conservatives like me didn't like Obama's policies, but I know I also tried to respect the office and several times pointed out positive things I saw. I agree with honoring Obama, just because of his office. I once saw a picture of Obama on a septic tank pumping truck and objected to it. It was wrong. We can work to heal our nation or we can work to divide it further, but we will suffer the results. We will reap what we sow. We talk about white privilege, but I know many whites grew up poor also. I remember living with an outhouse into the 1960's. And even in the early 80's, myself and several other families moved onto bare land with no electricity or running water. We survived and things got better. I had a good job and was able to even build a new house with electricity and running water and everything. We see some people today using their freedoms to do evil. I ask what have you done to better your life? If you are young, did you pursue an education? If you have a place to live, do you make it better? If you live in a neighborhood and you see trash along your street, do you pick it up?  Are you a person that litters the hiway  as you finish you soda pop? What do you do personally to make this world a better place? If you are protesting, are you participating in the rioting?  I saw pictures of the trash left behind after the women's march.  It is one thing to want to make this world a better place, it is another thing to trash it on our way through. I have some woods next to where I live, and people have trashed it for years. There must be 2 dozen tires tossed out into those woods. And cans and bottles and even seen an old propane bottle. Do we trash our world on our way through, or are we really trying to make it better? Don't use your freedom as an excuse to do wrong. Respect everyone, don't throw trash on some ones property just because you don't know him. Love others, Respect the King or in our country the President. Don't use the freedom so many fought so hard for to trash this country or your neighborhood on your way through this life. I saw a gentleman picking up cans along the bypass as we call it in the south. I haven't done it in a while but I use to ride my bike along my street and pick up trash. I am running as an Alderman in my city in the hopes to serve others. Not for a position or even for the meager pay. What are we doing to make this world or you place in this world better as we pass through. This world is only a temporary home, lets make it better on our way through.  God bless LVZ,

Talking With The Other Side

It is always difficult to talk with an extreme Liberal. My wife is liberal, but it is not difficult to talk to her, she thinks things through. I go back to my young years.  The first President I ever voted for was Richard Nixon. As a conservative thinking young man I was greatly disappointed when Nixon got caught with the scandal, he deleted sections of a tape. I think they say 18 minutes. Nixon was corrupt and I had a hard time dealing with it. So I can imagine people so proud of the first Black President have even a harder time with any negative statement about Obama. He was a good man in many ways, he didn't have an affair with a Marilyn Monroe or a sexual escapade with a Monika Lewinski. I don't think he personally told Hillary to scrub her hard drive. So I understand not wanting to attach any scandal to him. People want to be really proud of the first Black President. And we need to honor our leaders, it is the right thing to do. So what would these extreme Liberals think if I still today refused to acknowledge Nixon's failures from so many years ago.  So do we honor only the ones that win that we voted for, or should we honor the office of the President of the United States?  Should I continue to hide my head in the sand and fail to acknowledge Nixon's failures.  Would that be right? I think we need to have just scales. I think we need to be honest and not close our eyes to the corruption that is on both sides. I think it is hypocritical to see only the failures of the other side. If Trump would be telling us we can keep our doctor and our plan and telling us how cheap Trumpocare would be only to find ourselves fined at tax time. I don't think we would look the other way. If relations would deteriorate between black and white the way they have under the eight years of Obama, I don't think we would ignore it. In Fact many are trying to blame Trump already but this division started long before Trump started running for President. I think Obama should be held accountable and blamed for not stopping his Secretary of State from using an unsecured Email server in her basement. He was the President when this happened. We are concerned that (I think it is just a political ploy) the Russians hacked the  DNC computers but not concerned with the violation of security by our own Secretary of State. I think we need equal scales to look at both sides. We don't. It is wrong, plain and simple. Which has the greatest potential to harm our nation, wouldn't it be the Secretary of States Business on an unsecured server or a political parties computer? Many do not want to face the fact that Hillary lost because she is corrupt and most Americans know it,  even ones that voted for her.  That is why so many voted for Bernie in the Primaries. They should be outraged at the manipulation that was done to keep Bernie from actually winning the Democratic Nomination . But they are not. they want to blame the Russians but ignore what happened to Bernie. I have seen it for years the what ever it takes to win corruption, the end justifies the means. We want to teach our children in sports to play fair and honestly, but as adults it is not necessary to keep that standard for ourselves in politics. We want to punish players for deflate gate, its just a game, but dishonesty in politics as long as our side wins is OK. How would we stand for George Soros if he was supporting Conservative causes and paying people to riot. We need to have a just standard that applies to both sides and we do not.  How would we feel if a Conservative President got up and supported attacks against Police to further their political goals?  We need to have a just standard and we do not. The corruption is on both sides, only we the American People can fix it, if we will require just standards for both sides and not look the other way when our side breaks the law. I think back to the Nixon years when I made this statement, "everyone does it, he just got caught". How does that justify wrong doing?  Admit it liberals, your doing the same thing. We need honest weights and measures. We need integrity in ourselves, and it is because we don't that this stuff goes on and on and on.     Only a heart change will save the US of A. Trump will not be able to do it any more than Obama did. It is OK to feel good about Obama, and respect him as President of the US of A. But respect Trump also as elected President of the US of A. We really need just standards to judge both sides, and we don't.  As we try to teach our children in sports, so should we be in life, play fair and respect both sides. As I watch my grandson play basketball, sometimes I see the opposing team make some good shots, and I am happy for them. I cheer greatly when my grandson makes a basket. I am for his team, I want him to win, but his team doesn't win every game. Sometimes I see a kid on the other team make a very good shot and I think that was good, I may even clap. That is the way we need to be in life, especially politics. Let us put aside our differences and realize the other side won this one and celebrate fairness. Let us be like what we try to teach our children, play fair and it is OK to celebrate the other team doing good also. We will all benefit if we will unite as Americans. as citizens of the USA. We can learn a lot from our children.   God help us. LVZ.

Mercy

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:15-16
This morning as I had my devotional time, I thought about mercy and how I have not received everything I deserve. There are consequences for our behavior, what we sow, we will reap. I have received mercy, and for that I am grateful. As I read the first part of this verse for neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, I know that God is not the author of the great divide in our country today. This reference to circumcision is referring to Jews and non Jews, and it is saying in God's eyes it doesn't count but what God is after is a new creation. He wants our hearts. God doesn't want us to obey rules but he wants our hearts to follow his rule. I really just wanted to touch on mercy but as I read this scripture and thought about the division in our country today, God is not the author of that division. God does not hold white or black to be better than the other. The Jews are his people, but he extends mercy to Jew and Gentile alike. As far as Israel goes, God keeps his promises and no where will you see that better than the way God has protected Israel against great odds. With new creation, when we allow God to recreate us anew, we are spiritual Jews and God is on our side. As for all who walk by his rule, peace and mercy be upon them.  And note he continues and upon the Israel of God. I received mercy for so many things, and I am grateful to God. God bless, LVZ.

Words of My Mouth

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14
Sometimes when I blog, I just write what on my mind. Some times I pray about it and ask God for guidance. I always want my word to be pleasing to God. Sometimes my rants, especially political rants , are just that, my rants. I just pray that all my words will be acceptable in God's sight. If you read my blog, you will know how I think on many subjects. Yesterday as I was looking for places to put out signs, I stopped to talk to a man I saw walking towards a house. He gave me permission to put a sign in his yard and asked if I had a business card. I did have a card I give out at times because as I was on a road trip sometime back, I ran into some people I felt led to pray with. I wanted to also invite them to read my blog. It is my hope that I will influence others in a decision to follow Jesus. At the time I made my first Business card, I did not include my telephone number. My reason being , on a recent trip, there were a couple of young ladies I prayed with that I would want them to read my blog and perhaps correspond with via E-mail , but I did not want a female calling my phone number. I love my wife and do not want to hurt my relationship with an unknown female calling my number. I thought about that and the words I write on this blog, may they be acceptable in God's sight. As I run for this local office, I want my Christian beliefs to show through. Most of all the love Christ has for us. It is when I am political in my writings that I feel most at odds and wonder if my words are pleasing to God. I think some of it may be because for so long we felt politics and religion don't mix. God wants to influence every area of our lives. If we are in business or politics, our Christian behavior should influence all that we do. Our belief in God and our trust in him, is not something we want to leave at the door when we leave church on Sunday morning. The things we learn from God's word, need to follow us all through the week. It really is not a religion I seek but a relationship with God. Religion is rule keeping, A relationship seeks to please God in all that we do. Yesterday one store I asked to put a sign at, the clerk while he said he was not the boss, but did say he thought it would be OK. I put a sign out. Later coming back from Tupelo, that sign was gone. I pulled in and looked around, didn't see it. Then I looked in the dumpster and there was my brand new sign, in the dumpster.  Perhaps I was hasty in putting the sign out at the word of a clerk and not the true boss. Still I want my actions as well as my words to be pleasing to my creator. I still do not know why but want to find out. I will try to find the owner of the store. I may need to apologize, I do not intend to put out signs without permission. In all I do, I do want my words and my actions to be pleasing to my creator.  God bless, LVZ.

DIffernce of Opinion

I know it doesn't take long and we will have an opinion difference. That's just the way it is. there are many issues. We are not one issue voters. Most of the time we have to check off several issues on both side and think who will be best.  I hope I don't offend too many people, because sooner or later we will disagree over something. Some people think Fords are best, or Chevrolet. Others love imports like Lexus or Audi, BMW or even a Mercedes Benz. Some will want a Chrysler product. We just don't think alike all the time. My wife loves orange, it is her favorite color. Now she has an almost one of a kind orange car and when people see that orange car, they know it is her. Sometimes it might be the other orange car just like hers that is seen around town, but they may still think it is her. After having been honked at and told so many times I saw you in your orange car, she no longer likes that orange car and wishes it was a different less noticeable color. Thus we do change our minds about many things, even in politics. Many that voted for Obama and gave him a victory, now have voted for Trump. Some issues may have become more important than a few years ago or perhaps things did not turn out as expected. Perhaps some blame Obama for the division we see in America. It wasn't this bad 8 years ago. Perhaps they feel keeping our borders safe is more of a priority than it was eight years ago. What I  find difficult to understand is hearing people say stuff like Trump is not morally fit to be President based on locker room talk from 14 or more years ago. Yet these same people do not have a problem with Bill Clinton. Or they worry about Billionaires being on Trumps cabinet thinking they may enrich themselves at the public expense, yet have no problem with the Clinton Foundation. They express concerns that the Russians may have hacked our election, but are not concerned that Hillary exposed our country via her home basement  unsecured e-mail server to conduct Secretary of State business. Their hypocrisy speaks so loudly, that I can't hear their principles. They want peace, but don't have a problem with looting, breaking windows, setting vehicles on fire. And even more hypocritical is injuring Police Officers and as we have seen in recent years, as our officers have been ambushed. I have heard conservatives called low information voters because they think differently, but I wonder do these liberals even think at all?  How can you be a liberal in thought and not have a problem with the actions of other liberals? Not one Democrat in Washington has spoken out against the violence we see on the news. Perhaps I have said enough. God bless, LVZ.

Inaugeration of Donald J, Trump

This is probably the first time I have paid so much attention to the inauguration of one of our Presidents. I am not sure why I have paid so much attention this time. Over the years I have learned that it is indeed God that puts these men in office. When I didn't like a President, I really didn't look at it that way. I think it was when George W. was reelected when it looked impossible. Then this election even looked worse for Trump, it just seemed like everything was stacked against him. And here he is the 45th President of the U.S.  Christians started praying. At our church in reference to 2 Chronicles 7:14, we started praying for our President every day at 7:14 AM and PM. I took a road trip last year and it seemed every church that had a message board was saying something like pray for our country or community prayer meeting at such and such a time. I saw it over and over again. Then here was Franklin Graham on his tour to all 50 states to pray for our nation. then when they made such a big deal when the popular vote was actually in Hillary's favor but Trump still had a landslide in the electoral college, I thought, this is God's signature, saying I did this. I heard your prayers, and I answered with Trump. Perhaps it was because I did join in the 7:14 AM and PM prayers. Perhaps it is because I believe there is a spiritual battle going on in our nation. I knew Christians would be OK no matter who got elected.  God is always sovereign.  Our rulers can only go as far as God allows.  God promises to be with us to the end of the age. But I really feel it was the prayers of Christians that got God's attention and turned things around. I still feel he comes off as somewhat arrogant but it is his personality. I have really grown to like him.  Some express concerns about the rich men in his cabinet. There is another way to look at it. Put the money aside and you see some people that are really successful in the things they have done in their lives. They are smart and perhaps they will use there talents to make our country better. I wasn't always the person I am today. Trump has made changes in his life also as he matured. I believe he and his cabinet will use their talents to indeed make America better.  Would just putting people in place because of their race or because they were owed a favor as we see would have happened with Hillary, have made a better cabinet?  I seriously doubt it. I read one post where Hillary was planning to put a Black person in the Cabinet as Education or something like that. They weren't looking at qualifications of people to actually do the job, but to appear politically correct or to pay a favor. We have been blessed. Look at the actions of liberals on the street in DC, rioting and destroying public and private property. I do not think it shows maturity. Or intelligence. There is the liberal that is going to cut off his penis, because of Trump, or the one who set himself on fire. Destroy their own bodies or property, windows, vehicles, or even injuring our public servants. These people are  showing us a better way? It does not take much intelligence to see through that. What kind of spirit drives people to destroy themselves or others or public and private property. What kind of idiot finds these actions attractive. I really believe God has blessed us with Donald Trump. I know he may not be a Christian, but some of his actions match Christian actions. I believe he is sincere, and a man of integrity. I didn't see it at first, but the more I watch, the more I like this man. God bless and kept Donald Trump safe and healthy. Protect our President as he works to heal our land. We need you and Thank you for answering our prayers. God bless, LVZ.

Craziness

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:12

I believe this scripture explains the craziness we see going on in our country today. I said many months ago if we win it is because Christians got on their knees and petitioned almighty God on behalf of our nation. It is a spiritual war we are in. Check what type of spirit controls those fighting the President God gave us. Christians would have been OK no matter who would win. Our God is always on his throne and God is sovereign. We don't always understand what he is doing or why. I never understood why he gave us Obama and when I see the evil that comes from that administration, I still wonder why. But God has gotten his people praying for their President, and that is a good thing. Through the years as I looked at my own life, and the influences that controlled me. It was as I gave my life over to God that sanity came back in. That influence that was contrary to God's word and his will, wreaked havoc in my life. As I blogged recently about the 4 chairs, I see people every day that feel they are OK if sometime in the past they prayed a sinners prayer. Some live anyway they want to Monday through Saturday and then Sunday go to church, thinking they are saved. God wants to be sovereign in our lives. He wants control of our hearts.  I see some that will state, you don't need to go to church to be a Christian, and I agree with that statement. Many CME's people that only go to church on Christmas, Mothers Day and Easter are not Christian. Being a Christian requires a heart surrendered to God. The same people that make that statement, you don't have to go to Church to be a Christian have not surrendered their hearts to God. If you truly love God, I believe you would want to be in his house and worship him when the doors are open. In the last year I have seen two individuals that have been going to church for years finally surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus. They learned to be Christian in action and speech, but their heart was not in it. The battle going on today is for the hearts of mankind. If your heart does not follow God, it has another master. No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Luke 16:13 We will serve someone, that is they way we are designed. If God is heaven is not sovereign in your life, you will find another master. God desires the hearts of man, does he have yours. Does it show in your actions? Does it show in the spirit you display? Do you try to obey God's word to the best of your ability? God is sovereign in this world, is he sovereign in your heart? If he knocks on your hearts door. let him in. I have experienced his love in my life and heard the testimonies of many. You will not be sorry. God is the God of peace. He wants our hearts. With him comes peace in the middle of trouble.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. God bless, LVZ.

Open the Door

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
I am afraid to blog anything to do with politics, it doesn't seem to come out right. So let me go on to something else. I believe we are in a Spiritual Battle for the hearts of men in this country. I look at the spirit driving what I do and say. A spiritual journey begins with opening that door when Jesus knocks on your heart.  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.  John 14:23. Yesterday I heard a young woman talk about her encounter with Jesus. She knelt and surrendered her heart to God. I heard the pastor speak, what is the last thing God told you to do?  I remember that time over 30 years ago when Jesus knocked on my hearts door. A question any one needs to ask themselves, if you died today, would you go to heaven? Can you say without a doubt, you will go to heaven? We can be that sure, when we surrender our hearts to God. It may seem foreign for people that go to church every Sunday to ask that question, but many have a religion. They have the appearance of being a Christian, speak Christianese,  look like a Christian, but if they have not surrendered their heart to God they are just as lost as the one who knows they will go to hell. Revelation 3:20 is one of those scriptures pointing us to Jesus. But after opening our hearts to God comes the majority of the Bible, telling us how to live after we have surrendered to Jesus. Then come scriptures like John 14:23, telling us how to live after we begin a relationship with Jesus. I don't know how well I can tell this story, but there are four chairs people sit in. The first chair is those that have excepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, and know beyond a shadow of doubt, that if they died today they would be with God. They love Jesus.
2nd chair believes in Jesus but they are luke warm. They have accepted Jesus but do no works. They have lost their first love.  3rd believes they are saved because they go to church. They live differently on Monday through Saturday, but on Sunday they go to church. 4th chair, they are going to hell and know it, and don't care.  First chair people are in love with Jesus, and don't care who knows it. Second chair people gave their hearts to Jesus sometime in their past but have lost that love relationship. They will still go to heaven with out any rewards. Third chair people, think they will go to heaven just because they go to church on Sunday,  is the most dangerous chair there is. They will go to hell and don't know it.  Fourth chair people know they are going to hell and don't care. All of us need to move to chair one. Chair one,  a love relationship with Jesus. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Chair three is the most dangerous place to be. They live like chair 4 people but think they are going to heaven, because they go to church once in a while on Sunday. We need a love relationship with Jesus. We need surrendered hearts to Jesus. A heart that is prostrate on the floor in front of Jesus. Jesus you are all I need. Jesus I surrender all. If you died today, would you go to heaven without any doubt? You can be that sure. Open the door if Jesus is knocking and let him in. God bless, LVZ. for a better version of 4 chairs explanation google:  Promise keepers 4 chair message ( Adrian Despres ).

By Faith

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.  Habakkuk 2:4
The righteous shall live by his faith.  Faith in God is something we live by. I believe God sent his son Jesus to die for my sins. I didn't see it happen, but the oldest History book ever written tells me it did happen. I didn't see George Washington, but I believe he was the first President of this country, because History Books tell me he was. I never saw Abraham Lincoln, but I believe he lived and died and was our 16th President.  History tells me so. The Bible is a history book, it tells of one Jesus that died on a cross for me. I believe it the same as I believe George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were once alive and were Presidents of our country. I believe even though I did not live to see them. We accept God by faith. We believe the Bible is telling us the truth and by faith we accept that Jesus died for our sins. We believe in him. Faith is something anyone can exercise. You do not have to be rich or super intelligent to believe. In fact many times those things get in the way. We are rich and sometimes become self-sufficient, and thereby do not need God. Or perhaps we are very intelligent and explain away God. We are to smart to believe in something we cannot see. Can you see air? I breathe it every day, this room is full of it but I cannot see it. Yet I believe that is what I am taking into my lungs every time I breathe. But I cannot see it. I cannot see God, but yet I feel sometimes he speaks to me through his word, or perhaps through a minister. God is illogical, and if he wasn't it wouldn't take faith to believe in him. It is that faith in a God that I cannot see, that buys my ticket into heaven. I can't see God, I can't touch him, but I believe. I can't see Abraham Lincoln or George Washington but I still believe that the History books tell me they were former Presidents. And I believe, by faith. God bless, LVZ.  

Who is in Authority?

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:20-23
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. Colossians 2:9-10
I went down a rabbit trail and noticed these scriptures talking about authority. I like Romans 13 where it talks about civil authority is ordained by God. These verses above tell us God is the ultimate authority. Jesus his son sits at the right hand of God above all authority. All things are under his feet. God is , was and always will be sovereign.
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1 I do not know what God has in store for this nation. The more I see people fight against Trump, the more I am convinced God put Trump there for a purpose. Sometimes I think, do these people not know they are fighting against God? Trump is just a tool, God has put in place to use for his purposes, whatever they be. The same as God used Obama to wake Christians up that they needed to pray for their leaders. God put Obama in office. Now God has put Trump in office in a few days. I think about what God did when the children of Israel murmured against Moses. Never before have we seen such fighting against a new President.  The Bible is a history book and it records things that happened.  and what he did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel. Deuteronomy 11:6 God literally opened up a the earth and swallowed a group of people that were contrary to his leader Moses. Now I don't expect that to happen today. I remember a time when I planted some bushes along side a Church building in Tacoma. I had been taking care of the lawn and pulling weeds etc. I noticed a couple of plants that had died along side the building. I found out what type of plant they were and went to a nursery and replaced about three that had died. The next time I came to church I noticed that someone had stolen those three plants. I was in disbelief, they stole from God house. I didn't see anything bad happen and I have no idea whom stole those plants. But it seems there is no respect towards the God of this universe today. God who holds life and our very breath in his hands. God is rich in mercy and forgiving us for all our sins. God who's love was so great he sent Jesus to the cross to die for our sins.  God is still on his throne. Trump will do what God desires or at least will not go further than God allows. God who created the heavens is still in authority over all. How many believe Abraham Lincoln existed because of History Books? I never saw him or shook hands with him or spoke to him. I believe he existed because history books tell me about him. There is nobody alive today that saw him, but we believe he was. The Bible is the oldest History book ever written. I believe in Jesus because the history book, the Bible tells me about him. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 God is still in Authority. God bless, LVZ.

How Far is the East From The West?

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

This is an amazing scripture. If you followed a Longitude line around the earth and headed North, eventually you would get to the North Pole and then you would travel South until you hit the South Pole and then travel North again. In this scripture God tells us how far he has removed our transgressions, our sins from us. As far as the East is from the West. Now if you followed a latitude line around the earth from any given starting point, and traveled east, you could travel east forever and you would always be going east and never stop. When God removes your sin, you cannot find them. If you started going West , the same thing, you could go West and always before you is further West.  You cannot get to the end of West or East like you can North or South. You could stand at the North Pole and the direction before you is South. You can stand at the South Pole and the direction before you is North. But you can never go far enough East to go West. God loved us so much, he removed our sins from us so far that we could never find them again. I think this is just amazing and I am so thankful God forgave me of my sins and removed them so far from me I could never find them again. I am also thankful that I never got everything I deserved. God bless, LVZ.

History

History:   the study of past events, particularly in human affairs: I listened to what PragerU had to say about the President talking about being on the right side of History. This is my take on History. My history is a story of my past. It will reflect good decisions and bad. I don't think you can be on the right or wrong side of history. It hasn't been written yet. My past and your past is history, but I think to say you are on the right side of history is very arrogant. I think you need to wait and see if you made good decisions or bad decisions. Hind sight is 20/20. Unless you are God and sovereign, I don't think you know squat about something that is not over. If I made a bad decision, I would be on the wrong side of History? if I mad a good decision I would be on the right side of history.  While his speech may sound good to a lot of people being on the right side of history is BS. History is past events and he  Obama is still here. History remains to be written to see if he was right or wrong. I think about a decision I made when I turned 18. I wanted to leave home. I decided to stay until I finished High School. That decision played out in my best interest many years down the road. I probably would not have gotten a job at Boeing with out a high School Diploma.  Now I am retired with a Boeing pension. Did I know all that in the year I was a senior in High School. Hind sight is 20/20. Yes that decision was a good one, history says I did the right thing. Many times we make decisions thinking to do the right thing for us at the time. I really wanted to leave home  the day I turned 18. At the time I might have persuaded myself it was the right decision for me. I don't know how it would have played out, because I stayed and finished High School. Many years later History says I did the right thing. How can Obama say he is on the right side of history, until history has a chance to write itself. What if  the ISIS radicals he allows into this country cause another twin towers type disaster, will history say he was right? What if these refugees become model citizens and one discovers a cure for cancer, will Obama's decision be considered good or bad depending on what happens. I think it is too early to say History will support him. History has to be written first. We do not write our own history as we do an autobiography. What if the Republicans come up with a better alternative for ACA. or what if the actions of Obama doubling the debt over every previous President combined spells disaster in the next few years and  our children and grandchildren pick up the tab. Will they say Obama  is on the right side of history or will they curse him for bankrupting our country?  History has yet to be written that will either support or discredit him.  History may not be kind if Trump succeeds to pull this country together.  If we turn back toward God  and Godly principles and God blesses this nation.  We all are on the unknown side of history, it hasn't been written yet.  God bless, LVZ.

Work For God

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:22-24
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:10
Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men,  Ephesians 6:7
This thought comes to me as I listened  to a man tell about trouble on his job. I am sure I blogged on this thought before.  An employee refused to do something extra above his ordinary job to assist,  when another employee went to the bathroom. Needless to say the boss says you will do what I ask, the employee still refused and is in trouble. Don't know the final outcome of the situation, but I am sure there will be some sort of disciplinary action for the employees refusal to do as asked.  I was reminded of a couple of incidents on my job over the years. Once when I worked for a wood products company at my yearly review, my boss gave me a good review. He noted that when a machine went down that I was working with, I grabbed a broom and sweep up the area until the machine was up and running. He noticed that and said I gave 110% . He was pleased with my performance.  Another time years earlier, as I worked general utility where I set up supplies, emptied garbage and broke (which I describe as waste paper in a paper mill that is recycled).  I had an old supervisor that would come around and have me clean up boxes of product that had fallen or been taken off the line because of damage or line problems. The next night, I did a quick survey of my area and concentrated my first portion of time to clean up those extras I knew he would bring later. I was done cleaning up the line by the time he got to me. He says come with me as he proceeded to an area that had a mess earlier that I had already cleaned up. Then he proceeded to the next mess, and that too had already been cleaned up by me.  Finally he said, I'll  get back to you later and proceeded up to the office.  A few minutes later, a different supervisor came down to talk to me. She told me the old supervisor had gone up to the office bragging about me. She knew he would not say anything directly to me, so she came to tell me.  Another time as I was working in an office on second shift all alone. When I finished all the work I had to do, if I still had time I would do some of our dayshift clerk's work. This was unusual, because the other planners would not stoop to do a clerks job. I did to keep busy during my eight hour shift. She would go home at the end of her shift seeing all this work on her desk for the next day. When she came in the next day, much of that work had been done for her and it made her day so much better.  She told her husband, who was an engineering supervisor about this planner that would do her work when he finished his. There was no one watching me, except God. I was all alone on Second Shift in that office. I worked as if God was watching. I was in that planning job for two years.  One day this engineering supervisor ( the husband of our office clerk) came to talk to me. He knew I had been taking CATIA classes to better myself. He needed CATIA operators and offered me a job on the engineering side. On the day this supervisor talked to me, I put in a couple hours of vacation to leave my area to walk to his area to check it out. I didn't have to do that, I could have just walked over there on company time, but because I believe God was watching, I did it on my time.  Another time a crew I was working on would leave jobs open until the weekend so when the lead would talk to the supervisor on Friday, the lead would say, I have x number of jobs open and I need the weekend overtime to catch up. When I came to the crew, when I knew a job was complete, I would close it out, because I felt it was dishonest, to leave it open to justify overtime. I didn't last long, and was sent back to the main group. The lead lied about me and I thought the supervisor believed this lead over me. A short time later I noticed this lead was no longer working for the company but I was.  God is watching, and you will be blessed if you work as to the Lord.  God bless, LVZ. 

Being a Christian is not always easy

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Much of the Bible tells us how to live after we become a Christian as does this verse above. Patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness, etc.  How do I do this especially in the political realm, when I feel like my opponents are the most hypocritical people on earth?  I don't feel like being gentle.  But when I think about it I realize a lot of what we see going on is actually a spiritual battle.  Sometimes our opponents are not guided by a spiritual code of ethics. It helps to understand God is still sovereign. Even as I read back over what I have already written this morning I wonder how well I am following the above scripture. I don't feel very kind, I don't feel very gentle. Patience, not my strong suit.  The best I could hope for is that their eyes be opened and God would grant repentance, and a knowledge of the truth. The Bible is spiritually discerned and without the spirit of God in you, the Bible can be just words, and mean absolutely nothing. The meaning can be hidden from those snared by the devil and doing his work. It is a spiritual battle going on in this country. We will win on our knees, because GOD is sovereign. GOD can still move the heart of our leaders as he sees fit. I have been told I need to leave my Christianity inside the doors of the church, yet we see the other side continuing to push  their beliefs on us anyway they can. The left likes to quote the cliché, when they go low we go high but in reality they do the very opposite. This President was put in place by God. I believe the very fact that Trump won the electoral college by a large margin and was under in the popular vote over all is God's signature. God still has the final say. I will try to follow this scripture as best I can in dealing with opponents, because GOD is still on his throne. GOD holds life and death in his hands. If this is God that put Trump in office as I believe, they fight against God that fight against Trump. No Trump is not God, just a tool in God's hands. If this is God's doing, we will see amazing things. We can look at Bible history, where God opened up the earth to swallow the opponents of his leader. God did mighty things against thousands with Gideon and 300 men. We can look at Israel since 1948 how God has miraculously saved them time and again. Another scripture I posted to face book recently:  As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:13  Remember GOD is sovereign, his opponents can only go as far as he lets them. God help me to be kind when I don't feel very kind. Help me to be gentle when I don't feel like being gentle. Being a Christian and following God's word is not always easy God help me, LVZ.  

Carry

 

My favorite way to carry.  Since being in Mississippi, I got my concealed carry permit. In Mississippi you  have to have an Enhanced  Carry Endorsement on your permit to carry in many public places such as a church. That is the reason I got mine. I am part of a security team at church.  This is something that feels so foreign to me. I remember many years ago a minister friend sold fire arms out of the trunk of his car. If you starting talking weapons, he could show you some that he was carrying. At the time, I felt it didn't mix, being a minister and a gun nut. This morning as I strapped on my gun I prayed, God may I never have to use this, but if I am ever in a situation where it is needed give me the courage to do what I need to do. Who would have thought we would face situations like we saw in Charleston, South Carolina where nine members of a church were shot to death. It seems to be a reality in this day when we have to protect ourselves in this manner. We went through training and shot many rounds of ammunition. I had 150 rounds with me on the day at the range. I didn't shoot them all, but many. I have been through a Citizens Academy twice which is through a police department to help us understand what a police officer faces. I know several police officers and I cannot imagine one of them having a racist attitude like Black Lives Matter says. I would guess most if not all would be somewhat like me, I hope I never have to use it. Officers are trained. I have minimal training and do not feel adequate to be a police officer. they have my utmost respect as they strap on a weapon as part of their job, hoping they never have to use it. they are in harms way every day. They never know how a traffic stop will go. Or they go on a domestic violence call and don't know how it will end. One thing I learned that I still have to practice is to keep both eyes open as I aim at a target. Your dominant eye will take over.  I forgot to look through the sights on my weapon on the last shoot don't shoot training. I totally missed the man I needed to stop with all three shots I fired. Every one in the shoot don't shoot training class I was in that didn't shoot, an officer ended up dead  or at least shot. I would recommend this training for every citizen, especially any one who thinks they would like to advise a police department of their interactions with the community. I know black officers and white officers and I see no difference.  I was really encouraged to learn how many of them are Christian men and women. Most had a servants heart, from what I saw.  Get to know your local police officers. They are really good people.   Once again I hope I never encounter a situation where I have to pull my weapon and use it.  I carry it on my ankle because I think if I am ever in a situation I will take cover and look for the threat and make sure before I ever pull it.   It would be easier to carry on my hip but I know I will want to make sure, very sure before I ever use it.  May I never have to. I want to make another statement here, civil authority is ordained by God (Romans 13), our police officers are ministers of God.  They are the first line of defense for us ordinary citizens. May we respect and honor them for the job they do. God give me the courage if ever I face the need to draw my weapon to do what I have to do save lives. I pray it never happens. God bless, LVZ.

Showing Honor

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you  of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7  I was reading in 1 Peter looking for a scripture to post on face book.  this scripture caught my eye. We husbands, and I am one, are to live with our wives in an understanding way, and to show honor to them as the weaker vessel. I changed my view on a lot of things over the years. At one time I use to refuse to drive my wife's car if she brought it home empty. Now I try to make sure I drive it enough to fill it with gas at least once a week. About the only time she puts gas in her own car is if I am gone on a road trip. Yesterday it was cold out, we were driving her car for that very reason, so we could put gas in it while we were out and about. As we pulled up to the gas station, she asked, do you want me to pump it. I looked at her, are you crazy? It is cold out there. I think she was teasing me, because just a few days earlier I had seen a car pull into Papa V's and immediately the woman got out of the car on the passengers side and went to the pump and started pumping gas. The man driving stayed in the car the whole time. He was younger than I. I wanted to go over there and speak to the man. There could have been a logical reason, a disability or perhaps he was even sick and it was necessary for this woman to get out and pump gas. I try to understand my wife, to know how she thinks. She does think differently than I do. She is much more liberal and I much more conservative in our thinking. I had to grow up at some point from the days when I refused to drive my first wife's car when she brought it home empty. If you really look for it the Bible will tell you how to live in every aspect of life. Most of the Bible is written to tell us how to live after we become a Christian. A much smaller portion of the Bible tells us how to come to a knowledge of God. As I try to understand her, she is much more affected by the cold weather than I am. I need to respect that  when it comes to the thermometer in our home. (the weaker vessel?) ( I hope she doesn't read that part). I fill her car with gas to honor her, Much of the time I still open her door and get her in the car before I do. Not always, sometimes I could be standing in the rain and cold for ten minutes waiting  for her  to come out of the house. But I really do try to show respect to her and honor her, and one of the visual ways is trying to make sure she doesn't have to put gas in the car.  I remember when I first started thinking this way, I had a neighbor at one address that lived across the street from me. He had a very narrow yard and really had only space for parking one car in front of his house. This neighbor parked in the spot in front of his house and his wife had to park further away or even across the street. It just seemed wrong to me, as it did when I saw that woman get out of the car and pump gas with a man still sitting in the drivers seat. Our relationship with our     spouses needs to be kept pure so that our prayers as husbands are not hindered when we talk to God. We need to respect our wives and honor them so that our prayers reach heaven. Much of the Bible tells us how to live after we become a Christian.  I am working on it. God bless, LVZ.  

Examples

For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13:15,16  In joking around with my Grandson Elijah, or perhaps trying to show off a bit: I guzzled a 20 oz. bottle of water. I am in my 60's OK.  My Grandson is only seven. He showed me he could guzzle a 20 oz. bottle of water the last time he was here. I am not sure that is the example I wanted him to follow. I do want to follow Christ. I would love to model Christian behavior and see my Grandson copy those behaviors.  But Jesus is our ultimate example. What I really want to model is love.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 This is the thing we really want to model for those following us, Love. It is by our love for one another that all people shall know we are Christ's disciples. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 tells us to love even our enemies. And in Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,   Ephesians 5:25  here we are to love our wives to the point we give ourselves up for her. Greater love has no man than this that  a man lay down his life for his friends.  As a Christian, the most important thing I can model or be an example of is loving others. I hope my Grandson can look at me and copy me in loving others. That is an example I would like for him to imitate. I need it first in my own life. Christ example is he gave his very life for us on the cross of Calvary. Jesus died for my sins and yours. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 I hope love shows through. I hope as my Grandson imitates me as he did guzzling that bottle of water, he finds examples of loving others to imitate also. We are to be servants to others. Love through serving others. May God help me to be an example in loving others.  God bless, LVZ.

Economics

Economics
the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.
Physician 
a person skilled in the art of healing; specifically :  one educated, clinically experienced, and licensed to practice medicine as usually distinguished from surgery.

Here is my question, will you take a politicians word over that of a medical doctor when it comes to medical issues?
Another question, will you take a politicians word over that of an economics professor or an economist?
80 % of economists will tell you raising the minimum wage will hurt the very people it is suppose to help.   if 80 % of medical doctors told us eating sugar was bad for us, but politicians said, we want to increase the consumption of sugar usage because it is good for the majority , who would you believe?   Read for yourself what Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams will say about raising the minimum wage. Who will you believe and why? Answer those questions for yourself. Do you think for yourself or subscribe to group think?
God bless. LVZ. 

Age

This is not scientific in any way, but as I past another birthday I thought about why people live long lives.  Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.  Deuteronomy 5:16  That is what the Bible tells us. When people tell why they lived long lives, I think, I wonder how they treated their parents.  Did they honor their parents? I heard this in a sermon one time: Honor does not mean you agree with everything your parents say;  it does mean you give weight to their words. You think about what they say and don't discount it lightly. Look the Deuteronomy verse up in blue letter bible and pay attention to the meanings of the word honor was interpreted from (kabad).  Note how many times it refers to heavy.   I know only God knows the number of our days, and he gives life.  How could you do a scientific study? I think you would have to be there all through our lives to see if we honored our parents.  I believe it would show the Bible to be true.  The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10   My birthday has passed but I don't feel a day older than yesterday. I have lived 23,360 days plus 16 (there have been 16 leap years in my life). One day doesn't make a big difference, but 23,000 days have given me gray hair, some pounds I don't appreciate. One artificial knee, glasses, and some lost hair I shall never see again. All in all, God has been really good to me. Two kids, Jeremy, Carla, and Barbara has a son Haji. Together we have 5 Grandkids, Gio, Cally, Rose, Eli, Addy. I am blessed. God bless, LVZ.

A model of Good works

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Titus 2:7,8
As I was looking for a word to post on face book this morning I had this scripture on a piece of paper from something I read or research I had done. So I looked it up on Bible Hub to see what it said. Yesterday I also started to go about getting names to qualify to run for Alderman Ward 4 in Verona. I feel it is important for Christians to run for public office. Earlier this year I went to Jackson to meet with other Christians going to the State Court House to pray for our nation with Franklin Graham. Franklin Graham spoke some word and encouraged us to run for public office. It had been on my heart already. I prayed about it probably six months ago, if I should run. I feel it is important to ask God for direction before I make a decision. What I have done a lot in my life is make a decision and then ask for God's help. That is like getting the cart before the horse. I did feel there was confirmation for me to do this. If we pray first and ask God perhaps, he might say no or not yet for some reason. So many times I have made a bad decision and then was praying for God's help to get me out of a mess, when if I had prayed at the beginning God may have kept me from the mess in the first place. Our integrity and good works as a Christian need to be in everything we do. It amazes me to hear people that don't want Christians to be in public office. And I ask why not, do you not want someone who believes in honesty? In integrity? Someone who believes that you should not retaliate for wrongs, but do good to all.  To love even our enemies. Why would you not want a person of integrity to run for any office. I have no great plans, I just want to make good decisions as we do what is needed and best for the citizens of Verona. I think of the mud slinging that we see in so many campaigns, it does not need to be. The person who is the current Alderman is a person I often thought, there are some good things I could learn from him. I have listened to him over many months in City meetings and sometimes he asks good questions. Still I feel the desire to run. I desire Gods direction in my thinking and as I vote, if I win, for the city of Verona.  I have been looking at the words so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. In trying to understand these words, I thought about a Mayors race in Tupelo about 4 years ago: One opponent did a lot of mud slinging in his campaign. He made himself look bad as the other opponent had nothing bad to say but did say what he wanted to do for the city. I felt he used good judgement and showed Christian integrity in his campaigning. The good guy won. Personally I thing the other guys attempt at mud slinging turned people off. The good guy proved to be a good mayor for the city of Tupelo and I hope he wins again this year. I want to show forth integrity, dignity and sound speech. I do pray for God's guidance and direction. I do desire to be a model of good works.  God bless,  LVZ. 

Hoping to be Blessing

I have tried for some time to write something everyday. Sometimes it is easy, sometimes it is hard. Sometimes I feel I wrote a good post, some days I feel like I am just going through the motions. Some days I go back and delete a post because I was not happy with it. Some days I go back and read a post and don't remember it. Was that really me that wrote that blog.  Perhaps with practice, I'll get better. I want my thoughts to be clear, my motives pure.  I have been writing for a few years now and as the new year starts I am thinking about this blog and how I can do better. I want to be a blessing. I want to give a word of encouragement and I do want to witness for my Lord and Savior. I am not sure who reads my blog. I get very few comments. I do ask if I have blessed you or encouraged you in my blog, let me know. I feel I am doing something God wants me to do and I want to be good at it. Sometimes I have stepped on toes. I wonder if that was good or not. I would say half of the little feedback I received has been negative. That has been when I stepped on toes. Especially when I talk politics, it is very easy to upset people, because pretty close to half the people think differently to begin with.  Religion is the same way, except I try to not actually be religious because what I think is, we need a relationship with God. Here too it is easy to step on toes, because I believe Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life. Many in our society think just living a good life is enough, or they really don't believe in hell.  One thing I want is to be accurate when I speak about God's word. I grew up in a Church that believed they were the true church and that someday every Christian would become a part of that organization. They say that was never an official doctrine of that church. And perhaps it wasn't. At different times I talk with people, I am talking Christian people here, and I get the same feel from them. Their church is the true church. Sometimes it may be joking like the other day at Hardee's drinking coffee, a couple of Christian brothers that belong to a certain denomination said something about converting me. I said, I don't need converting, God and I are just fine. When I was searching for a church to attend, one associate minister at a church I was thinking about said , you want to be at the Church where Jesus is at. Jesus is at a lot of churches. I believe in exclusivity of the gospel in the Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life. I do not believe my Church is the only Church that preaches truth. Many years ago in a former marriage, my wife asked me to pray about where to go to church. We had been bouncing around some but felt the need to become a part of a congregation. We were a salt and pepper couple. We had different backgrounds. Hers was Black Baptist and mine was Pentecostal or Holiness as they described it when I was growing up. My wife asked me to pray about it and where we should attend. I did, and as I was praying about this I read Ephesians 5:25. I thought to myself, how do I apply this scripture to my life in this situation? Her culture was Black and her upbringing was in the Baptist Church. The man that gave her away when we got married was a Deacon at Second Baptist Church in the community we were living. She had family that went to that church. I thought, this is my answer, in trying to do what Ephesians 5:25 says, we will go to Second Baptist. A few day later when she asked have I decided, I said yes, I chose Second Baptist. She said, how the hell do you pick Second Baptist? Hind sight is 20/20, and I believe I did hear God voice in that decision. We joined and she went with me until we separated.  The husband is to be the leader of the home, or as one pastor said the initiator of the home. To lead by example, not by force. I look back on that prayer and that decision and I have tried to imitate that over the years. To ask God for direction and to trust him. I try to look to God's word and apply it to my life. A big part of the scripture is telling Christians how to live after they become Christians. Perhaps some of my blogs will be like that, telling how I try to apply God's word to my life. I hope to be a blessing in 2017.  God bless, LVZ.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25

Does Love Show Through?

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.                             2 Timothy 2:24 -26 
I was trying to write a blog in the last few days and it just didn't seem to come out right and I never published it. As I read an article by George O. Wood of the Assemblies of God I think I understand why I was having such a hard time. Does love come through in the things I write was my thought. As a Christian we are to love even our enemies. I am noticing that sometimes when I take a stand, I don't feel very loving.  Non Christians that are supporting the progressive agenda do not need to be kind. Those that support abortion and same sex marriage do not need to allow love to show through as they take a stand against our beliefs. We get called bigots and many more choice words because of our religious beliefs. In Sunday School yesterday the teacher made a statement that stuck with me. The majority of the Bible is telling Christians how to live after they become Christians. Probably not his exact words but close. I don't worry about finding new truth, I am busy just trying to live what I already know. But back to the scripture above. we are to be kind to everyone. I fail, especially when talking politics. Our world is going against biblical teaching in many areas and our freedoms are at risk. As we stand for Biblical beliefs we are not to be quarrelsome, we are to be kind, and this scripture even uses the words patiently enduring evil. We are to correct opponents with gentleness. God always has an eye to save the lost, that they may come to their senses. Many of those pushing the progressive agendas on us do not realize as they take away our freedoms, they are greatly diminishing their own freedoms.This is a spiritual battle we are in. We will win on our knees. God is still sovereign and some of this may have crept up on us but God saw it coming. Now as I read back, I hope I am not offensive in the things I say. It may feel like we have a hand tied behind our back, but remember God is sovereign, he wins. God always is trying to win hearts. God does not want any to perish but that all could come to the knowledge of the truth. As we take our stands for biblical truths, love must still show through. Love the sinner but hate the sin. As we take a stand against sin and wrong, love must show through.As we stand against the evils of abortion, we must show love. As we stand against same sex marriage we must show love for those caught in the deception sweeping our land. I believe God put Trump in the office of President but make no mistake the powers of hell are not going to sit back and do nothing. We are in a spiritual battle in our nation today. We must pray for God to intervene and still love. A Dallas law officer has a statement he says frequently and even sells t-shirts with the saying, I refuse to see hate win while love dies. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is just as important today as it was before the election. We must support our new President in prayer. This is a spiritual battle we are in and some may ask if it is a spiritual battle why Trump? I cannot answer that, Gods ways are sometimes way above finding out. But I do believe it was God that manipulated this election and not the Russians. Love must show through. God bless, LVZ.