Examples to the Flock

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians. 11:1

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:1-3

I have heard it said: What one generation allows in moderation, the next generation practices in excess. I still have this idea in my head about being examples to those around us. People watch us as I said in a recent blog how my grandson imitates me in guzzling a bottle of water. People will follow the leadership of a church. It is so important that leaders follow Christ, in fact the first scripture above says to be imitators. I am having a hard time writing this. We are not to be wielding a big club in our hands and driving people but showing the way. Out in front, living examples of how to overcome temptation such as is common to man. I have heard it said,  you see the same people at the club on Saturday night and in the church on Sunday morning. how are we to be examples if we are doing the same stuff? I keep getting a picture of me with a big club in my hands.  How do I convey this thought in love? When I was a lead on the job, I didn't ask my crew to do anything I wasn't willing to do myself, I tried to lead by example. I  come from a very legalistic background, and I think that is why I have such a hard time with this. I don't want to come from that legalistic background. I want to come from what I experienced at the hands of my Lord and Savior. When you look at Jesus confronting sin in followers, he did it with love. Jesus is our ultimate example.  I think of the woman at the well in Samaria. Jesus told her about her life. She was currently living with someone who she was not married to. Had been married 5 times. When she left the encounter with Jesus, she was excited about meeting a man that told her everything she had done. She didn't feel condemned, she felt uplifted. Jesus had touched her heart. This story is found in John chapter 4. I  can tell what I did in my own life better than anything else. Jesus dealt with me over a period of time. I remember being so lonely having been married and then found myself divorced. I think I understand this woman even though I am a man. I found myself as a Christ follower in a sinful relationship. I would feel convicted about it and struggled with that sin in my life for a while. I had to take it to the altar. Again and again I came to God. God loved me through it. If we do not leave our sin behind us, how do we expect those watching us to leave theirs. It is through Christ who strengthens me. A repentant heart is what we need. God forgive me a sinner. Here I think of the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying side by side. The Pharisee praying and telling God how he is not like the tax collector praying next to him. Telling God all he is doing. The tax collector is saying God be merciful to me a sinner. King David, O how I use to like to point to King David and his sin with Bathsheba to excuse my own sin. God was not OK with what David did. God confronted David and David repented. When God confronts us with our sin, do we repent and turn from our wicked ways? Let us be like the tax collector in Luke 18, repenting, asking God for mercy in contrast to the Pharisee telling God everything he did according to the law.  Can we say, follow me as I follow Christ? Have we grown from our baby face into maturity, where we start looking, start resembling our Savior? Do I resemble Jesus? Have I taken on his characteristics as I have walked for a while as a follower of Christ?  I think of the Woman at Sychar telling her friends about a man that told her all that she ever did. Has my encounter changed me? Help me to be like thee o Lord. Change my heart and my life to show thy characteristics, that I might say, follow me as I follow Christ. God bless, LVZ.

Make An "A" At Home

If you are going to try and make an A grade, make an A at home. MY pastor was talking about going to seminary as he was preparing for the ministry. In one of his first classes the Professor was in the front of the room introducing himself to the class, he struck the chalk board with a ruler so hard the chalk was falling off. The professor said, if you are going to try and make an A, make it at home. Pastor said he never forgot that. I am reminded of a Pastor one time who's grown child was going through a divorce. This Pastor said to his child, how is this going to look on my ministry. Or in the home where a minister is an abuser to his wife. If you are going to make an A make it at home. Those words left an impression on me. I am reminded of an Elder that spoke to our ministers son when they were looking to hire his father as our lead Pastor. He looked him in the eye and said, if your Dad spends too much time at the Church, let me know. He wanted the Pastor to make an A at home. I think of my own life, at one time I was invited to a wedding party of one of my brothers, and I made the excuse I couldn't come because of Church duties. It was a lie, I didn't feel comfortable in a situation where there would be dancing, and I had never learned to dance. I saw it in my own life, hiding behind the church, using it as an escape from real life. There are imbedded in my memory of others times when I made an A on the job or at church, but not at home. If you are going to make an "A", make it at home. There is no one as important as the wife, and the children at home. There is no job as important as the job at home. I remember the time when my daughter was just a child and it was raining outside. We were stuck in the house. She made up a little song, Its raining, its pouring, my daddy is boring.  Something to think about. If you want to make an A, make it at home.  God bless, LVZ.

An Example

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. James 3:13
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Yesterday's blog I used these two scriptures. As I think about them, I had to think of the failures in my own life. I repented and asked God to forgive me. When I blog I don't try to set myself up as someone who has never failed, I have not forgotten some things I have done. I have repented and asked God to forgive me. What bothers me as I thought about yesterday's blog is what we seem to do as a Nation. I feel if a Republican had done much of what Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have done, they would be in jail. Yet just weeks ago, I heard a person bring up Trump's actions of 15 years ago and say, he is not fit for President. Bill lied under oath during the investigation into his actions and that is the reason he was forbidden to practice law ever again. Mr. Weiner made the news again and again with his actions and was elected to another office. Does politics exempt our leaders from these requirements. Or is it we the citizens that give them a pass?  So much of the time we will be quoted a scripture that says Do not judge lest ye be judged. Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 1 Corinthians 5:12.   and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.” 2 Chronicles 19:6,7.   God doesn't judge unjustly or with partiality. How about us? Do we set a double standard when we expect one thing from the people of one party and close our eyes when it is the people from our political party? I believe what scripture is telling us, we should base our judgements on what God thinks. God doesn't show partiality, there is no injustice with the Lord our God or partiality or taking of bribes. I believe God's word teaches us to expect leaders to show good conduct and to be example to those under them. I also believe it needs to start with the household of faith. I tried to do that on the job as a Lead. When ever I had time I would do a Leon's look ahead, as they were affectionately called. I tried to lead by example. I tried to be productive with my time. I believe that is what God expects of leaders, to lead by example, be examples in conduct , in speech, in love, in faith, and in purity. God bless, LVZ.

Good Conduct

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. James 3:13
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Most of the time we look for Wisdom in Leaders.  I am reminded of a time in my working career when the CEO of the company I worked for was fired by the stockholders.  He had an affair with a woman that was under his authority. It showed bad judgement. Let me repeat the words that caught my eye in the verse above: By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. Then the other verse above says set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. We live in a troubled world, where many national leaders are not examples in speech or conduct. Both of the verses above use the word conduct. Merriam-Webster defines conduct like this:  a mode or standard of personal behavior especially as based on moral principles. I used this line out of the definition because it ended with; "based on moral principles".  Moral Principles: would being faithful to your marriage vows be a moral principle? Would being honest in you business dealings be a moral principle?  A cheating spouse hurts deeply, A man that cheats on his wife gives his mistress power over his wife. That is not wise.  The seventh commandment, thou shalt not commit adultery. If we are to lead by example, what kind of example is set by a leader that cheats on a spouse? It bothers me. That is why I chose to write about it. If businesses see this as a flaw in their leader, should we, who try to define and set moral principles see this as a flaw? We live in a society that closes their eyes to bad conduct if we like the guy. We have seen this in our choices for presidents and other political leaders. If the leader is a champion for our political cause, we look the other way. I believe this needs to start at a local level, where we value integrity in our leaders.  This is not an exhaustive thought on this subject, just a beginning, something to ponder, in my journey to follow Christ. I have been on both sides of this problem. It has done damage to others and to me. It is not wise. If we are wise let us show good conduct and set an example that those looking at us can follow.  God bless, LVZ.

Looking Inward

As I look inward as in my last post, I remember back to times when I looked more like the world around me than like my Heavenly Father. I made same bad errors in judgement.  Some  would call it sin. I don't want to be too hard on myself or on others for that matter. Many years ago I lived in an apartment on Hiway Place.  I remember taking evening walks and talking to my God.  I remember thinking I wasn't really doing so good spiritually, but looking back I really enjoyed my time with God. I fell away from God after that period. I remember living on 5 acres and I would come  home from work and walk out into the woods and talk to my God. Those were precious times. I remember another time I liked to talk to God was when I was driving alone. Its much easier in the days of blue tooth as people seeing you talking away probably think you are talking on a cell phone. But in my case it was before the days of blue tooth. I look back and I treasure those times.  My spiritual journey was up and down. I heard others talk about that too, up and down, mountain and valley. I remember several prayers that God answered almost instantly, and they have stuck with me through the years. One was when I was but about 5 years old. My dad was digging a basement under our house in Bismark, N.D.  He would load the dirt into the back of his old pickup and haul it out into the country and dump it off somewhere. On this particular day, when Dad was finished unloading the dirt, the pickup wouldn't start.  He was angry, and when I saw Dad get angry, I got scared. I walked a little ways away and prayed just a simple little prayer, God let that truck start.  The truck started, and I believe it was God because I remember it after all these years.  God has not answered every prayer like that. One other time, I had gotten divorced and married another lady, I really shouldn't have married. I didn't want to live in sin, so we married, but it was a disaster. We were separated after one month, and even got evicted out of the apartment I had lived in for months before we married. I remember thinking God I did this and I know you hate divorce. I was praying about this relationship because my wife didn't want a divorce but I thought she was unfaithful to me. I couldn't prove it but that was the way I was thinking. I was driving down Yakima street in Tacoma Washington, praying God I know I got myself into this marriage. I know you hate divorce. I think she is cheating on me but I can't see what you see. I was really hurting. Am I being to hasty in wanting a divorce, she does not want a divorce. I need help, because this is how I feel and I don't know what to do. These are probably not my exact words but close to what I was praying that day as I was driving. I was about a block away from the place where she was staying on Yakima street and I decided to turn to Park street, one block over so as to not look like I was checking up on her. After I go past her place I would have gotten back on Yakima Street and continued on my way.  I pulled up to a stop sign at 56th and Park. I was about the fourth car back, when I saw my wife walking across the street ahead of the line of cars. She walked to a gas station on my right and got into a van of the man I thought she was cheating with. God did not speak to me audibly, but in my mind, I heard this thought, now don't go over there and make a fool of yourself, I showed you this so you would know. I did not make a fool of myself that day, and went on my way. I never said anything to my wife about that day and what I saw. I have never forgotten that prayer. It showed me that even when we mess up and get into situations, God is still concerned about our welfare.  I treasure those times I spent in prayer, if I was driving, or walking along a street or even meditating in the woods.  Those have been just a couple of answered prayer that will stick with me for a life time. Over the years God has changed me in a lot of ways. Many things I prayed about were answered over time, but very few in an instant like these two times. I still treasure my time with God as many times I look inward and ask his help in situations and issues I see in my life. God has been faithful and I know he loves me.  God bless, LVZ.

Keep Oneself

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27  We have been studying James 1 in Sunday School and this thought has been on my mind for the last few days, "keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  This is where I had trouble some years back. Even though I had given my heart to God, I was letting the world influence me and I didn't look any different. I remember right after my divorce in my first marriage, a female friend from work said to me when I expressed a desire to be celibate, "you are living in the 90's". That is unrealistic and I am afraid I heeded her words more than the Bible. God forgave me. It is a sad state that the church is in today, where once morality was important and fidelity towards God, we have joined the sexual revolution. It is not uncommon to find couples living together as husband and wife inside the church. I fought it time and again, so I am not here to condemn anyone. I am telling what happened in my own life. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,  2 Peter 1:3-10. Some times as Christians we look at one scripture and hang our whole spiritual life on it. God gave us his word to guide us. The word  and the church was given not only to convert sinners to God but to guide Christians on their journey through life.  I do not believe God converts us to become a worldly looking Christian. I believe he does want us to escape the corruption in this world caused by evil desires. We are bombarded daily, through television, through media with worldly thinking. We are human. Let us fight to escape the spiritual pollution that is in this world. I think how much I took on the characteristics of this world in days gone by instead of looking like my heavenly Father. When I read in the scripture above the words "add to", I see an action word. Effort expended on my part to add to my faith Godly attributes, knowledge self-control, perseverance mutual affection, love. If you do these things you will never stumble. When we look like the world, we have stumbled. Non of us is without sin, I use these words and I describe my struggle hopefully to help and not condemn. Salvation happens in an instant, but living is a life long effort. Pure religion that God accepts is to look after others less fortunate than us and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world. Let us look to God's word for guidance on how to live in this troubled world. Love, the greatest of these is love. To love God and our neighbors as we love ourselves. Dear God, help me to look like you, in my actions, in my living, and to keep myself unpolluted from the world. God bless, LVZ.

Are we really one?

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28  I believe God intends for us to be one race period, the human race. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:11.  I believe we need to use the bible as our base for what we believe about races and ethnic groups. God created us. Every person alive if they were able to trace their ancestry back for many generations would eventually come to Noah and his sons. Why then do we and even Christians think we are so different? It seems especially volatile when it comes  to black and white issues. It seems we cannot talk politics, and race, religion and economics any more. We are dividing our selves based on color of skin, economic status, educational status, political beliefs, and I am sure if I stopped long enough to think this through, there would be more dividing points. I know especially in the political realm we are more divided every election between conservative and liberal beliefs. I have heard one side call the other low information voters because they do not think the same. They go to different sources for information and there for think the other side does not know what they are talking about. It causes us not to talk and to discuss things. We know more than they.  I see it in black and white discussions, and in the way people respond to each other. I am including myself. I do not for one second think I have it all together and everyone else is wrong. I do believe God does not want us to be divided and to see Whites as different from Blacks any more than we see a red head and a blond and a brunette are different. We are all made in God image, in being intelligent and even spiritual, emotional beings. We have feelings, we can reason, we all have differences, that most can see unless we are talking about identical twins and even then I wonder if we looked very closely we would see some differences. I believe God desires us to be one and to treat each other with respect and love. There are many more scriptures other than the ones above that cause me to think God wants us to be one. Even with economic levels, beauty levels God desires us to be one. Even to the point of crossing racial lines, denominational lines. I do believe there is one division, the being those that believe Jesus is the Christ, and those that do not accept him as the Christ.  I believe God desires us to be one, even though we don't always think the same, or have the same skin tone, or educational level or economic level. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14. I do not think the divisions we see today are from God.  So part of the reason I write this particular blog is to strive for peace. We need to look to God's word for our definition of oneness and peace. It does not come from man. God has the plan for bringing us together, lets look to him. God bless, LVZ

Understanding

The unfolding of your words gives light;it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
Still reading Psalm 119 in my quiet time with the Lord. This whole Psalm repeats over and over about getting into, understanding, learning God's ways, his laws, his commandments. Over and over again. The unfolding of God's word gives light. It shows us how to live. It doesn't matter if it is in the days of Moses or today. In Moses day they were given the ten commandments, the law. Today we have the sure word of Prophecy, 66 books to instruct us, from Genesis to Revelation. It gives understanding to the simple. It takes faith, something that anyone, even a simple minded man or woman can exercise and come to know our creator in a personal relationship. The Bible is there for us to instruct us. It is the most common way God talks to us, through his word. I had a few incidents in my life, where I felt God put a thought directly into my mind, and I knew God was speaking to me. I was praying and asking God about a situation in my life. I prayed God this is what I think, but perhaps I am being to hasty. I can't see what you see. I don't know what you know, but your words says.... As I was praying this prayer as I was driving in Tacoma, God showed me something I needed to see. I did not hear an audible voice, but in my mind, this thought came to me. Now I showed you this, so you would know, don't go over there a make a fool of yourself. That was about 17 years ago, I have never forgot that prayer and how God instantly answered that particular prayer as I was still praying. It was a very difficult time for me. But God was there for me. Mostly God speaks to us through his word. We pray and ask God for direction, we read his word or listen to a sermon, and God shows us something.  Sometimes he even speaks to us through nature. It is not difficult to have a relationship with God. Just trust that he is and that he loves you and wants to guide you. It  really is simple. Just ask him into your heart and trust him. You cannot make yourself good enough, you just come as you are and allow God to change you, to fix you, to love you. It takes faith, something anyone can exercise if they will.  God bless, LVZ.

Looking at my past

When I look back at the legalistic way I was raised, here are some things I once believed based on the way I was taught.  Drinking Alcohol was wrong, I believed in total abstinence. Even if I didn't state it at the time, I would have been hard pressed  to consider anyone a Christian that drank a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.  Smoking a cigarette or a cigar the same thing. Actually today I know of no medical benefits to smoking tobacco so even though I would not smoke myself, I know Pastors that smoke, deacons that smoke, etc.  At one time we were taught to not go to movies, or professional ball games. Today I know Christians that will go to a casino. There are non-essentials that you cannot base on scripture without some doubt.  On the other hand I was taught that sex outside of marriage was wrong. Scripture backs that up. I Corinthians 6:9-10; Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. That is just one verse. There is also a verse where Timothy was told by Paul to drink a little wine for his stomachs sake. Of course the legalists would have told you the wine Paul was referring to was non fermented wine. Yet Jesus created wine at a marriage celebration and I am sure the host would have known the difference between fermented and non fermented. Perhaps drunkenness as listed in verse ten would keep one out of God's kingdom. I will not say a glass of wine or a single bottle of beer is the same. This list also talks about fornicators and adulterers. Sex outside of the marriage bond. It is clear, but today we see other sins made legal by law and we are quick to pounce on them.  Many times the Bible is quick to tell us to look at ourselves. Have we justified actions in our life that the Bible tells us not to do? Our beliefs cannot be based on what we feel is right, it must be backed up by the word of God. I go to movies today, I would go to a professional ball game if I wanted to pay the price for a ticket. I do not find restrictions against these in the word. But I think 1 Corinthians is clear. Over the years as I have walked with God, he has changed me in many ways. I would like to give an example of one change that came to mind recently. When I was a young man, and we lived six miles from the nearest town one way and eight miles in another direction. I use to get so angry when my wife would come home with the gas tank on empty. I thought it is me that is going to have to walk to get gas if we run out. Over the years as God has changed my perspective, I now see it as my responsibility to make sure my wife's car has gas in it so that she never has to put gas in her car. It is almost a 180 degree turn in my attitude. I try to show my love for the one God gave me to be my help meet in this way.  I still most times try to open her car door as we go places together. Little changes that I have allowed God to make in my attitude over the years I walked with him. Many times I pray God help me and changed me into the man you want me to be. I still need changing, I still need to be more help around the house. I see my role to be a leader in being an example to those that may watch my life.  Follow me as I follow Christ. Copy those things that show love to others. Change those things that are not out of love.  God bless, LVZ.

Wiser, Understanding and Insight

Your commands are always with me

and make me wiser than my enemies.

I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your statutes.

I have more understanding than the elders,

for I obey your precepts. Psalm 119:98-100

Still reading Psalm 119.  I thought about this, your commands make me wiser than my enemies, more insight than all my teachers, more understanding than the elders. At first you think how would this be possible, but then we are talking about God. God that designed us and knows each of us inside and out. God who set the universe in order. He created the worlds, the seas and the land. He created all that is. It all belongs to him. He tells us to forgive, when people trespass against us, and as we live life we learn, we are the only one hurt by not forgiving. Who have been the greatest people you know. More than likely they served you in some way, his word tells us he that wants to be great let him serve.  AS Prager University did a U-tube on Adultery, a difficult commandment, yet this commandment protects the family and without healthy families, civilization suffers. Yes following God's commands, his precepts, statutes, his ways and the many other ways this Psalm describes God will for us, makes life the best it can be. We don't always understand God's ways, but it works. They are eternal, God's ways have worked from the beginning of time. All knowledge comes from God, so when God is our teacher, we are way ahead.  As I think about it, it makes sense to me. God bless, LVZ.

There is more to it than just "droppin the hammer"

There is more to it than just "droppin the hammer" is a statement made in a book I am reading. The book, Mysteries Of The Bush by Paige Patterson and Armour. The statement was made in reference to a deer hunt as they were field dressing and harvesting the meat. I have found this book to me one of the most interesting I have read in a long time. I didn't expect it to be because I am not a hunter. But as I think about the stories told and find I am able to relate them to life in areas of my own life. I think the statement applies to many things: Take marriage for instance, we go and get a marriage license, and if you have been married more than once you probably don't have that big wedding like so many have. You get the marriage license and get someone to marry you, and sign the papers. The honeymoon is great. Then you go about living your lives together. There is maintenance to be considered and most of the time children come along. The first part was easy, just getting married. The maintenance is a long term effort, if you want the marriage to last. You are smart if you do want it to last. Droppin the hammer was easy. When you first met and started courting, you did things to win that person heart. You need to keep doing those things to keep that heart. I wasn't very good in my first marriage and beyond. I had a lot of learning to do. I suppose if she'd have kept me I could have learned those things in the first marriage. Needless to say the first one didn't last. There is maintenance that needs to be done to keep a marriage strong. If you buy a home, the signing of papers is easy, it may take an hour or more out of your day. Droppin the hammer is easy, but making the payment each month is not. Maintenance must be performed, bathrooms need repairs. Roofs need to be replaced, and walls need to be painted inside and out. Yards need to be maintained and I can go on. I have bought many vehicles over the years, some required a payment, some just an initial outlay of cash. But there is that word again maintenance. Oil and filters need to be changed on a regular basis if you want the car to last. Tires and brakes wear out, tune-ups are required. And I can go on and on. So even though I am not a hunter and have not hunted,  I can relate to the statement, there is more to it than just "Droppin the Hammer".  God bless, LVZ.

Afflicted

Before I was afflicted I went astray,but now I keep your word. Psalm 119:67
It is good for me that I was afflicted,that I might learn your statutes. Psalm 119:71
I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Psalm 119:75
Three times in this section of Psalm 119 the word afflicted is used. Humbled, brought low, to be occupied, to be busied with, to possibly chasten. There was a time I felt afflicted, felt very low. It was a time I strayed from God. I consider it the lowest time of my life, but it brought me to me knees and I sought God for help. He was right there and has been with me through everything since that day when I asked Jesus into my heart. I never want to go back to that day. Depressed and hopeless was the way I felt, but it brought me to realize that I needed God. Since that day, I have gone through hardship. I went through a time when my job was so hard, I didn't want to go in to the factory and just prayed for strength just to go in.  It was another low time in my life and during that period I realized just how self-righteous I was. I remember thanking God for showing me that side of me. I went through divorce, and God was with me. I remember one time in particular as I was praying about my relationship, knowing God hates divorce, but there was trouble in my marriage. I asked God for direction and as I was still praying he showed me what he saw. I had prayed , Lord I don't know what you see, I need help. As I was still praying, he showed me what he saw. I will never forget that prayer. Yes I was afflicted, and it was good that I was afflicted. God taught me and showed me some things about myself and others I didn't know. God was faithful through it all to help me. He used this affliction to guide me and to draw me to him. I am thankful for his faithful affliction. It was truly good for me that I was afflicted. Through affliction I learned relationship with God and I am forever grateful.  God bless. LVZ.

A Conditional Promise

Sometimes in God's word we find what we call a conditional promise, if you do this, God will do this. As I was reading Psalm 103 I came across what looks to me like a conditional promise. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. Psalm 103:17-18.  This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. Psalm 119:56. The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! Psalm 119:64. In my readings of late, I have been in Psalms 119. This Psalm seems to be about keeping his word, which appears about 30 times in this Psalm. Keeping his laws 25 times, keeping his testimonies, 23 times; his precepts 21 times, his statutes 22 times. Commandments, rules, promises, and ways are also used many times. When I read Psalm 103:17-18, it stood out to me. Here is a conditional promise, to those who keep his covenant and do his commandments. God promises his righteousness to children's children. I found comfort in that. I think it was yesterday I spoke of a couple of prayers that God answered instantly, but their are other prayers I have prayed for many many years. I have prayed for my children and grandchildren for many years. I remember someone telling a story about a woman's mother coming to know Christ after the daughter had almost given up after praying for 20 years. The daughter felt her prayers had fallen on deaf ears and she had thought about quitting and then it happened. She wept as she realized how close she had come to giving up. I have prayed for many years, my oldest grandchild is now 15. I have prayed for him since he was born. I have prayed for his mother longer than that. I have prayed for my son for many many years. This promise, although conditional encouraged me. Psalm 119 is a 176 verses long and is over a over again about keeping God's word, his statues, his precepts, etc. It bounced off the page as I read Psalm 103, here is a good reason to continue to pray for my children's children. Life is good under God's hand, under his direction. His steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting. Another promise in Psalm 103:10-13: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  Here again is a promise, he removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. You travel east on a line due east, you never come to the end of that line. You could never find your sins again. God does not hold us accountable for our sins after we make him Lord and Savior. You  may remember what you did, but they are so far removed you will never find them. God bless, LVZ.  

Confirmation

Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Psalm 119:38 Another version says it this way: Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You.  Still another version ends up with the words, In awe of you.  Fear of God or that you may be feared is a healthy respect, it is not saying a God we need to be afraid of and hide in a corner from fear. God tells us to come boldly to his throne. I think when we walk with God a while and we have received confirmation from him in many ways. I think of that prayer prayed at age five, it encourages me to come to God with my requests. I think of another prayer that God answered a little over 4 years ago, and since then, he has confirmed his word to me and I have been blessed. I try to walk as best I know. I have asked for a different kind of confirmation and I wonder if I am prideful or not. But I ask anyway because God's word says we receive not because we ask not, or we ask amiss. I know God has my back. He has proven that over and over again. I think of the prayer prayed in 2001 and God answered as I was still praying. He confirmed himself to me that I would be encouraged and established in him. I know I have blogged about these prayers that God answered instantly. The prayer I prayed at age five and the prayer I prayed in 2001 that God answered as I was still praying, they encourage me and I have learned to respect a gracious God that hears and answers prayer. I have had enough confirmations that I continue to pray, sometimes lifting up the same people year after year after year. I know God hears, and perhaps in heaven I will see the answer. I am in awe of a God that loved me as he has, and knowing where he brought me from, and what he brought me out of. Thank you God for answered prayers. God bless, LVZ.

Guidance

Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. Psalm 119:24
Still reading Psalm 119. This verse stood out to me this morning. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. As I read this I think if I delight in something, I am enjoying it. I enjoy my time with God. Another version says your laws please me, they give me wise advice. Just this morning I was thinking about our church and how we look to God for advice. I think the structure of this church has been well thought out. We have a ruling body that looks to God for direction., a board of elders. God gives wise advice, he promises to do so if we ask. Our Elders ask and pray for our body. What I like about this body is our Elders and Deacons serve 3 year terms. As I thought about this design, if an Elder or a Deacon is not true, they are gone after three years and they do not have to be voted in again. I have been in churches where these appointments are for life. Some times you get a self serving individual in there and you have them for life. Not so here,  after their term, if they have been found to not be true, they are out of their term  and need never be appointed again. They are inactive. As I think about this, spread through out the body are former Deacons and Elders that are inactive but can be called upon as needed. Their loyalty is needed and probably there as they have been a part of the working body. I think there is a lot of wisdom in this design. You can train up Elders and Deacons for the future. I notice they have included younger men as part of both boards. They are trained for future use. It just seems to work really well.  I believe it was carefully sought out from God as leaders asked for wisdom. So as I think on this some more, I see our nation in trouble, awe need God's wisdom and guidance. I honestly think God gave us Trump. I see so many liberals that do not think so. So I could go back a few years and we would have many conservatives that would be hard pressed to explain why God gave us Obama. I think if for no other purpose then to drive Christians to their knees in prayer, asking God for help. Perhaps God is now driving Liberal Christians to their knees in prayer. Where we need to be, looking to God for guidance.  God's words are my counselors, how can you improve on having God advise and guide you? So I take this one step farther, I believe God laid it on my heart to run for Alderboard here in Verona. I am not the smartest man, this is the very first time I have run for office of any kind. I think I need to take this verse to heart and let God be my counselor even in a public office. God sees all, understands all, puts the operating systems of this world in place. He knows what is best for us. This is my word for today, to look to God for wisdom, for guidance in everything I do. Our national leaders would to well to look to God for advice. Local leaders also need to look to God for guidance. We find this worlds operating manual in the Bible. Your home, you business, your city and your nation will all run better according to God's plan. God's testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors. God gives wisdom to those who ask and seek him. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. James 3:17.  For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6.  Look to God for guidance in all we do.  God bless, LVZ.

How to Live

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,

who walk according to the law of the Lord.

Blessed are those who keep his statutes

and seek him with all their heart—

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

By living according to your word.

I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:1,2,9,11

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1,2

How to live a fulfilled life is to walk according to God's word.  Keeping his statutes, his commandments. How can a young or even an old person like me stay on a path of purity, by living according to God's word. Verse 11 says I have hidden your word in my heart that I not sin against you.  In Psalm 1 we find a person who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on God's law. That is how to live. Know that God is on his throne. The earth still rotates as God set it in motion. The sparrows and other birds still thrive after centuries. Their life span my not be as long as ours, but year in and year out God feeds them. My way has been blessed since that day 30 plus years ago when I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my life. I remember a time of despondency prior to my accepting Jesus into my heart. I remember difficult times through the years. Time when I really wanted to quit my job. Times of sorrow and stress as I walked through divorce. But I remember good times also, times when I would call out to God for guidance and he did direct my path. I am going through new territory for me as I look to become an Alderman in the city I live. I pray for God's guidance. I do not know any area of life I did not need God's guidance. I learned to late to call out to him. I learned to look to God's ways, his word for guidance. I was impressed when a fellow Deacon prayed about a Christian Fellowship on his job. He applied 14 times until his application was accepted. He prayed over and over again, is this what you really want me to do as he was rejected time after time. Each time he felt God saying continue. God has plans for our life and we would do well to seek his guidance and his will for our lives. That is how to live, seeking God and his direction for all that we do. That is truly how to live a blessed life, seeking God's word for direction in how to live.   God bless, LVZ.  

Psalm 119

Recently I have been reading Psalm 119. 176 verses that talk about keeping, learning, living by God's ways, his promises, his commandments, his statues, his laws, his testimonies, his word, his precepts, his rules.  Everyone of the 176 verses, except for about 7 verses uses one of these 9 words.  These nine words are used 179 times. All 9 word are similar to me, precepts, statutes, commandments, ways, word, and would point back to the Bible as our source.  We would look to the Bible for God's commandments. We would look to his word to understand his ways. Where else would you go to learn God's statues and precepts? This chapter is called an Acrostic, it uses one letter of the Greek Alphabet for the first letter of each line of the 22 sections of this Psalm. I discovered when checking this out that Greek writing goes from right to left. there are 22 letters in the Greek Alphabet.  Word is used 30 times, testimonies 23 times and on down to ways 8 times. This seems to be a repeat of  a similar theme many times over. Not sure I understand why. God's word does pertains to every aspect of life. Majority if not all laws would not be needed if we followed ten commandments.  All of God's word is sent by God for a purpose to instruct us, to encourage us, to reprimand us, to teach us. This stands out because it is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is longer than some books in the old and new testaments. I don't look for new truth, I just look for what God is saying here. Over and over again, I believe God is saying look to me for guidance. His word has the instructions for life. One of the major ways God speaks to us is through his word. His word will guide us to an eternity with him as we learn his ways, his commandments, as we understand his precepts and his statutes. They are there to guide us in everything we do. I am not sure I fully understand this work. I do know I need God in every aspect of life. As a Father I ask God to redeem the time the canker worm as taken. As a husband, I ask God to help me to be the husband my wife needs. As a Deacon I pray for guidance. As I seek my first political office, I seek guidance. God has laid this on my heart for a purpose and I pray I can fulfill that purpose. Psalm 119, God desires to guide us in all that we do. God bless, LVZ.

Help Needed

This has been on my heart when the community prayer meeting at the Bancorp South Arena got cancelled after the Grand Jury stated there was no reason to press charges against the officer that shot Ronnie Shumpert. If ever there was a time we needed to get together as a community in prayer it was then. Some months back I asked some local Pastors about getting together for prayer for our community here in Verona. I was asking a Black Church to meet with a White Church and even to cross denominational lines. Our communities and Nation are hurting and we need God's help. Some Pastors sounded enthusiastic but others not so much. One Black Pastor stated he would talk to the others to see what they think. As far as I know nothing happened. I spoke to a White Pastor and he stated, Blacks are always welcome in their congregation and besides they have an all Black congregation on such and such street of their denomination and that's the way they prefer it. My memory, not his exact words. We see our nation so divided, some very unhappy with the new President and others feel it is God's answer to prayer. Trump, Obama or Hillary will not fix this nation. If it gets fixed, it will be God.  Here is a scripture to ponder. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19.  I feel the Church needs to lead in a reconciliation effort and healing  of our nation. God is the answer for our nation and our world, not the President.  Here is another scripture to ponder.  If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20. I don't know how to address it except head on.  The Church needs to be the start of reconciliation. We need God's help. The best way I know to get God's help is through prayer. I think our churches need to unite with each other in prayer for our nation and our community.  God bless, LVZ.



This is an opinion I sent to the local newspaper 3/15/17. We really need to pray for our country and our President.  God help us. I hope they print it. They asked me to shorten it up by about 60-65 words. For a person that has always been quiet and short on words. I never thought I'd see the day when I speak too many words.

Steadfast

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 This blog is tailgating off the previous blog, "The Glory of Young Men".  I was thinking about Proverbs 20:29 when I wrote that blog. The practice of interpreting scripture involves interpreting scripture with scripture. There were not a lot of references for Proverbs 20:29. But this verse was one of the few.  Proverbs 20:29 was describing the differences between young men and old men. They both have their strong points, the young is their  strength and the old is their wisdom represented by the gray hair. The same is really true for women as well. Young women are beautiful to the eye, but even old women have the wisdom with the graying hair. What ever our strong point, either young and strong, young and beautiful, or old and gray and filled with wisdom, do not glory in your strength. Do not boast in your strong point. Let not the wise boast in his wisdom, the old in their wisdom. Let not the mighty boast in his might, or the young man in his strength.  Let not the rich man boast in his riches. Let us boast in the fact that we know God and understand God. When we understand God, he does everything for our ultimate good. Sometimes we don't like it when we go through a trial, a difficult time, but God does not waste a trial. God will use it for our good, if for no other reason than to develop character. God who practices steadfast love. His love for s is unconditional, it is steadfast through the good times and the bad. His loves take us through the valley and across the mountain top. Justice, no one understands justice like God does. Steadfast justice in the earth. God gives us what we need. Many don't understand why God would give us Obama and then Trump as Presidents. Know this God is doing something for our good. Steadfast justice, it was their in Obama's term and God is still just in Trumps term. I may not understand, but God is just. Both Presidents were to turn us back to God. To look to God for the healing of our nation. Boast in that you know God is still on his throne and still involves himself with the affairs of men. God is a steadfast God in love, justice and righteousness. He is not willing that any should perish but that all might come to know him. Boast in the fact that you know God and know that he is working for your good. God desires relationship and he delights in these things, that people would seek to know and understand his steadfast love and justice.   For all, young and old, rich or poor,  mighty and beautiful.  The Lord who practices steadfast love and justice and righteousness. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17. God does not change, he is steadfast. No God, no peace, Know God, know peace.  God bless, LVZ.

For our Good

Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. Hebrews 12:10. I was reading Psalms 119 and it seemed their were so many verses about loving God's commandments and his precepts.

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Psalms 119:75 The Hebrews verse above was a reference for the Psalms 119:75. In faithfulness god has afflicted me. Then the reference verse says God disciplines us for our good. I disciplined my children the best I knew, and for the purpose of teaching them. I remember an incident involving my son. My son and the neighbor boy were fighting over a toy. I don't remember what it was. It seems as I got to the bottom of the story, it was something the neighbor boy lost in our woods when they were playing. My son found it and was claiming it with finders keepers losers weepers. The neighbor boy wanted it back. A dispute arose between them. My son took the toy to our trailer and went inside. The neighbor boy came in after him uninvited to try and retrieve his toy. I am thinking they were about age 10 in that range. My son got a 22 rifle and pointed it at the neighbor boy and told him to leave. When I got home from work I was told about the incident. While it was normal for kids that age to fight over a toy, it bothered me that my son had pointed a gun at the neighbor boy over a toy. I spanked my son. I wanted to impress upon him that it was not the right thing to point a gun at another human being. I understood that he thought he was protecting his home, but in reality it was over a toy that had belonged to the neighbor and I am guessing it probably was worth less than $10. I don't remember the toy. While we have a right to defend our home, but not over a feud over $10 toy. The biggest issue I saw was pointing a gun at a neighbor kid, a friend. What if it had gone off.  The neighbor boy could have been seriously injured or killed. My son would have had to live with that the rest of his life. Over a toy. I spanked him, I wanted to impress upon him that it was not civilized behavior to point a gun at a friend. I know my son thought I was wrong. He argued he was defending his home. This was his friend, a toy his friend lost, worth very little. Did this have value above the life of his friend. The gun could have gone off accidentally, but you never pull a gun if you are not going to use it. Would you use a gun to end the life of a young boy over a toy that was probably his in the first place?  So it is with God, he has oversight over our lives and tries to teach us good.  His understanding is above ours, just like mine was above my son's. God is steadfast in our lives and disciplines us for our good. I disciplined my son because I loved him. God disciplines us because he loves us. My son didn't understand and sometimes we may not understand God's ways, but know this  God loves us and wants what is best for our lives. God is steadfast, and it has been said he never wastes a trial. God is always at work in our lives. God bless, LVZ.

Some of my History

This is not a normal blog for me. Maybe some day my kids will read it. I would like to write down some things from my point of view. I know I wasn't the best Dad, I worked a lot, and perhaps I was somewhat of an absent Dad because of it. But I did pay the bills. In my years of living I have seen much worse than what I received growing up and what my children received growing up. I guess that is part of my reason for writing this story. The mother of my children had left home when she was about 18 for a few months and got pregnant. We had dated some when we were teenagers and I got back in touch with her shortly after she returned home pregnant with her first child. Perhaps it wasn't the smartest thing I ever did but I thought, it is not that little baby's fault. That little baby was totally innocent and I knew that. I asked her to marry me and we got married in September and that baby was born the next February. I decided, that little boy didn't need to know any of that history. I raised him from the day he was born and I was his dad. It was my decision to never tell him. I thought it might make trouble in later years and I was right. When he was 14, someone in the family decided he needed to know and he has had a chip on his shoulder ever since. Knowing what I know now I probably would have done differently and told him from the beginning. But I was only 20 years old when I made that decision and didn't know what I know now.  His sister was born almost two years later, I tried to discipline both of them. I can't say the same because every kid is different and has a different personality. I do believe I treated him as my own child the whole time I had him under my roof. I wasn't a perfect parent, and I don't think there are any perfect parents. Some better than others, but none perfect. I did not have good parenting skills, but I loved them from the bottom of my heart.  That marriage was difficult from the start and about year 17 of that marriage we separated. I had a relationship outside of marriage and so did their mother. That is as much as I will say about that. More does not need to be said and maybe that sentence could have been left unsaid. After a period of time there was a need for me to come back to the house as their mother ended up in jail and I needed to be there.  Some time later I let their mother back into the house with us and it was a mistake. I left for good permanently in January of 93 when my daughter was a Junior in High School. I knew of multiple relationships their mother had with others and it got to me and I couldn't live with it. I ended up emotionally a wreck. That January on my first day back to work after the Christmas holiday, I verbally exploded at home. I went to work and the first person I had contact with in a verbal exchange, I exploded again. I walked away and knew something was seriously wrong with me. I had the insight to realize I was the common denominator of both incidents that morning and went to medical.  A doctor talked to me for an hour or I should say listened to me as I talked. She asked me to tell me what was going on in my life. To be brief and because I don't remember every detail, I know I told her about the marital difficulties and about my wife setting fire to the house etc. The Doctor told me that I was emotionally drained and had absolutely nothing left to give to anyone. She put me on medical leave for a month and would not even let me go back to the office. I had to leave the plant immediately and she would inform my boss. I had to go to counseling for the next month while I was off. She gave me a card for a doctor to see and told me there is no one but me that can fix the situation at home. What ever needed to be done as far as that relationship, I had to fix it what ever that meant.  I knew I had to leave, and did leave the home, that marriage, and the hardest thing was leaving behind my children with a woman I knew was sick.  I lived in the back of my truck for a while, I would take clean clothes with me and take a shower at work. Then I got caught by security and they told me I could not do that I had to find a place  to live.  I was still paying the house payment, the light bill, the telephone bill and groceries at the house and didn't know how I could continue to pay those things and provide a place for me to live. But I found a room to rent that I could afford, and then a studio apartment with a shared bathroom for a period of time.  About three months before my daughter turned 18, her  mother reported me to child support enforcement for not paying child support. I believe her friends fill her mind with expectations of a big back child support check. When I saw support enforcement, I took my check book and records with me. At this time it was just support for my daughter so my support obligation was for $503 a month. My records showed I had been paying between $750 and $800 a month for their support the whole time we had been separated. I did not owe any back support. But from then on I would have to pay support enforcement. I didn't like that, I argued, haven't I proved myself that I would take care of my kids. None the less, once they get involved they stay involved until the child is at least 18. We had recently sold the house like the month before and I still had some money left from my small part of that. I wrote a check for child support in full until my daughter turned 18. The support enforcement guy just looked at me when I  handed him the check  and said; I don't know what to do with this, no one that I know of has ever paid child support several months in advance.  I paid support directly to her mother or to my daughter until she turned 19 and graduated from High School. This is my story, and I know my kids know part of it but probably not all of it. More than this probably doesn't need to be told. I would like to add one more thing, when I left the house that January of 93, my daughter had been at times a straight A student and was still about 3.4GPA but the next report card after I left she was down to 1.17GPA and then she dropped out.  I talked to an older co-worker on my job and he gave me some advice. You are out of the house and cannot force her to go to school. He said treat her like you would an old mule to move. Dangle a carrot in front of her nose. That carrot needs to be something she really wants and expensive. I talked to my daughter and she wanted a VW bug. I bought a restored 66 VW for $6000.00 and took her  with me  to pick it up. When you show me a Diploma this is yours, I told her. She did go back to school.  That is part of my story and I am sticking to it.  God bless, LVZ.

Glory of Young Men

The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair. Proverbs 20:29
I am in the process of reading a book "Mysteries of the Bush".  It was in one of the chapters the writer, Paige Patterson,  wrote some thoughts on the above scripture.  Paige spoke at a recent Men's breakfast at our church and I have still been thinking of some of his words ever since. Paige is a hunter, a person who has shot animals in Africa and other places. I have never  considered myself a hunter so I wasn't sure how this book would relate to me. My Dad used to hunt, but he never took us boys hunting with him and taught us those skills of finding an animal, field dressing and all that goes with it. But his talking on the above scripture resonated with me. The glory of young men is their strength. It is true. As young men we would pride ourselves on our strength. I remember a young man at a church some years back, a body builder. From a distance behind him I watched as he flexed his muscles and admired his own biceps. It seemed humorous to me at the time. But he was a young man and his glory was his strength.  I remember as a much younger man being able to run up the side of a terraced hill in a local park. It took strength and I remember a friend marveling at my ability to run up that hill.  I remember even in my forties being able to sit at a picnic table in a park and leaning over backwards with my feet locked under the table to a horizontal position and sitting back up using only my stomach muscles, my abs. I remember many times getting back up to a sitting position when laying flat on my back in a chiropractors office with out his aid even though he extended his hand to help me. I had the strength of youth. Now I have gray hair.  I can't do those things any more. Hopefully when we get gray hair, we have wisdom from the experiences of life. Someone once said we gain experience by making mistakes, or something like that. I have certainly made mine. Have I learned from them? I never had a good relationship with my father. I don't have a good relationship with my children, at least not as good as I desire. The dysfunction has passed on to another generation. What ever wisdom I have learned in life from my mistakes I have not been able to pass on to my children, they don't have the respect for me that a good father develops. Perhaps it was my approach, perhaps as Paige is suggesting, we need to appeal to the strength of young men if we want to reach them. Perhaps the hunting and fishing and learning the skills of life to be able to live off the land has an appeal to young men that will build that respect that is needed.  They see us make mistakes on the hunt and live through it, and learn from it.  Having never been a hunter, perhaps there is something I can still learn from Paige. I am still pondering some words from his visit several weeks ago. One thing that continues to run through my mind is developing a passion for God. Another thing is how relevant the word of God is to life in general when we read simple little scriptures like the one above.     God bless, LVZ.

Things To Add**

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
My last blog was about things to put away. This scripture is next. Be kind to one another: Think about that for a minute. Do we build up and encourage? To we say helpful things. Or do we tear down? Are we tenderhearted? easily moved to love, pity, or sorrow :  compassionate, impressionable
Are we easily moved to love others, or to pity? Can we share another persons sorrow? There is a saying I heard many years ago. A shared joy is a double joy, a shared sorrow is half a sorrow. These are things we want to add to our life as we live for Christ. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 Be holy, I would simply put that as being Christ like. Ephesians 5:1 says to be imitators of God.  Here we are told to clothe ourselves with compassion, sharing another persons sorrow as stated above. here is that word kindness, being kind to one another.
Humility: not proud : not thinking of yourself as better than other people. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3.  Gentleness: having or showing a kind and quiet nature : not harsh or violent. There is that word kind or kindness again.  Patience: the quality of being patient: such as the ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset. Now there is something I can add to my life. Patience, as I think on this word, I think of all the times I get ready to go somewhere and I head out the door or hold the door and think will you just hurry. These are definitely qualities to add to our life, to be imitators of God, to be Christ like.  God bless, LVZ.

Put Away These Things

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness be put away. I remember different times in my life when I have been wronged. The root of bitterness wanted to grow in my heart. If you let it, it will take over and overwhelm you. It happened once in my life that I clearly remember. I saw other Church members that I thought should be doing better than they were. I look back and think, how silly I was to let that overtake me. They are all hypocrites I would think and I did not want to look at my own life. But I did, and one day Father God talked to my heart and said if you think it is so easy to be a Christian, then show them how it is done. God healed me of that root of bitterness, he took it out. I have been careful to live a life of forgiving others. Wrongs will happen, but we must keep an attitude of forgiving others and that will keep the root of bitterness from growing in our hearts. Wrath and anger, it was a way I grew up with anger. I had to learn to not let the sun go down upon my anger. Once again a forgiving attitude had to be maintained. Clamor: a loud and confused noise, especially that of people shouting vehemently:  In our land today, I think this word describes much of what we hear. Protest over a President many did not vote for. God tells us in his word to put it away from us. And slander, put it away from us. Does this mean I need to put face book away from me? I see so much on face book of a negative nature. It is part of the loud confused noise we hear today. I do feel impressed to give it a break. I see so many post that in reality slander this person or that. Perhaps we would to better to just walk through the woods and clear our head. Let God speak to us in the quiet of nature. As I pondered this verse it seems that keeping a forgiving attitude would help us to put away the bitterness, wrath, anger, and commune with God in the quiet places that I can find. I need God in all areas of my life. I read his word to understand how to live. God has been so good to me. I need him every day. God bless, LVZ.

To Obey

Sunday School teacher put this statement on a white board: "To obey the word through faith".  I gave a lot of thought to this statement. A few days ago I blogged about "Just trying to live by what I already know".  As I think about this a couple of scriptures come to mind.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  James 1:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 These are my thoughts as I pondered the Sunday School teachers statement "To obey the word through faith" is God's divine plan. In recent years I felt convicted about certain scriptures I had read. Especially in an election year, one scripture came to mind and I just repeat part of it, Slander no man, or as the ESV version I generally read says, speak evil of no man in Titus 3:2.  I wonder if I should review my face book timeline to see how well I am doing? I thought this is it, sort of what I was trying to say in that blog of a few days ago. How well am I doing at obeying what I already know? The Bible is not just something to read and perhaps memorize to show how much of the Bible we know; it is intended for us to live by it. To obey these truths as God reveals them to us. I am not sure I have done so well, I am afraid to actually review my face book timeline. In Old Testament times before Christ came, they would sacrifice animals to atone for sins. The verse from 1 Samuel says to obey is better than sacrifice. To obey the word is better than being involved in everything the church has to offer. In Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, The intent seems to be to change us with the word, not just to know it. To sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water with the word. The word would be the soap we use to cleanse and sanctify our hearts. God gave us his word not just for knowledge, but to change us. As we obey through faith we become Christ like. It starts with a relationship with God. To know how to live in this present age, we read and obey his word, so we can become like him. So we can resemble him.  So we can take on family characteristics, Christian family characteristics. God's plan, to obey, to trust him in all areas of life.  The word tells us how to live if we will obey. In 2 Peter 1:5, it talks about self control. A few days ago I put up a political sign in a yard, a few hours later I came by and it was gone. They cost about $6, I was upset, I just wanted my sign back, if they weren't going to display it. The verse in 2 Peter came to mind, self control. I saw where they used the wire frame part of my sign for something else. It angered me. Self control, don't rip the frame out of the yard even though you feel it is yours. Obey the word through faith. The Bible is intended to change us into the image of Jesus. These were just two examples of reading the word and trying by faith to obey what God has already shown me. As God opens his word to us let us obey.  God bless, LVZ.

All Knowing God

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. Psalm 139:4.   I read this verse in Our Daily Bread today. the article talked about a husband and wife knowing each other so well they can finish each others sentences. I thought about Barbara and I driving today. We had gone to take Elijah to the movies. On the way home Elijah's Mom called. I was on a four lane street and in the left lane and as Barbara was talking to Elijah's Mom on the phone, she pointed with her finger to the right lane. I knew without her saying anything that we were taking Elijah home to his Mom. I had to get in the right lane to make a right turn to head to Elijah's home. If I were going to go to our home, I would have needed to turn left at the next intersection. Barbara and I have only been together for 10 years but already we often know what the other is thinking. As the Our Daily Bread article was pointing out our God knows us that well also.  That is what the verse above is saying about God, he knows the word on our tongue before it is spoken. It is wonderful to have a good spouse that understands and appreciates you. But a God that understands every heart ache, how can you get any better than that. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:28-33.  And so in the scripture above we see that God knows even when a sparrow dies. How much more is he aware of his favorite creation? He has the hair of our head numbered. Is he not interested in every detail of our lives?  God does desire our worship, and he is worthy.  The scripture uses the word fear which means a healthy respect. This is not a God we hide from, he cares about us, knows us, and loves us as he demonstrated when he sent Jesus to the cross for our sins. What a great God. He sets up kings and brings them down. Pray for our President. In this scripture in Matthew is a warning also. If we deny Jesus a part in our lives, if we fail to accept him in our hearts, Jesus will deny knowing us before his father on Judgement Day. Probably the most important question of life; What have you done with Jesus, have you accepted or rejected him? God bless, LVZ.

Just Trying to Live By what I already Know

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.   2 Peter 1:19-20
When I was a young man I wanted to discover new truth in the word of God, a new revelation that no one had discovered before. When you consider the Bible is the oldest book around, I doubt there is anything that hasn't been pondered before. Now as an old man I desire to just live by what I know already. Sometimes I think there are a lot of young men with that desire to discover new truth. I read scripture daily, and try to take just one verse or perhaps a few verses together and understand what it means for me. The Bible is relevant today. It is history as well as being able to inspire us on how to live day by day in the present. It can change our hearts. It tells us of Jesus who died for our sins. It instructs us on how to live. It can give us words on how to handle relationships. It gives us instructions on working and relationship with an employer. The Bible gives us instructions on our marriage. It helps us on raising children. The Bible even has instructions for slaves. Even though we have corrected that problem in our country, the Bible transcends time and cultures. I doesn't condone slavery but tells us how to live if in this imperfect world we find ourselves in that situation. Most laws written are related to keeping one of the ten commandments. The history written in the Bible can tell us of consequences of making right and wrong decisions. God created this world and all in it. The Bible is the manual for living. That takes me back to living by what I already know and read in the word, not trying to find new truth. It seems by the time I relearn one thing I have forgotten another. The scripture above points us back to what God is saying to us in his word. We would do well to pay attention to the prophetic word, the Bible, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. When we know Christ, he changes our hearts. The Prophetic word is there first to bring us to Christ, when we accept him into our hearts, and then to instruct us on how to live pleasing to him in this present world. We come to him just as we are, we cannot  fix ourselves, Christ fixes  us when he lives in our hearts. Ephesians says in chapter 5 verse 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.  He is speaking of his church  (the universal church that we become a part of when we accept him as Lord and Savior), that he will sanctify and cleanse with his word. His prophetic word, written by God as he gave utterance to his prophets. It is for our learning, to guide us in our living. I don't need more truth, I just want to live the best I know with what I already know.  Yet I read every day this prophetic word, the Bible, every day to guide my steps. I don't seek new truth, just the truth already there.  Words that I probably read many times, I just want to understand it for living my life the best I can. God bless, LVZ.

A Praying Man

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
Last month was Black History month and I heard a speaker talk about George Washington Carver. One thing that caught my attention was he was a praying man. The speaker told how he would go to the woods and talk to Mr. Creator. That was his name for God, He realized God was the creator of all. He tried to figure out ways to help the southern farmers that had planted just cotton year after year until they had killed the soil. He taught crop rotation, he discovered 300 things that could be made from peanuts,  and he also found sweet potatoes to be another crop to help the south be productive again. But as I thought about a praying man I think I would like to talk about someone I know better, me. I remember an early time in my life when I would go for a walk and talk to God. Those were precious days. I didn't think I was doing so well but I would seek God for help. God did help. He changed me. I remember my early days when I had the attributes of my earthly father and my first marriage. I remember so much difficulty. I saw a man that would become angry when my wife would bring the car home empty on gas and I was afraid I would be the one that would run out in the 6 miles to town to get gas. God changed me to be a man that feels it is my responsibility to make sure my wife's car has gas in it so she don't have to stand in the cold or rain to put gas in her car. I now pray for God to help me be the husband my wife needs. I have  gone to church most of my life, except a period of time when I got so busy and worked so many weekends. I became an absent father. When I didn't have time to pray, my life became ineffective. But I found my way back many years ago and started to pray about many things. I pray for my children and grandchildren. I pray for my church. I found that I attend a great church and it has given me much instruction for living a better life. I pray for the leadership of our church. I pray for my President and it seems as we prayed for our nation and who would lead it after the last election, God showed up. They try to explain so many ways why Trump is President, Russian hacking is the latest craze. But believe me if the other party had won there  would be no concerns about Russian hacking or anything.  But many many Christians prayed and sought God and God answered. I remember even a prayer prayed when I was but 5 years old. I believe God answered that prayer that day because I still remember it. It is not our prayers that change things, but when we touch the heart of God and he moves mountains to accomplish his will in our lives. Is any sick, let him call upon the elders of the church. The scripture above tells us to pray for each other, that we may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. I have seen God change much in my life as I have prayed. I have seen him bless my life as I sought him for guidance. I have been blessed and am so thankful to know a God that answers pray in a way that is for our best. It is not always a yes, I also remember a prayer that I prayed at age eleven and God said no, or not yet. I realize now it was a selfish prayer and God answers for what is best for us and to accomplish his purposes, He is still God and still on this throne. He is not a heavenly "Go For" to do our bidding, but he does want us to seek him for guidance and direction for all areas of our life. let us continue to pray for our President, I have never seen a President experience so much fighting against him. That too convinces me God put him in office because the demons of hell have risen up against him. Let us pray for guidance for our lives in everything we do.  God bless, LVZ.