Iniquity

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Psalm 119:133
I have been thinking about when sin rules in our lives. My precious Dad passed away  more than 15 years ago. It doesn't seem that long ago.  I believe my Dad went to heaven. I saw a change in his attitude about the last 6 months of his life. I was probably the only one that saw it, I was with him at least weekly during the last few years of his life. What I feel like blogging about this morning is when iniquity gets dominion over us, when sins rules in our lives. My father for as long as I was alive seemed to be a Christian. He took us to church Sunday after Sunday.  I saw him pray sometimes in the middle of the night. There was a period of time when he was a Pastor of a small congregation. But it was almost a Jekyll and  Hyde existence. I remember hearing from people in church, what a wonderful man he was and I would think under my hat, a lot you know, or in his case that you don't know. My Dad was abusive to his family, physically and emotionally. I saw times when my mom had black eyes from a fight Dad and Mom had. One time, he kicked her and then would not let her take the car to work as she walked a mile to get to her job. Limping as she walked. Let not iniquity have dominion over me. I have seen controlling men in Christian families. This is not and was not God's plan. This is life when iniquity gets dominion over our lives. His children saw this life lived out before us, a man that claimed Christianity and at the same time beat his wife. What effect do you think this had on these children in their growing up years? I am a product of that home. I made decisions to marry that I gave less thought to than I give to buying a car. There was a period of time when I married individuals without much thought or preparation. It wasn't until late in life when I prayed God if this is not your will block it.  I need your help. I have messed up so many times. Let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Dominion: Control or the exercise of control; sovereignty: "The devil ... has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion" (Jonathan Edwards).
to domineer, exercise power over, dominate, have mastery, be master, lord it over. (From Blue Letter Bible)                                                                                                                                                         There were times in my life when I lived with a woman outside the bonds of matrimony even though I knew it was wrong according to God's word. All the while still going to church Sunday after Sunday. Sin had dominion over me. I wonder what those that really knew me thought? I see it in the life of others, sin has dominion over them in some area of life. It leaves a bad testimony. What do young people think when they see a mature adult supposedly living a Christian life and they have an area that sin dominates their life. If we have an area of life under the dominion of iniquity, it needs to be on the altar.  God help us, those watching us get an ugly view of what Christianity is. My Dad's overseer came to him one day and asked, I have heard rumors about you and I want to know if they are true. Did you call your wife a whore? Calling my Mom a whore was minor compared to the beatings and other things done.  Dad admitted as much and the overseer told him, I want you to apologize to her right here in front of me. Dad refused and the overseer pulled his minister license at that time. I'm sorry to have to tell of such a history. As I said in the beginning, I believe I saw a change in my Dad in the last six months of his life. It is sad when it takes a whole lifetime for God to work sin out of our lives. Christians are not perfect and lest we risk having a beam in our own eyes let us examine ourselves and see if sin has dominion, if iniquity has dominion over us in any area of our life. It can mess up our families for years to come. Satan goes about seeking to destroy, and he did a good job on my family. Sometimes we get an incorrect view of God from other Christians. Lets look to God's word to see what God is really like and not base our view on imperfect people. Lets look to the real thing and not a counterfeit.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:1-5  It is through God's grace and love we are changed from a life dominated by sin and iniquity into his children. If God is knocking at your hearts door, let him in. God work in my heart and let no iniquity have dominion over me. God is the only one that can fix a sinful heart.   God bless, LVZ.

God's Precepts

You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.  Psalm 119:4
I am troubled by our world. Many think they do good as they protest and riot. They may have a political cause that they think is right. There is no area of life that God's precepts do not apply. I found it interesting some years back when the big company with 70,000 to 100,00 employees started putting every employee through ethics training every year after a Vice President and a Navy Official went to jail for breaking the law. At the time I thought, this is what I learned in Sunday School. Ethics matter in business. Our conduct in a marriage relationship matters. Our raising children matters and has long lasting effects good or bad.  Some one in a political discussion told me we Christians need to keep our beliefs behind closed doors. If we did we would be called hypocrites. If we leave our Christianity inside the church we might as well not go at all.  God's precepts, his commandments, his ways, his rules are to be obeyed fully. When you read the 119 Psalm you will see these different terms used, God's rules, his precepts, his ways, his commandments, and several other terms. These are eternal concepts God has laid out for us to follow generation after generation.
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.         Psalm 119:160
Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. Psalm 119:152
Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. PSALM 119:42
Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. Psalm 119:144
We live in an age when we seem to think it is more important to be politically correct than Godly correct. God's commandments have long ranging effects. His precepts are meant to be followed for life at its fullest. I was discussing the concept of forgiving and God's word makes it clear we must forgive. We are born in sin, and all of us have committed sin. When sin rules in our life, it has long ranging consequences. Eternal consequences if our sins are not forgiven. Our understanding has improved over the years. Knowledge is increased, medical treatments change for the better with more knowledge. One thing that does not change is God's ways, his commandments, his precepts, they are forever. Political systems change, we live in the best political government this world has ever seen. But there are those that would destroy it. It allowed our religious freedom to change our culture for the better. We are the primary country the rest of the world desires to come to. If this government does not survive, know this God's ways, his precepts, his commandments will not change.  Yes, we have been imperfect, I have been imperfect.   God is still sovereign, he molds and shapes us as he sees fit, if we allow him to. At the end of days, it is his ways, his rules, his commandments we will be judged by. He sent his son to die for our sins, and it will matter, what have we done with Jesus. All our accomplishments in this world will not matter if we have not asked to be forgiven for our sins. The precepts of God we follow here below make our life better, Jesus is our ticket to eternity. You can reap the benefits of following God's rules in this life, but eternity is gained only through Jesus Christ. I look at so much unrest and trouble in our world, and at the base of it you find sin, disobedience, unforgiveness, in many ways the exact opposite of God's ways. God bless, LVZ.

Life Is Not Fair

Life is not fair, how many times have we heard that? we see it everyday, when someone younger than us dies and we think why?  We are all living by the grace of God. He has our days numbered. There are so many WHY questions? Riley, a nine year old girl is facing an aggressive form of cancer again. Note I said  again. She is only nine, it is not fair? But it never seems to be enough. A 69 year old friend left this life a few years ago and it was a surprise. Mom was bed ridden for a year or more and just wanted to go home with her Lord. Uncle Val is 90, my favorite uncle. Steve Hickman left at age 57 just a short time ago. Then there is Riley at 9 facing cancer in her legs and lung. It is not fair. How many of us have lived virtually trouble free a long life? Why did I deserve my many years and Riley is only 9. We all live by God's grace and most times we feel it is never enough. But life is in Gods hands. I just thank him for the days I have had. He knew before I was born the number of my days. Life is not fair to us, our days of good health are never enough. God is sovereign. I don't understand, but I trust God. God bless, LVZ.

This is God's Doing

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  Judges 6:12-15 As I read about Gideon and how God called him to save Israel, my thoughts turn to our current President. Here is a man who has no faith. (Gideon)  I am weak, I cannot do this. His father built an alter to Baal in their town. One of the things God asked Gideon to do was to tear down the alter to Baal, Gideons father had built. This man is so fearful, he obeys but does it under the cover of night. He is full of fear and has no confidence in his own abilities. God sends him to lead the armies of Israel to defeat their oppressors. They start out with 32,000 but God says this is too many. I want the people to know when I deliver them, that it was me. Gideon sends hid army home for various reasons God gives him until their is just 300 left. God wanted the Israelites to know it was God that delivered them and deliver them he did. The opposing army ran for their lives, killing each other as they ran. Doesn't this sound like what is happening in America today. We have a President that people said NEVER TRUMP. They laughed on election night. and in the morning after the election it was Trump.  The media is against him and daily we hear his name slandered from main stream media.  His own party does not support him. It is a daily fight, and yet this man is fulfilling his promises, in spite of the opposition. This has God written all over it. A non politician, he does not have the support of his own party. The main stream media, CBS, NBC, ABC, and what ever other Media is out their reports night after night, day after day slander after slander and this man wins. Jobs being added. He is still fighting for the wall. God wants the glory. I believe when this is over and done with, we will look and say how? Every day we hear nothing but evil said about this man and he keeps ticking. He had everything he needed, wealth, a good life, he didn't need us. He good have lived out his remaining days in comfort. I believe God sent Trump, as an answer to the prayers of Christians across this nation. Just like God heard Israel's prayers at their oppression and send Gideon.  From the beginning, I have felt like this is God's doing. I keep praying for this President, because I do not understand what is happening in our country. I do know it is a spiritual  battle raging in our nation. I do know God is sovereign. I look at what is happening and I read about Gideon and I think this has to be God at work. They laughed, never Trump. Hillary is still looking for the reason she lost. Look to the heavens, God is still sovereign, God still has the last word. I also think of the three Hebrew children being thrown into the fiery  furnace. O king, if God chooses to deliver us, he can but either way we are delivered out of your hands.  We Christian are only here temporarily. The signs of the time say judgement day is near. Our lives are in God's hands. Either way, like the three Hebrew Children, we win. God can deliver or ultimately we end up in Heaven with him. We win. This is God's doing, he is still on this throne.  God bless, LVZ.

Relationship

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Exodus 33:7-11.
We are starting something we call Men's University and I read this passage in the reading material. Moses had a meeting place with God, the Tent of Meeting. Notice God spoke to Moses face to face. We talk a lot about relationship with God. What does that look like? With different people it changed. Moses had a tent of meeting.  Many others did not have a tent of meeting. Abraham, Paul the Apostle, Daniel, Enoch, King David.  Some were called Friend of God. God took Enoch. You might say each was different.  Perhaps Moses had a Tent of Meeting because he was surrounded by people. They stood at the tent door and watched him go in. Moses had no place to go to be alone out on this desert.  He needed a place to get away, privacy.  I am sure there were times Moses prayed publicly. We need private time with God, where we can talk face to face. Daniel would kneel before a window facing Jerusalem.  Enoch walked with God. Was this a daily meeting with God? it must have been frequent for there to be a special tent. There was relationship, God knew these men. I  think of my closest relationship on earth, my wife. There are daily conversations, sometimes several throughout the day. Daniel prayed three times daily. Enoch walked with God.  I have other relationships, that are not as close.  The closest relationships are daily. How close do we want to be with God? is it a daily relationship?  Weekly?  or there are some that go once, twice, maybe even three times a year to meet with God. Your relationship depends on you, how much time you interact with God. He is there waiting for you to show up. Do you have a favorite place or time? Do you like to walk with God as Enoch did? God is there, how often do you show up? God bless, LVZ. 

Does Sin Win?

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.                 James 1:14-15.

Sometimes when I blog I attempt to talk about a scripture and how it relates to life. I am not the best theologian. If you want to listen to someone good, I'd advise you to listen to my Pastor, or to the Pastor of CFAN in Tacoma, or Charles Stanley on In Touch on the television. I do pray that as I touch on scripture that I would rightly divide the word of truth. There are many that are good that is why God put them in the position they are in.  As I was thinking this morning of the dysfunction all around us. Sin all around us. As we allow sin to grow in our lives it causes damage. That is my take of the scripture above. Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. I see it happening as I look on from the outside in families that I know. The sin of adultery from some 40 -50 years ago has not stopped doing its damage in families that I know. In one family, they chose to stay together these last 40 to 50 years, but that sin was never forgiven by various members of the family. The dysfunction continues to wreak havoc on that family. A child that is now 45ish, may not even be aware of the sins of his father and mother, but the unforgiven actions live on in the lives of family members. It wasn't that 45 year olds fault, that the man and woman that created him fornicated and destroyed family relations even to the present day. Unforgiven actions are still hurting individuals, many different individuals in that family today. They chose to stay together, but they did not chose to forgive. Sin still destroys, because it has not been forgiven. I see in my own family, a wrong word, and every last one of us is capable of saying something inappropriate, we are human after all. The same Satan that seeks to destroy various members of the family mentioned above, uses words said to destroy family relations, over and over again as the years go by. The bottom line; someone chooses not to forgive. I see it over and over again. Sin can be destroyed and the hold it has on our lives, but it must be forgiven. We all have sinned. Every last one of us at some point or another if  we have only said a  word that hurt someone. It could have been true, but was it necessary? The hurt lingers because someone chooses not to forgive. That choosing to not forgive will bring forth death, in many relationships. In many families, in many homes. Forgiving is not an option, it is a necessity. With out forgiving, sin wins and in the long run it does bring forth death. In damaged relationships, in hurt children. In brothers and sisters that will not talk to each other. because someone chooses not to forgive. I am not making excuses for those that sinned. They will face a just God someday. That unforgiven action, that unforgiven word, that hurt us so many years ago will keep someone out of Heaven. It is not easy to forgive. Sometimes it is the hardest thing in the world to do when you have been hurt. Not forgiving hurts the person that chooses not to forgive more than anyone else. It is a necessity, especially for any one that claims the name of Christ. Sin wins when we do not forgive and the ultimate result is death in some manner or some form. How much death is growing in our families because someone refuses to forgive?  We see it in our world in a major way, your ancestors hurt me years ago and I want justice. I will not forgive, so I hurt and destroy the world I live in when all that is needed is to forgive.  It is true, at the base of much dysfunction is a little unforgiveness.  Check it out. Our world would be a much better place if we would just forgive. There is no hurt, there is no sin that does not need to be forgiven. There is no foolish word spoken that hurt someone that does not need to be forgiven. Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. It is you might say a principle that God set in this world, unless we forgive, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us. When people reach the judgement day before God, I wonder how many times, and unforgiven action or word will show up. We must forgive, it is an absolute necessity.  God bless, LVZ. 

Authority

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. Romans 13:1-5
I have read this passage many times in the last couple of years. God gives us our leaders, and I had to learn that meant Obama when I didn't like him. There are many that do not like Trump. I believe we are nearing God's judgement. Therefore whoever resists the authorities, resists what God has appointed. and those who resist will incur judgement. We have a good President and he needs to be respected as such. I don't know how long God will put up with the stupidity of our nation. We need to respect what God has given us. There is close to 50 % of the people that disagree with any given administration. That is true with Obama,  Clinton, Bush, Reagan and even with Trump. We do not want to put our leaders on a pedestal and worship them, but we do need to respect them. I believe God has Trump's back. I believe God gave us this man for our President and I am beginning to worry that we will incur God's judgement for our lack of respect for our leaders. It seems it gets worse with each passing President, and I cannot believe God is pleased with our disrespect. We disrespected Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Obama and on and on and on.  God gives us our rulers. We prayed like never before in this election because we were unhappy with the results of every election. We use to come together after an election and go with the man we got. We are a sick nation, listen to the mainstream media day after day. We do not need to fear Trump. I remember a uneducated Black man during the last election, worry  about being deported after Trump was elected. This black man cannot read and write, and I don't know who told him what. I went to a kids football game in the park and these coaches were wanting donations, and I understand because they were working with the poor children who's parents did not have the funds for everything their children needed to play football. What I did not like was when they blamed Trump for the poor. Trump is taking away all this welfare and now these kids do not have what they need to play. I asked what specifically did Trump take away from you that you had last year and do not have this year?  He couldn't name anything? There might be a change in government, but the wheels of government move very slowly.  There is so much slander and people just make it up as they go to fit their purpose at the moment. I knew he wanted a donation to help with the Children and I understand that. I do not understand the slander  and making it up as we go.  We  need to once again respect our authorities, it will not go good for our country and us if we continue down this path of slander at will.  God gives us our leaders, sometimes it may be for punishment for past sins, sometimes it may be to correct an issue, but know this,  God gives us our leaders for his purposes and we need to understand civil authority is ordained by God. I did not like Obama and this truth holds true when it is even someone like Obama that I did not like. Let us come together as a nation and respect our President that God gave us.  We will find God's blessings when we return to his ways, his precepts, his commands. God is still sovereign. Don't put this President on a pedestal, but respect him.  He is just a man that loves this country, not a perfect man. Obama was just a man also and there are times when I felt Black people put Obama on a pedestal. Don't do it, they are just men,. Respect them and honor them as the leaders God gave us. Worship God only.  God bless, LVZ.

Wages

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’  So the last will be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:1-16. I felt like talking about this parable today. This is explaining the kingdom of heaven like the master of a house or perhaps a farmer searching for workers to take in his harvest. First God's harvest, God's harvest God sets the rules. God is sovereign.  This master goes out early looking for workers to work in his fields and he finds some and they agree on wages for the day. Later in the day he searches again for more workers and finds them, the text says the third hour. Up to the 11th hour of the day the master is looking for workers to bring in his harvest.  It seems they are working 12 hour days, or at least those that started at the first call that set the wages. At the end of the day, the master chooses to pay every last worker the same wages. This is about the kingdom of heaven because that is how this chapter starts out, telling us that very fact. It is more about the kingdom of heaven than it is about farm labor wages. The earliest workers did not like the fact that the 11th hour workers got paid the same.  The Master (God ) says it is my harvest, it is my money that I am paying these wages with, have I not given you what we agreed upon? God had given them the agreed upon wages. He did nothing wrong. So if this is about the Kingdom of Heaven, which it says it is. We will all inherit eternal life when we sign p to work for the Master. It doesn't matter if you labored all your life, and you get to heaven and you see an 11th hour Christian up there getting the same reward as you. God has chosen to give eternal life to all that would call on him for the pardon of their sins.  This is about the Kingdom of Heaven, our wages, our reward will be eternal life.  All who come to God even those that come to him on a death bed repentance will receive eternal life. It is not based on how many years I served the master, but on have I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. That is the criteria, not how many hours I labored in the sun, but have I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. I have heard of death bed repentance, but many who wait for a death bed repentance could be taken by surprise and miss their opportunity. The time to accept Christ is when he calls on your heart. When he knocks on your hearts door, you do not know but it could be the eleventh hour for you. Tomorrow is not promised. Only God knows the number of our days. Life is so soon gone.  Have you arranged to work in the Masters fields, they are ready for harvest and he is looking for workers.  God bless, LVZ. 

Redeemed

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” Exodus 19:4-6
There is a song that has a line in it: If someone should ask who that I am, tell them I am Redeemed.
That is what I am feeling this morning, I am Redeemed. I think back to where I came from, I shouldn't be here today, but by the grace of God I am here. I think of the dysfunctional home I was raised in, I shouldn't be a Christian today.  I think of the multiple marriages I was in, and today I am a Deacon in the Church I attend. I shouldn't be there with the history that I have. I am not worthy. I cannot erase my history, any more than our nation can erase its history. We can tear down monuments that remind us of our history, but tomorrow my history will still be there. Perhaps I have added a better history in the life I lived yesterday, but even tomorrow, once it is passed, it cannot be retrieved.  I think about my history, raised in a very dysfunctional home, a father that was suppose to be a Christian and he beat his wife.  I think of the marriages I was in, married to a dysfunctional woman who had been sexually abused and all the baggage that came with it. The marriage didn't last. Then I married a Christian woman, that it seemed every 5 minutes in a sermon on Sunday morning, you'd hear that Amen from her lips. It didn't last. Then I married a woman for good sex, and it lasted a month together and we were separated and seeking divorce. Drugs and sex, and so it was with the next woman I married. Drugs and sex, meant to destroy not only them but me. It didn't last. In between were several girlfriends that I lived with outside of marriage and they didn't last. How does a person with a terrible history become a deacon. Or how does a man become a Pastor who's father married the daughter of the woman he was dating. Dysfunction all around us, meant to destroy us. Meant to tear us down, but in the midst of it, in the midst of our history is a God who works to redeem us from our sins. He tirelessly works to change our dysfunctional past into person that has a heart for lost souls. He forgives, and cleans us up. He changes that person that was unfaithful into a faithful person. He changes that alcoholic into a facilitator of a AA meeting. He changes that Drug addict into a Counselor for drug addicts. I am redeemed. All of this history is not mine alone.  Some of it is. We all, every last one of us live in a fallen world, with Satan roaming about, seeking whom he may devour and we end up redeemed, saved from a past, changed into a treasured possession. Changed into a kingdom of priest and a Holy Nation. Redeemed. Changed from a Dysfunctional past meant to destroy us, into a treasured possession of God. Changed into a man like Job that God would brag on.  Redeemed. Redeemed. If someone should ask who that I am tell them I am redeemed. It is not where I came from that matters, but where I am going. I plan to make heaven my home, how about you. I am redeemed. I cannot erase my history or where I have been. I can submit my life to a God that is able to take dysfunctional past and make me into a treasured possession.  Only God, a sovereign God can do that.  The enemy of our souls will take good and destroy it. But God takes bad, takes dysfunction, takes what is wrong and makes it all right. Only God is able to do make good and beautiful out of bad and ugly by redeeming us through his love. I think of the alcoholic that became a facilitator of AA meetings and a Deacon, I think of the drug addicts that became drug and abuse counselors. Love is more powerful than hate, and God's love is the most  powerful of all. Hate begets more hate and often creates a downward spiral. But love fixes the broken and the dysfunctional. I have a history that I cannot change, I don't even want to tell it all. Sometimes I share a glimpse and little pieces of it, but God knows it all and still loved me and redeemed me.  I never thought I a person that has been married and divorced 4  times,  could ever become a Deacon.  I thought it don't matter, I can live the best life possible and God will see my heart. I don't need a position, to live for God. When I was young I wanted to work for God, if only I could quit my little job and just work for God. Then I wouldn't have to be around all this sinfulness, I could just work for God. I see now God wanted me to work for him in everything I did, in the midst of a dysfunctional and sinful world. On a secular job, he wanted me to work for him, in everything I did. In the dysfunctional home I lived in, He still wanted me, just as I was. I didn't have to fix my life and come to him. I couldn't, I made a bigger mess.  I came to him and let him fix me. I am redeem. If someone should ask who that I am, I am a product of a dysfunctional world that God has redeemed. I am redeemed by the love of God. God bless, LVZ.

Relationships

I have many relationships. Probably the relationship with my wife is the closest of all. We spend more time together daily, and I have learned some of her strong points and some of her weak points. I have other relationships that you might say are weekly. There is an accountability partner I meet with once a week. On Fridays, we go to dinner with 3, 4, or perhaps even five different couples. Perhaps not all are there every week. As you talk and get to know each of them, you learn who they are, perhaps even good points and bad. We read in the newspaper or hear on the evening news, sometimes slanderous news about our leaders and it influences us. I read things I do not believe but certainly the person that printed it does or else they are a slanderer or a false accuser. But I am sure when we hear things often and long enough, perhaps we begin to believe it. Many of us have a tainted view of God. It could be influenced by our natural father who was imperfect at best. It could be influenced by false reports that we hear and have not checked it out. If you read the word of God the Bible, we can begin to learn of him and actually get a correct view of him. Our view of God can be tainted by many things. The best way to really learn who God is, would be through relationship with him.  If that relationship is based only on second hand info, it may not be correct info, That is why a judge in a court room does not want to hear hearsay. They want first hand info. Satan goes about as a deceiver of the brethren, his mission is to destroy. He will spread lies and half truths, slander, gossip etc. to destroy the reputation and our view of God. The only way to really get to know God is through personal relationship. You cannot base it on second hand info, gossip, slander, but through the word of God and through relationship we can find out who God really is.  God is sovereign, he set this world in place, balance so that over the centuries we can see his handiwork even in the eclipse of today. God has our best interests at heart, but there are so many distractions and distractors.  HE has beautiful things in store for us, that we have yet to imagine. The real God, the true God, sent his son to die on a cross for our sins. He loved us way beyond what we can imagine. There will be an eternity to get to know this God and there is so much to know. The God that designed an eclipse, perhaps there are other wonders that we have never seen in a lifetime. The God that knew us before we were born. Knew that on this day I would see a wonder never seen in this magnitude. God created  beautiful scenery all across this country and every so often we see a breathtaking display of his handiwork. He created a whole universe that runs better than a Swiss watch. The expanse of which we have only seen a very small part. He designed each of us different, and still is in the designing business.  We create a factory of a million copies of in item, say a coin, that are identical for the most part. Yet no two people are identical, though, God has created millions. No two sunsets are identical. The path of each eclipse they talked about today was different. This is some kind of God, and I wonder what wonders we will learn of his creativity as we know him throughout eternity. DO you really know the true God, have you tried to get to know him. Most people don't know much about me unless I tell them and reveal myself to them. It takes relationship to get to know the true God. You cannot depend on  second hand info. This evening, I revealed just a little about myself, not much, just a little as we meet together for the first time at Men's University. What will God reveal about himself as we try to get to know him better. One thing is for sure, he loves us. He sent Jesus to die for us on a cross for our sins. He desires the best for us, even when it doesn't feel good. The Doctor that replaced my knee, knew it would hurt for a while, but when I worked through the hurt and kept those damaged muscles moving so scar tissue would not build up, he knew I would be better off down the road. Some of us have let scar tissue build up in the damaged heart muscles. Dr Jesus wants to fix it. He does it through relationship with him as we learn what a good father is. A father that will let us go through pain to fix a problem in our heart. If we let scar tissue build, it will hurt us more in the long run and not fix anything. Our muscles will not operate to their full potential. Our heavenly Father has our best interest at heart,  even as that doctor did, when he replaced my knee. He knew it would hurt at times, but I would get through it, and walk again without pain. But I had to go through pain, to keep the scar tissue from building up to get there. God knows and has our best interest at heart. Do you really know him? He sent Jesus to die for your sins.  Some of the pains of this life are sent to correct a heart problem. God can only be known through relationship. He is the only one that can fix a heart. God bless, LVZ.

Untitled

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. Ephesians 6:5-9
the Bible must be prayerfully and carefully studied. The Bible in different forms has been around before printing presses were invented and at one time, different books of the Bible were actually hand printed word by word.  It has been in a multitude of cultures. It has been around when Romans ruled. Parts of it have been around when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and even Daniel were slaves. They were taught God's principles even in their condition of slavery. Many societies, and even today we hear of types of slavery.  The Bible transcends time, and is relevant in all political climates. The above scripture that many may interpret to condone slavery does not. It ends with God is not partial to anyone. There are many other verses that can be looked at. Even in our current political climate, we do not obey the word in its fullness. If we like Trump we respect him, but if we don't like Obama we do not respect him. If we do not like Trump, it is open season to slander him or any other leader we do not approve of. The Bible tells us how to live in all political climates, we just do not obey. The three Hebrew Children and Daniel mentioned above did follow the precepts and commandments they were taught from what ever portions of God's word they were given. They did not have a complete Bible as I have today, but they followed what they knew. They were slaves, Joseph was a slave, and he also followed God's precepts as much as he knew and many of these and others were mistreated for their faithfulness. In the end God delivered them. The Bible does not condone multiple wives, but we have bad examples like Solomon and many others, that lived in  and embraced a culture that God did not condone. The Bible even tells one story about a rape  and the conduct of the brothers that avenged that rape. It does not mean that every story in the Bible is something we should follow. I made excuses for my committing adultery at one time, after all I read the story of King David a favorite of mine and he committed adultery and even killed to cover it up. That doesn't mean I should follow that example. Yes the Bible does tell slaves how to live Godly lives even in a condition of slavery but that does not mean God condoned it any more that God condoned King David having Uriah killed. The Bible is meant to help us live lives pleasing to God in any political climate and also many times tells us the consequences of living sinful lives. You can just about make the Bible say anything. Judas went out and hanged himself ---- go and do thou likewise, is a putting together two scriptures to make the Bible say anything. IF Satan rules your heart, the misinterpretation can be deadly. It takes a heart given to God to understand his word. It really does. Satan goes about seeking to kill and destroy and if he rules your heart, he will destroy you.  God bless, LVZ.

Who Do You Trust In

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  John 18:36-37
In Jesus day the Jews were under Roman rule. They did not like being under Roman Rulers. When Jesus came they were looking for a political leader to lead them out from Roman rule. That is not why Jesus came. The Kingdom Jesus was bringing was not of this world. It was a kingdom ruled in the hearts of man. A kingdom where men and women would give their hearts and lives to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It was not a political system. I am very political, too much so. I think it has taken God some time to point out in my life that I trust in the great or not so great political system of our Nation. I think many Christians do the same. It does not matter if the President is Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump, or even had it been Hillary. God is sovereign, and he gives us our rules. Romans 13, God ordains civil authority, but above that it is our hearts and souls that God desires. Who do we really trust in? If we really trust in God, our political leader should not matter. Our political leaders do not clean up our hearts and lives, only Jesus can do that. Jesus kingdom is not of this world. I voted for Trump and I am thankful for him. But what bothers me is in political discussions, if I am talking to a liberal they sooner or later will mention Trumps words about women caught on tape some 24 to 25 years ago and will state we would be better off with Hillary. The yo dot judge by the same standard or they wouldn't want Hillary either. They do not see it because they are looking for a political leader. Then there are people like me that are supporters of Trump and sometimes I think we could not have progressed with a President like Hillary. We would have gone further down the tube. These words tell me we still have our hope in a political leader. Trump, Obama, Bush, Reagan, Clinton are not going to fix our land. It is God and he starts by fixing the hearts of man. These political leaders are very conscious of the way we think. They want to stay in power. I believe that as the hearts of the people of this country go so go the leaders to stay in control. So many started off saying marriage was between one man and one woman but as the political forces seemed to change, they embraced same sex marriage to stay in control. This time Trump more accurately read the mood of the majority and won. I know some will mention that he did not win the popular vote but that is still why I believe God is in control. We can change that and God will still manipulate the system and the votes will still give us God's will. God is sovereign. I think we need to listen closely when we talk, some of us trust in Trump, some of us tend to trust in Hillary. We need to trust in God. His kingdom is not of this world, it is in the hearts of man. As God fixes the hearts of man so goes our country. If we think Hillary will do a better job than Trump or vice versa, are we still not looking for a political fix for our country? There is no political leader that is perfect. Jesus was the perfect one that died for our sins. This is where our Trust needs to be placed. We trust in the name of our God. He alone can change the hearts of man. He can change the hearts of man if the President is Trump or if it is Clinton. It will not matter to the hearts of Christians. Why, because we trust in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Think about the things you say in a political discussion, is your trust in a fallen human being or is it in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  God bless, LVZ.

solar eclipse

This post is not about anything scriptural, at least it is not starting out that way. I found it almost unbelievable that a woman called ( I don't remember who she called) asking if the eclipse could be scheduled on another day because it is a school day. Then someone is asking who picked Wyoming to be in the Eclipse path. Is this for real? Don't look at the sun? I have probably looked at the sun every day of my life for short periods if it wasn't hidden by clouds. I remember the summers I was 14 and 15, when the sun was high in the sky it was probably lunch time and I'd head home from the field for lunch. I didn't have a watch.   On a funnier note, a relative posted that they saw a sign in Oregon that said the Eclipse was canceled.  I did hear if your really worried about it there is a very safe version to be shown on the web. I am not going to travel north to Nashville TN or any other place up north to get in the path. I think anything that big will be great enough here at home, if not I'll try and find it on the web.  But really can we schedule it on another day? And who picked the path? I believe it was God himself that set the universe in order. Give him credit or blame for scheduling it on the wrong day and picking Wyoming, a very small population state to be in its path. Surely he could have picked LA.  Or Saturday for that matter.  Really I am happy with God's choice. It was set eons ago and I just happen to be alive for this one.  Perhaps someone who set up the calendar system could have made Monday a Saturday or our weekend could be Sunday and Monday.  But then would it have been on the wrong day in 1918 or in the wrong state?  😎😎😎😎😎 God bless, LVZ.

Living According To God's Word

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

By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;

do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you, Lord;

teach me your decrees.

With my lips I recount

all the laws that come from your mouth.

I rejoice in following your statutes

as one rejoices in great riches.

I meditate on your precepts

and consider your ways.

I delight in your decrees;

I will not neglect your word.

God is sovereign. If you stop and think about it our whole universe exist at his command. The earth rotates around the sun at a given distance, speed, rotation. Held in place by just the right amount of gravitational pull. a delicate balance. Some months back I read in article about reintroducing the gray wolf into Yellowstone park and how we have discovered the delicate balance in nature was destroyed by eliminating the wolf. Since their reintroduction, even other species like rabbits, deer and elk are affected. The trees along the stream beds have been affected and even the streams themselves are healthier with the balance that God designed is restored.  This world exists at God's command. God tells us how do live and when we violate God's commands bad things happen.  We can look at our country as another example,  civil authority is ordained by God, Romans 13. We vote in general elections and think we vote in our President. But God is sovereign, and sometimes God gives us who we deserve. We slander at will and think nothing of it. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Titus 3:1-2 Our country is sick and we look for the next political leader to fix us. In reality we have wondered from God's precepts, his principles, his order in the world. We slander at will especially when the President is not the one we voted for. We don't show proper respect, remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient. And we wonder why things are so messed up. We are not following God's principles, his precepts, his ways. God's ways are the ways that work. He is sovereign. He put this world together in a delicate balance. Courtesy towards all people, even those we disagree with politically. How many times do we shut people down with disrespect when we disagree with them especially politically?  Our world is messed up. Every day on the news there seems to be a different killing. Our world is out of balance and just as it did in nature in Yellowstone Park, restoring that balance fixes things. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14,  When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Do we want restoration in our country? Most of us say yes. God says when God's people humble themselves, I believe it is humbling to acknowledge that God is Sovereign and over all. He even gave us the President that we like or detest. Christians prayed for this election more than any other election in recent history and God gave us Trump. If we are liberal in our political leanings, we probably think he gave us punishment or what we deserve. If Conservative, we probably think he is the best thing since sliced bread. Are we still seeking God's face? Our country is a mess, violence, disrespect at every turn. Now the next part of this a condition in this promise. TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. We slander at will, it doesn't matter if it is true, if it meets are preconceived political leaning we will post it on face book. It doesn't have to be true. How can we know if it is anyway out there is cyber world. We disrespect at will and wonder why the next generation has no respect at all. Honor the king, pray for our leaders. the delicate balance of our world has been overturned by us and we wonder why. If we want healing for our country, it is very simple. It is not the current or the former or the next President or other political leader we need. It is to follow once again the principles and ways of a sovereign God. If we follow God's ways the balance will be restored as we will see healing of our land, just as we see in Yellowstone National Park, the restoration of the balance put in place by a sovereign God brings healing. Pray and seek his face, Turn from our wicked ways. I just scratched the surface in the things I mentioned above. There are the Ten Commandments as well. Do we honor our parents that our that our days may be well? Do we respect the unborn? God holds life in his hands, what right do we have to supersede his authority. God is sovereign and we upset the balance and wonder why our world is in a mess.

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

By living according to your word. 
An old man or a young man it makes no difference, by living according to God's word, God's precepts, God's ways, God's commands. We want healing, it starts in our hearts, with our attitude towards a sovereign God. God bless, LVZ.

Just Talking

Another conversation in line with a black man. Actually they were talking to someone else and I overheard them talking how we need to get back to God. I said out loud,  2 Chronicles 7:14. The conversation went well I thought, how even in the church we need to be able to pray together, black and white.  Our country is sick, we are so divided. It seems so many Christians are looking for a political fix, he agreed. I thought we were thinking and making sense. Then he said then we vote in Trump and how can we as Christians vote for someone that talked about women the way he did. I said he is not the first one we elected that had a problem like that. We would have been better off with Hillary. Of course being the conservative that I am. he lost me there. We can talk a good talk for a while but sooner or later it comes out, we are still looking for a political fix. Our problem is sin, and God does not need Hillary or Trump to fix us. We need Jesus and the pardon of our sins. I admit I voted for Trump, But how do I respond when it seems every conversation seems to point to we need a better  political leader?  We need God in our hearts, our lives, our homes, and especially in our country. I do not seem to know how to get that across. If Hillary had won we'd be hearing if only we had Trump. Our need is spiritual and not political. Listen to people talk for more than ten minutes and you find out they are still looking for a better politician. God help us to turn from our wicked ways and look to God for healing. God bless, LVZ.

Forgiving

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:25
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15
Forgiving is a core value of life. A core value of being a Christian. Being a Christian means we have come to our Heavenly Father and asked God to forgive us of our sins. It is absolutely necessary that we forgive others. The two verses above make it plain that we must forgive others as Christ has forgiven us. It seems every so often I will blog about forgiving and I think that is probably normal considering it is a core value. Something we cannot live without. Is their any wrong done to us in life that this does not apply?   Yesterday on face book I commented on a post and as happens, there was reply after reply back and forth. the post was "No White person alive today ever owned a slave. No Black person alive today was ever a slave. We can't move forward if people want to keep living in the past."   I believe this to be a true statement and I also believe it points back to living a life of forgiving others. What wrong can be done to us that we do not need to forgive? I think of the story of Corrie ten Boom, on a speaking engagement she saw one of her guards at the church she was speaking at. Someone who had mistreated her and her sister in the awful internment camps in Germany. She saw this man come towards her after the meeting was over and she remembered him. She prayed for strength to forgive, she knew it was necessary. Slavery was a dark period of our history in this country. It happened, it was wrong and we should get past it. It will take every black person that was harmed by civil rights abuses to learn to forgive. Every child that was abused by a parent must forgive.  Every employee that was mistreated by a boss must forgive. What sin committed against us does not fall under this need? I do not want to make light of the hurt caused by racial tension, but it must be forgiven. We cannot be forgiven by God for our own sins if we refuse to forgive any wrong against us.  How many generations is it OK to hold on to hurts and not forgive? A wife or husband cheated on their spouse in their marriage and they must learn to forgive. What sin escapes this need to forgive?  Think of the worst thing ever done to you or anyone you know, does it escape this need to forgive?  A young girl that was raped by an older brother, does it escape this need to forgive? I do not want to make light of any hurt I have mentioned. I have not faced every possible wrong myself, but I cannot see an escape clause in the above scripture. We must forgive.  God bless, LVZ.

German Ancestory

I was in a dialogue on face book with someone I don't know but I believe they were Black and if you know me I am white. The discussion was about being racist and this person believed she was not racist because she was black and a White person cannot understand since they did not live in times of slavery. But then neither did she as the original post we were commenting on started. I of course stated that being black does not make you immune from being racist. Our conversation went back and forth. Many Blacks seem to think even though they did not live in the slavery days of the south they still lived through racism, and I acknowledge racism does exist. I believe it to be a condition of a sinful heart and we are all capable of having a bad heart and being racist, no matter what color your skin is or your economic state in life. As I thought about this, many Blacks seem to want to be victims forever. I thought about a story another German told me about what he had learned in looking up his ancestry. Germans were good farmers several centuries ago, the Russian government made promises to German farmers that they did not keep. This according to my memory and what this German told me. Many German farmers went to Russia to farm, but when Russia did not keep their promise, many made their way to America as my ancestors did. My Great, Great or was it three Greats, Grandfather immigrated to America to South Dakota to farm.  This is on my Fathers side. On my Mothers side, my Grandfather immigrated to North Dakota, America from Romania, he or at least his family had been some of the German people that went to Russia. How would it be for me today to hold a grudge against the Russian people for not keeping their promise to the German farmers that were my ancestors. I know this is not as evil as slavery, but the point being, I didn't experience the broken promises from the Russian Government and many Blacks today did not experience slavery or even the Jim Crow days. Is it OK for them to hold grudges from their ancestors? would it be any different if I held a grudge against those Russians for what they did to my ancestors? I think we need to get past some things. Things are only as bad as we make them. We Germans have had a good life over here and are better off than we would be in Russia, and I think by the same token, Blacks that came from a history of slavery are better off today then they would be if they still lived in Africa. Can we just move on?   God bless, LVZ.

Trusting God

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
When I look back on my life I realize that sometimes I did pray about things, but mostly I would do what I think is right and not wait for God to answer. Then after I make a decision, I ask for help when I am in a mess. This has been a pattern in my life.  I think to really trust in God you need to wait until you know God has answered. I have so many times asked for help after I was already in a mess. God has helped me, but I wonder how much needless pain I went through because I did not pray and wait. I prayed and went. This is a pattern that needs to be broken.  I have been successful when I have prayed and waited for God's answer. One specific prayer was where to go to church when I moved to Tupelo. I prayed and waited and actually was discouraged because it took me all of 4 months for God to answer. Actually it took me four months to follow his direction. But I prayed for a church to attend and visited several churches over that time period. One morning I happened to visit Hope Church in Tupelo for the first time. After that first visit I didn't desire to even look any more. Once before I prayed for a church to attend in Everett WA.  My wife had asked me to pray about it and I did. this was probably sometime in 1995. We were a mixed race couple. I was reading Ephesians 5:25 at the time and asked how do I apply this scripture to this prayer.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25.  We had visited Second Baptist Church in Everett WA probably a few times. It was obviously a Black Baptist Church. As I thought on this scripture, my wife's culture was black. A deacon at Second Baptist had given her away at our wedding ceremony. My wife had two aunts that attended that church. I thought that is how I apply this scripture at that time. My first months at that church I felt like a fish out of water. I was much of the time the only white person in that congregation. Hind sight being 20/20, I look back and know I made the right decision. God had some changes in store for me and that was the place. I will never forget my wife's response when she asked if I had prayed and decided. I said yes I have. I feel Second Baptist is the answer to my prayer. Her response was, "How in the hell can you pick Second Baptist?"  Hind sight being 20/20, looking back it was the right decision for that time, at least for me. I honestly believe it was right for her also but it wasn't what she expected. I think she thought it would be some White Church like Bethel Christian Assembly or something like that. Now God didn't answer the same way when I came to Tupelo. He didn't direct me to a Black Baptist Church. Our needs are different even though we are a mixed race couple. But I believe God directed me to Hope Church. I believe God has confirmed that several times over the last 5 years. I think I am learning to pray and wait for God to answer. Hope Church has been a real blessing to me and Barbara in many ways.  Going to Second Baptist changed my outlook on Race issues and so has Hope affected my thinking once again. I have had God answer two prayers in my life instantly. Only two. Many times I have had to wait for the answer, but it is always worth the wait. I remember in Tacoma going to CFAN and thinking this is the best church I have ever been to in my life. When I moved to Tupelo, I wanted to find something as good as CFAN.  I think I found better. Not to say Hope is the only good church in Tupelo or even CFAN the only good church in Tacoma. There are many good churches, but part of the answer is being where God wants you to be. A place where you can grow and be a blessing to others at the same time. Trust in the Lord, pray about things and give God time to answer. God will answer in his own time, and it is always worth the wait to be in God's will.  There was a time when I had my license suspended and had to get SR22 insurance. I checked one time and for me to buy a newer car with car payments, my insurance would have been $430 a month. more than the car payment would have been. I had promised my Mom I would take her to a family reunion in N.D.  My old 85 Cadillac didn't feel trustworthy. This was about 2005, the year Katrina hit.  I prayed about my situation. I felt I needed a better car before this trip. One day I was looking at autos for sale, and there I saw a 1996 Olds  Ciera for $4000.00 with only 27,000 miles on it. I called and was the first person to call and bought it. Waiting on God paid off.  God bless, LVZ.

A Thorn

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. Psalm 42:5
Many years ago during a bout of depression, as I was praying about  it. I was wanting to be healed from feeling depressed. The thought came to me that perhaps it was thorn in the flesh for me, just as Paul spoke about the thorn in his flesh in 2 Corinthians above.  A handicap is what I thought, God perhaps saw I needed a handicap to keep me on the straight and narrow. I thought about different people I knew that had a physical handicap, like a person I worked with at the time had a bum leg and could not bend it at the knee. His whole life as far as  I knew, he walked funny. Or a young lady I saw one time had a cauliflower type growth on her ear. I decided if I had to have a handicap to get through life, I prefer the one God gave me, Depression. At the time I sometimes thought it was related to the difficult marriage I was in. Still to this day, I sometimes get depressed but not like it was so many years ago. I wonder if it lessened because I accepted it as a possible handicap from God? I do know God is more interested in our character, than our  comfort. I have seen others too, that seem to do better when they accept any handicap God has sent their way to develop their Character. One comes to mind, a person that had a stroke and can no longer walk like they used to. They want 100% healing and God has not done it. Could it be God is trying to deal with a character issue in their life?  If they accepted their state in life and looked to healing of their character, would they not be better off? It is just a thought, I cannot see into their heart, but God can.  I know another stroke victim and they are doing well, this person even mows lawns, dragging his one leg behind him. He has adapted and I admire his witness. This man can lift a lawn mower with one arm onto his pickup.  Another scripture tells us all things work for the good of those  who love God.     And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28. Is it because I accepted it as possibly from God , but my bouts of depression are not nearly what they use to be. That difficult marriage ended years ago, and perhaps it was a stress in my life that wore me down.  I do know God loves us and does what is best for us if we trust in him.   Ultimate healing will be reached in Heaven. If God does not heal 100% here below.  I desire to be like Job and praise God even in difficult circumstances.  Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. Job 13:15.  God bless, LVZ.

Insolent

in·so·lent

[ˈinsələnt]

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Worship God Only

Elvis is in the papers, I believe it is the 40th anniversary of his death. I read an article about a young woman in college at the time of Elvis's death. She went to her dorm and found a lot of young woman gathered around a phone and crying. She wondered what happened. One young woman said the King is dead. She didn't get it at first and chuckled. She went to her room and closed the door, hid for a while. This woman stated that some 12 years later at a reunion she saw a group of the same girls together and they looked at her the same way they had the day of Elvis's death. They had not forgotten. Elvis is not someone to worship. I know he was popular and a good singer. I like some of his songs. I think it is sometimes easy to hero worship, as those girls perhaps worshipped the king of Rock and Roll.  God is sovereign, he wants our worship. God alone gives life. I remember the day Elvis died. I guess I was somewhat of a religious nut in those days. I remember an old man telling me I suppose you have put him (Elvis) in hell. I have no idea of Elvis's spiritual condition that day or any other day. Only God knew then and knows today. 
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. Colossians 2:18 We are not to even worship angels. Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." Revelation 19:10  I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”  Revelation 22:8-9 John the revelator fell down to worship an angel that had revealed things to him and he was warned twice, not to do that . Do not worship angels. I am sure if Angels are not worthy of worship, neither is Elvis. Sometimes when I hear people talk about angels, I get the feeling they almost want to worship them. I remember even books or TV shows about angels, it almost seems as if we worship them. We are told not to worship them. Sometimes I suppose we put good men on a pedestal, and they are not worthy of worship. Some even a good as some of us are and depending on if we are conservative or liberal may think a lot of either Trump or Obama, Clinton or Bush or even Reagan. IT is ok to honor good men, but do not worship them. We can find many things in this life to take the place of God, but God is still sovereign and has each of our days numbered. It is God we need to worship and as the first commandment tells us: " You shall have no other gods before Me."   Sometimes I think some people do worship Elvis, We should not but worship God only.  God bless, LVZ.

A Godly Home

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. Colossians 3:18-21
My thought this morning is concerning families. I grew up in a dysfunctional home. I thought at one time when I was younger, I was a good parent. As I have aged and see the dysfunction in other homes that continues, I think less and less of my parenting skills. Parenting skills I just didn't have. As I read Colossians 3, Ephesians 5 and even 1 Peter 3 where we read about families. How husbands and wives should be submissive to each other. How we are to treat children. I believe the best thing parents can do for their children is to have a good home life. Show children how to live in harmony, with respect towards each other and towards God.  I didn't have that growing up. Then in my own marriage with the mother of my children, we were at odds about almost everything, especially how to raise children.  We failed. I have seen good parenting inside and outside the church, and bad parenting inside and outside the church. I believe even more strongly that the best thing we can give our children is a good home life between parents. Once I heard the statement even James Dobson didn't have perfect parents. We live in a sin sick world, just look at our government. I see dysfunction passed on to the next generation of children in those families that have struggled to learn God's plan. I have been on this journey for 30 plus years and have had God working on me and fixing things for a long time. In fact I believe God will be working on me my whole life. We live in a dysfunctional world. People disrespecting each other and even civil authority. A strong home leads to a strong country. God's plan works. I see it work even in non Christian homes where the principles that God laid out are followed. Many a time I wished I had learned some things when my children were small. I feel I could have been a much better parent had I followed his plan and had a spouse that loved God and me and we were mutually submissive to god and each other. It is hard to pick up the pieces in the next generation. You see children living the consequences of an ungodly lifestyle and wish I had taught them better. I see families, even other dysfunctional ones that passed on their faith and things just work so much better with God. God is the answer for our fallen world, and for a fallen sinful people. His ways, his laws, his commandments, his precepts work. Then most of all God sent Jesus to a sinful world to redeem us from the consequences of our sins. I am so thankful for what God has done for me already. Yes, I have suffered the consequences of sin in my life. I have been forgiven and God is still working on me. A good relationship with a spouse is one of the best gifts from God. I am so thankful for what God has done for me. Each generation needs to find God  for themselves. Even those in the best of homes still need God or sin will take its toll on them. Jesus is the answer for our world, our country, our homes, and our lives. God bless, LVZ.

Truth

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom.  Psalm 51:6
In our current political climate it is hard to know what to believe. Even our news is commonly airing false news. God desires truth in us. This thought comes from a face book post about a Pepsi can that is leaving out words of the Pledge of Allegiance. The post says Pepsi left out "Under God". Don't know myself, I don't drink Pepsi. I love Coke. It was almost tempting for me to repost because of my preference for Coke. I did a quick search on Google and found a report that says this story is false. I have learned over the years that even SNOPES cannot be trusted, Their answers often support their political leanings rather than truth.  I will probably look at Pepsi cans the next time I am in a store to see if this is true. I know from posting political posts someone from the other side will always have info contrary to my info.  I have read many posts supporting the belief of climate change cause by humans. They say 97% of scientist believe, but what they don't tell you is the 97% believe the climate does change over cycles, but that does not mean 97% believe it is cause by humans. But one side of the debate will twist it to support their cause.  They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. Titus 3:2 Slander is common place in our society today. I will never forget this as long as I live: A liberal that I worked in an office with during the George W. Bush reelection campaign said, it was OK to use the forged national guard papers, because they were trying to keep George W. from winning reelection.  God desires truth from us, his word tells us not to slander anyone. I wonder if we as Christians exercise enough care in what we pass on in casual conversation, Face book, twitter etc. We cannot play on the same field as those that believe the end justifies the means. We must value truth. Win or lose, we must only win by doing what is right. God keeps a record that does not lie.  God bless, LVZ.

Let No Sin Rule Over me

Direct my footsteps according to your word;

let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:113

As I thought about this, I think back to the time when I was going to church and living in sin. Sin was ruling over me. I think of the times I divorced when God intended marriage to be one man / one woman for life. I think of the marriage stats that tell us divorce is as common inside the church as it is outside. I see imperfect Christians or those claiming to be Christian and I wonder, is their a sin that is ruling over them? We should look different. It is not something we put on every Sunday morning and take it off when we walk back out the doors on Sunday morning. God's word is intended to change us. There have been a lot of changes in my life over the last thirty years. I have not lived a perfect life. Even sometimes today as I pray, I ask God to search my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me. 

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to  his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 2 Peter 1:3-9

2 Peter tells us how to live. When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, he gives us everything we need to over come sin. Make every effort add virtue to our lives by following God, his precepts, his laws, his commandments, his word. How do we add knowledge? By reading and meditating on his word. Feeding ourselves daily from God's word. Make every effort, it takes effort, develop a habit of praying and reading his word. Self control, sometime we need to make a decision to do or not do things because of what we read in God's word. Steadfast, everyday, a life long commitment to God and his ways. We go on to godliness which is obeying God's commandments, brotherly affection, and last it says to love. By thins shall all men know you are my disciples if you have love for one another. These are qualities we need in our life. These qualities will keep us from being unfruitful and ineffective. I believe sin ruling over us keeps us from being effective. We need to check our hearts and ask god to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  It has been a long journey and I look back I see times when sin ruled over me. I continue to press toward God and his ways. Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  I continue to wash my life with his word. We can partake of the divine nature by pressing in, learning and obeying God's ways, his word, his precepts, his commandments. Over and over again, Psalms 119 talks about loving God's ways, his precepts, his laws, his commands. Some times I am amazed at what I find in God's word, as I daily try to feed myself from his word. We are spiritual creatures and let us not neglect the spiritual side of life.  God bless, LVZ.

God's Word Does Not Change

Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands fast. Psalm 119:89-90
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35
We live in a politically correct age, and we want to change God's word. I wonder how fair that would be to the generations past that obtained righteousness by obeying and living according to the word of God. I do not believe we have the right to change the meaning of God's principles to please ourselves. I know through the years our understanding has been increased, I know I believe much differently today than I did thirty years ago. We mature and grow in our understanding, but never do we have the right to change what God's word says. I remember the days I was taught this is the true church and I believed it. I also remember praying for a vision of God's Church. I wanted a personal vision, but that vision did not come to me the same as it was preached to me. I wondered why, why can't I see this the same as it was taught to me?  Today I see where the church I was raised in does not teach that they are the exclusive church of God and claim that was never one of their doctrinal beliefs. I understand now why my vision never came as they taught in that day.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13
God promised that he would lead us into all truth. The word does not change, but our growth and understanding of the word does change. My hope and prayer is that it draws me closer to my savior. That I will look more and more like my heavenly Father as the years pass. God bless, LVZ.

God Likes the Credit

As I read about Gideon in the book of Judges, I see where God cut down Gideon's army from 32,000 down to 10,000 and then had Gideon cut it down to 300 men.  The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Judges 7:2 God was going to give the victory to Gideon, but he wanted the people to know it was God's doing and not theirs. With the 300 men divided into three groups, they came to the three sides of the Midian army and left one side open for the army to run and run they did. I know in my head that God can do the same today in our land. It seemed when Hillary had the election won and every one was saying she was winning, she lost. They laughed at Trump, and said trump never. Yet when the election was over, Trump had won. I listen to the news and all the anti Trump and yet when you see Trump at a rally, he still has huge crowds. They investigate supposed wrong doings and still he is popular. I can't help but think that this is God's doing. It is not Trump that is going to save our nation, but people just naturally look to a political leader to win. God wants the credit. 2 Chronicles 7:14 states that when we meet the conditions of that promise, God will hear from heaven and heal our land. It will not be Trump, and that is one time the opposition is right, it is never Trump. It seems according to the news both sides, the Democrats and Republicans are now working together against Trump. If this is God's doing, and if God put Trump in there, don't be surprised when Trump wins. It will be God giving him the victory so that the land will know it was God. I believe as we keep praying, we will win on our knees, because it is God in Heaven that is still sovereign. We are silly, we fight with a false narrative about global warming, about Russian interference, looking for some business dealing that Trump did to bring him down. You fight against God, God wins. We need to keep praying for our President, as the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority.  We need God's will to be done. We need a return to Godly values and respect for God. We need to respect even the government God gave us. I think about how I did not like Obama and there are just as many that do not like Trump, but God gives us many times what we deserve as we stray from following him.  We need revival and a return to Godly values and God will heal our land, but it will be God's doing. God wants the credit and he is still sovereign. It is the spiritual that we need to get right, because one day we stand before almighty God and will give an account for the life we have lived. God is not dead, he is still in the heavens counting the hairs on our head. Giving breath and life to each of us. God wants the credit.  God bless, LVZ.

Favortism

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
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34-35
For God does not show favoritism.  Romans 2:11
I invited a Black man to go to a men's breakfast with me. He is a friend of mine about 70 years old. He is a Mississippi native, picked cotton and all the stuff black people did in the day. Something he said stuck with me. He said, "I have never been to a White Church in my life."  I guess I thought about that description, White Church. I use it all the time, describing a church by the majority of the people that attend that particular congregation. I was a member of several Black Baptist Churches over the years. Second Baptist in Everett, WA. I have learned that if you go to just about any church in the US and the name is Second Baptist, it is probably a Black Church. First Baptist is almost always a White Church. I use this color distinction myself. I was also a member of Bright Star Community Baptist Church, a Black Church. And who can doubt with a name like Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church, that it was a black church. I also attended Eastside Baptist Church for many years. Many was the time I was the only White person in the congregation. Hope Church where I attend now, is predominantly white, but of our six elders, two are black. One of the men on the Deacon board was black the year before I became a deacon. We used to have a black man that was very involved in leading worship. And throughout the congregation there are several black members. I am not sure what the percentage is. MY black friend who was in a white church for the first time in his life thought they treated him really well and plans to come back. I wondered how did he expect to be treated? I did not see any different treatment towards him than any one else. We live in a country that had a very active KKK, a white hate group years ago. Today, the Black Lives Matter group which I think, (My Opinion) is just another hate group, only think time the color is black. As I thought about this and the color description, I did not like it. I use it myself and have for years, black  / white and perhaps other race type descriptions of various churches. I don't like it, I don't think the church is suppose to be divided along color or race. I think our greatest draw should be to be like Jesus and not our color or race. It should not be economic or society standing, but to be one in Jesus Christ. In God their is no partiality, he does not show favoritism. I wish we in the church could get away from Black and White distinctions, but strive to be like Jesus first and foremost. It is by our love that the world will know we are Christ disciples. I do not like the descriptor White or Black. God bless, LVZ.

It Is Time

It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken. Psalm 119:126
Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted. Habakkuk 1:4
I have been thinking about this  verse in Psalm 119.  God's law has been broken. Many times in the space of a few years I have talked about 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the part of the verse that says turn from our wicked ways. Those laws of God that have been broken are hurting us as a country. We feel like we can get along without God, but look at what is happening to our country and the continental divide. We fight politically, and liberally against conservative and our country is going down hill. We need God to act. We need God to intervene in our country. So many evangelicals think Trump is the answer to our nations woes. He is not God is. If we really want to see healing for our land it will come from turning back to obey God's ways, God's laws, God's precepts. Political leaders are not the answer, being politically correct is not the answer. Justice comes out perverted. There are no fair weights and measures in our land. They attempt to tear down Trump in the very areas they turn a blind eye to the Clinton family and to other popular liberals. There needs to be a revival in our land and a turning back to God and his laws and his ways and we will see God heal our land. A preacher spoke about how even in the area of science we are perverted. We try and make a case for global warming and I saw last night on the news where they are blaming airplane turbulence on global warming. I see Al Gore making another play on his inconvenient truth. These are not the things that will heal our land. It is God and our return to him that will heal our land. I know people get tired of hearing about God's laws, but it is God that created us, and it is God that knows what works and what doesn't work. Our universe is a delicate balance that God created, it didn't just happen. Even in  nature there is a balance that God created and when man messes with that balance bad things happen. I have read in recent years the effect bringing wolves back into Yellowstone has affected so many other species and even the terrain and rivers. It was God's balance and as man messed with it, it went wrong. We are spiritual creatures as well as physical and emotional, and even we are messed up as we get things out of balance. It is time for God to act and restore healing to our land. It will come through God or not at all. No political party or President will bring tis healing. We want racial heling in our land, it will come through obedience to God and his word. It will not come through groups like Black Lives Matter. We want healing for cancer and it will come through the knowledge God gives. At one time doctor believed in letting blood and draining off precious blood supplies when people were sick. We have come a long ways from those days. Healing either divine or through the hands of a doctor come from God. The Knowledge is God's to give as he chooses. We so need God to act on our behalf. We live in a sin sick society and the answer is Jesus.  That is where healing comes  from. Even when Jesus walked this earth, the people were looking for a political solution and wanted Jesus to be their King and rescue them from Roman rule. He rescues from Satan, since the beginning of time. Through obedience to God's laws, his ways, his precepts, his commandments will we find healing. When we put balance back into our lives and acknowledge the spiritual side and turn to God for direction, we will find healing for our souls and our land. It is time to turn back to God. God bless, LVZ.

Pray For Our President

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. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1
It is time to pray for our President. I believe God put him in office. I believe it was an answer to prayer that Donald Trump was elected to the highest office of the land. The Bible tells us to pray for our kings which would be our political leaders in this day. Notice, thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. We are to support them. There are many things we may not understand that God tells us to do but God has his reasons even if we do not understand. I think of the commandment to honor our father and mother. The Bible tells us to honor them, period. Not just if they were good parents, but even those of us that had bad parents, we are to honor them. It is a command. In much the same way we are to pray for our political leaders, not for their fall but for their success, why else would we be told to give thanks? I believe God is showing us just how far we as Christians have strayed from following his word. We think  we get to choose, if we like him we pray, if we voted for him we pray. If he was elected and ran as a member of the political party we think like and support then we pray. That is not what the Bible is saying. It is saying for all people, for kings and all who are in high position. We do not get to choose which ones. God will direct our leaders if we pray. We live in a day when both political parties are against our President. The fighting and infighting gets worse it seems by the day. I did not pray for President Obama like I should have, but the command in the scriptures did not disappear when Obama was President, it was still there. I know there are many liberal thinking individuals that are doing the same. I don't like this President and I did not vote for him, so I will not pray for God to direct him. Romans 13 tells us civil authority is ordained by God. We see a lack of respect for authority growing year after year. It is up to us as Christians to pray for our President, Period. God bless, LVZ.

How to Live

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

By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9

The Bible gives us direction on how to live. The ten commandments were given to guide us, as was the Bible itself.  It tells us how to live as husbands, fathers, workers, neighbors, friends. Any hat we may put on the Bible can guide us. I think much of how we as Christians have stayed away from politics and perhaps certain professions. I recently heard a man tell of his conversion, how he was going to law school and his Dad told him you cannot be a lawyer and a Christian at the same time. I remember a relative of mine saying we Christians need to keep our religion behind closed doors, and I believe I replied, isn't that being a hypocrite? We recently studied in Ephesians chapter 6 and other references where the Bible also told slaves how to live. Even though the Bible does not condone slavery, it tells us how to conduct ourselves in whatever state we find ourselves. The scripture above states how can a young man stay on a path of purity, well it applies to old men and all stages of life. 

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8.  All that we need is given to us to live life pleasing to God the creator. It is given for our good and for a life well lived. A life well lived will be  in alignment with his word, God's precepts, God's rules, God's plans. He gives us rulers as he sees fit. I did not understand why Obama, but the same way he gave us Obama, he gave us Trump. A life well lived will be according to God's plan. Someday we all stand before God on judgement day and we will be judged according to his word. God can and will guide us if we only ask.  God bless, LVZ.