Home Again

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, Proverbs 5:18 I am so glad to be home again with the wife of my youth. I am really thankful for a wife that I can trust. I was gone for 21 days and I did not worry about my wife. I knew she was in God's hands. I am so thankful for her. I put on over 6,000 miles on this trip and God's grace and traveling mercy was with me. I even survived driving through New York City. I did not see as much as I wanted to but saw so much of God's creativity along the way. From mountains and streams, forest and fields, all created by our maker. I even saw a camel in Wisconsin. I saw creative genius as I traveled along and realize all knowledge comes from God. When you look at our great country and the variety of beauty from one corner to the other. I saw a badger cross the road in front of me, numerous deer, and cattle along the way. I enjoyed my trip and it made me realize what a wonderful God we worship. If nature is any clue, heaven will not be boring. Speaking of heaven, my last Uncle, Uncle Valentine reached heavens shores will I was on this trip and I redirected my direction to take in his celebration service. He will be missed. He was a Christian, one that you could follow him as he followed Christ. 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  At Uncle Val's service, his pastor read this scripture and faith, that was Uncle Val. Val's youngest brother told about a conversation he had with another brother discussing Val. His Brother Raymond asked what three words would you use to describe Val. He said faithful, faithful, faithful. Faithful to God, faithful to his family, faithful to his church. Virtue that was Uncle Val, even from thirty years ago a younger man recited his interaction with Val from school, and it ended up Val impacted his life and called him his spiritual father. Knowledge, they talked about how hymns, Val knew. Self control, that was Uncle Val. He disciplined his kids with that same smile on his face. Godliness, as his brother stated as they had a conversation about Val, there was nothing bad to say. The pastor told about the bill hole Val left behind. He was a Christian. Back to being home, I am so thankful for traveling grace and mercy. 6000 plus miles, 80 degrees to -14. I actually touched 22 states. It wasn't planned to be thus but as I journeyed West for Uncle Val's service, I traveled some different states than anticipate. Some like Kansas, and Nebraska were from mistakes in driving. I was only there for a brief moment until I got back to where I wanted to be. I am so thankful to be back home safe and sound with the wife of my youth.  God Bless, LVZ. 

Eye Has Not Seen

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—  1 Corinthians 2:9  This scripture was mentioned at Uncle Val's service and I thought about it along my way.  It was cold out, it had been 14 degrees that night. Up ahead I saw cloud cover and as I got closer I started seeing the bare trees were white with probably frozen moisture. It seems the humidity, the temperature, and possibly the sunlight were just right and it was a beautiful sight. I don't remember seeing trees like this before.  I remember years ago I had stopped along side a hiway to  stretch my legs and there was a stream nearby. There was a large rock in this stream and the water falling on it fanned out in a 180 degree circle. It was beautiful and I took a picture. I lost that picture and several times I would stop at that same spot to get another picture and I could not. The water flow had to be just right to duplicate what I had seen. I never saw it again no matter how many times I stopped at that spot. The scripture above made me think of the many times we see God's art work, never to see it again.  Some things in nature we do see over and over again. But it seems no two sunsets or sunrises are the same. So it is not hard for me to imagine that a creative God that created  all the animals, birds, fish and even mankind has unimaginable things in store for those that love him. As I was thinking along this line, I thought about opossums and how they can eat hundreds of ticks and do eat them. Yet they do not catch the diseases like Lyme Disease that humans can get from a tick bite. I used to hate oppossums but have a respect for them since learning of the good they do like eating ticks. God's creative genius.  Uncle Val's only brother imagined when Val got to heaven and saw what was prepared for him, and probably said in amazement, what did I do to deserve all of this? Some one said this earth is as close to heaven as unbelievers will get and as close to hell as believers will get. We live in a beautiful world and I have no trouble imagining that heaven will be great. It will not be boring. We will see and experience wonders never before seen or experienced. Uncle Val is just beginning his eternity in heaven.  I am looking forward to my time.  God bless, LVZ.

My Last Uncle

Valentine Rueb is the last uncle on either side of my family to be put to rest. If it is Ok to have favorites, he was my favorite Uncle.  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 He was a follower of Christ and I believe you could follow his example as he followed Christ. He had a sweet spirit and a love for people. He was humble, kind, soft spoken. I would like to be like him. A short while ago as his memory was failing, I teased him that he was my favorite uncle.  He looked at me and said, who are you? I laughed inside.  Some years ago as I was in my fourth divorce in 10 years, he asked my why I have been married so many times. He didn't wait for an answer, he said I will pray for you. No condemnation for my failings but love is what I felt.  He was my favorite uncle, and I will miss him. I want to live in such a way as to be able to see him again on the other side. Now we and the other men of my generation are the leaders in our family. Will we leave an example that can be followed? We lost many great examples in the last few years. Uncle Gene, Uncle Harold, Uncle Reiny, and now Uncle Val. There were others before them, but these have left  just in the last five years. They left a legacy of great faith, can we fill the void they left.  God help us to be examples of faithful men as they were. God bless, LVZ.

Sowing and Reaping

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6;6-10
Sometimes as I read Face book posts, I want to reply. Especially when people post hateful things. A white man posted many hateful things about white people. He went back to Emmit Till and KKK lynchings and on and on. I was two years old when that happened. I was a child during the 50's and 60's. I am white but I do not claim responsibility for what those in the past have done. I want to be a healer and not a divider. These people that post divisive material to stir up hate will reap what they sow.  Those that sow towards reconciliation and healing will reap what they sow also. There will always be hate and wrong that stems from sinful hearts. We can work towards healing and unity in this nation and in our world. This is a spiritual battle we are in for the hearts of men. Not every white man has the hate in their hearts. Some have actually worked for healing in this nation. Even in Martin Luther King Jr's day, there were many whites that supported him and his work. These are hateful people that lump us all together just because of the color of our skin. We need to look at what is in a mans heart and judge him by that. I as a white man do not want to be painted with the same brush as a KKK member or other White Supremist or even the alt-right.  That is not me. I believe the Bible when it says we are all equal. There is no partiality with God. For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:11 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 By the same standard I believe Black Lives Matter group is just as wrong when they are protesting and looting, burning police cars and even Black own businesses.  We are equal in God's eyes and we need to start acting like it. I do not deny there  was evil done in the past by White men. But when did it start being right to do wrong? Two wrongs do not make it right. We make it right by doing right and not partaking of this hatred in any way. We see the constant polls on face book, do you think Trump is a better President than Obama or vise versa. We will never have a President that every one agrees with. Get over it. God did not make us to be duplicates of each other. We are allowed to be different. Even Blacks have the right to conservative thought without being called names and put down because of it. Politics is not the answer for our nation. A redeemed heart that has repented of past sins is the answer. Jesus is the answer. I have a question for any one that wants to hold white people today responsible for the sins of past generations, How many generations must pass before we can be forgiven? 2 or 4 or 16. When is it enough. We will never be completely rid in evil on this earth. Are we healers or destroyers / dividers?  The choice is ours and we will reap what we sow. That is a law of nature or of God which ever you prefer. If you sow negativity, that is what you will reap. If you sow love and harmony, that also is what you will reap. So what do you want to reap in this life time? We sow what we reap. We plant our own harvest. God bless. LVZ.

Do You Make God Smile?

I am still on the road so it has been hard to blog. For my scripture  today I want to use: For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. Proverbs 5:21  God sees all that we do. I will now tell a story I heard in the past couple of weeks. I don't remember where I heard it. Three Christian men were rushing through an airport to catch their connecting flight. They may have been on a mission trip or a conference or something. As they were rushing through the airport with their luggage rolling along behind them they ran into a table where a young girl was selling apples and baskets of apples. It must have been a while ago or out of the country. They collided with her table and kept on going. Two of the men made their flight home, the third told them to go on, he would make other arrangements and went back to help the girl. There she was on all fours searching for her apples and baskets and crying. She was blind and was faced with an impossible task of retrieving her apples and baskets. The third man got down with her and helped her retrieve all the apples and baskets they could find. He set up her table and got her situated again and gave her three big bills to cover the damage. I don't know what the bills were. As he was walking away, the blind girl hollered at him, are you Jesus? Her day had been totally ruined and disrupted but it was made right by a man of integrity. It was just an accident, and I am sure the other two did not realize she was blind. As God was looking down, I am sure he smiled to hear one of his children  mistaken for his only son. What we do matters, God sees. I hope to make God smile on occasion as I try to be like his son, Jesus.  God bless, LVZ.

Traveling

I am on a road trip. Saw the corvette museum in  Bowling Green KY.  My favorite corvette was a 1957. Then on to Noah's Arc in Williamstown KY.  That was amazing to see the size of it. The Bible does not give a lot of details other than the size  and made out of Gopher wood and pitch it within and without with pitch to seal it. They interpreted how they thought they got ventilation to the main three floors. Clay containers for water storage and receptacles for the animals.  Grain and food storage in gunny sack containers lined up. How to get rid of waste etc.  They had containers that would last several days as they figured each of the eight persons had about 850  animals each, to care for. One thought was many animals could have been juveniles. I love all the scenery, in each state there is beauty to behold. And the bad, excuse me New York City, but I don't think I want to come back. I like open spaces. Plus the cab driver that bumped me three times, didn't endear me to your city. The first time I thought it was an accident, but after a couple more times, I knew it was an overly aggressive cab driver. Since I was in the center lane of traffic I then started letting anyone on either side of me into my lane ahead of me. The cab driver didn't stay behind me long.  I had cab drivers make a right in front of me from the left lane. I had a black Suburban in the right lane make a left in front of me. It was hard to see the sky unless I looked straight ahead.  They must sell a lot of black Suburbans in New York City and each time I looked to see if Tom Selleck  was in the back seat. Just kidding. There was no place to pull over to check the map. I finally asked a worker if I kept going straight ahead would I get out of the city? He told me to make a right at the next intersection and go till I saw Harlem River road and follow that. It worked, in no time I could see sky again. Many times I could not stop to take a picture of sights I saw, but I think we live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its the only place I have seen, other than short trips into Canada and Mexico. But God seems to like variety even in sun sets and sun rises. I am thankful to have survived driving through New York City, may I never do it again. Through every state I see something majestic. I thought as I drive through beautiful West Virginia, I could live here. PA was where I saw the Flight 93 memorial, it was a sobering experience to think about those heros and what they did. It was thought that airplane was headed to the Capital in DC. Those heros worked together to save the lives of many of our Congressmen and Senators in DC. Many are still in office today. Wish they could learn from the example of Flight 93 passengers and work together. Those men and women represent different races and back grounds. They saved the lives of many more, there were just 40 of them. How many new Senators and Congresspersons would we have today if it had not been for their efforts. It is hard to post on the road. God bless, LVZ.

Polls

Face  book has become a big part of our lives these days. It is a way to keep in touch with family and friends that are far away. It is no substitute for those that are near. BUT, I think of all these polls that seem to show up daily like: Do you still wish Obama was President? Is Trump a better President? Is Melanie a better first lady? Is Michelle a better first lady? On and on they go. I think they are sent and meant to divide. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.  Romans 13:7 Then we will get the post of a handicapped person, will you like them. We get the stories on either side of the stand or kneel during the National Anthem. So much of this is meant to divide our nation. No two Presidents will be alike. You will never find another me. Everything God creates is unique. You do not find two trees identical. Sometimes you will see a beautiful animal posted on face book and they are so unique. Everything God creates is unique. Don't expect Trump or Obama or either George Bush to do the same as their predecessors. What we do need to do is honor and show respect for the office they hold. I know I have written many times on Romans 13 which tells us civil authority is ordained by God. Just a few post ago, I listed some scriptures that tell why I believe God gives us each President. Some good, some bad, each has a responsibility to God for how they govern. We have a responsibility to give what is owed them, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 We owe love to each around us, and we fulfill our obligation to this world as we show love not hate, in our words and actions. If we look back to the protests of Martin Luther King Jr., he did not come to divide but to unite. Love showed through in his actions and his words. Love for each other, not just his own race but to all man kind. Jesus died for all. Their is no partiality with God. He loves us all and we need to follow his example.  Are we spreading division and conflict with our words and actions, or are we peace makers? I hate these polls that we see almost every day. They are meant to divide and not to show love and respect and honor. Think about it. The absence of heat is cold. the absence of light is dark. The absence of God is evil. We need God and to show his love. God is not the author of hate or division.  He sent Jesus for all of us. Greater love has not man than this to lay down his life for others. Jesus showed the greatest love of all when he submitted to the authorities of the land and was crucified for our sins. We owe love, respect, honor, are you paying what you owe?  Do you post things that promote peace or division? I hate these face book polls, I believe they are meant to divide.  God bless, LVZ.

Stumble

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. James 3:2  I do not feel I have it all together. the other morning at coffee, I may have offended a man. I contradicted several things that he said. I know at times I upset people, not that I try to but I do try and stand for what I believe. If I hear something contrary, I try to speak up. Jesus said a prophet is without honor in his own country, his own family. Sometimes those closest to us can be offended by the words we say.  As I thought back on the conversation, this man said in the Lords' prayer, we ask for nothing, I countered give us our daily bread. I stated it seems so hard to believe God gives us our Presidents. Some believe God gave us Obama but find it hard to believe God gave us Trump. There again I hit him where he believes. When he left, another man said , you hit him hard. I didn't mean to hit anyone, I just want to stand for what I believe.  He stated God did not give us Trump.  I say we can't have it both ways, if God is sovereign, he gives us both Trump and Obama. I was talking to a group of people at the city hall meeting the other night and a lady made a statement that I asked for clarification on. She was an older Black lady and I think as a White man, I may have intimidated her. I feel free to talk to black and white, having come from the Northwest. In the south, I think it is a little harder. As I thought back to her words, I think I did misunderstand at first. But later as I thought on it, she was right.  We can stumble in what we say. We come from so many backgrounds in this world. My hearing is bad and sometimes I don't hear everything clearly. I do not want to offend, but do feel it is important to stand for what I believe. Love needs to be part of our speech, may love come through in the things we say. He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23  There are so many more verses that could be listed here. God help me to not stumble in the words I say.  God bless, LVZ.

A Sovereign God

The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ Daniel 4:17
I find in talking politics that supporters of Trump will believe that God put Trump in office. But in the same conversation will doubt that God put Obama in office. On the other hand Obama supports would believe God put Obama in office but find it difficult to believe that God would give us Trump.
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; Daniel 2:21   God is a sovereign God, the world operates by his design. That doesn't mean every ruler obeys God. In Bible history, you will find the stories of many evil kings. I believe God gives us our rulers. The good, the bad and the in between. That doesn't mean they obey God. They too will give an account (to God)  of their lives and the authority they used or misused.  Sometimes God gives us what we ask for, perhaps sometimes it is for correction. I believe God gives us our rulers. I don't always understand, but I also believe you cannot have it both ways. If God is sovereign, and I believe he is, you cannot believe he gave us Obama and not Trump, or gave us Trump and not Obama. They have to answer to God for how they governed. Just as I have to answer for my life, they will answer for theirs.  The Bible tells us to pray for those in authority.  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   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 13:4-5  I have finally learned to pray for our political leaders. They have a responsibility to God. God puts them in office and takes them out. We are to be subject, obey, not only for conscience sake but to avoid God's wrath.  I believe the same God that designed our solar system that operates in such a way as allows us to live is also over our leaders. They can only go so far as God allows. I pray for this President and should have for the previous Presidents. I do not always understand what God is doing. Then again these men are responsible to God for the way they lead. It is our duty to pray for them. God is over all. God bless, LVZ.

Nineveh

Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:9-10
I am sure we all heard the story of Jonah and the whale. Jonah was a reluctant Prophet, and yet when he finally obeyed God, Nineveh was saved from destruction.  The city of Nineveh listened to Jonah, and repented of their sins. Their repentance and humbling of themselves turned away God's anger from them.  They put on sackcloth and ashes, prayed to God from the King of Nineveh to every citizen. This is the real story of Jonah, Nineveh heard the message of God sent through Jonah and turned to God. That is all God wanted. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah, those evil cities that God destroyed? God had the same planned for Nineveh, because they too were evil. The difference, Nineveh repented. Nineveh recognized their need for God and turned to him in prayer. They changed the heart of God. We also as individuals are headed for destruction. God sends his prophets to speak to us. When we repent we too turn the heart of God away from destruction for us. We have sinned, every last one of us. You can be the goody two shoes of your family, but you were born in sin. Unless you repent and humble yourselves and turn to God, we too face a day of destruction. God does not want us to perish, he sends messengers our way. Do we listen? De we turn from our wicked ways? Do we acknowledge God for who he is? Perhaps we are fat dumb and happy with our lives. Eternity is coming, and everyone will be asked, what have you done with Jesus. Have you rejected him or accepted him as Savior and Lord. We can be like Nineveh and turn to God. God bless, LVZ.

Understand?

Do I understand everything God has done or every where God has led me? I don't, but I have learned to trust God. Even during the 30 plus years I have walked with God I have messed up. I had areas if my life I did not fully trust him. How many of us would trust a parent to find us a spouse as they did in days of old? As I thought on this, that is what I was like when trusting God for a marriage partner, I really didn't trust God. I felt I could find my own partner, and I had some disastrous  results. It speaks of me when you look at a life that has been divorced 4 times. It shows someone who did not trust God and seek God and his wisdom but went on my own. I thank God for the spouse I have today. As I started to learn to trust God, I prayed for God to block the wrong ones. And he did. Just because someone is a Christian does not mean they are right for you.  God understands us better than we do our own selves. These words I write are not meant to be a reflection on the other partners that I left behind. But an inward look into me. So it is with finances, I sometimes see that I don't fully trust God in the financial area of my life and I see wrong decisions that I have made looking back. Hind sight is 20/20. We are proud of ourselves when we faithfully give 10%, our tithe as we call it. God's portion. In reality, it is all God's, 100% God's. He does ask that we honor him with that 10%. But the talents, money or skills, even our time, do we understand that it is God's? God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10 This earth rotates as God designed. We have air / oxygen to breathe because God gives us breath. We do not even know the number of our days but God does.Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16 I do not understand many things. If God can keep the earth rotating around the sun, can he not guide my life?  Forgiveness works as does love. God modeled them for us to follow. I do not understand God in his fullest but I am glad I know what I already know. God is faithful. God bless, LVZ.

Seeking God's Decrees

Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek out your decrees. Psalm 119:155  

I have continued to read in Psalm 119. It seems it is about following Gods decrees, his promises, his word, his statues, his commands. Those that love God seek out his ways. It is something we do in all aspects of life. Salvation is far from the wicked says the verse above. Who would the wicked be: even in 2 Chronicles 7:14, God tells those who are called by his name to turn from their wicked ways. So even those that claim the name of Christ are sometimes wicked, when they don't follow God's ways. There are many aspects to being a Christian. Probably the greatest is showing love. Love even our enemies is one of God's ways that is sometimes hard to fathom. If we love God, we seek out his ways, his decrees. Someone recently said, if you don't give, you are not saved. It shows a selfish heart when we don't give. God word tells us to give. Freely ye have received, freely give. Selfishness is the opposite of God. Jesus gave it all, his very life for our sins. Do we seek out God's decrees? do we seek out God's ways? We need to, God has the answers for life, written in his words, his decrees, is laws. We need to seek them out and not just for head knowledge but to live it. Not just behind closed doors on Sunday morning, but every day of the week as we live life. I need God, in every aspect of life. God has the answers for the world today, and I can guarantee,  his ways and words, Decrees and commands, will sometimes seem hard. But they work. He who makes the earth rotate around the sun also knows how we tick. He is a sovereign God. Bless and praise his name, and seek his ways. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:62 It is amazing to me the treasures you can find in the word of God when you look for them. I feel I find new treasures, new scriptures that speak to me each week,  though I have read God's word for 30 plus years. It pertains to our business, our relationships, even civil authority. What do we do with what God has given us? I am blessed to be his child.  God bless, LVZ. 

Can We Pray? Together?

It seems a week does not go by that we don't hear of a tragedy either weather related or some violent shooting. We had a tragedy in Tupelo in June of 2016. After the incident the city had a city wide prayer meeting scheduled and it was canceled. It has never happened. It became a black and white issue, a white cop killed an unarmed black man.  The Grand Jury did not press for any charges and many were upset. So upset we could not pray together. Last Sunday a 64 year old white man killed at least 59 and injured another 527 people in Los Vegas, Nevada. The Sunday before that, a black man went into a church in Antioch Tennessee and killed one person and injured 6. We prepare safety teams for our churches in case this happens to us.  Can we pray to almighty God? Together? We are flawed people to begin with. Are we able to handle the worst if it happens to us? I have asked this question can we as a community get together for a city wide prayer. If we are to afraid to meet in the Bank Corp South Arena, can we at least set a time to call on almighty God to heal our land? Evil and natural disasters are happening everywhere. Do we trust in chariots and horses or do we believe we need God's intervention in our land? Can we once again pray together? If it is to dangerous for us to meet in one place can we set a time for this city to get on their knees before almighty God. If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, ... I guess we are not willing to humble ourselves and pray, at least not together. Is it possible that Tupelo could be the start of something, a city wide prayer for God's protection and healing?  Do we trust in God or in our safety teams?  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7  Ever read the story of Jonah and the whale? When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:10  The city of Nineveh turned to prayer, the whole city and turned the heart of God away from destroying them. The King asked everyone to pray and perhaps they could change the mind of God. The city from the King on down prayed and God relented and did not destroy them. What would it say to God if the city of Tupelo called for city wide prayer on say the 1st day of November at 12:00 noon and every church in the city gathered to their house of worship for prayer.  Or what if every Christian business owner shut down for 15 minutes for prayer at 12:00 noon on November 1st.  Do you think we would get God's attention?  I do. The city of Nineveh did something similar and saved their city.  God bless, LVZ.

Respect for Authority

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.  1 Peter 2:18
This train of thought comes from a question I heard today. Why do we stand when Judges enter the court room? It is a tradition that probably started with the Bible. It predates our country.  I googled it and did not find anyone stating a law written down. The above verse plus the preceding verse that follows deal with showing respect.  Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:17  Then there is the 5th commandment: Honor your father and your mother. 
'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you. Deuteronomy 5:16  This is where respect for authority begins, at home with our parent. God gives these commands as absolutes. We do not just get to honor good parents but our parents. Even if they were bad parents, we are still commanded to honor them. That it way go well with thee. People that do not respect authority end up in trouble, first with parents and then with the authority of government, be it city,  state, federal. I am sure we will even see it in our schools. I believe it is a lack of respect for authority that causes much of the trouble we see in our land today. Our soldiers died for our freedoms. They died tor our freedom to disrespect and not stand for the national anthem. I just feel they are worthy of that respect. We are to honor or as the scripture above says to be subject to and respect even unjust authority. So even in a court room when a judge enters, we should stand to show respect  for the authority he has been given by our civil authority. I heard one preacher say, we do not have to agree with everything a parent tells us, but we carefully consider, give weight to their words before we do otherwise. I think even Martin Luther King Jr in his protests showed respect for authority. He accomplished much by the grace of God. Perhaps that is the part so it may go well with you on the land your God has given you. When we disrespect authority, we end up incarcerated with most of our rights and freedoms taken from us by civil authority. Perhaps it is not a written down law, but proper respect is commanded by God. We will suffer consequences even from an unjust judge, if we do not show respect. That is my opinion having given  thought to the scriptures  above and what I could find by googling if we had to stand for judges, or rather why we stand for judges.  Here is one more verse: Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Romans 13:7  As I read this verse I thought of our current situation with so many of our NFL not standing for the national anthem.  It has been a tradition that we were taught in school. I have listen to many people that I felt gave a good case for kneeling. As I read this verse, I thought of the men and women that gave their lives for our freedom to be able to disrespect our flag and our nation. Many more that are wounded permanently to defend this freedom. This verse settled it in my mind for me. I owe respect and honor to those that fought for my freedoms. We may have the right to disrespect, but we owe respect and honor to those that gave the ultimate price for our freedoms. I will stand and respect and honor this nation and the many service men and woman that paid with their lives for my freedom to disrespect. I owe them. God bless, LVZ

Seek God With Your Whole Heart

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Psalms 119:1-8

Once again Los Vegas on my mind. We are so divided in our country, There is so much hatred spilling out. What is in our hearts comes out of our mouths. And sometimes our actions. We as a country, as individuals need God. We will be blessed as we seek God with our whole heart. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek God and turn from our wicked ways then God will hear from heaven and heal our land. We need to do something first. We need to seek God, we need to follow his ways, we need to walk in the law of the Lord. We need healing in our land that only comes from God. I think back to the Tupelo Tragedy of a few years back and there was suppose to be a city wide prayer meeting. It was canceled and still to this day has not happened. We don't seem to be able to come together in prayer to almighty God even though Black and White and so many others claim the name of Christ. It is not Donald Trump that will heal our nation, it is God. Yes, we do need to support our President and pray for him that God will guide him. But if we receive the healing that we need in this nation, it will come from God alone. Some are so thankful that Hillary didn't get elected, but I am telling you, it does not matter who is President, it matters if we are seeking God to heal our land. O that my ways were directed to keep God's statutes. O that we would have respect unto all God's commandments. The hatred will continue unless we turn to God. God is the only one that can change a heart. We so desperately need God in this nation. God bless us and help us to turn back to you, LVZ. 

He looked like me

My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.
I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
Psalms 119:136,158.
When I first saw the picture of the man that killed the 50 people in Los Vegas I thought, his description could fit me. Here is a 64 year old white man and everyone is wondering why. I am just a few months older than this man and probably a few pounds heavier from the picture I saw. Like everyone else I ask WHY? Much of the evil we see in our world is the result of someone not keeping God's laws, his commands. I suppose I am over simplifying this because I do not understand WHY? I look at the protests we see so frequently, and much of the time, it is over a hurt real or imagined. It could have been committed by my ancestors in a previous generation and people still what justice. I was wronged or my people were wronged in a previous generation and a hate still burns. We must forgive. We must become one people. Our anger and hurt harbored in our hearts leads only to destruction.  I don't know if any one has given a reason for the mass shooting. I would be willing to bet their is a hurt that has been harbored for far to long. No one, no race, no ethnic group is perfect. We are all flawed. We all come from Adam and Eve and we are all flawed.  
Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands? Job 34:19 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 the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17. We are all the same to God, we are all God's creation. I do not understand how we have become so divided that hatred shows it ugly head so often.  We are now dividing ourselves on the Football field as some kneel to protest perceived wrongs. We used to honor our military that fought and died for us, by standing with our hand over our hearts. It is a core value of life, we must learn to forgive and love each other once again. Hatred seems to be spreading. Am I an instrument of peace. Do I promote peace and love or do I promote hate and violence in my actions?  I believe having a forgiving heart towards each other, towards a spouse, co worker, what ever the relationship is. Let us learn to forgive real and perceived wrongs and love once again. Is there anything I am doing the promotes hate and violence? Can I disagree with someone with out voicing hateful words.  We do not all think alike, it would be a very dull world if we did. Perhaps it is time to look inside and see if I follow God's commands and laws. Especially when it comes to loving and forgiving. God help us, we live in a very sick society. Are we trying to make it better or do we just want our way at any cost?   God loves us all, saint and sinner, Black and white and everywhere in between.  God bless, LVZ.

Psalm 119

In my devotional time each day here lately I have turned to Psalm 119. In my teenage years when we were in the church youth group, we were encouraged to read the Bible by being in the 28 club. It was to get us to read four chapters a day. On the day before our Youth group meeting, we would cram by reading a bunch of chapters in Psalms, obviously we would skip over Psalm 119 because it has 176 verses. So here I am an old man reading a chapter I skipped over as a youth. 28 club was intended to get us to read daily. We sort of missed the spirit of the club by cramming all 28 chapters in  one day just so we could look good and report 28 chapters read that week. All within the 2 hours before youth meeting. Psalm 119 is a good long chapter and I know I have blogged about it before.  keeping, learning, living by God's ways, his promises, his commandments, his statues, his laws, his testimonies, his word, his precepts, his rules.  Everyone of the 176 verses, except for about 7 verses uses one of these 9 words.  These nine words are used 179 times. From a blog in March of this year. This chapter has given me much thought as I consider learning God's ways, his commandments, Precepts, ETC.  Two speakers at our men's Breakfasts this year have talked about passionately pursuing God. Our Men's University is once again about teaching men to pursue God. Learning God's ways. It will affect our homes, our country as well as our lives. There is so much in this Psalm 119. How can we cleanse our way?, by taking heed to God's ways, his word, his precepts, his commandments. How can we heal our land?, same way by taking heed to God's ways ETC. I guess I have been looking to Psalm 119 occasionally since at least March of this year. God bless, LVZ