Precious Memories

I was just thinking about Papa Johns. I miss him. He was like a father to me. I didn't have the best relationship with my own father , but with Papa Johns I could talk about scripture, about life, about politics. I could draw on his wisdom. He was much older than I. He was a minister of the gospel and to his last breath I believe he remained faithful to his calling, his purpose from God. The last conversation I had with him, he said if you have any unfinished business, get it taken care of.  I remember some lady talking about the time when she was in the hospital and as she was laying there  she heard this clanking noise coming down the hallway. What is that she thought. In a few minutes here was Papa Johns on his walker making hospital calls. He took his calling as a minister very serious. He retired and was no longer a pastor of a church but he still did what he could. I thought of that story  and in his old age he could have had an excuse to stay home. It is difficult to walk with a walker, I had one when I had my knee replacement. Papa Johns was concerned about peoples spiritual welfare and he would say things to remind them to take care of the spiritual side of life. I think of Uncle Val and I never forget the day he asked me: Leon why have you been married so many times? He continued, I'll pray for you. Even as his mind failed him, he was concerned about peoples welfare. To the end Uncle Val remained faithful to his calling. He wasn't a minister in the same way as Papa Johns but still he ministered to family and friends. I remember the story about Uncle Val talking to his daughter in law, he was concerned about her spiritual welfare. She is a sweet Christian lady and didn't need the lecture she was getting. Perhaps Uncle Val had her mixed up with someone else. Another family member snickered as he listened. Uncle Val said your next.  That life time calling stayed with them even as their bodies and minds failed them.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on his as long as I live. Psalm 116:2  I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:9  Precious in the sight of the  lord is the death of his saints.  Psalm 116 :15 That life time calling stayed with them to the end. I believe God saw that faithfulness to the very end. I miss them. Papa Johns, Uncle Val, Uncle Harold, Uncle Reiny, Uncle Gene, everyone men of God, saints and faithful to the end. How precious they are to us. Pastor Darcy was the same way, mindful of spiritual things to the very end. Pastor Weurch still living as far as I know , in his upper 80's. Precious men of God. I think of Mom, bedridden for her last year, but the sweet spirit lingered to the end.   Precious memories, how they linger.  God bless, LVZ. 

Safe Space

I think my blog is a safe space for me to express my thoughts. It is safe for me because I tell people right up front when they come into my blog what I am about. I want to persuade people to follow Jesus. Religion and politics are the two biggest issues we can talk about. We can talk about the weather, but there is not a single thing we can do about it. When I voice an opinion about a black politician on Face Book, I feel I am being called into question if I am racist or not. I have had some choice things to say about Maxine Waters, if you know who she is you know she is black. There are other politicians that think a lot like Maxine, people like Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton that I also disagree with. But I do not feel I am called into question about if I am racist or not if I disagree with them. Every time we disagree with a black politician does not mean we are prejudice against them. I think we should be able to be just fine as black and white and not be judged as racist when I as a white person disagree with a black politician. It is sort of the same thing with Obama, when he was running for President, if you disagreed with him then you were racist. I think the real racism is in those that can't see past the color and think it is because they are black when it is because we happen to be 180 opposite politically.  I don't mind political discussions but I don't like fighting tit for tat on everything I post on a political nature on face book, especially with family. I think the true racist are those that think we can't disagree politically. I am a religious person. I call my self a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. I feel this is the most important of my beliefs, even more important than my political leanings. But as a Christian, it is suppose to affect every part of my life. How I respond to those I disagree with. I have difficulty in this area. It doesn't mean I am not a Christian, I may just be more immature in some areas. I feel the need to stand up for my beliefs, either biblical or political. It seems I step on many toes. I have family that will not talk to me and others that I am close to cutting off as far as discussion goes on face book. I feel lately it has been a political fight on face book and I don't like it. I want to express my opinions but fear sooner or later I will say something hurtful in standing for what I believe. I don't feel I am racist because I think other races can stand their own ground and don't need special treatment. This feels safe to me, I can express my opinions, I can express what I read in the word without feeling like I am shoving my beliefs down someone's throat. If they read here it is like being invited into my home. This is where I live, this is how I think. you are warned coming in. God bless, LVZ.

Subject To

13Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,^b whether it be to the emperor^c as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants^d of God. 17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17
1Let 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. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For 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, 4for 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. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay 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 13:1-7
We have different Presidents, sometimes it is the person we voted for and sometimes it is not. I don't always agree with the rulers of our country. I certainly didn't with the last one and I found it hard to follow this scripture with the last one. But it seems to me God has plans that go beyond one Presidents term into the next and the next and so on. His ways are higher than ours. So just yesterday I found a clip of President Clinton talking about border security and President Obama talking about border security. I find it hard to understand the fight against this President on border security. If the presidents you like and supported said the same thing and tried to do the same thing, why is it a fight under this President?  I cannot vouch for every thing every President does. But when I look to the word of God it does not change from one President to the next.  But it does tell us to submit to the authorities over us. They are God's servants. I don't always like them, but I know I can trust God.  I look at what is happening in our country, this anti Trump any thing he does. It goes against God's word. I remained silent for much of Obama's term because I was convicted of the above scriptures. We have a right to our opinions, we have a right to vote them out of office when  we disagree in the next election, but according to God's word we are to submit to civil authority. When a person like Maxine Waters tells us to resist anyone in this Presidents cabinet and works for his as they did to Sarah Huckabee Sanders, they are wrong. They will bring trouble down on their own heads for they end up fighting against God. You can stand up against wrong as Martin Luther King Jr did, but it needs to be wrong according to scripture when you do. You still need to respect those in authority when you do protest. Protest needs to be done in a manner that is still respectful of the laws and the authority in this country. Yes Mr. King spent time in jail wrongfully, but God was on his side and he changed our country for good. MLK had a respect for authority and for God, he didn't always agree but he worked for change. The Maxine Waters way is wrong according to scripture, the MLK way was right. MLK was still subject to God, and avoided God's wrath.  I believe some of the corrupt politicians we have dealt with will face justice when they meet God if not before. An authority figure answers to God as all of us do. I would rather face and pay for my wrongs here below then wait until Judgement Day to answer for them. I personally think Hillary should be in jail for her e-mail server in her basement while she was Secretary of State. She knew it was wrong when she did it, but has depended on lies to get her through. If she doesn't pay here below, she will when she stands before God. God knows every last detail and the motives of her heart. If she really didn't know better than she was too stupid to be President and we should be thankful we have Trump. The Bible has words of conduct for us when dealing with civil authority and it is the right way to go. We do not have to agree with everything but we do need to submit and honor those in authority. God bless, LVZ.

Personal Responsibility

I grew up in a home with a passive Mother and a controlling Father. I didn't like my home life and I remember turning 18 when I was a senior in High School. I knew I was old enough to leave if I wanted to. I could have quit school and found a job to support myself at that time. I realize today, that my parents were a product of some hard times. I didn't blame them for the rest of my life but got out of there and with God's help made my own way. I turned 18 in January but did not graduate from High School until June almost 6 months later. I worked in some strawberry fields for a couple of weeks and saved up $25 and left home. I stayed with some friends until I found a job. Not too long after that I bought my own car. I shared a rental house with a different friend and then when I didn't feel it was fair, I got me a studio apartment I could afford on my own. That was a good decision I made that January to stick it out a little longer and get my High School Diploma. I didn't follow in my fathers foot steps, I saw some things I didn't like and I tried to change them in my own life. Personal Responsibility. I did not play the blame game for the rest of my life. It is my parents fault, they were dysfunctional and it is their fault that I am too.  No I tried to fix things in my life. I bought my first house when I was 21 years old. My second child was born when I was still 22 years old.  I had my first brand new house built when I was 33. It was small but it was mine.  I loved my job I had when I was 26 years old, but after a few years I realized that job was going away and I took CATIA classes to start a different career. I liked that. I took off hours classes to get there after working during the day or evening. Personal Responsibility. I recognized things were changing and changed me, prepared my self for a big change. I didn't blame the company for doing away with my old job that I liked, I prepared for a new job. There were still days when the job was difficult and I stayed, I did not quit even though there were days I wanted to. Things got better. I went through more than one divorce and I am sure in the beginning like everyone else, it was the other persons fault. I went to divorce recovery and tried to recognize my own faults and change me. Personal Responsibility. Many times I thought that advice is not for me, it is for others and I paid a price for a hard lesson. Personal Responsibility. I was there for my Mom when she had difficulties with hip and knee joints failing and needing to be replaced. I remember one 2 year period when she ended up in the hospital 22 times if my memory is correct. When my Dad got sick, I transferred my job to Renton and left my job early many days to take Dad to the doctor or what ever the need was. Personal Responsibility. I am not the only one that sacrificed part of their life for a parent that got old. I had some brothers and sisters that did too. They were raised in the same conditions as I was and got over it.  Personal Responsibility. We grew up and took charge of our own lives. We changed some things so as to not be the same as our parents. We realized they did the best they knew and we moved on. Personal Responsibility. Some people can go all through life and blame parents or society for every perceived wrong, others make their own way and make changes as they see the need. My parents had me for 18 years plus a little. What I did after that is on me. With God's help I made a lot of changes. With God's help I went through some trials and difficulties. I am still standing and think I didn't do too bad. I had a High School Diploma and some computer classes I took and I became an engineer.  I believe God helped me with that. I started  on my own and the company needed CATIA operators and they actually paid me to go to some of the classes. Sometimes if we show some initiative , some Personal Responsibility, we also get help along the way. There is a saying God helps those that help them selves.  I am responsible for what I became after age 18. I left my parents home and forged out on my own with $25 in my pocket.  I did not live a perfect life, there are things, I don't like to tell. God blessed and helped me along the way. I think Personal Responsibility and making the best of my lot in life helped. There are many stories I could tell, trials, tribulations, 4 divorces, but I am still standing tall today. God bless. LVZ.

Pray for Our Rulers

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man^a Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
We see in this country such a divide along political lines at least as bad as it was during the civil war if not worse.  We are to pray for our leaders, our President and our government. One side calls for civil disobedience and even harassment for the other side. Our records show that we are doing good in the economy. People are back to work in greater numbers than they have ever been in many years. This President has done what he has promised more than just about any president in the history of this nation, at least in my lifetime. We are to pray for our government that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7  We see in this verse we are to pray for the welfare of the city where God has sent the Jews and I believe it is still meant for us today. We should want our own country to prosper. We should want our President to succeed. But it seems those on the left would rather see our country destroyed than for President Trump to succeed. They fight him on every hand. This border fight is no different. Do you not protect your own house and your own family first. I do help others but I try to take care of my own first. We need to do that as a county, that is where our President is leading. He is seeking the safety and the prosperity of his people first. This is a false narrative we are being fed from the left. They are not concerned about the welfare of those seeking to enter this country illegally. What they want is control and it is believed that these coming into this country will vote for them. They want control. They will destroy to get control. While they live in well protected homes they would have you believe they are concerned  about the welfare of the down trodden. Actions speak louder than words. Open up your home to the homeless. Sponsor those and let the tent cities and the homeless live in your back yard. It is about control. We need to pray for the direction of our country and our president. We need to seek and pray for not only our city but our country. This is actually a spiritual warfare we are in in this nation.  We need to pray for our rulers that God would direct them in the right way and the right decisions. We need to seek for our welfare before we help others. Do we not learn that in order to help others you must first secure your own safety and health first? No where is it more important than on an airplane when the oxygen masks come down, secure your mask first and make sure you have the oxygen you need to help others.  That is what we need to do for our country, secure our borders and help our people at home first. We already have homeless, and vets that need our help. Let us not add to the burden first before we give to our own family first. Pray for our nation and our President. God bless, LVZ.

Do Not Repay Evil for Evil

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Romans 12:17 
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
I listened to Maxine Waters telling those that listen to her to harass Trump supporters.  I hope if there are Christian people in her district that they will obey the word of God over her.  The Bible tells us not to do that. I know there are Christian people that lean left. Just as there are non Christians that lean right. What ever our political beliefs we need to follow God's word. I remember Michelle Obama had a cliché that she spoke, " When they go low we go high:, but that is not what we see happening. We saw a restaurant refuse to serve Sarah Huckabee Sanders  because she works for the Trump White House and is well known. That is what the Bible tells us not to do. Perhaps the owners of that particular restaurant are some of these that think Trump is evil. They have a right to their opinion, but God says do not repay evil for evil. They are wrong. We were wrong if we did the same to Obama or to Clinton or to Bush. We are to seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Even when we are on the opposite sides politically we are to do good. I believe these actions of retaliation against anyone that supports Trump is actually working against the left. I believe if they actually worked with the elected leader of our country their standing during the next election would actually be better.  From what I see and read it seems like most of these actions are back firing.  Sometimes we feel it is unfair when the left can lie, cheat, use falsified papers and everything else corrupt to win at any cost. But over and over again it seems to backfire. So I don't think we are losing by doing what is right in God's sight. God makes the rules to live by and after a lifetime it seems to end up right in the end. I remember early in my career, I reported theft and it became known. I really felt lower than a snake, but when I saw at the end of my career, when my supervisor came back from a meeting with all the electrical supervisors dividing up the money for raises, I realized how from those early years when I felt so alone and so low how God had my back. I tried to do right over and over again, year after year. My supervisor came back from that meeting and told me , they know you, your reputation precedes you. She said when I brought up your name for a raise, it was a slam dunk. I didn't have to say a word. I think of that word above that says; "that you may obtain a blessing." I had no idea how things had changed over the years. I remembered when they had to put me on second shift for my own safety. Many a time I felt discouraged thinking things were not all that great, but at the end realizing that God had my back the whole time. I wasn't the smartest person, most educated, or talented, but over and over again I tried to do what I thought was right. I lived by my conscience. I wasn't there to force my way on others but simply to live a life of integrity. I wasn't the best at it especially in the early years. Many times the thought had come to me to repay evil for evil. but I resisted, and I think I have been truly blessed and obtained the blessing promised in 1 Peter 3:9. I have not lost anything by trying to live a Christian life. I wasn't perfect, I made mistakes, but I tried, and God did bless.  God bless, LVZ.

Satan's Kingdom

Do you realize at one time I was part of Satan's Kingdom? Not so much because I chose to be but by default, if I wasn't part of God's kingdom I was part of the other kingdom. And without realizing it we do Satan's bidding. I walked away from God once, I became self sufficient, not needing God and walked away. I allowed a root of bitterness to grow in my heart.  These Christians they are all hypocrites. For years I would not enter a house of God. I don't need any part of that and stayed away. I don't think many people realize when they reject God, they are part of Satan's kingdom. That is exactly what Satan wants, to reject the word when you hear it. He causes discord among the brethren. He is the father of lies. I have watched many people tell lies when there was no reason to tell a lie, even in instances where the truth wasn't going to hurt someone. We have to be taught to do good, but it seems no one needs help to lie or to be mean.  I remember as a young man worrying about blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”  Mark 3:28-29. What is that sin that can never be forgiven? It is when we reject God over and over, I don't need you. If it bothers you, if you think what if I have already done that, you haven't, or it wouldn't bother you. You would not give it a second thought. I look at the disobedient in todays society, they speak evil of God's servant. Do you know civil authority is ordained of God and we are to submit to it. It is OK to protest and stand up against wrong, but you better have a leg to stand on. You should not break laws and destroy others property in so doing. Think of the rioting, the turning over police vehicles and smashing store windows and looting. That is Satan's work.  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. ! Peter 2:13-17.  I see the evil that thrives in todays society. We can protest against wrong as Martin Luther King Jr did, but if you notice he did it peacefully. He did not go about tearing up businesses and destroying property. It was Satan's workers that set bombs to destroy and kill and injure people. Are my words wholesome, do they uplift or destroy?  There is a war going on, a spiritual war for the hearts of men. We are on one side or the other. Trump can do good things and keep his promises and be evil spoken of. He has done good for the people of our country and even this border wall issue, he has enforced the laws that have been on the books for many years but as he has addressed issues and brought them to light as no President has ever done, he is accused. The same issues were there for years, we just never realized how bad they were. Buy trying to get congress to fix the border issue, he has exposed how bad it really is. It is not of his making, the laws were already on the books.  I wonder how many that protest his actions to try and get border security would unlock the doors of their home and let any one in that wants to come in and not check if they have evil intent or not. Are they entering my home to destroy? How many would blindly let evil into their home? Under this President, thousands of MS13 gang members have been deported. We are to submit to authority unless it is killing of babies or something that  violates God's laws. But by the same token if we kill an abortion doctor in the name of prolife, have we not violated God's law by killing a doctor that we disagree with? Satan's kingdom is  out to destroy, not to heal and bind up the wounds. To cause discord and unrest and destroy. I think many in this country need to seriously reconsider their actions and their words, they are part of another kingdom and do the bidding of the god of this earth. It is OK to disagree but not to destroy others and their property in the process. If you are a Trump supporter and don't look at the actions under Obama, you are missing the point. It does not matter what party they were affiliated with.  We are to submit to human authority for the Lord's sake, that we not be evil spoken of. If we are doing good and righteousness and are evil spoken  of God sees that, and that is OK. There is a spiritual war going on in our country today, and it is causing a serious divide in our Federal government.  What Kingdom would you say we are a part of by our actions and our words. Do we slander and tear down or heal and build up? I think we need to think things through, our best actions have been when both sides have worked together towards a compromise.  That is how our government is suppose to work. Not my way or the high way and if I don't get my way I will slander and destroy until I do get my way.  Think it through, do our actions align with God's word? If not perhaps we are workers of satan's kingdom.  God bless, LVZ. 

Some Will Reject The Truth

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:35-37
I guess all Christians have to face the fact that some will reject the gospel. We certainly don't want our family members to reject the gospel, but God is not going to take away free choice. He is not going to force people to accept him. If we hear the gospel and accept it and believe in him, he will never cast us out.  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. John 6:66 This is not an easy believeism gospel. Many reject the idea of only one way to God. Especially in our culture today, many including Oprah Winfrey have their own version of truth as they call it, but it will not get you to heaven. Jesus is still the only way to God. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 That is what the Bible says, there is but one way to God through Jesus Christ on the cross. Not every one is going to accept that as truth. Not every one is going to heaven.  I know Papa Johns prayed for his children and I believe he will be heart broken if he doesn't see all his family up there some day. But many rejected Jesus even in the days when Jesus walked this earth. I don't have all the answers, but I know there will be no sorrow in heaven. Papa Johns thought that perhaps God would erase some of their memory, because he did not know how he could not have sorrow and some of his family be lost.  In this 6th chapter of John, Jesus asks his disciples  will you stop following me also? I do not know how it will work in heaven. I do not know how the earth stays in its place in  orbit but it does. God makes the rules. God gave us Jesus, the only way to God.  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41 There is a separation day in the future where some will go to be with God and some to eternal damnation. It is that believing in Jesus that will separate us on that day, Those that believe one way, those that do not believe another way. That gulf between the two places cannot be crossed over. It is permanent for all eternity.  Many do not want to hear that. There are no grandchildren in Heaven. Everyone that makes it is a first generation believer that believes the gospel for themselves. Our prayers do not mean everyone we pray for will make it in, because God does not take away free choice. All have a measure of faith, enough to accept and believe the gospel.  Some are just going to say no. But what happens in heaven that there will be no sorrow? I do not have the answer to that? I just know Jesus is the only way and any one who comes to God through Jesus, God will not turn away.  Perhaps I speak a truth to many that will reject it. It is their choice, I only need to be obedient to God.  I have made that choice long ago and I keep seeking and praying for myself, that I too will not be deceived and walk away as many did in this 6 chapter of John. Some will reject the truth, loved ones, family members, those that have allowed Satan to deceive them. Some will allow a root of bitterness to over take them. It is only through Jesus that we come to the Father. That is what the Bible says.   He that believes in Jesus shall never thirst, meaning they will make it to heaven. Jesus is the only way, some will reject that.  It is a choice we make. God bless, LVZ. 

Four Days Late

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgWJAlC-9xY
Many times I have done this and a link appears but I was able to copy and paste the above line to google. I have listen to this song sung by several different people but I like it best sung by Jackielyn Roy.  I have prayers answered by God immediately as I was still praying. I have had prayers I prayed and it seems God is silent, or perhaps sometime later I realize God has answered and I had already forgot about that prayer. God answers in his own time and in his own way. Sometimes the hardest thing is to pray and leave it at the altar. Sometimes it does seem God is silent, I have prayed for years about some issues and nothing seems to happen. Know that God is at work. God is a gentleman and does not force himself on anyone. It is not over until God says it is over. God is never late, he is always just on time. His timing is different than ours, he sees the big picture and many things we do not see.  He hears our prayers. I remember when I was but 5 years old, I had a Dad that always seemed to be angry and I was afraid of him. In my memory from 60 years ago I was with dad in the country outside of Bismark N.D. Dad was digging a basement under our house in Bismark by hand. He would load it up on his old pickup and haul it out to the country and dump it somewhere. On this particular day I was with Dad. He got through unloading and then the truck wouldn't start. He was angry. I was afraid. I walked a short distance away and prayed. God let this truck start. Some how Dad knew I was praying, because he said you better start praying. The truck started. There is not much I remember from my childhood but I remember that, a God that answers the prayer of a little boy.  Perhaps God has stuck that in my memory so I would never forget, he hears and answers prayer.  Not always when I want but in God timing and in his way. God does always answer on time. It may not be when we want it, but it will be on time. It may not be what we want to hear. I know of one prayer I prayed at 11 years old and God said no.  Sometimes he answers in the strangest way, and I may not understand why. Sometimes the hardest thing is when we feel God is silent. God sent an answer to Daniel the very day he prayed but the messenger got caught in a battle with Satan's workers and was delayed. Satan is out to destroy whomever he can. He is at work in lives and hearts to kill and destroy. I remember a time I allowed a root of bitterness to grow in my heart. Satan put it there to destroy me, but God never forgot that 5 year old boy that prayed that day out in the country and came to my rescue. That was 30 plus years ago, I have traveled a lot of miles since then, made mistakes, got off track and back on again. God promises to never leave us. He is always near. In this day I do not understand everything. Especially when I pray for family and it seems God is silent. Some day I will understand. He that endures to the end, the same will be saved.  God is sovereign, he still sits on this throne. The world still rotates on it axis day after day. We see sunrise and sunset day after day.  Some day I will understand why prayers seem to go unanswered. The answer may seem four days late to me but God is always on time.  Some trust in chariots and horses but I trust in the name of God.  God has allowed me to remember that incident from 60 years ago to know he answers prayer.  God bless, LVZ.

Dishonor

If one curses his father or his mother,his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. Proverbs 20:20
I love my children, I always have. I don't feel I have been the best parent in the world. But I know I went to work many a day and held on to jobs I did not like when things got difficult because they were at home and I knew I had to feed them and take care of them. If I lacked it was in spending quality time with them. Much of that was because I was working. One day I stumbled across this scripture in Proverbs and wondered what it meant. From reading the commentaries it was the opposite of honoring your parents. There is a blessing that God promises when honoring our parents in the fifth commandment. Honor your father and your mother. "Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you. Exodus 20:12  New Heart English Bible 
I chose to copy this from the New Heart English Bible because it is worded slightly different and says that it may be well with thee. I write this as a warning to any one that reads this. God sees all that we do, nothing is hidden from God. If we disobey his commands, we will suffer the consequences. It really bothered me the time I read the proverb above and it stood out to me. I wanted to know what does this mean. I looked at commentaries because what does it mean his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. As near and as simply as I can determine, it means the opposite of the blessing that God pronounced with the fifth commandment. To honor means that you give weight to their words, when your parent tells you something, think it through. They know you better than anyone else because they raised and interacted with you for all your growing up years. Give weight to what they say. You do not have to agree with every single word, but think about what they say, ponder it. Here is another thought, I had them or 18 years or less before they or I was out of the house. They have had more than 20 years on their own. Have they corrected issues in their own life or do they go through life spinning their wheels blaming me because I was not perfect? Look around, there is only one that was perfect, Jesus Christ. They have had more time than I had to correct any mistakes I made.  Over the years I have wondered over and over again, what did I do that was so bad that my children will not honor me. To God it doesn't matter if we were a bad parent, he doesn't make exceptions in his fifth commandment for bad parents. You only have to honor good parents. That is not what God says. He says honor period, no if and or buts about it. Honor your parents that it may be well with you.  I have a son that I raised as my own and I knew from day one that he was not my biological  offspring. I felt it did not matter, he needed a Dad just the same. In fact it was my intention to never tell him, because I never wanted him to feel any different. I chose purposely to raise him as my own, with intent. He was not responsible for the actions of irresponsible adults that created him. I tried to be as good a parent as I knew. I was only 21 years old when he was born. I look at any 21 year old today and think they are not old enough or ready enough to raise  a child.  Neither was I, but I did and I chose to do it. There are a lot of children that have much less then what my children had, and they still choose to honor their parents. They will be blessed for doing so. I know of children that were adopted out or raised by grandparents or others because they had neither parent that was willing to step up and at least try. I tried, I was not the best parent in the world, but I really tried. It hurts me to my core when year after year my children dishonor me by not honoring me. My faith is strong that I will go on no matter what. But I fear for them because we reap what we sow. If they read this or any other child that has dishonored their parent, wake up. God does not give us an out because we did not have the best parent. He says to honor them just because they are parents. Good or bad, involved or not involved, it makes no difference. God says to honor those to whom honor is due. Many times are parent are what they are because of how they were raise. They had imperfect parents also. In fact look around you, this world is dysfunctional all around you. There are no perfect parents. All of them make mistakes. Their is one perfect father and he resides in Heaven above. He it is we should look to as we try to pattern our life after someone. A good parent will warn their children of impending disaster. If you do that, it will hurt you. I feel that is what I am doing as I write this. When I prayed about this issue many years ago I felt God answered my prayer in an unusual way. A fatherless child who never even knew who her father was, and her mother was incarcerated for drug activity, called me and asked if she could go to church with me on fathers day. This child was the product of a prostitute and a john. I thought many times so many children have had it worse than what I know. When that girl called me that day to go to church with me on Fathers Day, I felt like God was saying, I heard your prayers. If I did not love my children, it would not hurt. But it does and has every year that goes by and I am ignored on birthdays and fathers day, it still hurts. I want my children to do well. These words are from a fathers heart, I love my children and I want them to suceed.   I know God cares, he lets me know over and over again that my heavenly father cares for me just as I am. God bless, LVZ. 

No Borders?

To start off, I want a border wall. This emotional outburst on taking children away from parents is a media that hates Trump fueled hysteria.  It happens every day to U.S. citizens, when they break a law, especially a felony offence and their are children in the home. People go to jail and children are separated from their parents. It happens every day. Why should it be different for non -citizens that break the law and come here illegally? I know of a girl, I met her when she was 12 years old when I was living in Tacoma. She was the product of a john and a prostitute. She never knew her father. Her mother was incarcerated most of her life for drug or prostitution offenses. She was separated from her mother most of her growing up years. She had five younger siblings, the next three younger sisters were adopted by an Aunt. After there the Aunt said no more. The next one was given up to the state of Washington for adoption. The one after that was adopted by a different Aunt. I do not know if there were anymore siblings after that. Even our own children in this country get separated from parents because of the illegal activity of the parents.  One of my ex -wives had three children, one was raised by her Grandmother and Grandfather. The second child by the other grandmother and the third child by an Aunt. It happens every day, once again, this separation was caused by a drug addiction and this ex was unable to raise her own children. I believe this ex got her life together but it was to late for her and her children. Divorce separated children from at least one of their parents on a full time basis. Its cruel and it hurts the kids involved. My daughter was a 3.2 - 3.4 GPA student. The first report card after I was out of the house she slipped to 1.17 GPA and then dropped out. Perhaps I sound calloused, I am not. I tried to be there for my daughter as much as I could. I tried to take the first girl mentioned in this post to visit her mom in prison. I bought her school clothes and back packs etc. The point being it happens to our kids when parents break the law. So if these people are so open to open borders, open their own homes to any one that wants to enter. Last year, I had neighbors, grandparents who were raising two of their grandchildren. The oldest attended college locally. The grandparents moved to Texas with the other grandchild and told the one in college he could come to Barbara and My house  and stay if he needed to. With out clearing it with us. That is open borders and I did not agree to open my home after the fact. I could not believe they told this kid he could stay with us with out talking to us first. That is what open borders is like. Think about it. These people coming across the border from other countries, do you have any idea what they are like? Can you imagine giving your daughters birth control to prevent them from  getting pregnant if they are abused by smugglers during their journey here?  Bottom line we need to lock the doors on our borders just like we do our homes and only let in the people we want. My ancestors came from Europe, but they entered legally. I am not against people coming here, just do it legal and don't think just because you lived across the street from me for 4 years, when you move to Texas that you can send your 18 year old to live with me. I lock my doors and want to lock the doors on our borders.  God bless, LVZ.

In The Valley

"But it's down in the valley of trials and temptation, that when your faith is really put to the test."
I am not writing this because I am in some sort of valley right now. I am OK. But I think of something Pastor said a week or so ago: "A faith that cannot be tested is not worth much". As I think about that statement and the words of this song come to mind, it is in the valley of trials and temptation when our faith is put to the test. Do you really love God?, if you do it really shows when trials come your way. I think of Job, who had everything taken from him in his valley of trials and testing. He never charged God foolishly but remain confident that God would see him through. King David had opportunity to take King Saul's life on several occasions but spared the King because he was put there by God. There have been many trials and temptations in my life and it is there I learn to really trust God. Since the beginning of January for some reason my e-mail has been attacked with sites showing scantily clad women. I have deleted them from my junk file, unsubscribed over and over again and they keep coming. Just to be clear I did not subscribe in the first place, they come to the junk file. But every so often it has become a temptation, and I resist. It is in the valley that we learn just how much we depend on God. It is in the valley that we learn God is enough. We may not have everything we desire, but when we have God, we have enough. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7   It is in the valley we learn to cast all our cares on him. It is in the valley we become strong in our faith. It is in the valley that our faith grows. If we didn't have to climb a mountain once in awhile, we would be weak. But God loves us enough to strengthen us in the valleys of life. Do not fear the valley, God is always with us, and it is there we find our strength. God bless, LVZ.

God On The Mountain

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Lynda Randle sings a song "God On The Mountain". I like that song. Where do you turn when things go wrong. Pastor was talking about the many friends on Face Book, how many of them can you call when you have a need. I remember what a former Pastor said to me one day when I told him about a troubling day at work. I went to find someplace where I could be alone and call out to God, in that case it was a stall in the bathroom. This Pastor said: did you see what you did, you ran to God. In the middle of that particular trouble, I ran to God. I don't remember what I was so hurt about that day, but I remember his words. You ran to God. Yes sometimes it feels good to be in church and worship with other saints, singing praises to God. But do we only go to him in good times? What about when things go wrong? The God on the Mountain is still God in the Valley. So many times we face hurts from those we love, our family, our children, on the job, in the neighborhood. Do we cast all our cares or anxieties on God? We can't change a child's heart or other family member, but God can. I think of what we are seeing in North Korea, with Kim Jong Un, The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1 Even the godless do God's bidding when God directs it. I am not worried about Trump's actions. If it isn't directed by God it will end soon enough. If for some reason, God is using him and put him there in that office for who knows what purpose, you fight against God and God wins. I am not worried about what Obama or Trump or Hillary or any other political figure does, they are still under God and can go only as far as God allows. When you have sinned against God in your personal life, has God stuck you down immediately. We would all be in trouble if he did. God cares for you and many times he has taken extreme measures to love me back into his care. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Proverbs 20:7  When things go wrong, who do you run to? God asks us to come to him. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. God bless, LVZ. 

Broken Hearted

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalms 147:3
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
I come to these scriptures after another Fathers Day. I was an imperfect father at my best. I know that, I know I am not the best Grandfather or brother or what ever hat I wear. So my heart is broken when year after year my children do not acknowledge me on Fathers Day. One said to me, it is just another Hallmark Holiday, another occasion to sell greeting cards. My Heavenly Father is aware and I remember many years ago when I knew I would be ignored on a Fathers Day and had prayed about it. A fatherless child that I knew, a girl that never knew who her father even was, not even his name called me and said,  can me and my friend go to church with you on Fathers Day? I knew then that God was aware of my pain and that he was saying it is OK.  He still loves me as imperfect as I am. This Fathers Day I saw a program about a girl that was fathered by a GI during the Vietnam War. She was an outcast and bullied as a child because her mother was Vietnamese and her father American.  For 40 years she never knew her Dad. He was shipped back to the states before he ever knew he had created a child and knew nothing about her. I think I was there for my children, I worked everyday, not every weekend but even many weekends I worked. I worked to put food in their mouths and clothes on their back, and shelter over their heads. I wasn't a perfect father, there are no perfect fathers,  except my Heavenly Father. He sees and he hears and he knows the hurting of my heart this day. Another Fathers Day has come and gone without hearing from my children, because I was not a perfect father. God draws near to people like me, and he loves me just the way I am, imperfect at best. God still loves me, just as I am.   God bless, LVZ. 

Do we Know God or Just know of him

Is our religion, just that, a religion? Sometimes I feel like I just go through the motions. What I desire is relationship with our creator. I make habits of reading scripture and praying. I need God in the good days and the bad. I think back years ago when I lived on Hiway Place, I would go for a walk in the evening. I didn't matter if it was raining or what, it was time to converse with God. I didn't feel I was doing so great in those days, but what I remember is relationship with God. He was there in my despair, day after day. God's word says he will never leave us nor forsake us. Can a mother forget her child?, it is possible but God will not forget us. Do we know him or do we just know of him? I desire to know him, God, as did Enoch who walked with God and God took him and he was no more. I desire the walks and talks with God as Adam and Eve in the garden. I desire to follow God as Abraham did in days of old. I think of my former Pastor who went on home to Jesus a few months back. I remember his counsel, and one day when in difficulty at work, I went to the only place I knew I could be alone with God. This Pastor said, did you see that, you ran towards God. I know he has answered prayer. Sometimes I even forget what I prayed about and then later when the problem is resolved, I think didn't, I pray about that? There have been a couple of prayers that stick in my mind, when God answered immediately to build my faith. I desire to know God, not just of him. I am trying to memorize scripture in an effort to know my God even better. But is it just head knowledge that we desire? Do I just want to be able to quote scripture or is the real purpose for that word to get from my head to my heart. It is not how much I know of God's word, but how much of it am I able to live by.  Someday, scripture says, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.  There is a very scary scripture in the gospels and that is depart from me I never knew you. And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  Matthew 7:23   Perhaps here we find even a bigger question, does God know who I am? I see many people in the Bible that God knew. You know what? So many of them were imperfect.  But still they followed God and God knew them, personally.  I was thinking about my years on the job and I felt so much of the time, imperfect and mediocre. Yet towards the end of my career, my supervisor told me, your reputation precedes you, they know you. Even though I never felt I was doing that good of a job as a Christian, towards the end of my career, I had a glimpse of impact I had as I struggled to live for God. I was imperfect at best, all the way through. Does God know who I am? When I stand before God on that great day, when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, Will God know me?  How much of the scripture I learn has made it to my heart and my life?  Probably the biggest question of life, does God know me? Relationship, talking to him daily, reading from his word, getting up in the middle of the night to call on his name. Does God know me by name? Has he written my name down in the Book Of Life? He knows everything, my struggles with sin, my divorces, my life. Does God know of me or does he know me?  God bless, LVZ.

I go to a church and on a given Sunday there are 500 plus people inside those doors. Some are so precious as they live out their faith. Others I see I stuck in life with pride and who they are and who they know.  they all go to the same church, hear the same word Sunday after Sunday. Some seem to take the things they learn and apply it to their lives, others not so much. What is the difference? Do we know God or just know of him? Going to church Sunday after Sunday does not make you a Christian. How can some hear the word given and apply it to their lives, and others just hear it and go away the same as they came. If it doesn't change your life and who you are, what good is it? It does happen but how can some people go Sunday after Sunday and it does not change them? Or perhaps they just go every now and then.  It is the difference between knowing of God and knowing him personally. It is the difference of God knowing of us or actually knowing who we are. It is a difference as big as night and day, cold and hot.

Malice

Someone talked about Malice today.  I take notes as I listen and the word malice stuck with me. As I think about what goes on in our country today, there is a lot of malice. 
Malice: 

1. desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: 
2. Law. evil intent on the part of a person who commits a wrongful act injurious to others.
   

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Colossians 3:8
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 1 Peter 
2:1
I am convinced the Christian way of life is what is needed to heal our country. If we payed attention to the word of God and lived by its principles, by God's ways, God's commandments, his words, we could heal our country. The words following were from President Lincoln's second inaugural address from March 4, 1865. 

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish, a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

Our nation was beginning to heal from the Civil War. The Civil War was not completely over until April of 1865 and Vice President Andrew Johnson became President. Andrew Johnson was a Democrat by the way and his plans were a little different than those of Abraham Lincoln, but the Republicans had a majority in congress. It is interesting to note that Lincoln said 1/8 of the population were colored slaves in this speech. In the 2000 census Blacks are listed as 12.3% of the population. The concentration of Blacks was mostly in the southern states in the 1860's.  I believe there are about 70% blacks in the little town I live in. There is still injustice today but probably at a much smaller scale than in 1860.    With malice towards none were words Lincoln used. I believe today we need to get rid of malice in our country to heal. We hear hatred directed at our current President almost daily if not every day.  We need to heal as a nation and I believe every Christian and others need to check if they are operating with malice in the words spoken today.  Our country has always had differences of opinions but the hatred and the malice seems to keep building. We as Christians need to get rid of malice out of our lives. Forgiveness is a core value of a Christian and malice needs to be replaced with forgiveness in our hearts. I have to check myself on occasion to see if I be in the faith. Malice must go out of our hearts and lives if we wish to heal. As Lincoln said Malice towards none, Charity towards all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.  Put away all malice and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander, Peter tells us. We are still not a perfect people but we have come a long ways from the civil war, we have come a long ways since the civil rights gains in the 60's. Lets not go backwards with malice in our hearts but have Love / Charity for those of our nation. We disagree about a lot of things. If there was only one thought, someone is not thinking. We need Jesus in our hearts and we need to live by the word of God once again. As Lincoln said with malice toward none.  God bless, LVZ.