One Talent Person

Recently I was reading the parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. I think of my self as a one talent person. In the parable, a man going on a long journey entrusts his property to his servants. There is the servant he gives five talents to, and to another, he gives two talents, and then to another servant just one talent. In the NLT version, he gives 5 bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another and to the last one bag of gold. The parable says he gives each according to his ability. As I thought on this I don't have the ability of a Billy Graham, I am not as skilled at breaking down the word as my pastor or so many other pastors I have known in my lifetime. But notice the master returns from his trip and wants an accounting from each of his servants. The five talent or 5 bags of gold servant has made another 5 bags of gold or doubled his talent. Likewise, the servant entrusted with two bags of gold or two talents has also doubled this trust. It is the third servant that the master is not pleased with. He did nothing with what he was entrusted with and gives it back intact. The master is not pleased. We are all to be witnesses or to be about our masters business just as these 3 servants were expected to show something for their work. I have thought about this and there are things I try to do and perhaps I am just a one talent person. I don't have the abilities of Billy Graham, or my pastor or so many other servants of God that have blessed me over the years. They have invested themselves in me in guiding me in this Christian walk. I don't want to be an unprofitable servant like the one talent servant. From this parable, I gather that the master expects the same out of the one talent servant. Not that he has to give back ten bags of gold or even 2 bags of gold, but at least show some gain for the time spent working for the master. For this parable I would equate Billy Graham as a 5 talent servant and so many other pastors that I have known would at least be 2 talent servants. All relative to the abilities God has given them. I don't have their abilities. I can't speak to millions as Billy Graham has done. Some of the Pastors have taught and guided hundreds if not thousands. I look at the things I do, I am small potatoes in comparison. This blog  I have had an overall average of 26 readers for my posts. A few have been over 100 and have raised my average. I have had some posts as low as 3 readers. So I think in comparison, I would equate myself to a 1 talent servant. I don't have a lot of influence, on Facebook I have just a few followers, I follow some people that have 5000 or more friends and then you can't get any more friends, People just follow. So I think for the thought of this parable, I equate myself as a one talent person. I do know from this parable that God still expects a return for whatever talent he has given. At times I thought what good do I do, I don't influence a lot of people. I think to think like that is to be an unprofitable servant. God wants me to be his witness just as Billy Graham or my pastors over the years. I don't have a corner on the market in theology. I try to talk about what I read and explain as best I can. I am learning. I am certainly not as good as these 5 and 2 talent servants.  But I feel God still expects me to use my 1 talent as small or insignificant as it may be. Another way to describe this would be a woodworker that builds a Stradivarius violin. Actually, they don't build Stradivarious violins anymore,  I read where there were about two people one with the name Stradivarius that build these very fine instruments. There are other woodworkers that maybe do not have the skills to build a quality violin but do build very fine furniture, or perhaps some of our finer homes. For this parable, I would equate the woodworkers that build the quality violins as 5 talent servants, and some of these other builders as possibly 5 or 2 talent servants. There are probably millions of us 1 talent servants. So if our skills are only good enough to build a chicken coop, are our limited skills not needed? I think judging from the master's response in this parable God wants us to do our best also even if we cannot build a Stradivarius violin. If that is our ability and the task given is just a 1 talent job, we should also build the best we can build. Even if it is just a chicken coop. It should keep the rain off the chickens and protect them from the weather and predators. Perhaps we too will gain other talents as we use what God has given us. I started a prayer group in Verona to pray for our city and our nation. It may not be impressive, the most that has shown up is 8 people. But I still feel it is needed, I feel that is what God laid on my heart to do. This blog is not very influential, as I stated before sometimes as few as 3 people may read my posts. But if this is what God has laid on my heart to do, I need to do the best I can. There are millions of 1 talent people and we must not shirk a talent that the master entrusted to us, no matter how small it may seem to be. In Tacoma, I would look for something to do, and if nothing more than pick up trash in the Church parking lot or mow the lawn that is what I would do and nobody had to tell me to do it. God is watching over our talents as well.

14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, ^a each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ Matthew 25: 14-25 (NLT).

14“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants^c and entrusted to them his property. 15To one he gave five talents,^d to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.^e You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)

God bless, LVZ.

God Knows

23Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. ^d 24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. John 2:23:25
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. John 6:64
Here in the 2 chapter of John, we read about Jesus' first miracle, the turning of water into wine.  He had disciples following him already. His mother was at this wedding also and she came to Jesus and told him the host was out of wine.  She told the servants of the house to do whatever Jesus says. He had the servants fill some ceremonial pots with water. After they had filled the pots they took some to the master of the banquet. He tasted it and then without knowing what had been done he took the bridegroom aside and told him it is customary to serve the best wine first and then after people had too much to drink, then you bring out the cheaper wine, but you have saved the best for last. So Jesus had turned ordinary water into wine and it was very good wine.  Also here we read about Jesus clearing out the temple of the money-changers and those selling livestock. But it was at the end of the chapter I read that Jesus knew what was in each person. We can read all through the gospels and many times we will read where Jesus knew people's thoughts as they tried to test him and trip him up. I try to pray each day for God to direct me and that the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth would be acceptable to him. God knows our thoughts, our motivations, our actions. There is nothing hid from him. There have been several times in my life when  I realized impure motives after the fact. At the time I thought I had good motives. One time that sticks in my mind, when my second wife left me, she like disappeared. She moved out one day while I was at work. But I had located her and on one road trip I went to her house I thought to try and make any amends I thought I needed to make. After I spoke to her and walked away the thought came to my head, you can hide but I can still find you.  God knew right from the start what my true motivation was. I was disappointed in myself when that thought came to my head and wondered if my motivation had really been pure to make any amends. I thought about that and sometimes we don't see our true motivation. But God knows our true motivations, nothing is hidden from him. It seems almost funny this far in the past when I recall that memory. The point is God knows each of us better than we know ourselves.  God bless, LVZ.

We Have A Choice

36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.  John 3:36
We have a choice to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord or to reject him. To accept we answer when Jesus knocks on our heart's door.  To reject is to do nothing and ignore that still small voice of God that speaks to us. There is no in-between, you either accept or reject. There is no third place of I believe in God but do not answer that voice. If a door to door salesman came through the neighborhood and you looked through the window to see who it was and chose not to answer, you have rejected that salesman, you may think he never saw you and does not know I am home. But God knows exactly where you are in your heart and it is that heart he wants to change. Whoever rejects the Son will not see eternal life. The wrath of God will remain on them. We are born in sin. In this chapter, Jesus comes upon Nicodemus and tells Nicodemus that he must be born again. Jesus explains the second birth is of the spirit and gives us spiritual life. Without that second birth, we will die a sinner when this life is over. When God knocks and to do nothing is to reject him. On that judgment day when every person comes before God, he will be looking for the answer to one question, what have you done with Jesus, have you accepted or rejected Jesus, the Son of God. It is a choice that everyone that reaches the age of accountability where they can understand and answer for themselves will make. That choice affects you for all eternity.  Eternity is like putting one drop of water into the ocean each day. When you have filled the ocean to overflowing, eternity is just getting started. It is a very long time. there are only two choices for eternity,. God bless, LVZ.
The door is locked from the inside. Jesus does not bust down doors or sneak in, he must be invited in.

Telling The Story Of Jesus

6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  John 1:6-8
Here in John 1, we are reading about John the Baptist.  This is not the same John who wrote the account in the gospel of John. This John the Baptist was an earthly relative of Jesus through Jesus' mother. He was destined from birth to give witness to Jesus the Christ. He baptized many and even baptized Jesus. He had been given instruction from God that the one he saw the spirit of God descend upon when he baptized him was none other than the Christ, who takes away the sins of the world. John the Baptist had disciples that were following him and on the day when John baptized Jesus and spoke about his being the Christ, his disciples left him to follow Jesus. One of those disciples was the brother of Simon Peter.  John the Baptist was telling anyone who would listen about the one who would come after him and would take away the sins of the world. That was his purpose. He was unique in that way, he was a witness before Jesus came on the scene. All of us today are telling of this same Jesus long after the events in the gospels occurred. John the Baptist is a good example of being given a purpose by God. Which we all have a purpose given by God. Are all Christians to be witnesses of that light, the one who takes away the sins of the world. I can give an account of my life and what Jesus did for me and I do in many of my posts write my personal story and what Jesus has done for me.  Jesus changed my life and is still changing it today. I am learning day after day as I read God's word. Jesus is the Word come in the flesh. This Bible tells his story over and over again. Jesus came to earth the Son of God to die for our sins. This gospel of John, like the other gospels, will tell of the events of his life up to and beyond the crucifixion. Jesus the one who died for my sins. It seems we always want to end with the fact that Jesus did not stay in the grave, but came out of that grave and lives in our hearts today. Jesus transforms into his image. when we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, God looks at us and sees Jesus. Jesus is the one that still forgives sins heals the sick and transforms our lives even today. He is the purpose of the word of God, it is his story, this book starts out about telling about John the Baptist but very quickly turns to the story of Jesus.

Tell Me the Story of Jesus | Frances J. Crosby

Tell me the story of Jesus,

1. Write on my heart every word;
   Tell me the story most precious,
   Sweetest that ever was heard.
   Tell how the angels in chorus,
   Sang as they welcomed His birth,
   “Glory to God in the highest!
   Peace and good tidings to earth.”
   • Refrain:
     Tell me the story of Jesus,
     Write on my heart every word;
     Tell me the story most precious,
     Sweetest that ever was heard.
2. Fasting alone in the desert,
   Tell of the days that are past,
   How for our sins He was tempted,
   Yet was triumphant at last.
   Tell of the years of His labor,
   Tell of the sorrow He bore;
   He was despised and afflicted,
   Homeless, rejected and poor.
3. Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
   Writhing in anguish and pain;
   Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
   Tell how He liveth again.
   Love in that story so tender,
   Clearer than ever I see;
   Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
   “Love paid the ransom for me.”
4. Tell how He’s gone back to heaven,
   Up to the right hand of God:
   How He is there interceding
   While on this earth we must trod.
   Tell of the sweet Holy Spirit
   He has poured out from above;
   Tell how He’s coming in glory
   For all the saints of His love.
5. Jesus is the one we all need to hear about and come to know through his word. God bless, LVZ.
6. 
   

God's Warnings

15Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’

17“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’ ” Jeremiah 35"15-17.
In reading in these Prophets like Jeremiah we see God warning his people over and over again. They are not obeying his commands. They are his chosen people and they continue to be but God is trying to correct their behavior.  We saw God do this in the story of Jonah, God warned Ninevah that they would be destroyed for their evil ways. Jonah reluctantly went to Ninevah and then when Ninevah repented and changed their ways  God changed his mind. that is what God wanted in the first place for Ninevah to repent. That is what God is asking in 2 Chronicles chapter 7. God is wanting his people to change their wicked ways in verse 14. I know the Bible tells that in the last days perilous times will come.  But God tells us to be light and salt to our world. When the world gets darker with the evil in it, our light needs to shine brighter. I believe it was Bill Wolfson that mentioned in one of his sermons that as Christians we are salt. When you look at countries where there are no Christians or very few Christians, there is less freedom in those countries. In Muslim countries we see women having to cover their heads. In some, if not all, women are not supposed to drive. But notice in 2 Chronicles God is speaking to the people called by his name. To turn from their wicked ways. Christians have been violators of God's laws. We hear in the news of abuse to children by catholic priests. We can go back in history and find where Christians also killed those that didn't turn to Christianity. There were Bible-believing citizens in this country that owned slaves. They use scripture to justify their actions. So I believe we need to check our beliefs today to see what wicked ways God wants us to turn from. This is why all the warnings from God, turn back to God's ways, his commands. God is not wanting us to perish but to repent.  God help us and God bless, LVZ. 

Opinions

This has bothered me most of my life. We are not supposed to speak opinion when it comes to the word of God. How can man's opinion not enter into what we see in denominationalism today? We have Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic, Pentecostal, Church of God, Church of God Cleveland Tennessee, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of God of North Carolina and the list goes on. We have Southern Baptist, American Baptist, some add the name Reformed, some add the name Free and on and on it goes. Don't tell me that man's opinion has not entered into our thinking.  We all believe in Jesus and his death burial and resurrection. What brings this on is reading in Ezekiel chapter 17, where it talks about "land of traffic".  I was sold a bill of goods as a young man, where this portion of scripture with many others picked here and there promoted one particular denomination. And I think that particular denomination has spit about 4 times at least in my lifetime. I am not discounting the Christian Faith, our salvation indeed comes from one God. But our faith needs to be in God and not a denomination. Men will fail, God does not. I have many opinions about many things and I have changed my thinking about many things as I have gone through life. One thing has not changed. I believe that Jesus died for my sins. You go to these different denominations and it is like each church has a different personality. There are cultural aspects to some denominations. Go to a black church or a white church and you will see some differences in the order and the worship styles. But you will find it is the same Jesus they are preaching. I ran across a former Baptist and he had become a Seventh Day Adventist and he was convinced the Seventh Day had it correct, but he couldn't explain it but they showed him in the scriptures where they were right and the Baptist were wrong. There is no salvation in anyone other than Jesus and his death on a cross for our sins so many years ago. Our faith needs to be in God and not a denomination. I advocate finding a church to belong to. There is room in every congregation for the lost but we must be grounding people in Jesus. In Jesus' day, we had the Pharisees, the Sadducees and perhaps many others. There was the Pharisee praying and the publican praying in the same temple. The Pharisee in his prayer was telling God about how good he was and the things he was doing right. The publican was asking for forgiveness for his sins. If you remember the story who's prayer was accepted and who's prayer was rejected? I think we have a lot of Pharisees today in our religious system, we need more publicans. We need faith in God's ability to save us from our sins and less faith in our denomination. God help me a publican to seek out your truth and change my heart and life. May you God view me as a publican and not a Pharisee. Seek to know God and not a religion. Talk to God every day for guidance. Become a member of a church, and seek God, Forsake not the assembling together, but seek God in all you do. I am not sure how to sort through all the opinions, except to trust God. He will lead and guide into all truth, but our faith needs to be in God and not a denomination. Ask God to direct you where to attend and assemble with other believers. And allow God to grow in your heart and life. There is salvation in no other name under heaven. I survived my upbringing as many others did because I believed in Jesus and the pardon of my sins through his death on a cross. The gospel is really simple, we make it hard. Believe in Jesus, not in a religious institution. Jesus is the one that died on that cross for our sins.  Believe in him, let that be the center of your faith. Find Jesus, seek him and he will be found. A sinners prayer is very simple, just like the publican, forgive me for my sins. You do not have to know the whole Bible. But read it and listen for God's voice. Read the Bible for yourself, pray to this one God and seek him for your life's direction. After 35 years I am still learning, and unlearning and sometimes finding myself at that altar, Father, forgive me for my sins. That is the starting point, kneeling at the cross and asking Jesus to come into my heart and to guide me. Take a publicans approach to God and not a Pharisee's approach to God. God will help you to sort through the opinions of men. I hope the word of my mouth is acceptable to God.  God bless, LVZ.

God Perceives

23But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24“Show me a denarius.^e Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.  Luke 20:23-26
We find in this chapter the religious people of the day trying to find a reason to bring Jesus before the authorities. These were trick questions meant to trip Jesus as he was speaking to the people. They ask about the resurrection and whos wife a woman will be in the resurrection that was married to more than one brother. They tried to trip him up as regarding paying taxes. They ask about his authority, who gives him the right to speak to the people. But each time Jesus knows their thoughts and their motives. It is no different today, God knows our thoughts and motives. I have watched as a leftist attack, President Trump. I believe God gives us our leaders. If I don't like the results of the election in November, I still know that a sovereign God is at work. Nothing takes God by surprise. This Corona-virus in our world today did not take God by surprise. God perceives the motives of the religious leaders' questions and answers wisely. His adversaries marvel at his answers. Whatever we may be going through today it does not take God by surprise. We don't always understand what God is doing with the Presidents God gives us, but God is in control, he is sovereign and even knows our thoughts and the intent of our hearts. I just pray that God will direct this President. This President is not perfect but I thank God Trump is President. May God's will be done. God bless, LVZ.

Broken and Poured Out

17And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 
Luke 22:17-20
Communion, the Lord's Supper,  a religious practice that Jesus instituted before his death on the cross to remind his followers of what he did for us. The disciples were gathered around a table eating the Passover Supper. Jesus instituted a practice that he wanted his disciples to follow. We still follow this practice today.  As I read in my Bible each day I try to write something about what I am reading that day. Today this 22 nd chapter of Luke is talking about the Last Supper. I don't think I have ever written about it before.    I believe it is told about in all four of the gospels. In John, it is mentioned but the emphasis is given on the washing of the disciple's feet. It is a practice I have witnessed all of my life from a child. I do not know what age I was when I first partook of communion, but I would guess I have had the Lord's supper over several hundred times. It has been practiced in various ways over the years. As a child, I remember they had a dedicated night for the Lord's supper several times a year. The Pastor would give communion to each individual member sitting at a table. Another member would kneel behind the person receiving communion and pray for them. then they would change places or another person would come to the table and it was repeated. It was a small church at that time. I remember another time when everyone receiving communion would gather in front of the altar and the pastor would go down the row of people and give each one a piece of the bread and a cup of wine. Or in most Christian churches it is grape juice. They eat a small piece of bread and drink the cup representing the body of Christ and the blood of Christ that was shed for our sins. It is done to remind us of what Jesus did on the cross so many years ago. He was whipped, a crown of thorns put on this head. Nailed to a cross, nails driven through his hands and feet and then the cross is stood upright until the person on the cross dies. We are taught not to take this lightly, we are taught to take a moment of reflection and ask forgiveness for any sins we have committed. In more recent years in the church, I now attend, it is passed out to the congregation by the deacons and all receive the Lord's Supper at the same time. Sometimes tables will be set up around the sanctuary and we can go as families to partake as a family unit. I have seen it done so many ways. Always we are asked to reflect on what Jesus has done for us, dying on a cross for all the sins of the world. Jesus's body was broken for us. Jesus shed his blood that we might be forgiven of our sins because of His shed blood on the cross. Hundreds of times I have been reminded of what Jesus did for me. It has become so commonplace in my life, as I think about this.  I have probably partaken of the Lord's Supper some 40 times in the last seven years in Mississippi.  Hope Church has communion about six times a year. 6 times 7 is 42. Do I stop each time and really think about this practice that I have done hundreds of times in my life? Different Churches have different ways of doing this and I have seen many different ways over the years. But each time it represents the body and blood of Jesus that was shed for me. Do I really stop and appreciate what Jesus did for me? Do I remember he died a cruel death on that cross for me? He did nothing wrong. Jesus did not deserve to be put to death. He did it to pay for my sins. As oft as ye do this, remember Jesus died for our sins. God bless, LVZ.

A Pharisee, A Tax Collector

9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed^a thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18:9-14 
I have found in my life I like to keep rules. Well, when it comes to being a Christian anyway. I think Christians need to pay attention to this passage. The Pharisees in Jesus' day would be like our Christians today. They studied the law and the Prophets just like most Christians today read and study the Bible.  They probably went to the temple or in our day to church on a regular basis. This Pharisee as he is praying to God that is what he is saying, God, I am good, I keep the rules. He tells God he is a just man, he is not an adulterer. He fasts twice a week, He is even a tither. But God didn't like his attitude. He was exalting himself, telling God how good he was. God wasn't impressed. It was the Pharisees that brought the woman caught in adultery, in the very act to Jesus and asked what shall we do with her. If you remember the story, Jesus was writing in the dirt. One preacher suggested one time that perhaps Jesus was writing the most recent sin of each of the accusers.  Anyway they all left, and Jesus told the woman neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. Under Moses's law that the Pharisees were so keen on keeping, they were to stone both parties caught in adultery. In that story where was the man that was caught with her? Why did they bring only the woman,  was she a prostitute and the man a prominent man of their city? We really don't know because the story doesn't tell us all the details. I have seen problems in my own life over the years. I remember many years ago working on the job and I let it be known that I was a Christian. Well one day under a lot of pressure to get a job completed, a tool I was using slipped and damaged the item I was working on. I said a cuss word. I felt so bad about it I sort of pouted for a while and I realized or God showed me how self-righteous I was. I was just like that Pharisee, I wanted to look good to those around me. There have been other times in my life I came to see an issue in my life. I have repented many times just like the tax collector. Notice God heard the tax collectors' prayer and forgave the tax collector. Actually, he heard both prayers because God is telling us this story to make a point. God wasn't impressed with the self-righteousness of the Pharisee but forgave and justified the sinner. That is the point. I really do not know any perfect Christians. That why we need Jesus, he forgives all our sins. Even a Pharisitical attitude can be forgiven if we will humble ourselves before a sovereign God that sees all and hears all. There is nothing hid from God.  I am thankful for grace and mercy. God bless, LVZ.

That It May Go Well With Thee

There was a time when I thought all I had to do was become a Christian and all would go well with me. But I have begun to realize that I reap what I sow.  I think my understanding has increased. For example, if I don't tithe, I don't receive the promise given.  If I don't keep the Sabbath, I don't receive the restoration promised. If I didn't listen to wisdom with my finances, my finances suffered. We still live under grace but if we build our buildings on the sand, they can be destroyed. If we build on the rock, the sure foundation they will stand. God brought blessing upon his people Israel year after year. When King David followed after God with his heart, he prospered. When he disobeyed, he often suffered the consequences of his decisions.  God can bless you with resources, but you can make a decision to squander those resources and they will be gone. If you use those same resources wisely, God can bless them even further. I am saying all this not to say we can work for salvation, we can't. It is by grace, a gift of God, but our lives can be better or worse depending on our use of wisdom freely given by God when we search it out. We can live a reckless life and be forgiven, but we could also live a blessed life and be forgiven.  The principles of God will even bless the heathen if we follow God's plans. I am not using this example to talk about Children and parents today except in a general way to point out how wisdom prevails.  "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.  Exodus 20:12 God promises if children will honor their parent it will go well with them and they will live long. This is a general rule and perhaps we will find exceptions to the rule. As I have read and tried to understand the Ten Commandments, I realize how important they are in living a good life. My most recent search has been on the 4th commandment and I realize I didn't understand it fully. There are blessings that will follow us as we honor and live by God's commands.  We will still go through the valleys and mountain top experiences and God promises to be with us. But I am convinced we can make our lives better by understanding and living by God's laws. You do not have to be a born again Christian to reap the benefits of being charitable. You do not have to be a Christian to reap the benefits of honoring your parents.  If you develop a spirit of forgiveness and that will still be healthy for you even if you are not a Christian. But often we need God's revelation to understand many of God's principles. I remember someone saying one time they put a school book under their pillow in the hopes that they would absorb the knowledge in the book by sleeping on it. It doesn't work that way.  In a conditional promise, you have got to keep the condition to receive the promise.  God gives us the best way to live through his Ten Commandments if we will understand and obey. Just as the fourth commandment was meant for our well being if we learn the principle of the day of rest. If we keep the Sabbath day, we reap the benefit of keeping the Sabbath day. Bill Gates learned that principle and would hide away occasionally to restore himself. Our lives can be better by following the creator's design for us. God bless. LVZ.

Corona-virus

It has been crazy, to say the least. I have some thoughts about this. The Stimulus Check, I think it was the wrong thing to do. Any money the government gives to us comes out of our pockets in some manner. If it is just printed, inflation. Adding to the debt our children and grandchildren will have to pay. Shutting down businesses cuts off the taxes flowing to the government.
I listen to an article by a doctor yesterday and he was saying about how we build immunity, our bodies build immunity from the germs we encounter.  Some scientists somewhere raise mice in a sterile environment and their immune systems were so weak they could not survive the normal germs we all encounter. Looking at it another way, birds hatching out of an egg. If you make it easy for them and break open the shell, they will not survive. They need to fight their way out of the shell on their own to be able to live. One thing we can all be assured of there will be trials in life. Just like the bird, we will not be strong enough to survive without them. What is important is our response to trials. The things we do to get through. So after my generation is gone and perhaps our great-grandchildren are running the country and another pandemic happens 100 years from now and our national debt has continued to grow. The country is larger than it is even today, what will they do? This shut down is not the way to handle this. Wearing masks, shutting down the border, social distancing, I can see some benefit. Remember when we tried to get children exposed to childhood diseases to get them over it. But shutting down businesses to flatten the curve, I don't get it. We have destroyed the economy, will it bounce back, I think so. What happens if this fall the corona-virus returns, like the flu? Somehow we are going to have to get antibodies in our systems to survive this thing. If it is taking plasma from people that recovered and giving it to the general population as a means of vaccinating the public against this disease.  It is meant to destroy Trump. I believe as long as it is God's will President Trump will survive. I believe we will see more voter fraud then we have ever seen in this next election but I believe God is still sovereign and the evil cannot win against God's plans. I can't see the future, but I know it is in God's hands, whatever happens. I don't always understand right at that moment, but down the road aways, looking back I will often see God's hand in the things that happened. We have got to survive these things without shutting down and trying to create a sterile environment. Washing hands, wearing a mask around sick people, even staying away from sick people, isolating the most vulnerable all good. But shutting down livelihoods was not the right way to go. Doctors and nurses have to survive by taking precautions. Our truckers and first responders, grocery workers and so many others had to continue working for the rest of us in society to survive. Why shouldn't we all be able to take some of the same precautions and keep on living? Just my thoughts on this. With my opinion and a dollar, you can buy a cup of coffee. God bless, LVZ.

Hard To Understand

1There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:1-5 
Sometimes I come across a passage of scripture I find hard to understand.  So it is with these few verses above. I read them and they stood out to me. Some citizens that were present at that very time told Jesus a story about injustice it seems. Jesus tells them another unfortunate story that perhaps they heard in the news of the day.  All of us will perish in some way. It seems Jesus is telling them you too can find an untimely death. These 18 people were killed when a tragedy fell upon them.  It seems things happen in life and we often don't understand. One thing we can all understand is the need to be forgiven. Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. It is a tragedy in life that we are all sinners and will come upon death in some way. A friend of mine was in the paper in the last few days, he died at age 47. How young was that? He was a minister, he had pastored a church less than five miles from where I now live for 10 years. He was a good man, but he had health problems and God saw fit to take him. I believe he was prepared to meet his maker at even a young age. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. That is just it, we will all meet our creator someday. It is just a matter of when. We don't know when. Only God knows the number of our days. I don't, not even when it comes to my own days. I known men younger than Torrance, I had a nephew by marriage one time that died at age 16. It was an untimely death. But even at age 16 he had an impact on those that knew him. I don't even remember his name today. His funeral was attended by over 400 people. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Many had been impacted by this 16-year-old and the way he lived. Unless you repent, you will likewise perish. We can have our eternity secure. Jesus is telling the people communicating with him in this passage that they need to repent. We are all going to face eternity sometime, every last one of us. Have we repented of our sins?  We will stand before a just God someday. We can be ready. It is something each of us can do rich or poor, educated or not. It doesn't cost anything, it is not an impossible task. Anyone can do it. Jesus made the playing field level. Repent of your sins as John 3:16 tells us and believe in Jesus. All of us will perish someday. We will come to the day when the book of life will be searched for our name, and it can be found by trusting in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. It is so simple even a caveman can do it, as the famous Geico commercial says. I don't know what is happening in our world right now, it is all upsidedown. But I can be secure in Jesus. So many things don't make any sense, but I can be secure in Jesus. I have repented, my name is in the book of life, I can feel secure in Jesus Christ.  God bless, LVZ.

Rich Man Poor Man

19“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.^f The rich man also died and was buried, 23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”  Luke 16:19-31
Here is the story of a poor man named Lazarus and a rich man. They both enter eternity the same night. It appears the rich man lived in his wealth, he feasted sumptuously every day. He lived the life of a rich man. He had in his lifetime plenty to feed the poor man Lazarus that he knew, but he didn't. Lazarus had needs, it seems they lived nearby each other and knew each other, so he could have helped Lazarus if he had chosen to do so.  Lazarus went to Abraham's side, the rich man entered Hades and was in torment. The rich man was able to see Lazarus being comforted' He desired that Lazarus could dip hid finger in water and touch his tongue to cool it. No, he was told there is a great chasm between Abraham's side and Hades, and no one can travel from one side to the other in eternity. Please send Lazarus to warn my brothers that they do not come to this place.  Father Abraham said no, let them hear Moses and the Prophets, they will warn them. No, the rich man says, if someone from the dead returns and tells them then they will repent. Abrahan says if they do not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they hear someone risen from the dead.  Don't we have stories of those that saw the other side and returned? Have there been revivals based on their words?  No, its a good story and perhaps we like a good story, to entertain ourselves but does it change our life? Moses and the Prophets referred to in the story is the Bible. If we will not believe the Biblical account of Jesus whereby men can be saved neither will we believe one risen from the dead. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He that believeth on him shall inherit eternal life. There is no other way to God. The Bible is our guide. The Bible tells us of the crucifixion and resurrection of one named Jesus. The prophets foretold of his coming for centuries, some believed and some didn't. It is the choice we make in this life that determines our destiny in the hereafter. To be written in the Book of Life one must believe in Jesus and the pardon of our sins through his death on a cross. Easter retells this story of Jesus over and over again. Have you trusted in the name of Jesus for your eternal destination? Like the rich man, there are no changes to be made after death. It must be decided upon while you are yet living.  He that hath an ear hear what Moses and the Prophets have told us concerning this Jesus who died for our sins. And rose again and is at the right hand of God the Father to this very day. God bless, LVZ.