Blood

 “And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image. Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth.” Genesis 9:5-7. If God requires a life for the life that is taken what will we pay for the 60 plus million babies taken?   If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. I wonder how much we will suffer as a nation for aborting babies? We see so much violence in our streets, is it being allowed by God to pay for our sins as a nation?  We are to populate and multiply, it is a strong desire for recreation that God has put in us for a purpose. I believe we started to make headway to end Roe VS Wade but what will happen now? Is it a coincidence that Blacks kill more Blacks and also abort more per population? The abortion rate is 5 times higher for Blacks than for Whites.  The overall death rate for all races is 715.2 but for just Blacks, it is 870.7. So it is not five times higher but it is higher.  Does this have anything to do with God's commands? How will we ever atone for over 60 million abortions?  God help us, LVZ.

White Privilege

Copied from my WordPress site, written in February 2019. Corrected some spelling errors with spell check. 

I read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream Speech" again.  There were many good things said from the beginning to the end of that speech. Many parts of it of often repeated.  Here is a line from that speech I would like to repeat myself and think about. "The Marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably  bound to our freedom."  Today we hear so much about White Privilege, and it seems more and more White people are being looked down upon as being racist just because the color of their skin is white. Dr. King spoke about a day when people would be judged by the content of their character, and not by the color of their skin. Our Nation seems to be divided along racial lines. We hear much about White Privilege. I want to ask this question, isn't this doing exactly what Dr. King warned against? "lead to a distrust of all white people".  When we say white people have white privilege just because they are white, is this not just another form of racism?  I do not want to minimize the wrongs that were done to the Black population in years past.  I don't want to be insensitive to past hurts that may still linger today.  When we lump all white people together as having white privilege, are we not doing the same thing? We are not looking at the content of their character, we are looking at their skin color, white, and to me, this is just another form of racism. Even many White people are buying into this thought of White Privilege.  Today DNA has become big, and many are having their DNA analyzed to understand their ethnic heritage. But the difference in our DNA that defines our race is said to be less than .01 percent. I think a lot of progress has been made since the 1950s and 1960s.  Things are not perfect and they never will be, but I really think we need to look at the progress that has been made and not push ourselves back into the '50s and '60s for political gain. I wonder what white privilege my grandchildren are experiencing?  They have it better than we had it when I was growing up, but I don't see where they are better off than some of the Back people I know.  I see some on both sides that are doing good and others that are not. A lot of it has to do with the personal drive and motivation of those individuals. I have a question, how many generations will need to pass before white people can be forgiven for the wrongs of past generations? Will my white children still be looked at as racist because their skin color is white. What about my Grandchildren? The first of my Grandchildren was born in 2001.  Can he be judged by the content of his character or will his being white still be held against him as White Privilege? How many generations must suffer for the sins of past generations? One, Two, Three, fifteen, twenty, or thirty? When will we truly look at the content of our character and not skin color? White is just another skin color.  25 percent of my DNA comes from my father and 25 percent from my mother.  The content of my character is what I make it. God created one race, the human race. Can we just get over this skin color and forgive and concentrate on the content of our character.  People are not perfect and will never be, but I still think we have come a long way from the '50s and '60s.   God bless. LVZ.

The Last Days

I don't want to sound like a crazy man on the street corner carrying a sign saying the end is near. But that is the way I feel. I look at what is happening in our country and our world today and I feel the end is near. It could be. No man knows the day nor the hour. My wife often says if I live, I'll do such and such. We have no guarantee of tomorrow but we can live with an assurance of eternity. I look at what is happening on the news as we are bombarded every day with COVID news. We are constantly told about the many deaths from COVID. Yet if I look at the aquaintances I know that have died since this COVID thing started, I only knew one person that died from COVID. We don't even hear about the flu anymore and I think the majority of flu cases are called COVID because the symptoms are somewhat similar. I would call what is happening from our media brainwashing. Who would think that would happen in our country from the media but it is. In our colleges and universities, our children are being taught how to be good leftists.  They are not being taught to think things through. We are taught to trust science yet even real scientists don't agree with each other all the time. But we are taught to trust the science that agrees with the leftist position.  God created male and female and it has been that way for centuries. Today we want to keep the vote away from children but allow them to make life-altering decisions about whether they are male or female. We hold up a child to be an expert on climate change that hasn't even finished grammar school yet. If you are a scientist that agrees with the left position on climate change you are OK, but if you disagree and post other studies that disagree with the left, you are punished. We want justice and peace and then protest and loot to sway a court trial to the verdict the mob wants. I see people wearing masks alone in their car all by themselves. I see people walking along a street with no one anywhere near wearing a mask. We get vaccinated and are instructed to continue to mask up. Why even get the shot if it doesn't change anything? I don't understand why God allowed Biden of all people running to be President but God allowed it to happen. I think we must be close to the end of time on earth. No one knows the day nor the hour but God himself is the only one that knows when time on earth is to end. Individually or collectively we just don't know how much time is left. We must continue to live with the assurance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. A freak accident could happen and tomorrow could be my last. We have been isolated from each other. We use to drink coffee at the local Hardee's and solve the problems of the world we would jokingly say, but I believe we have been isolated to prevent us from doing just that.  Walmart was allowed to continue with hundreds of people interacting with each other in the aisles of the store but Mom and Pop businesses with just one or two people interacting with each other were shut down. Liquor stores remain untouched and I wonder why.  Churches that would call out to God to heal our land were shut down. Protests where buildings and businesses were burned to the ground and people killed and stores looted and even police locked in a building and then the building is set on fire and these are called mostly peaceful protests. The only protest that was condemned was the minor one at the capital on January 6th and that looks like a setup after the fact.  Our honorable police are condemned as a whole because of the actions of a few bad apples. Every profession including teachers and ministers has some bad apples but only the police are condemned as a group. Except God cut the time short even the very elect will be deceived. We are being deceived. We are being brainwashed to believe the left and only the left. That is partly why I believe we are living in the last days.  As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the end times. I think we are there. Are you ready to meet God?  God bless, LVZ.

Beware of Politics

 Our country is sick. We have congresspersons in Washington DC inciting violence.  Encouraging violence and protests all across our country. A mayor in Portland OR sides with protestors and then later asks for the public's help to bring the protestors and rioters to justice.  Video after video can be seen showing disrespect towards police and judges.  Cussing at law officers and judges. The only riot that the leftist DC crowd condemned was at the Nations Capitol.  And some think that was staged or organized. We are an angry nation. We are compelled to wearing masks for about a year and social distancing. We are bombarded daily with a fear of COVID and the Global Warming fear is regularly promoted. Since 1985 we have been given several different warnings that we only have ten to twelve years to turn things around. That is about 3 twelve year cycles ago. People are so fearful they wear masks outside away from anyone or in their vehicle alone.  I have seen some with a clear face shield and a mask and you can hardly tell who they are.  Politicians promote these fears and we are fearful. Some scientists argue that these fears are unwarranted. But if you disagree with the politicians with the power you are silenced. Big tech seems to support the politicians in power. Facebook jail is a common thing for those who disagree with the politicians in power. Our former President is banned from Twitter.  Violence is in my estimation at an all-time high. Disrespect towards police is common. Fear of the future of global warming, of Covid, seems to dominate the news and our conversations. We had a few good years and now the current President seems to be overturning anything the past President did. People are being paid to stay home from work and have more time to be indoctrinated via the internet and the news. Businesses are suffering because they can't get people to work.  There are jobs available, but no takers. Churches have suffered attendance, many non-committed people have stopped going at all.  I blame politics. Why do people listen to a politician over an economist over an economic issue? Why do people listen to a 15-16-year-old so-called climate change expert over scientists that have studied climate change for years. I know that is divided. There are experts on both sides. It is manipulation when politicians put a 15 -year-old on a worldwide podium as a climate change expert, it is manipulation with a political agenda.  We can't disagree and argue with a 15-year-old girl, can we? Rioting and looting are held up as mostly peaceful until they can be used against the former president in one incident on January 6th. Manipulation. Political manipulation. Beware of what is happening. Keep your eyes with an eternal focus. Look for the return of Jesus. In the days of Noah, God was disgusted and could only find Noah as a righteous man. Keep your eyes on Jesus. The Bible warns us that it will be like it was in the days of Noah.  Are we there or will it get worse? Something is happening that we need to watch and pray. Look at what is happening in the Middle East.  Israel is being attacked again. Be ready to meet your God at any time.  I hate to even listen to the news or be on the internet, gloom and doom.  Jesus is the answer for the world today. That has not changed. If we ever come back from this chaos, it will be through changed hearts and lives. Jesus is our only hope. Beware of politics and focus your attention on being right with God. God bless, LVZ.

To Be Like Him

This is the written account of the descendants of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself. He created them male and female, and he blessed them and called them “human.” Genesis 5:1-2 (NLT). 

Sometimes I actually write something pertaining to the scriptures I read. Other times I have a thought and just rattle on.  I was thinking about how we often imitate our parents in ways we don't want to. We are influenced more by what they did and lived than what they said. I think of the words above where this NLT version says God made us to be like himself.  We are rational beings, we think and we make choices.  We gain wisdom from the bad choices we made in life. Even if I don't always quote scripture, it affects my life. I might not remember some things word for word but over the years following God has changed me. I don't remember every sermon but it has affected me. Just like the food my mother cooked in my growing-up years, I lived. That food, some I liked and some I didn't but I am alive today and a functioning human being because I ate at least some of the food. I hated chicken for some reason and tried to avoid it if I could. I would eat the liver and that was just about it. But my going to church for most of my life and listening to sermons has helped me to live a spiritual life, even if I don't remember every word preached or read. It still fed my soul and nourished me along the way. I look at messed-up families. The parents didn't set out to mess up their children it just happened as they dealt with their own sin issues. Something Andy Stanley said in one of his sermons I listened to stuck with me. Andy got it from someone else and I don't remember who that was. If we don't deal with our demons they dwell in the basement of our soul and lift weights. As I looked at family issues over the years I see that happen. A root of bitterness can take root in our hearts and grow and grow and even affect others in the family especially our children. We make choices and sometimes I made the right choice. I chose in spite of the mistakes I saw my parents make as Christians to continue my life as a Christian. I made some of the same mistakes in my own life. I actually patterned many things after what I saw more than what I was taught. In the same token, I hope I patterned after my Heavenly Father. Do you realize my Heavenly Father has had more time to influence me than my earthly father? I hope it shows. Someone once said, actually, it was probably more than one person who has said God finds us, we don't find him. How much have I actually patterned my life after my Heavenly Father? Am I really like him? I know God created me in his image but have I chosen to be like him? One of the reasons I choose a church to attend is I find people I want to be like. I know I dealt with some sin issues in my life and even today I still deal with sin issues. I just hope and pray that I resemble my Heavenly Father more than my earthly father.  God bless, LVZ. 

Even A Caveman Can Do It

 I have no idea how many days I have left on this earth. God has been merciful to me. When I strayed he brought me back. I have had many years of mediocre Christian living. I probably still can not match the integrity of the likes of Peter and Paul. Nor can I match the devotion of the likes of Joseph the son of Jacob from the book of Genesis or Daniel from the book by his name. But God has been just as faithful to me.  I cannot match the exploits of people like King David and King Solomon.  David as a young man killing Goliath and King Solomon with his great wisdom giving the right baby to the right mother. These men were not perfect. But I am amazed at the dedication of Joseph as he spends years as a slave and in prison without knowing his end. Daniel remains faithful when the laws are formed against him and survives a lion's den.  Joseph didn't have a Bible to encourage him, the Bible had not been written. The New Testament was written after Jesus' death and resurrection. I am impressed by the fairness of God when I read the stories of the 5 talents, regardless of the talents they were given God gave them rewards. Enter into the joys of your lord, if they were faithful. The only reproof was for doing nothing and hiding the talent in the earth. Or the examples are given of the lord of the harvest paying the same wages to all the workers even if they started late or early. It was God's to give and his alone. God did not just bless the best. His principles work for little old me if I apply them in my life. None of these men could fix their past they just repented when necessary and kept moving forward. I can't fix my past. I can't change a single thing I have done wrong. I can say forgive me and keep moving.  I often think of my Dad and his imperfect self. Without trying to dishonor my father what would I have gained if I could hold his wrongs against me? I have been just as imperfect. My life has not been as faithful as a Joseph or a Daniel.  I have not killed any Goliaths nor imparted great wisdom as Solomon did. But God promised me the same reward of eternal life for just believing in him. It is an individual relationship with God. Each of us is one on one with God. I don't have to be a David, or Solomon, or Joseph or Daniel. I can be like the thief on the cross and ask God to remember me. I can be like the woman at the well in Samaria. I can be like Nicodemus.  I can be the least of my family like Gideon. The parable of the talents intrigues me, I don't have to have 5 talents or 2 talents, I can be at the bottom with only one talent and if I just do the minimum like putting the money in a back to draw simple interest God would have been OK. What wasn't OK was doing nothing. I can't write a great book, but I tell my story as simple and unnoticeable as it is and it will please God. So I squandered many years of mediocrity, it is how I finish that matters to God. I am amazed at my family that we turned out as good as we did, considering the dysfunctional home we grew up in. God didn't hold it against us, he helped us through it all. If I could say to my children, I can't fix any of the past. If I wasn't the good father you wanted or disappointed you, I can't make it better. But you can, with your relationship with God you can overcome any obstacle put in your path. I have often thought of the drug addict with that weight on their shoulder, they can overcome it with God's help. Many have. Many grew up in worse homes than my own and with God's help, they overcame the mountains in their path. I really do wish I could go back and do a better job as a husband and a father, but I can't, nobody can. The best I can do is say God forgive me and keep pressing on. I am so thankful for Grace and Mercy, that is what gets anyone through, God's grace and God's Mercy. None of us can get enough money to buy our way in, None of us can live a good enough life to earn a place in heaven. We gain entrance just by believing in God and repenting of our sins. It is so easy even a caveman can do it.  God bless, LVZ.