WISEMAN'S WISDOMS

Are You Thankful?

2011-11-27T17:52:00.000-05:00

SPC. JOSE MARTINEZ, 20, 101st Airborne, was injured April 5, 2003 in Karbala when the humvee he was driving hit a land mine. Martinez was trapped in the explosion and suffered massive burns to his face, head and body. He has spent the last year in surgery and recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. Photographed April 3, 2004 at his home in Dalton, Georgia,while on a brief hospital leave.

The above photo is of Army SPC Jose Martinez; I have never met him, but his story like many others has touched my heart. Last week, I attended the Purple Heart presentation of my own Army step- son, who was wounded in action in Iraq. Although his injuries are not as severe as many, he indeed did sustain a traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb. There were some 23 other soldiers there that received the Purple Heart, and to see their injuries, some very severe, absolutely broke my heart.

I have published the above picture of SPC Martinez, to give you a bit of a preview of what just one of our young soldiers have gone through. If this shocks you, then maybe you can begin to be thankful for your own condition, and thankful for our wounded warriors.

As I have had occasions to visit with and see some, just some, of these soldiers, I have had a huge wave of guilt for EVER griping about anything! We, as humans really do take many thngs, and people for granted, and we as Americans are a very "spoiled" lot of people. Some are not so "spoiled", and I envy those who are not. You see, we have expectations, don't we?

Prayer Alert! Please pray for Marine SGT Samuel Nichols,
pictured here on the right, just before he shipped out for
Iraq. His convoy was hit by
an IED; he is now lying in a
coma in Bethesda Naval Hosp.
Pray for his healing, and for
his sweet wife Erin, in-laws ,
Tony&Julie Neria; his parents,
and all of his siblings; I believe
in Miracles!
For daily updates go to: http://tneria01.wordpress.com/

We expect:
to be able to walk
to wake up everyday
the air conditioner to work
to eat
to be able to see
to be able to go to the bathroom
our food to be just right at a restaurant
to never get sick
our phone to work
the gas pumps to NEVER run out
the water to work when we turn on the spigot
On and on...we can count our blessings under almost any circumstances, but we don't. The men and women who serve this country are so selfless in their service, and we take them for granted. It's not just them, we take life for granted; we think that the Earth revolves around us, our set of problems and circumstances. How often do we stop and consider people who have NOTHING? How often do we think of people who are living in third world countries who cannot go anywhere without fear of being killed, tortured, or blown up? It is human nature that when other people's problems don't touch our lives, then we can't feel it, nor do we even care. Where is the love? Where is the compassion?

Actually, this is my own "guilt trip", but I know that there are those who will read this who need to go there with me. I have personally come to realize that there is always something to be thankful for, and as a Christian, I can always be thankful that this life is not all there is. There IS an eternity, and eternity with the creator of everything, Jesus Christ, and I am so happy that I gave my life to Him in May of 1982.

So here is my challenge; Please go to the website that I have linked here and read every story of the soldiers there, and be thankful for all of our men and women in uniform, who would gladly lay down their lives for you.
http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0412/purplehearts_01.html

Thank God...Thank God for something!

Kauai Video

2011-01-14T17:45:00.002-05:00

Who is This Jesus?...Part II

2010-01-19T13:15:00.001-05:00

Who is this Jesus???

By Larry Wiseman

So just who is this Jesus that so many people talk about? Some say He was the son of God, some say He was a prophet; others say that He was the son of man, or even just a man, while still more say that He did not exist, more say that they don’t know or care who He is or was, and there are those who say that He was simply a joke. Many say and many pray and wait for His eventual coming again, but there is one thing for sure…almost no one can say that they’ve never heard of Him, no matter who He may be. Some use the name of Jesus Christ to swear with, and others, instead of swearing, pledge an allegiance of faith and servitude to a King that they have never seen.
Multitudes of people “think” they know who Jesus is, and millions are certain that they know exactly who He was and is. Some force their explanations of Jesus to conform to their own innovations and imaginations, while others use the Word of God to prove their case. There are several versions of God’s Word, and most of them agree who Jesus was and is; some versions have been written for the sole purpose of convincing others to believe in a certain doctrine or belief system.
So as you read this, what is your conclusion as to who Jesus Christ really is? Will you turn to the Bible, some theologian, your own belief system, some other person’s belief system? If you ask for help, you will be flooded with hundreds of well meaning people who seemingly know that they have the answer. Logically speaking, some will be wrong, some will be accurate and correct, while others will have a strange mixture of truth and fable. Question: If there is a real Jesus who has any power at all, especially if He is God Himself , don’t you think that He would want an individual that is seeking Him to know who He is? So who do you believe??? It has been said that everyone believes in something, even if it is oneself. So many people claim to have the answer, and he or she can usually be extremely scholastic in explaining where they derived their version of the truth from. Many will be extremely correct, but how do YOU decide? Is it possible that one can find the truth without being a “bookworm” or a great student?
Spirits
Remember this…one day, you may realize that if God exists, that he has a Spirit who is capable of conveying any message that He wants to come forth. Spirit of this, and spirit of that…Spirit of America, Spirit of St. Louis, Spirit of God, Spirit of man…on and on…who can we really trust? In a debate over any issue, the person who wins is the one who is the most convincing; the one who seems to be the most believable! Depending on the circumstances, it is possible that, given the right resources, along with the power of influence, that most people might be convinced of anything. Just look at the “kool-aid” drinkers in the Jonestown massacre. It is a good thing that “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.”
So who is this Jesus? Do you know, or do you just think that you know? Is the Earth round or is it flat? Who convinced you of anything, and how were you persuaded to know it for a fact? There really is only one source to know who Jesus is. Men have the answers, given in God’s Word, but you may say “I am tired of depending on men, and I don’t even believe the Bible!” Many share your sentiments, so if you were ever to be convinced of the reality of God, the Bible, or Jesus, what would it take to convince you? If you were asked who you are, would you say that you “know” who you are…certainly, based solely on your own consciousness. Well then, Jesus should know who He is then, right? So let’s just ask Him, but where is He? You will notice that I have yet to give you a reference to convince you of my personal beliefs…personally I do believe that the Word of God is a real, living Word, unlike any book ever written, but let’s pretend that I am unable to convince you of this.
The only way that you will EVER know who Jesus is, even if you are a staunch atheist, or an agnostic, is to ask God. You don’t believe in God? Well, ask Him anyway! “How silly,” you say. Well, if you ask Him, and He doe not exist, then this non-existent God will never answer you, right? On the other hand, if there is a real God, who created the entire universe, and all that exists, then He certainly is capable of giving you an answer as to who Jesus is; it may not be an answer as you humanly perceive that it should be. But since (or if) God is really God, then He can show you things that cannot be denied, so be prepared for a life changing experience, once you begin to seek who Jesus may be. Which brings me to my dare…I personally dare anyone to really, sincerely ask God if He exists, and to show you who Jesus is, You may say that you have asked, and NO answer came…I dare you, once again, to keep on asking…what do you have to lose? You may be pleasantly surprised at what you have to gain. If and when God comes to you, like I know He will, then ask Him to guide you to the right people for growth and guidance. Larry Wiseman

Why did I write the preceding article?

During a recent prayer time, I felt lead by the Holy Spirit to think through the process of the article that you have just read. I believe the there are several categories, if you will, of people in this world some of which can be classified as spiritual, some not so spiritual, some not spiritual at all, and others who would like to be spiritual, but for one reason or another, are not willing to surrender or commit to anything that causes them to lose control of his or her life. People who love God are happy about it, and love Him, and can’t seem to get enough of experiencing God in their life. There are others who only have God in their lives when they need Him, still others wish at times that they did not know anything about God, because He represents the guilt and conviction of the sin in their lives.
There is still another very large group of people in this world that do not know God, and are sick and tired of “religious” people who either force Christianity on others, or they are sick and tired of seeing people claim to be Christians, and not walk the talk. In a strange way, I respect this group, for they somehow understand how a decent Christian person ought to act, and are honestly disillusioned and disappointed, when they see the failures of Christians. “Who is this Jesus?” is not meant to denigrate the importance of truth or the Word of God, but, in fact, a message to all… that without the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can understand what God is all about. Christians should stand ready to “give an answer to all men”, “study to show thyself approved”, so that when God’s Spirit does work in a non-Christian’s life, we can be used of God to “feed His Sheep”. We must remember that we do not do the saving; we must allow God to do His work, and simply be His tools for ministry.

2009-02-25T19:44:00.003-05:00

The Pastor and his son
Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church,
the
Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand

out Gospel Tracts.
This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and
his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold
outside, as well as pouring down rain.

The boy bundled up in his warmest
and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready.'
His Pastor dad asked, 'Ready for what?'
'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.'
Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain.'
The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people

still going to Hell, even though it's raining?'
Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'
Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?'
His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are
the tracts, be careful son.'
'Thanks Dad!'
And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old
boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing
everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.
After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled
wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked
for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.

Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk
to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody
answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He
waited but still no answer. Finally, this eleven year old trooper
turned to leave, but something stopped him.
Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on
the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the
front porch!
He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.
Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly

asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that
lit up her world, this little boy said,
'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that
*JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel
Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE.'
With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.
She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'
Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the
pulpit.
As the service began, he asked, 'Does anybody have testimony or want to

say anything?'
Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her
feet.
As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face,
'No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see,
before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time

ago, leaving me totally alone in this world.
Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more
so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had
any hope or will to live.
So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic
of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then
stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my
neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to

leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs
startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go
away.'
I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and
more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking
loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody
ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck

and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and
louder.
When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for
there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I
had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to
you!
The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been
dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am,
I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.' Then he gave
me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.
As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I
closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I
went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them

any more.
You see---I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your

church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to
personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick

of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.'
There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and
honor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor

Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel
was seated.
He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this
universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor
for his son...
Except for One.

Our Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark
world.
He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven
shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on
a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is
named.

Enter into the Rest in These Troubling Times

2008-10-07T07:28:00.012-05:00

This passage from Phillipians 4:7 is beautiful, but, as well I want you to consider verse 8...

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Rest Homes

Resting in What?

There was a time, back in the day, when nursing homes were called "rest" homes; indicating that it was a place for old folks, who had come to a point in life where they needed nothing more than rest...probably 24/7. Nothing has changed much, aside from the name. These bodies that we live in start to show signs of wear, over time, at varying degrees, depending on how we take care of them or not. The famous excercise guru, Jack LaLane(I think he is 91) is still excercising, but he admits that he hates to exercise; he only does it to maintain his body. Our bodies do get old and break, and along with that, our spirits get weary, and some of us break down spiritutally and emotionally. Getting away from life's problems in one way or another, can renew our energy, restore our spirits, and even change our attitudes. Vacations are great for this, but all of us can't take a vacation on a whim, or sometimes, we can never take one. Where is the relief? Where is the help? Where is the rest?

I DARE NOT TRUST THE SWEETEST FRAME, BUT WHOLLY LEAN ON JESUS NAME

ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND, ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND,

ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.

Hebrews 4:3 KJV
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said , As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:4 KJV
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Hebrews 4:5 KJV
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Hebrews 4:8 KJV
For if Jesus had given them rest , then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Hebrews 4:9 KJV
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Hebrews 4:10 KJV
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Hebrews 4:11 KJV
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

As you read this, our world as we know it is on a fast track to self-destruction, and as Christians, our ONLY hope is in the peace of God that passes all understanding. As Paul said,

2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed : for I know whom I have believed , and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

So do I care who is the president? You can count on it! Do I worry if it's not the one that I think it should be? No, well sometimes, but I shouldn't! Am I concerned if the economy is in the toilet? No, for all of the money in all of the world is God's...he is just allowing us to make a mess of it for now.

I can rest in the peace of knowing, just like Daniel and the three Hebrew children that God will take care of me, even if someone kills me and even if they try to eat me alive! They will find out that I am like a carp, or a skunk. NOT FIT TO EAT! haha

For those of you from the north, NOT FIT TO EAT(a southern term) means inedible!

Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have : for he hath said , I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that I may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will NOT fear what man shall do unto me.

I will be editing this writing more in coming days, but until then I want everyone who reads this to think about a couple of things.

In the old testament, the people cried out to God to give them a king; they wanted a king; they somehow thought that God was insufficent to meet their needs, or guide them...but God gave the people what they wanted...his name was Saul! Saul was a disastor, and God knew this...God allowed demons to enter into Saul; you know the rest of the story, right down to the end of Saul's life, who committed suicide by falling on his own sword. In effect, it was not about the people or Saul, it was about all of the events that would lead to God's man being king...David, who was called(even with his flaws), a man after God's own heart.

If we will be a people after God's own heart, we cannot go wrong, and it won't really matter who is the president, for all of this is truly in God's hand, and God is never asleep at the switch.

In a huge way, this nation has turned its back on God, time and time again; God, being God cannot allow these things to go unanswered. The time may have come! He promises, however, to take care of His own, US!

Let not your heart be troubled! Enter in to the rest, knowing that Jesus gave us a very simple command....two words.............FEAR NOT!
The word says in Proverbs 23:7 Whatsoever a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he. Remember... Phillipians 4:8 tells us to think on these things! What are we thinking about???

Learning to Swim

2008-02-26T20:09:00.010-05:00

There are many true stories that I could tell about my late father, Hatley Wiseman, if I could simply remember them all. Sometimes, things from our childhood return to us, and it is fun to recall them. The other day, I was thinking about how I learned to swim, and maybe some of you will remember how you learned, but my experience was, at least interesting.

The family down the street from us had a swimming pool, and I was invited to their house one summer day to take a plunge. They asked me if I knew how to swim, and I told them"Oh yeah, sure I know how to swim."...knowing all along that I could not swim much better than a rock. That's exactly what happened, as one of the neighbor's son had to drag my limp, water-logged body out of the deep end, after I sank like a lead weight. Thankfully, I did not drown, but I think that I swallowed about a gallon of water.

The next week, my Daddy paid for me to have swimming lessons at the local recreation dept. I did really well, learning how to float; how to do the dog paddle, and a few other things, all in the shallow end. But then the day came to go off the diving board in the deep end. As I approached the end of the diving board, I froze in fear; I could not jump. One of the instructors tried to coax me off, and ended up peeling me off the board like fly paper, and they had to extract me from the water, as I could not swim. After they dragged me out, I looked over at the gate of the pool, and there stood my dad. All the way home in the car, he scolded me about how he had wasted his money on lessons for me, and that he just could not understand my fear. I was embarrassed and humiliated, and I was very sad that I had let my dad down, and after all of that, I still could not swim...very sad.

For some reason, Daddy took this on as a challenge, partly, because he did not want me to drown, and he also did not like failure; he wanted the best for me, like he always wanted for all of his kids. Ironically, our family loved the water; we had a ski boat, and a place on the lake, and I wanted to learn how to water ski, but I knew that Daddy wanted me to learn to swim first.

So the next time we went on a trip to the lake, my dad announced to me. "You are going to learn to swim!!!" I said, "Oh yeah, right?" Daddy said confidently, "Oh yeah, you can count on it"

I awaited the moment with trepidation, for I did not know what his method be. Well , sometime in the middle of the day on the day that I learned to swim, we went down to the boat dock, and my father jumped into the water, and gave me a demonstration on how to swim. I watched, and enjoyed his demo, but I did not enjoy the next part, because he climbed out of the lake, walked over to me, and literally threw me into the deep water, I came up, spitting, flailing, and screaming that I could NOT swim. He yelled at me, and said, " I taught you what to do, now swim...swim! I am not going to jump and help you...swim!" I had a decision to make...sink or swim. Well, I guess that I must have made the right one, because I am here to write this story.

The fact is, that when I tried the techniques that my dad had taught me, which really were simple, I swam for the rest of the day like a fish, and every day for the rest of the summer; I was one happy camper.

As I was reminiscing this event in my life recently, I was comparing it to our Heavenly Father, how he has given us everything that we need to know for life, and He even throws us into the lake at times, so that we must depend on Him; He loves it when we call on Him, for God loves us, and even when we think that He might let us sink, He won't let that happen, when we trust Him, and guess what He knows all along that we can depend on Him, just like my Earthly father knew that he could save me from drowning, but he also knew that I could swim.

This story is dedicated to my good friends Ann&Hank Clark. Ann has been thrown in the deep end, but don't worry Ann, God has you in His Hand!

The Four Chaplains

2008-01-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

I recently read about these brave men, and I want to share the story with you here...

THE STORY


ALEXANDER D. GOODE	GEORGE L. FOX	CLARK V. POLING	JOHN P. WASHINGTON
Click on images above to read bio

THE SAGA OF THE FOUR CHAPLAINS

It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers.

Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester, one of three ships in the SG-19 convoy, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland. SG-19 was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba and Comanche.

Hans J. Danielsen, the ship's captain, was concerned and cautious. Earlier the Tampa had detected a submarine with its sonar. Danielsen knew he was in dangerous waters even before he got the alarming information. German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea lanes, and several ships had already been blasted and sunk.

The Dorchester was now only 150 miles from its destination, but the captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers sleeping deep in the ship's hold disregarded the order because of the engine's heat. Others ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable.

On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the cross hairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester.
The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive--and deadly--striking the starboard side, amid ship, far below the water line.

Danielsen, alerted that the Dorchester was taking water rapidly and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship. In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester would slip beneath the Atlantic's icy waters.

Tragically, the hit had knocked out power and radio contact with the three escort ships. The CGC Comanche, however, saw the flash of the explosion. It responded and then rescued 97 survivors. The CGC Escanaba circled the Dorchester, rescuing an additional 132 survivors. The third cutter, CGC Tampa, continued on, escorting the remaining two ships
.
Aboard the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded. Others, stunned by the explosion were groping in the darkness. Those sleeping without clothing rushed topside where they were confronted first by a blast of icy Arctic air and then by the knowledge that death awaited.

Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats, over-crowding them to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them.

Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.

Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety.

"Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live," says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox.

One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. "I could hear men crying, pleading, praying," Bednar recalls. "I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going."

Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic air, explained he had forgotten his gloves.

"Never mind," Goode responded. "I have two pairs." The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves. In retrospect, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester.

By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight.

When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men.

"It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven," said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains' selfless act.

Ladd's response is understandable. The altruistic action of the four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line.

As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains--arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers.

Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains.

The Book of Remembrance
[Names of most of those who perished]

"Valor is a gift," Carl Sandburg once said. "Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes."
That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling and Father Washington passed life's ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage and selflessness.

The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA.

A one-time only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor.

Copyright © 2007 The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
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Philadelphia, PA 19112-1307
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No Man Can Serve Two Masters...Knowing God's Will?

2007-06-14T02:01:00.000-05:00

click on the photo to enlarge

Do You Know God?

I won't go into a long tirade about your relationship with God, but I have posed this question for the purposes of asking all of us to do a self-examination to determine if we truly have a one on one relationship with Jesus. The little illustration above is not meant to insult anyone either. I found it in a old book, from the 1930's, and it's theme is based on the scripture where Jesus states that no man can serve two masters; he will love the one and hate the other. It is very simple, when we come to Jesus, we cannot be tampering with the things of the world any longer, for after our surrender to God, we are not our own, we are bought with the Blood of the Lamb. Take a few minutes to study the picture, and see how that with Jesus in our "driver's seat", we can and will have a victorious Christian life. With satan in control, we were going nowhere but a "dead-end" street.

With That Being Said...

Now that we are living for God, then how do we know what His will is for our life? Well, there was a time in my life that I didn't feel comfortable going forward with anything, until I had a clear picture from God as to what I should do next. I found out that even though God wants us to seek His will, that we "see through a glass darkly", and with our eyesight, we don't always see clearly, even when God is trying to tell us something; so I began to step out in faith more and more, and do what Proverbs teaches us to "trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; in all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."

We are really pretty stupid, especially when we think that we are smart. I find that I am smartest when I ask God to think for me. When I get in that mode, many times miraculous, supernatural things happen. So, to me, it is just that simple. I have had people (even really good, well meaning Christian ones) try to tell me and even dictate to me what God's will is for my life, and I have even tried to make my plans fit to God's Word, and visa versa(making God's Word to comply with my plans) This is called manipulation.

On Our Own?

Jesus said that He would not leave us alone, but would send us a comforter, the Holy Spirit, oh yeah, that's God, too! Well, if we ask God to go with us, He promises that He will, and not leave us floundering in a sea of helplessness. So that's really how I determine God's will...I don't...He does, and I try to follow, when I am awake(alert) enough to hear His voice(that still quiet one), and then, that peace that passes all understanding comes, I walk through the doors that He opens.

Oh yeah, sometimes He provides a window that I have to crawl out of...oh yeah, sometimes, He knocks down a whole wall for me ...thank you Jesus! Oh yeah, many times, God directs, protects, leads, and does things for us that we don't even know that He does, and we may not know about those things this side of Heaven. So the key element here is total trust in God.

So if you want to know God's will, ask Him; He will show you, but not always in some "crystal ball" visionary way. Guess what; He is not obligated to show us the entire painting; he is the artist, we are the canvas; if we could know all of the answers, we would not need God, but we do need Him, and that's a good thing! There are also very obvious things that we know are or are not God's will. Those are the "givens" in life; we know the basics of right from wrong, and we must adhere to those principles.

Keep praying, keep trusting, keep believing, keep dreaming. Love God, praise Him for who He is. Praise Him for all the mighty things that he has done. Love everyone, even when it hurts, the pain will subside! Be joyous!

"Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31

Prayer Warrior Alert.... Things to Pray For...UPDATE!!! OUR SOLDIER IS HOME!!!

2007-03-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

We are Praising God at our house today and everyday, our son, David, has returned from battle. He was wounded on May 22nd, in a roadside bomb incident in which his M1A2 tank was completely flipped over. He has a TBI, but IS expected to recover; There are many details that I won't discuss here, only to say that while we were "seriously" trusting God to give David an inexplicable "gut" wrenching feeling if something was wrong; the day of his injury, as his tank passed through an intersection, he says that he had a "gut" feeling that something was terribly wrong, and even his fingers and legs were tingling. He dropped down into the tank, and an instant later, the first of two explosions happened. The rest is history; he is alive, and walking, and talking.

Why God chose our family to have a happy ending is strictly of His choosing and eternal mercy...there is nothing special about us, for 3,500 families have not had such a happy story to tell. WE MUST NOT FORGET THEM ! WE MUST NOT FORGET THEM! May God's infinite Wisdom, Mercy, and Grace shine down on them, and help them through this hell on earth. I always say that I am so thankful that this life here on Earth is not all there is, and God has an eternity for us to spend with Him forever. Now, as I have asked you before, please read this prayer warrior alert again, and maybe again, and pray! PRAY for our troops, and please don't stop...PLEASE!

What Are We Doing?

First of all we need to realize that our country is still at war; further, we all (including the anti-war whiners), need to realize that we, as a nation, did not start this war. True, the war in Iraq has eroded into something that our leaders, both political and military, may not have counted on, but warring amongst ourselves is exactly what the enemy feeds on. Our troops are risking their lives, as we read this, and trashing them and each other only weakens our cause. So when we pray for the cause, we really need to know what to pray for; randomly praying without a focus on our faith, and just rambling on and on, to me, show just that...a lack of faith.

The God We Serve

Our God created this place that we know as Earth, and, oh yeah, the entire universe, and many things that we may never even see or know about...this side of Heaven.
So...considering this alone; how could we doubt the power of God. I mean, seriously, just stop and contemplate, for a minute, all the mighty things that God has done. The little human mind boggles!
So... since God has promised time and time again that whatever we ask for in faith, He will do it. Now, we know
that the answer will come...His way, His timing. God can neither lie nor fail.
So...I have some serious questions for you. Do you believe that our prayers collectively can make a difference? Do you want to make a difference? Do you want our country to win this war against "unGodly" enemies, who, by the way, HATE us, because they are not serving God, but they are serving satan?

OK...Here's The List, Let's Get Started

#1. The Bible teaches us that no weapon formed against you will prosper, so pray, in Faith that all of the enemy's weapons will fail; oh yeah...eventually, the insurgents will have to run out of human bodies to sacrifice, and they WILL run out of steam...count on that...be patient!
#2. Trust God to empower our troops with miraculous, anointed power from on high, and for them to be surrounded by Real Angels, and protected, and guided from God in everything that they do.
#3. Trust God to frustrate and defeat any efforts in this country, by anyone, American or not, that tries to damage, discourage, or cause any interference for our troops, either by cutting off funds or attacking our military leaders, including the attacks on our Commander-in-Chief. Pray that God will bring those people to utter shame, and repentance for helping the enemy.
#4. The Bible says that we are to pray for our enemies; yes we should pray that they will repent, and turn to God for the salvation of their souls; and ask God to prevent the enemy from harming our people in any way, even if He has to use our troops to destroy the enemy. The Bible says that if it be possible, we should be at peace with all men. They have made it impossible, many times, to be at peace. With God, all things are possible; ask Him to turn this around; trust Him to turn this around. How could we doubt that He has the ability to do anything?
#5. Pray for all of our troops to turn to God, and to turn to God for the salvation of their souls; we have men out there fighting the enemy in the power of their own flesh...the flesh is weak; they need God! May God help them all!
#6. Pray all things in the name of Jesus, and pray for our President, our leaders, and all who have the power over us; ask God to take control of all of this.
#7. Pray that God will strengthen the faith of all of us who pray; that we will not doubt or waver in our trust of God...the disciples asked Jesus to "help our unbelief". We must believe, to see this thing turn around!

If You Have Any More to Add to This...
click on "comment" at the bottom of this post, and write it in!!! I want to hear it.

A Special Message to Everyone That I Know

2007-03-16T19:10:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone...that is, all of you that know me. This message is written especially for all of you. Most of you have been around me for many years, you have probably seen me at my worst and best; hopefully you have not ever seen me at my "very" worst, or you would have never wanted to be in my presence, ever! Most people who associate with me know that I really try to be a nice guy, but fail miserably, at times.
Some of you have really been angry with me at times, and some of you have really been nice to me, as well. I probably earned your anger, and appreciate your kindness, and forgiveness for the times when I behaved badly.

It is No Secret
Of course, it is no secret that I am a born again Christian, and again, no secret that I am far from perfect. Guess what, that Bible that I believe in tells me that one day, I will be perfect, even as Jesus is perfect. Until then, you will just to put up with me...my apologies! Before I became a Christian, many people tried to shove "religion" down my throat, and I vowed many years ago that I would try not to be obnoxious when I tell people about Jesus, and the salvation that only He can give. At the same time, I must be a real man, and be willing to stand strong for the fundamentals of the faith.

So Why Am I Writing This?

Good question...I just wanted to tell you all how much I care about you and your life, and how much your friendships have meant to me over the years. I think the thing of utmost importance here is that I want to convey to you a truth about what I believe to be our last days on this Earth.
OK...you can laugh, and I am not making any predictions here, but after many years of study, I have come to the conclusion that we could possibly see the end of this Earth as we know it in our lifetime. No one really knows but God Himself, but His Word does teach us how to recognize some of the signs. Either way, I am very happy about it all.

This Is Not All There Is
Well, with the exception of all of the bad things that happen daily on this Earth, I am, for the most part, really enjoying my life. I also know that many of you are really enjoying yours, too. One thing that I am sure of is that this life, as we know it, will come to a screeching halt one day, either to death, or the end of the world! When people hear the end of the world spoken of, they think many things. Some think that it is a bunch of "wacko" stuff; some think that it is a bunch of "overly religious" stuff, and just refuse to talk to anyone about it, because, well, it's all just a little too weird. Well, I, for one, am really happy that this is NOT all there is; there really is a life after this one; there is just too much evidence to think otherwise.

Religion or Relationship?
I have heard some of you say that you respect the fact that I am a very religious person...and I am sure that you mean that respectfully, while some of you actually are thinking that I am a religious "nut" that has gone "too far" with religion in my life. I have a surprise for most of you...I don't
consider myself to be a "religious" person at all!!!
You might ask,"How could this be?" Well, I will tell you...try to understand that my beliefs are not part of any religion, but totally in regards to a personal "relationship" with the one and only Jesus Christ, and furthermore, that I firmly believe that HE always "was" for eternity past... and always "is" for eternity future. I really don't care what other "religions" may teach; I know the truth, and the truth is this... God, the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit always were, and this eternal God is NOT three gods in one, BUT... One God, with three distinct attributes. The human mind cannot really conceive of this, but that fact does not make God any less than what I just decribed for you.
This God, this incredibly, amazing God has always had a plan; a plan that involves you and me. We are able through the study of His Word to understand many of His ways, and many aspects of His plan, but because we are still simply humans, we cannot begin to comprehend the whole picture.

Proverbs
I want to share one verse from the Bible, inspired by God, and written by a very wise man named Solomon. It is Proverbs 3:5&6
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; in all of your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
I would say that this verse is my "theme song", and I can tell you some true stories of how trusting God has really blessed me many, many times. Who do you trust? Yes, I know that there are people in our lives that we feel are trustworthy, like our husbands and wives, best friends, etc., but we all let each other down from time to time, to one degree or another. God on the other hand, is always God, and He can't lie or fail.
Many have said to me that if God were real, that He would not allow all of the bad things to happen in the world to people, but I say to them that since God, being God, the creator of the entire universe, knows all things, sees all things, understands all things into the past, that has no beginning, and the future, that has no end. God can see millions of light years into space, and can look onto the deepest parts of the ocean's floor, 12 miles down, and see creatures that we may never see, and He can think, and they will cease to exist. An awesome God like this truly does know best, and He also knows the "whys", when we may never know this side of Heaven. That's where my "lean not unto your own understanding"comes in. If I acknowledge Him in all of my ways, He promises to direct my paths.

So What is the Point?
Many of you know and understand me, quite well, but the rest of you wonder what I am really all about. To those of you who really don't understand me, that's cool, but know this, I care about what happens to you, especially when you leave this Earth. The old saying "here today, gone tomorrow" is not a fable. No one is ever guaranteed another minute! Please don't ever think(like I once did, as a foolish young man) that you are invincible.
Here's the deal; everything that we see happening all around the world, even in your town, is all part of a real story that is playing itself out. God is in control of it, even though there is a battle going on between good and evil. God will prevail, He always has, and always will. So if you don't understand all of this, I at least do understand enough of it to help you. I am not any better or "holier" than anyone. But for the amazing grace of God, I am just a man, and a real loser, to boot. You can always talk to me about any of this. I will help you any way that I can.
There was a time in my life that I really thought that God, Jesus, and the Bible were all some "fairy tale". KNOW THIS! One day, long ago, in Heaven, a beautiful Angel named Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven, and cast down on this Earth; his name was changed to satan; he took control of this Earth, including the people, in many ways. One day very soon, God is going to take it all back; the Earth, the money(all money, or anything of value is really God's, none of it is ours)...everything! God does not want any person on this Earth to perish. God did not create Hell for people; He made it for the devil and his rebellious angels. God does not send people to Hell; they send themselves! Remember, this is NOT about religion, it is about relationship. Please come to me and we can talk; if you disagree with me, we can still talk. My point here it that I care about you...end of story.
p.s. Oh yeah, to all of my Christian friends...please pass this on to anyone you know who has not seen or talked to me in a while. I care about them, too.

Driving Me Crazy

2007-02-13T08:40:00.000-05:00

What Drives Me Crazy!

My friends(hopefully not in name only), say that am already crazy, but I contend that I am only at the precipice of "crazy". Yes I have, and continue to do some crazy things, like when a telemarketer calls, and he or she has an accent, different from mine, I do have a talent for impersonating their accent to the point that they don't want to continue the conversation; that's how I get rid of them, and it gives me some entertainment, as well. I also have been known to respond to a telemarketer with a language that no one can understand, yet actually seems like it is a legitimate language...a type of "tongues" that confuses the caller to the point that they are dying to end the conversation. It's fun for me, but drives my wife crazy. "Why don't you simply not answer or hang up on them?" she asks. I say,"Well, I would, but I just have SO much fun playing with them, that I can't resist sharing my insanity with them."

Oh well...I guess I could say telemarketers drive me crazy, but not anymore;I drive them crazy. A friend of mine loves it when they call him, for it gives him a opportunity to ask them if they know Jesus as their Savior, then he shares his story with them. He has had some interesting conversations, and some real conversions to Christ as a result. I think I will try this approach, too.

I have a picture of the infamous Mr. Magoo here because I think the one thing that still drives me crazy is stupid people who drive an automobile like a 5 year old in a bumper car. It drives me crazy when I go out in my car because most of the time, I feel that I am truly the only sane person on the road. People are driving(I use the term loosely) up and down the road like a bed of ants that someone has set fire to their mound.

I get so upset about it that it just makes me crazy, and what makes me crazier is that I refuse to get into a "road rage" confrontation with them, so I just sit in my car and quietly lose my mind. I used to rant and rave about it, and in years gone by, I too have been known to wave the fickled finger of fate at the morons who do all of the ridiculous things that they do, but one night many years ago, before I became a Christian, a man much crazier than me, shot out my back window with a .45, after I tried to show him that he was number one in my life with that one finger. This taught me that no matter how crazy I may be, that there is always someone out there completely insane, and not just a little crazy.

What Makes You Crazy?

I can go on and on about the crazy, "nonsensicle" things that others do, like the lovely ones who act like a big shot with their cell phones out in public, blurting out all of their business, including "airing" all of their dirty laundry, and sometimes "soap-opera" lifestyles, even trying to talk their trash, and drive a car, too...makes me crazy.

Please share some of your "crazy" stories with me, but please keep it clean. One more of mine is that of people who go out in public when they are half dead with a cold, or a cough, and they blow their germs all over everyone without a tissue or hanker-chief to cover the mouth...makes me crazy; especially when I am trying to eat.

So check this out...one night my wife and I are sitting in a restaurant at a booth, and there is this elderly man behind me with a bad cold; he let out this "ripping" sneeze right on the back of my head. I wanted to belt him...then he does it about three more times. I was just before turning around and asking him to please stop this hurricane of viral slobber, when he whispered in my ear,"I guess I could get up and move...heh heh heh" I wheeled around, and it was a co-worker of mine who had seen me sit down, and he had taken his water glass and every time he would fake a sneeze, he would throw a handful of water on my neck. Of course my ever-faithful wife kept silent and held a straight face while he had his fun...the joke was truly "on" me!

Is there a cure?

Maybe the insanity will never stop, but we have a choice how it affects us; I don't handle it well, admittedly, but I am thinking of a change. I would like to hear your stories first, though, and then after we have some fun, we can decide how we will learn to absorb the insanity of mankind. Please let me hear from you.

ANGELS...PART ONE

2006-11-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

God's Angels are Real

Unlike the elusive, beautiful painting above, angels are real, but most of the time, we don't even see them, and for a very good reason; for they are God's messengers sent to do His work and to protect us from danger including danger from ourselves. This journal is not about making pretty pictures, or sculpting images of angels, but a study of who they are, and why God has them as His "secret agents". But first, I must describe our relationship to God and the situation that we are in, here on Earth.

Who (whose) are You?

OK here is the deal; it is time for us to understand and realize who we are in Christ...that we are truly NOT our own; we are bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus, and that with that purchase, God Almighty has endowed us with the right to be called HIS; the right to go Heaven; THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT! While we are here on this Earth, we have things to do, that are to Glorify God, and to further His Kingdom to come, and to lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven; when we get saved, and give our whole hearts and lives to JESUS, we are then enlisted in God's Army.

CLAIMER/DISCLAIMER

I call this a claimer/disclaimer because in my writings, I make certains claims (this is the claimer part), namely, that God's Word says this or says that...I claim it to be true. but (here's the disclaimer part), if anyone who reads my writings, thinks that I have misspoken, then by all means feel free to challenge me, and I will take a second look; to see if I have (misspoken). Many times, I will not quote the chapter and verse, but I will tell you where it is located in the Bible...call me lazy if you like; it is just my style. If I am challenged to say where I got something from God's word, I will be happy to explain myself.

GOD'S ARMY

Historically speaking, when a general or even a king sends people into battle, he usually sends the warriors equipped to win the battle, for only a fool would expect victory otherwise.

By the same token, God has never sent leaders of old into battle, unless He planned for them to win...if they lost a battle, it was because they failed,miserably, to obey God's commands as to "how to" go about fighting the battle.

God sent Joshua and the people into the battle of Ai, and they were being slaughtered; Joshua asked god "Why?" God clearly explained to Joshua that there was sin in the camp...a man named Achin had stolen gold from the enemy, and hidden it in his tent; when the Lord had explicitly instructed them to take nothing; Achin confessed what he had done, and Joshua herded Achin and all of his family together, and they were all stoned to death. How do you like that for accountablility?

Who are the members of God's Army today? What is the nature of the battle? Who is the enemy?

The old hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers", pretty much answers the first question:

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war

With the Cross of Jesus, going on before

Christ our royal master, leads aginst the foe,

Forward into battle, see our banners flow.

You see, when you become a Christian, you are then enlisted in the Army of God. Now to some, that is only a symbolic existence, not to be taken too seriously, but to others, it means a life that is never the same again, dedicated to bringing in more souls for Jesus, and living a victorious life that is full of the Love of God, and free from the bondage of sin, which answers the second question; the nature of the battle is clearly spoken of in the book of Ephesians.

satan's angels are DEFEATED

" Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness, in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Praying always in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints." Ephesians6:10-18

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; 2Corinthians 10:4

Now, the question is "Who is our enemy?" Well, it was certainly not meant to be people, although people have made enemies of each other since man made himself an enemy of God in the garden of Eden. But God loved man in spite of this; that is why He became a man named Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.

Once upon a timeless in Heaven, there was a beautiful angel named Lucifer, who was actually in charge of the music in Heaven; in fact the Word says that he had a musical instrument inside of him. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, this angel decided to rebel against God. Who did he think he was, rebelling against God, the creator of everything? God could not tolerate such a thing, and He threw Lucifer and ONE THIRD of all the angels (the ones that rebelled against God) in Heaven, OUT of Heaven, and onto the Earth.

Now, I don't know how many that was, but I am sure that it was a LOT. Let's just be conservative in guessing that there were 3 million total angels in Heaven at the time; that means that at least 1 million were cast down with Lucifer(who became satan at that time) to the Earth. Well what happened to them? I don't think that they just disappeared; no, they remained here with satan, reeking havoc in the lives of mankind. They will continue to try to reek havoc in the lives of mankind until one day when God throws them all into Hellfire, where they will remain forever!

People who are living under the Blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ, make it difficult if not impossible for those demon-angels to hurt them or affect their lives. But those demon-angels have plenty of other people to work with; just look at all of the wicked things that people do, every day!

A sober person generally has a very strong level of bio-feedback in his or her brain, and he or she is usually in total control. A drugged or intoxicated person, on the other hand, has a very low bio-feedback level, and his or her mind is an open door for demon-angels to work. They even like to work in the minds of crazy or demented people. The "Son of Sam" was a very famous serial killer; he went through the streets shooting people with a .357 magnum. After he was eventually caught, it was known that he had a terrible drinking and drug problem; he said that voices, namely a black dog named Sam, told him to kill people. Several years ago, a woman drowned all five of her children in the bathtub; she was over medicated on anti-depressants,and also taking psychotropic drugs, and NOT following doctor's orders; she told police that voices told her to kill the children. I could go on and on. The fact is that these demon- angels still live on this Earth, and they have little or no effect on a Christian who is sold out to Jesus, especially those who wear the armor of God. In fact the Bible says that we can cast those devils out, and that they have NO power over us! When Jesus said from a cruel cross "It is Finished" it was finished, and when he arose from the dead, it was and is finished for the demon-angels in the lives of Chritian believers; we just have to reckon it so, and live like it. Satan and his angels are defeated!!

God's Angels

God's Angels are all throughout the Bible, and in part two of this series, we will talk more about them, and how REAL they can be for us, because they are real! I have a friend named Benjamin, who is possibly the most studied man in the Word of God that I have ever known; I am asking him to help me in teaching the reality of God's Angels, and how He has placed them in our lives to protect us, and how if we simply believe, that God will send them where we need them to be. Just believe it!

In closing, I want to share a true-life angel story. My friend Eddie was changing the battery in his car one weekend, and his small son was following him around "watching Daddy". Eddie had charged the battery overnight in his house, so he brought it out to re-install it in his car. He hooked it up to the terminals, and went around to the front seat to start the car. His little boy stood in front of the car about eye level with that newly charged battery, just watching. As Eddie tried to turn the key, he said that a force, much greater than his, would not allow him to turn the key. He tried really hard to turn it, but it would not budge; he then took his hands off the switch, and asked his small son to come around and stand next to Daddy, which he did. Now Eddie and his son are in the car while Eddie tried the ignition key again. This time he could turn the key. As soon as the battery was energized from the key, it EXPLODED into a thousand pieces; Eddie said that he found pieces of battery in the front and back yards of his home; his son would have been killed instantly, had something not stopped Eddie's hand. These things don't happen by accident! You will learn as you read more of my writings that I personally don't believe anything happens by accident.

ANGELS PART TWO

2006-11-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

Well,I have been waiting for God to give me the Part Two of this series, and have been wondering when it would come. My step-son David is presently in Iraq; experiencing some of the heaviest fighting ever in the region. My faith is unwavering, and we picture the REAL presence of God's angels all around David and all of his men. I KNOW that those angels are there, and that the enemies that he's fighting, are NOT a people who serve the true living God; so God's will be done; I am just praying for David's safety; I am not praying that he will kill a lot of people; although I know that they will have to in order to stay alive; I am also not happy that he is fighting for his life in a horrible war, but obviously, someone has to step up to the plate to protect our freedoms; I am convinced that God is protecting him every day, all day!

I pray that as you read this , that you will share your faith with us on this blog; especially in this case, if you have stories about angels. I have heard and read many; remember this...there are angels watching over you and all of God's believers. I read the story of a missionary in Africa who was with his wife in their meager hut one night, when the chief of the village brought his men to kill the missionary and his wife. He and his wife prayed all night for God's protection. The chief and his men came, and they quickly left. Two years later, while preaching in Johannesburg, the missionary was amazed to see that same chief come forward to accept Christ. When asked by the missionary about that night when the chief came to kill him, the chief replied, "Because you were winning souls to your God, we wanted to kill you, but when we came, there we saw many giant warriors with fire in their eyes, surrounding your hut, and we knew that they would kill us if we did not leave!"

There are no accidents in this life, and because I believe that, I understand why HE had me begin this series when I did...I happen to be on Max Lucado's mailing list for his weekly devotionals; his staff, nor I, knew that I would be writing about angels at the same time that they would send out his excerpt about angels. Consequently, I am compelled to include it here in this entry. God only knows, but after this, I sense an "Angels...part three" coming soon. In that one, I will probably be giving Biblical accounts of angels.

Angels Watching Over You
by Max Lucado

One of my friends recently took a heart-stopping mission trip to Vietnam. He and two companions set out to smuggle Bibles and money to Christians there. Upon landing, however, he was separated from the other two. He spoke no Vietnamese and had never traveled in Hanoi. Imagine his thoughts, then, as he stood in front of the airport, holding a bag of Bibles, wearing a belt of cash, and knowing nothing more than the name of his hotel.
Taxi driver after taxi driver offered his services, but he waited and prayed. Finally, knowing he needed to do something, he climbed into a taxi and spoke the name of the hotel. After an hour and a thousand turns, he found himself deposited at the designated place. He paid his drivers, and they went on their way.
That’s right, “they” drove off. The front seat of his taxi had been occupied by two men. Only later did the uniqueness of this fact strike him. He saw hundreds of taxis during his days in Vietnam, but not another one of them had two drivers.
Angels minister to God’s people. “ has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go” (Ps. 91:11 NCV).
Billy Graham reminds us, “If you are a believer, expect powerful angels to accompany you in your life experience.”? But what if you are not a believer? Do angels offer equal surveillance to God’s enemies? No, they don’t. The promise of angelic protection is limited to those who trust God. Refuse God at the risk of an unguarded back. But receive his lordship, and be assured that many mighty angels will guard you in all your ways.
God sends his best troops to oversee your life. Imagine the president assigning his Secret Service to protect you, telling his agents to motorcade your car through traffic and safeguard you through crowds. How would you sleep if you knew D.C.’s finest guarded your door? How will you sleep knowing heaven’s finest are doing just that? You are not alone. Receive God’s lordship over your life. Heaven’s many, mighty angels watch over you.From Come Thirsty Copyright 1995, Max Lucado

The Tribute Lady Part One

2006-09-03T23:36:00.000-05:00

Susan D. Wiseman, known on the internet as "The Tribute Lady" is shown here with our son, SPC David Dale, US Army.David is due to ship out overseas in the near future. He is an M1A, Abrams tanker. "It Is The Soldier" is one of Susan's tribute songs, written in honor of David. We are very proud of him, both as a man, and as a soldier, who is willing to risk his life for our country.

THE NAME...TRIBUTE LADY

I guess that I can take the credit for tagging Susan with that handle, but that's really who she is; The Tribute Lady. The name has stuck. People all over the world know her by that name; She has written many tribute songs, and paying tribute to people, both living, and dead, is what she does. It is a little amazing to me is that she has touched the hearts of thousands of people, but if you go out on the street, and ask anyone if they have ever heard of her, they would probably say "no". Another different aspect of Susan is that she has never made a plan or agenda to be where she is today, in the world of music, other than to make a vow to God (at a very young age) that she would go and sing anywhere that He wanted her to.

When I married this woman almost 21 years ago, I was soon thereafter exposed to her music, which I found most intriguing, to say the least; since I had a background in commercial music, I immediatedly invisioned her selling the music, or becoming a very successful song writer. Little did I know that she had already turned down more than one offer to sell her music, and was very discriminating as to the future of any of her songs.

I then became involved with her in the raising of her 4 children, and even though one left home at an early age, we devoted the next 2 decades to the lives of our children. Susan continued to write songs, but our priority during that time was strictly to our kids.The songs written during that time were mostly dedicated to the love of God, family and her children. Because I had been a professional trumpet player, I still played in churches, and also did some "gigs" with local bands to help supplement our income.

We put our kids through private Christian schools, and the cost was almost like paying fo a college education for each one; we struggled; I remodelled houses on the side, and we struggled, but we also invested in the lives of our kids; we did girl scouts, boy scouts, and church activities; we struggled; we almost starved; we almost lost our house, but we lived through it, and God Almighty never left us; He saw us through all of the tough times, and we would both do it again, a million times; maybe some things a little differently, but our family, along with God, came first.

HER GIFT OF SONG

It took a while for me to fully comprehend Susan's gift of song; I knew that she loved music, and even though she was untrained, that her talent for verse and writing really nice melodic lines was real. What I failed to understand was that she is an inspired song-writer, and unless she feels that certian leading, she will not simply purpose to write a song. In fact, she has said many times that she can't purpose to write a song; she can only write when someting inspires her, and moves her heart and soul.

HER EARS

I noticed, very early on in our relationship, that Susan probably has some form of relative pitch. A person who is born with perfect pitch can hear a tone, and instantly know what note on the keyboard it is, i.e., if you play a "d". that person knows that it is a "d". Also, their ears are perfectly in tune with music, and anything that is even slightly out of tune really bothers them.

Relative pitch is similar to perfect pitch, but that person has to hear a note and identify it first, and he or she can hear and identify all other notes played , from that point on. Although Susan is untrained, she has the inate ability to hear notes and tune her voice to them. She is not a powerful singer, but has what I call a pretty voice, that exudes sincerity. When I first heard her sing, I could tell that she had a voice in there, but she sang out of tune, and I just dismissed that as her not being a strong singer.

A huge revelation occurred to me when we purchased the keybooard/sequencer that she now writes and performs all of her music on today. Upon hearing her first song written on the instrument, I noticed immediately that she sang vastly more in tune than before. My musical mind began working "overtime" to analyze the difference, and what I believe is this...when Susan composed, played and sang her music on the old "rinky dink" piano, which was out of tune, she sang out of tune, as well. Evidently, her ears homed in on the tones from the new keyboard, which is perfectly "in tune", and her singing voice immediately improved, and her intonation is excellent. Because she is not a trained singer, she does sing out of tune occasionally, but on her recordings, you can hear her adjust an "out of tune" note. Why? Because she hears it, and apparently doesn't consciously adjust the note, but because she has a "good ear", she unconsciously adjusts the note.This indicates to me that Susan has "relative" pitch.

HER TEARS

For various reasons, Susan has cried a lot in her life; some from heartaches, some from being unduly mistreated by people, but many of her tears have been shed from the compassion that she has for others. Most, if not all, of her tribute songs are the direct result of the emotional impact that the life or death of the individual(s) have had on her. Many requests have come to Susan to write a particular song for or about a person, and she has had to politely decline them, stating that unless inspired, she cannot possibly purpose to write a song on her own. Conversely, when an event or person touches her heart, the songs literally pour out of her, along with her tears. I have seen her cry for days, in the process of writing a new song that had come on her. Until the song is completed, it is hard to empathize with her reason for crying, but when the recording is finished, I too, cry along with her many times. It is then that the heart of the matter is revealed, and Susan's incredible compassion flows through her music. One prime example of this can be seen and heard on a site called http://herhometownheroes.com

THE TRIBUTE LADY ...PART TWO

2006-07-24T07:55:00.000-05:00

THE BLESSINGS CONTINUE

Susan's work seems to be never ending; it is not something that she asked for, but willingly and lovingly does from her heart, and God keeps working in her and through her, and I am honored to be any part of it, even if it were to just carry her bags. I think because Susan is such a sensitive person(sensitive is good...by the way) that she remains a vessel for her wonderful music to be poured into. Some people(the more ignorant ones) have a concept that if a person is going to produce music that is just "HAS" to be perfect or close to perfection to be good. Those individuals has missed the mark when it comes to ministering to people; they don't understand that making big impressions pale in comparison to reaching the hearts and souls of others who are hurting or grieving. I think that there was a time when this mindset discouraged Susan; Why? because it was meant to discourage her...over time, I think that she has become focused on her gift in such a way that what other people think... does not matter. Given that fact, she still just wants to be a blessing, and she is!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

On Sept 9th, Susan will be performing for the dedication of two 9/11 Memorial Quilts...one for the Firefighters. and one for the 9/11 victims and their respective families. She is so humbled to have been invited to the event. When she wrote the song, her sincere prayer was that one day, she could at least place a copy of the recording of the song in the hands of the victims and/or their familes. Not only has that prayer been answered, but she will personally meet many of them, and sing the song for them. God is good ...all the time!!!

LOGISTICS

On Friday, we picked up 1,000 double CD's of two of Susan's albums, produced by Anaphora music; our first time to do business with these folks, and overall, we are very pleased. Susan will give these CD's as a gift, as long as they last in NY, next week. Our prayer is that we can get them shipped up there, safely and on time. We also have a sound system with stands, and we will have our hands full handly all of that on the airplane, so please pray for us.

WHY DO I DO THIS?

To say that I LOVE the woman named Susan D. Wiseman is a "way" mild understatement. I have met possibly every type person that one could think of in this life, from the demon-possessed, to the finest Christian, and I can attest that Susan has all of the wonderful qualities of what one would search a lifetime to find in a person. Mere words cannot describe how I feel about her both as my wife, a person of TRUE integrity, and my one and only true best friend of all time. I know that other men feel the same way about their wives(Yeah, like you Benjamin), but I am particularly blessed to know her, and be married to her at the same time. So that being said, I can honestly say that supporting her in her gift of song is not ony a priviledge, but a duty, a calling, and an honor; need I say more? I will have more when we return from NY

http://thetributelady.com

My Mission

2006-06-15T18:09:00.000-05:00

My Mission: Let's see...I think my mission is to go to Hawaii at least 100 more times before I die(I'm being funny here), but if I don't, the times I have been there have been amongst the most wonderful times in my life.

When I started this blog, I had a concept of this wise old man who would give out free advice on everything from soup to nuts, since I have a lot of experience in many trades, including an extensive background in music.

To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect, but I did pray, and ask God to bless my efforts, and as I began to write, He seemed to take control, and what you read on the blog is the result.

I think others expected something totally different, as well. My chief desire is to help people; I obviously don't have all of the answers, but I know someone who does. Jesus Christ lives in me, and He wants to live in you.

I believe that God wants to speak through this blog; as usual, I had something altogether different in mind; He knows best, so I will trust Him for the stories for you to read. Stay tuned, and see what God has in store for us; yes, us.

My life verse is Isaiah 61:1&2

"The Spirit of theLord is upon me; because the Lord hath appointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn."

MEN OF COLOR...ALL MEN ARE COLORED!

2006-06-15T12:37:00.000-05:00

I am blessed to be a part of this little band of brothers; these are what we all call the men of the "Upper Room". For about 5 years, we have gathered together to eat our lunch, and to study God's word. I should say that we eat a spiritual feast every day that we are at work. It is possibly the most incredible Spiritual journey that I have ever been on. Our study and contemplation of The Word is "super intense". It took us 2 years to study the Psalms. Some days, we only covered 1 or 2 verses, because we found a nugget of gold in the scriptures that needed to be digested slowly. Maybe to the chagrin of some who read this, is the fact that we are compiled of Christians from all denominations...some Baptist, some Penticostal, some Catholics, some former Catholics, and I think even a Methodist. Obviously from looking at the photo, you can see that we are also diverse in races, as well. We also pray together, and we have witnessed some awesome answers to our prayers, among which are physical healings, restored marriages, foiled satanic attacks, and blessings of all kinds. We have laughed, cried, laid hands on the sick, and grown in Love for one another in a way that is really indescribable.
The one thing that we have discovered is that we are all color blind when it comes to race. We know that there will be NO color in Heaven. I find it interesting that there is only one chromazome difference between the darkest black man and the fairest white man, and God most likely built in these differences to adjust for climate locale of the races. Obviously, no two people are identical, even twins; we all have characteristics that differ in some way, even though there may be similarities. There are, however, personality traits that are common to all, and we can have control over how these traits are implemented in our lives. The negative ones that we all experience from time to time, are all tied to hate, and have satanic ties...like anger, greed, avarice, envy, strife, intolerance, violence, deceit, and cruelty, to name a few. All human beings are capable of these things, and we are all presented with the opportunity, from time to time, to practice them in our lives, or to CHOOSE not to. Racial origin has absolutely NOTHING to do with the choice, these are common human traits that are NOT of God!
Jesus said,"For a good tree bringeth NOT forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by HIS own fruit."Luke6:42,43.
Galatians says that "the fruit of the Spirit(of God) is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, faith. Meekness, temperance;against which there is NO law...If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us NOT be desirous of vain glory,(NOT) provoking one another,(NOT) envying one another."
I write to you these things, because some people seem to think that there is something wrong with loving a person of another race; that their race is somehow better than another; that they may have done something good, deserving of being born white, or black, for that matter. In some cases, these people are also self proclaimed Christians. ...QUESTION: Where in God's Word does He condone such thinking? I maintain that such thinking is hate-based, and NOT of God! God IS not a God of some sort of karma, where He decides that one person gets to enter the Earth wearing a certain skin color, with better or worse living conditions than another. If you believe in the Bible, then you must understand one thing... God destroyed every person on the Earth at the great flood, EXCEPT Noah and his family, a total of 8 people. EVERYONE born on the Earth, since that great flood, is a direct descendant of those 8 people; Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their three wives. SO!!! If you could literally pour all of the blood of every human from that time until now, into one great huge pool, it would all be the same blood. Although it's weird to think of it in that way, pondering it in that manner aids in comprehending how closely we are all related, NO matter what the skin color may be.

What I have laid out here is a simple blueprint of right and wrong. It is true that as long as we live on this Earth, that we will experience "bad things" happening all around us, and that possibly the resentment and hatred between the races of humans will continue in some manner, BUT is it required? Does everyone have to participate? You may respond to me with all kinds of hypotheses, or "what ifs", or "because they did this or thats", or "they hate us, we will hate 'em back". NO my friend, that does not answer the question of: "Since many people participate in racial disharmony, should I be connected to, or participate with them in their hatred?" MY answer is NO! What is YOURS! My friend Jeff, who is a part of our group, says that dialogue across racial lines is a good thing; I agree, but even sincere dialogue is just what it is...TALK! Until positive, bridge building action is implemented, talking is futile. It is really not so hard to do; people just need to jump off the train of unforgiveness and stubborness, and make the first move towards freedom.

What kind of freedom are we talking about here? When I was growing up, I was raised in a Southern, white racist society. Because my father was raised in the same environment, he succombed to the typical race bating, and jokes that pervaded our everyday life; it was his peer pressure of the time, but even though he always had the usual prejudiced things to say(like almost every friend and co-worker that he had), I learned that there was something different about him that even he did not fully understand. I often think that my wonderful mother was his stabilizing factor, for she always taught me that I was not better than anyone, and that every person has feelings, that every person feels pain, that every person has a need to be loved, and that I should never mistreat anyone in ANY way, no matter what race they may be. I truly think that this thinking must have rubbed off on my Dad. It was proven to me on a couple of occasions. My Dad was in management for a major airline for over 33 years; on one occasion, a black man, who had worked there for 25 years with a near perfect work record, was left by his wife of over 20 years; she ran off with another man. Well, this employee lost his mind, and went out and got drunk for about 3 days, and did not show up for work. My dad was forced to fire the guy. When he sobered up, he asked for an appointment to see my dad. After explaining what happened, my father fought with upper managent to rehire this man, because he had such a great work record, and he had put in 25+ years of service to the company. Upper management reluctantly gave the man his job back, BUT without any of his seniority. My dad did battle, again,to get the man's seniority reinstated, as well.

On another occasion, we were eating our breakfast at 6am one morning in our nice suburban home, when there was a knock at the door; my dad opened the door to find a young skinny black boy, about 13, standing there in the cold(about 18 degrees). It seems that a white man had dropped him off to throw the newspapers for his route, and never returned to pick him up. "Pleez mista, I won't harm anyone, I just need to come in a get warm," he pleaded. My dad brought him in, and sat him down, and fed him some hot breakfast, and warm milk. My dad never even made warm milk for any of us, but he could see that this young man was in danger for freezing to death! After that, he even gave him a jacket, then took him home, on his way to work.

My dad was a really good man in so many ways, but there was always that peer pressure on him to act like a biggot. The truth is that I know that he was not like that in his heart. Once, when he was in his late seventies he was at a Christmas party at his mostly white church. He was making a racially slanted remark, when he realized that the one black man in his Sunday school class, overheard him. My mother told me later that my dad's heart was broken... with tears in his eyes, he went over to the black man, and begged his forgiveness, and told him that he loved him, and that he was wrong. I really think that Dad meant it, and that he wasn't just ashamed of being "caught".

Many people think that Martin Luther King was "all about" freedom for the Negroes, and the civil rights of African Americans. NOT TOTALLY TRUE! In 1963, it was inevitable that the Civil Rights Bill would be Law, and that integration was coming. What he sought was a much deeper freedom than that! Every man, woman , and child should read MLK's "I HAVE A DREAM" speech. I will quote to you what I consider to be his deepest motive for us all ...ALL of us!

"When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, WE ARE FREE AT LAST!"

For the speech in its entirety, go to http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html

WILL YOU BE FREE TODAY? FREE YOURSELF FROM HATRED...FREE YOURSELF TO LOVE........aside from the bag of iron chains that will be taken off your shoulders, will come the incredible ability to have a lot more friends, and a lot more......PEACE! PEACE with God, yourself, and your fellow man. I am speaking from my own personal experience!!!

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN...ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.
RED AND YELLOW, BLACK AND WHITE,
THEY ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT,
JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD!

MEN OF COLOR...PART 2

2006-06-15T12:34:00.000-05:00

Balsa Bridge Building Competition

Would you please study the Norman Rockwell print to the right(it is entitled The Golden Rule), and at the same time, pray that God will reveal His will to you concerning race? What will your role be in the building of the bridges of reconciliation between the races? Will you be a bridge builder or a bridge burner?
I have not written in a while, because I have been waiting for the Lord to direct me towards something new to write, and many subjects have been going through my mind, but recently, God has shown me that I am not finished with the race issue. A few of the people that I have been sharing this blog with had loved what I had to say, until I wrote the blog entitled, Men of Color...All Men are Colored. Many people have emailed me or called me, some of them crying, and said that I had hit the nail on the head concerning love and reconcialtion between the races. Others, however, now suddenly have either nothing or no good things to say; I thought..."now that's a little odd." But I think I understand the problem, or maybe problems. You see, habits, of all kinds, are difficult to break, and we, as humans, have gotten into the habit of disliking, resenting, and sometimes dispising other people. for various reasons...either they don't act, look, or smell the way we think that we think they should, or maybe others obviously don't act right(which we should not have to tolerate), or maybe we have gotten into the habit of resenting people because they are different from us; another race perhaps; a "lower" class than us; on and on. I am so thankful that God is merciful, because if not, He would have obliterated me long ago. The problem, spiritually speaking, is that we often don't keep that "for the Grace of God" attitude about us, when we deal with other people. We somehow think that since we are "doing the right thing" in our lives, that there is something better about us than others. This thinking knows no racial barrier; it is a "human" trait. We look for reasons to latch on to this way of thinking, and many times, we hold onto it like a pit bull dog holds a piece of meat. Someone could hit us in the head with a pipe, and we would still rather find reasons to hate, seperate, snub, or any of the negative things that we do to mistreat others, because they are not in our elite club of normality.

OK, so I am irritating some people by talking about these things; my apologies! But...I have a question. When are we going to start living on this Earth together as human brothers and sisters, and realize that we are all in the same boat of life, and we must help each other to be successful humans? Weird isn't it? Here is the deal...Jesus Christ was always there in Heaven for eternity past; He created everything...what does that have to do with the subject at hand??? Here's what...when He created everything, He knew that satan would cause a sin curse to fall on all of mankind; He knew that He(Jesus) would come out of Heaven to be born a man, to live a perfect life, to die on a cruel cross, to rise again from the dead, to ascend back into Heaven, and is coming again for His children who have accepted Him as Savior; He did all of this for all races, and we are all one, one race...yes ALL one race of people... our lineage goes all the way back to the first man Adam, and guess what...so does the human lineage of Jesus; now...most likely, by the scattering of humans by the Great Flood, races as we know it came about because of climatic location. Some hold the belief that the different races of people bagan at the tower of Babel, when God confounded the languages of the people for trying to build a tower to Heaven, and thus, attempting to elevate themselves to God's level. There is much research available to prove that different tribes of humans have different physical characteristics that directly relate to survival in different locales of the Earth, and it seems that the main differences are color related. We are still just what we are...HUMAN!

We are all a bunch of "mixed breeds".
Once upon a time, I raised thoroughbred German Shepherds. I found that in spite of all the work that it takes to breed a pure bred dog, somewhere along the line, someone has mixed things up, and allowed a mixed breed dog to enter the bloodline; it is highly fraudulent, but I know that it has been done, and the fact remains that even the highest quality of pure bred dogs may have a "mut" in the family tree somewhere. An unscrupulous breeder confided in me once of his practice of "throwing" papers on a dog that had given birth to a litter of puppies. He had current papers on a female dog that had died, and the mother of the current litter looked like a German Shepherd, but in fact, was a "mut". She suddenly, on paper, "became" the dog that was deceased.

I often wonder if there are any pure races of people...do you know anyone who claims to be a 100% pure Italian, Frenchman, African, etc.? I think that all of us or at least a majority of us are "muts".

How did we get so mixed up? What about inter-racial marriages?
Maybe God originally planned for man to stay one race; read Numbers 12 in the Old Testament. Moses was condemned, by Miriam and Aaron for marrying an Ethiopian woman, but I can't find where God condemned him for it. I do read in the same chapter that God was angry at Miriam and Aaron for "bad mouthing" Moses, and God even turned Miriam into a leper! I cannot find real confirmation in the Word of God that God has steadfast rules for segregation. It's funny to me that the chiefest of all segregationalist groups, the KKK maintains that Jesus, the Jewish man, was a white man; what version of the Bible do they read? Either way, man managed to get things really mixed up, and the thing that is constant in the Word of God is that God is not willing that any should perish, including Negroes, Whites, Chinese, on and on. I was a member of a church once that over a 40 year period has moved its location 2 different times, for the specific purpose of distancing itself from African-American peoples. The membership simply did not want them in their church, and the second time, they sold their church building to Vietnamese Catholics whom they disliked also...the very odd thing about it is that over the same time period, they supported and still continue to support missionaries to countries all over the world. I suppose that they feel that they must obey God in the great commission in one way, as long as "those" people don't infiltrate their little club. After all, one of their sons or daughters might just fall in love with a black...God forbid!!! You see...we are all, or most of us are the product of an inter-racial marriage; we just refuse to acknowledge it or don't realize it. When our parents married, they thought that they were both white; true they were in a cultural sense of the word, but not in a heritage sense of the word. I asked my mother when I was small, what race I was, and she explained to me that we were French, Indian, and maybe German...we have found out since that it was not German, but English...ohhhh, I get it, these are mostly caucasian races, so that makes me a white man...who knows...I may have a lot of Indian blood in me. Recently, I saw an old photo of a woman that I believe to be my great grandmother...she looks a great deal like an Indian woman. Her husband was a native Frenchman, so if she is Indian,is that an inter-racial marriage, or not? OK, OK...I know you are saying that I have gone crazy, and that I am all mixed up about my theology...etc. NO I am not trying to promote inter-racial marriages. or demote them either. I am simply trying to make people see that we are what we are, and we have become what we are by "the traditions of men". When a man and woman decide that they are going to get married. I believe that God has a criteria that must be followed for that to happen. #1. The two people should be Christians, for the Bible clearly teaches that to do otherwise is to be "un-equally" yoked, and that is wrong. #2. The two people should confer with God personally concerning whom they will marry, and seek His approval(not man's, not a church); this will come from much prayer and supplication, and maybe fasting, to seek the peace from God that passes all understanding. #3. Their purpose for marrying anyone should be to have a marriage that glorifies God; for the initial purpose of raising a family in the fear and admonition of the Lord. #4. Their approach to marriage should only be with a life-long committment in mind...yes"til death do you part". You will notice that I did not mention race in connection with the "un-equally" yoked part...because...hello! two Christian people who follow steps 2,3,&4, might be of different races, so who, besides God has the right to tell them that they are wrong for considering marriage? I know...I have some of you really wound up now, but go back to the beginning of this blog...did you pray, and ask God, as you studied the picture? Who are we to judge anyone? Oh yeah...I have heard the "we can't judge people, but we can be fruit inspectors!" Bull...ony! Jesus said that "you shall know them by their fruits", meaning that we can tell if a person is of God or not, by the righteousness in their lives(or lack of it), like soul winning, righteous living, or walking in Holiness...not some legalistic judgement that we make, based on preferences! You know something? We are all, but for the Grace of God, a bunch of dirty rotten sinners, saved by Grace(if you are saved), and highly capable of the worst, lowest sins that anyone has ever committed, and skin color is not even in the equation.
Here's another strange, but true, story for you...I was a member of another church where there was a white man that had a beautiful Vietnamese wife. I think that he was in the armed forces in the war, and met her over there, and brought her back to the USA, and married her they had two beautiful "mixed breed" children. They were very happy, and all the people in the congregation really seemed to love them. She was very sweet, and also seemed to love God. To my knowledge, no one ever criticized them for being in an inter-racial marriage. In the same church, a story was related to me that a black man came to visit one Sunday with his white, blonde, girlfriend or wife. No one knew if they were married or not, just that they were together. During the song service, one of the deacons went over to the man, and said, "You will have to leave...we don't want your kind in here!" They got up, and walked out.
Do your own research...in the old south, there were plantation owners who forced their slave women to have sex with them, and fathered many, many children, and it was legal. Why do I bring that up...I think that there are many white men today that are angered when they see a white woman with a black man, for the sole reason that this black has one of our women, and they look down on that woman as a piece of trash. I don't mention all of this to anger anyone, but to just tell it like it is, and to help people to see that we are all just people, and we all will be
judged by God one day, irrespective of color. I understand that there are cultural differences to overcome, and maybe in America it has been mostly a black/white issue, and many times, in order for an Oriental person to marry a White, Caucasian person,for example, the differences
in religions already make the "unequally yoked" principle a problem for that type of inter-racial union. That is all I have to say about inter-racial marriages; the bottom line is that each individual must make their own decisons about it, and I don't have the right to make disparaging remarks about them, even if they are out of God's will. If I am asked, I will give my opinion, but I am obligated by God to try to love everyone.
Am I condoning evil deeds done by members of a different race than mine?
I have had white people tell me, over the years, that those blacks are different from us; they are animals; they are a bunch of drug addicts; they have babies right and left; the prisons are full of them; after all, they hate us, too;or the classic one for me is "Just wait, you love them blacks now, but wait until one of them rapes your daughter!" Again here is the deal...we are all sinners; I don't have all of the answers, but doing wrong has nothing to do with skin color; it is a natural inherant behavior for all of us; maybe there are more blacks in the world than whites; I do know that there are certainly many more blacks on the poverty level than whites, and poverty breeds crime many times, but so does the greed that breeds amongst the rich white people of the world who steal millions of dollars, time and time again; Do you think that the Enron scandal is an isolated one? NO, it just happens to be the one where people got caught; the ones that get away with it have not been exposed yet. No, I am not condoning evil or tolerance of wrongful deeds from any race of people, at all. What I am saying here, plain and simple, is that people from every race have the obligation to do what is right, and many do. Part of that "doing right" is to love thy neighbor as thyself.
What is the solution for racial disharmony?
I thought you'd never ask...you thought I'd never get to my point of all of this. What we need is the kind of love that Jesus preached and exemplified to us; loving everyone. What we don;t need more of is the kind of racial disharmony and division that people like Mr. Al Sharpton and Mr. Jesse Jackson promote;every one spewing hatred, just for the love of money, prestige, and power. By the way, of all of the black men on the planet that I know of, the Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson is an awesome man who is giving his life to fulfill the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King; he's not a hater, but he is very outspoken, and stands up to those who promote hatred amongst the races. Go to http://bondinfo.org
I also know of another fine man in the Atlanta area that tells it like it is, and remains a gentleman, and has a sincere desire to see reconciliation between the races; and he is Mr. Herman Cain. Go to http://hermancain.com
I can do nothing about what any other man does or says concerning racial harmony or disharmony, except maybe try to vote him or her out of office at the polls, but I personally can do my part every day to "hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters, all over this land", as the old song "If I Had A Hammer" says. I am doing it, and I will continue to. I am a bridge builder...You can be one, too. Ask God to open doors of opportunity for you to be a bridge builder. Bridges have many parts, and they are almost all structural or important, except maybe for the paint. The abutments, girders, cables, trusses,towers, and the railings, all have a function. Remember that all bridges have some sort of passageway, like a road or rail, to communicate travel. Plan now to be a part of the bridge. God will show you...help someone of another race in some way, every time the occasion arises; I live in an almost all black neighborhood; the occasions arise for me daily. Give a helping hand, an encouraging word, a smile, and...WOW! maybe a hug. And the most important thing that anyone can do is to help someone, anyone, bridge the gap between them and God, by telling them about Jesus. Do yourself a huge favor, don't allow anyone to dictate to you as to how you should feel about other races, and if you need to change, ask God to help you. Since we are made in the image of God, then we are not made to hate anyone.

The Will...whose Will are you in?

2006-06-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

THE WILL

A story that was related to me by my late Mom, still, to this day, leaves me a little bewildered.
Her grandmother died when my Mom was very young, and had owned a Rolls Royce automobile, similar to the one in the photo above. In her last will and testament, she left my Mom the car, but since she was too young to drive, the car could not be driven, for the will stipulated that the car could not be sold, and it was to be solely owned by her grand-daughter. Because of this, the once, very expensive automobile, sat there...and sat there...until it literally rotted to the ground. To the car enthusiast, a story like this one is just plain "tragic". The vehicle could have been covered, and cranked and run on a regular basis, and possibly have been saved. Can you imagine a young girl actually owning a car like that, and not being able to use it? At her age, she probably could not comprehend nor appreciate its value. Nevertheless, any piece of machinery that is not used and maintained, will assuredly deteriorate rather quickly. The paint fades, the interior gets moth-eaten, tires dry-rot, the seals in the engine and transmission crystalize, fluids leak out, rust and corrosion take their toll, and what was once a treasure, becomes a worthless piece of junk. I have heard of similar stories like this one before....it seems sad, yet preventable. I don't have all of the details of exactly why this happened, but it seems as though I remember that there was some sort of family feud over the inheritance of the car, so I presume that their way of dealing with the issue was just to not deal with it, so the car just sat, and wasted away.
YOUR WILL

Most people who own things of value will make provisions for their loved ones who may be left behind, for the dispensation of the valuables. In many cases, people die without a will, and the state is left with the job of probating property and valuables amongst the survivors. Some leave no inheritance behind; some leave only a legacy of unpaid bills. Regardless of what is left, what a person leaves to his or her relatives or friends, is something that is usually purposed or "ear-marked" for the heir or designee. It is something tht is designated by the free will of the benefactor. What is your will? It can be easily spelled out in a...will, which means that you "will" certain things to be done after you are gone from this life.

We all have a will...a free will to do pretty much what we want to; especially if we live in a free country. One can hear many people saying "I will do this, or I will do that." When someone places another in a will, most of the time, it is a "free willing" of what they are leaving to someone as an inheritance. Now you may say to me"Where is he going with this little play on the word "will"?" I thought you'd never ask.

GOD'S WILL

God the maker of Heaven and Earth, and all the stars, and planets in the universe, and all that we know, and all that we don't know; HE created...everything. Since He did, that makes Him our Heavenly Father, and He is the benefactor of all mankind; you know, the one who leaves an inheritance to people in a will, the will to do something, like give us things that we did not earn, a gift that He owned to begin with, and that because He loves us, He wants us to have both while on this Earth, and in the hereafter. The "things" that I am talking about are not material, necessarily, but are necessarily Spiritual, and we will discuss what this means, next. Jesus said,"Lay not up for yourselves treasure on Earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and thieves break in and steal, but rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust doth not corrupt, and neither do thieves break in steal." There is an inheritance that God left to us, when He died...when He died??? What does that mean? Jesus, the man, God incarnate, laid down His life, as the supreme sacrifice, so that we can have an eternal inheritance in Heaven, forever! If a person simply both believes, and accepts this truth, he or she can have assurance of this eternal home away from home, for this world, as we know it, is truly NOT our home. Every person has a choice; either to live with God in Heaven forever, or not; eternally seperated from God.

THERE'S MORE

Not only that, God has provided through His Spirit, a way to live in power and strength from on High, and we are not required to be sad, meager, and weak people; we need to believe that He wants to be a part of our human existence here on this Earth, while we are passing through. So.... I am going to let you decide for yourself what this means; I am providing some Bible verses here to help you see some of what God has promised us. As you read, I challenge you to find other verses in God's Word that prove out this philosophy. Just consider that story of the Rolls Royce, or any other gift or tool that is allowed to sit and fade away; first, one must realize that he or she has the gift, and then..."If you don't use it, you may lose it...or worse, you may never realize that you ever had it!!"

Mt 16:19 -
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mt 18:14 -
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Mr 1:17 -
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Mr 14:36 - And He said, Abba, Father, things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt
Lu 11:2 -
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Joh 6:39 -
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day
Joh 6:40 -
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 14:14 -
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:23 -
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him
Joh 14:26 -
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 16:13 -
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come
Joh 16:23 -
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Acts 26 Read This Chapter
26:15
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
26:16
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
26:17
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
26:19
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Ephesians 1 Read This Chapter
1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
1:12
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1:14
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Come In God!

2006-05-23T12:22:00.000-05:00

Many are familiar with this painting, based on the scripture from Revelation 3:20, where Jesus says, "Yea, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me."

I think that establishing in one's mind exactly who Jesus is, according to the Bible is the first step in coming to God. Don't take it from me, don't take it from some religion, don't ask man, ask God. In His word, God makes extensive and continuous promises to us about those who seek. "Seek, and you shall find, knock, and the door will be opened"...So...if we ask Him, He promises to give the answer; it may not come exactly when or how we perceive it to be, but it WILL come. He has shown me...I believe that Jesus IS God, so many years ago, I asked Him into my heart...He came, He saved my soul...and since that time, I have been in and out of fellowship with Him. Being IN is better, so I keep re-opening the door; He is always standing there, waiting to come in. Although I do believe that initially, I was saved, and my name was written in the Lamb's book of Life. I have, from time to time lost my appreciation of whose I am, and who gave His life to save me.

When you are sitting in your home, and you hear a knock at the door, and you know who it is, and if the door is unlocked, then you say..."Come on in!"

Do you hear the knock at the door?
Do you know who He is?
Is the door of your heart unlocked?
Are you asking Him to come in?

Into my heart... into my heart...come into my heart...Lord Jesus.

Come in today

Come in to stay

Come into my heart

Lord Jesus

Alone With God...God Alone

2006-05-19T22:16:00.000-05:00

ALONE WITH GOD

As I stood on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, gazing at this scene, I had an experience that will never be forgotten. Rushing into my senses was the incredible, immeasurable, power and presence of God, and His universe, a part of which I realized and comtemplated my "smallness"and seemingly insignificance. The next few entries on this blogsite will deal with experiencing the presence of God, and how we may teach ourselves how to return to that private place that He has kept reserved for us.

Getting alone with God is something that many don't understand, and because of that, they don't pursue the experience. There are others that don't "know" God, so getting alone with Him would be completely foreign to them. Then there are those who are so hungry just to experience a few moments of solitude in the presence of the God of the universe; the creator of all things. In the Bible, Collossians says that (in regard to Jesus) that by Him, and for Him, all things were created. To me, this substantiates the fact that Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit of God, were for eternity past in Heaven("let us create man in our own image"), and that Jesus came out of Heaven to become a man who laid his life down as a sacrifice for our sin.
Regardless of your concept of God, it is the desire of this writer to help all understand that God is real; He loves us; He wants to spend time with us; since He is always there, then where did we go? Most of the time, it is away from the presence of God, for we are human, and easily distracted by the things of this life, like practically everything that we do. So what is the answer? How do we get into that intimate, one on one, "alone-ness" with God? Think about it.

Notice what I just said...think about it...that's it! You see, our mind is directly connected to our spirit, and when we think on certain things, that is where our spirit goes. The Bible says," As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." So our first step to getting alone with God is to think about Him. When a man calls his lover, who he has not seen for a while, one of the first things he says to her is,"Honey, I have been thinking about you, or I have not been able to take my mind off of you." The same type of principle is true concerning God. It does help if we know Him, or have some sort of knowledge of how much He loves us, and when we fall in love with God, we seem to want more of Him in our lives. But we get off track, we lose focus, we get distracted, we forget who we really belong to. When we begin to think about God, and think often, He begins to DO things in our lives, and unless we are in tune with him, we miss it.

So think about God as often as you can; try it. I go to these awesomely beautiful places, and I am immediately reminded of how wonderful, and vast God really is. But we can obtain His presence by simply just asking Him to come in, and habitually thinking about Him; He will take care of the rest. Remember...God Alone=Alone with God=God Alone. Next time we will discuss the topic entitled "Come In God!!"

p.s. We ARE NOT insignificant to God!

IMAGINE, Part 2

2006-04-25T20:40:00.000-05:00

IMAGINE THERE IS A HEAVEN!!!

I love to whistle; I sometimes think that I can whistle almost as well as I can play the trumpet. Sometimes I catch my self whistling tunes that I don't even realize what I am doing; I just hear the tune, and I whistle along. My brother in the Lord, "Catfish", heard me one day at work whistling along to the John Lennon song Imagine, and told me that he did not think that I should be whistling that song. this prompted me to go to the internet and look up the history of the song.

BAD LYRICS

I was really shocked at what I saw; "imagine there's no Heaven, no hell below???" This is not a Beatles bashing blog, but I need to say this. I could never in my wildest dreams imagine that there's NO heaven; I am sad that there really is a hell below, but for the Chistian, hell may as well not exist, except for one reason; that reason is to explain the reality of hell to those who don't know, so that they can go to a very real Heaven.
The song goes on to say that "you may say I am a dreamer". NO..I will say that to imagine that there is no Heaven is a nightmare! Please Lord, let me wake up in Heaven, and thank you Jesus! I am now whistling "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory!"

IMAGINE

As I said in "Imagine" January 16, just imagine what it will be like to have the "King of the Universe take you in His arms like that." This could be a dream come true for you who read this; would you like that? Imagine the reality of it. Ask Jesus into your heart today and then, it will no longer be a dream.

FILL IN THE BLANKS (put you name, along with your heart, in the blanks)

"For God so loved __________, that He gave His only begotten Son, that if ___________
believeth,_________ shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

2006-04-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Who is this Jesus?

2006-04-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

Who is this Jesus???

By Larry Wiseman

So just who is this Jesus that so many people talk about? Some say He was the son of God, some say He was a prophet; others say that He was the son of man, or even just a man, while still more say that He did not exist, more say that they don’t know or care who He is or was, and there are those who say that He was simply a joke. Many say and many pray and wait for His eventual coming again, but there is one thing for sure…almost no one can say that they’ve never heard of Him, no matter who He may be. Some use the name of Jesus Christ to swear with, and others, instead of swearing, pledge an allegiance of faith and servitude to a King that they have never seen.
Multitudes of people “think” they know who Jesus is, and millions are certain that they know exactly who He was and is. Some force their explanations of Jesus to conform to their own innovations and imaginations, while others use the Word of God to prove their case. There are several versions of God’s Word, and most of them agree who Jesus was and is; some versions have been written for the sole purpose of convincing others to believe in a certain doctrine or belief system.
So as you read this, what is your conclusion as to who Jesus Christ really is? Will you turn to the Bible, some theologian, your own belief system, some other person’s belief system? If you ask for help, you will be flooded with hundreds of well meaning people who seemingly know that they have the answer. Logically speaking, some will be wrong, some will be accurate and correct, while others will have a strange mixture of truth and fable. Question: If there is a real Jesus who has any power at all, especially if He is God Himself , don’t you think that He would want an individual that is seeking Him to know who He is? So who do you believe??? It has been said that everyone believes in something, even if it is oneself. So many people claim to have the answer, and he or she can usually be extremely scholastic in explaining where they derived their version of the truth from. Many will be extremely correct, but how do YOU decide? Is it possible that one can find the truth without being a “bookworm” or a great student?
Spirits
Remember this…one day, you may realize that if God exists, that he has a Spirit who is capable of conveying any message that He wants to come forth. Spirit of this, and spirit of that…Spirit of America, Spirit of St. Louis, Spirit of God, Spirit of man…on and on…who can we really trust? In a debate over any issue, the person who wins is the one who is the most convincing; the one who seems to be the most believable! Depending on the circumstances, it is possible that, given the right resources, along with the power of influence, that most people might be convinced of anything. Just look at the “kool-aid” drinkers in the Jonestown massacre. It is a good thing that “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.”
So who is this Jesus? Do you know, or do you just think that you know? Is the Earth round or is it flat? Who convinced you of anything, and how were you persuaded to know it for a fact? There really is only one source to know who Jesus is. Men have the answers, given in God’s Word, but you may say “I am tired of depending on men, and I don’t even believe the Bible!” Many share your sentiments, so if you were ever to be convinced of the reality of God, the Bible, or Jesus, what would it take to convince you? If you were asked who you are, would you say that you “know” who you are…certainly, based solely on your own consciousness. Well then, Jesus should know who He is then, right? So let’s just ask Him, but where is He? You will notice that I have yet to give you a reference to convince you of my personal beliefs…personally I do believe that the Word of God is a real, living Word, unlike any book ever written, but let’s pretend that I am unable to convince you of this.
The only way that you will EVER know who Jesus is, even if you are a staunch atheist, or an agnostic, is to ask God. You don’t believe in God? Well, ask Him anyway! “How silly,” you say. Well, if you ask Him, and He doe not exist, then this non-existent God will never answer you, right? On the other hand, if there is a real God, who created the entire universe, and all that exists, then He certainly is capable of giving you an answer as to who Jesus is; it may not be an answer as you humanly perceive that it should be. But since (or if) God is really God, then He can show you things that cannot be denied, so be prepared for a life changing experience, once you begin to seek who Jesus may be. Which brings me to my dare…I personally dare anyone to really, sincerely ask God if He exists, and to show you who Jesus is, You may say that you have asked, and NO answer came…I dare you, once again, to keep on asking…what do you have to lose? You may be pleasantly surprised at what you have to gain. If and when God comes to you, like I know He will, then ask Him to guide you to the right people for growth and guidance. Larry Wiseman

Why did I write the preceding article?

During a recent prayer time, I felt lead by the Holy Spirit to think through the process of the article that you have just read. I believe the there are several categories, if you will, of people in this world some of which can be classified as spiritual, some not so spiritual, some not spiritual at all, and others who would like to be spiritual, but for one reason or another, are not willing to surrender or commit to anything that causes them to lose control of his or her life. People who love God are happy about it, and love Him, and can’t seem to get enough of experiencing God in their life. There are others who only have God in their lives when they need Him, still others wish at times that they did not know anything about God, because He represents the guilt and conviction of the sin in their lives.
There is still another very large group of people in this world that do not know God, and are sick and tired of “religious” people who either force Christianity on others, or they are sick and tired of seeing people claim to be Christians, and not walk the talk. In a strange way, I respect this group, for they somehow understand how a decent Christian person ought to act, and are honestly disillusioned and disappointed, when they see the failures of Christians. “Who is this Jesus?” is not meant to denigrate the importance of truth or the Word of God, but, in fact, a message to all… that without the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can understand what God is all about. Christians should stand ready to “give an answer to all men”, “study to show thyself approved”, so that when God’s Spirit does work in a non-Christian’s life, we can be used of God to “feed His Sheep”. We must remember that we do not do the saving; we must allow God to do His work, and simply be His tools for ministry.

Honor Thy Father and Mother

2006-04-08T21:46:00.001-05:00

These are two people who knew what honor means, and we honor them for lives well spent...Ruth and Ned Wiseman

Hello...most of my life, I had the Biblical concept of "honoring" my parents as that of showing respect in their presence, or not saying disrespectful things behind their backs etc. I was raised to have respect for my elders; something that kids today are sorely lacking in, and my parents were the kind of people that commanded respect, but more than that, they both were deserving of it.

I felt that it is fitting...
It is fitting then, that even though my Mom and Dad have passed on, that I pay tribute to their lives. I could not possibly write enough words about them, to adequately describe what they meant to me when they were here on Earth, much less what they still mean to me and everyone in our family. On behalf of my two wonderful sisters Audrey and Virginia, and my "Godly man" brother Ralph(and their respective families), I would like to say that we miss our parents, but oddly enough, they don't miss us, for they are safe in the arms of Jesus, and if we could really know what life is like for them now, we would not want to cheat them, by bringing them back. We were all blessed to know them as people, blessed to be their children, and blessed with the hope and assurance of seeing them again one fine day! Both of them in their own right were truly incredible people, and they knew that anything that may have appeared to be great about them was strictly a gift,"graced" upon them by God.

Longevity is Rare...this day and Time!
In a day where divorce, infidelity, violence, and immorality run amuck, longevity in marriage is rare. Our parents were married to each other for 64 years, and divorce was never an option for dealing with life's problems. "nuff" said; I am proud of them for that! There is not enough time and space to tell the life story of Ruth and Ned Wiseman, but a few highlights should suffice to convey the wonderful life that they had, individually, and as a couple.
Mother
Mom was a great mother and home-maker who reached out to everyone she knew, in love, and volunteered in the every community she lived in. During WWII, she worked as a nurse's asst. at Kennedy Hospital in Memphis. During the 1960' she worked as secretary for the 111th Intelligence Corps for the US Army. She was a Cub Scout den mother, a Sunday school teacher, a pink lady at the Hospital, and loved to feed people. More than anything, she loved Jesus, and always tried to point anyone she knew to the Cross. She loved to sing, and had an angelic alto voice that would make the meanest man in the world break down , and cry. She loved flowers, ceramics, and playing the piano. Behind every great man is a great woman, and Ruth was the entire cheering squad for her husband. One of the things that my Dad was lacking in was education, and she encouraged him to further his education often, and even helped him in his career at Delta Airlines; assisting him with clerical work.
Daddy
Our Dad was probably a genuis; I don't know what his IQ was, but if he set his mind to do something, he just learned how, and did it. I have not known anyone like him in this world, except for my brother Ralph, and me. We are only similar to our Dad because he was our mentor; we are still trying to be like him; it will take a little more time. Dad was not perfect; he had a bad temper, which even he seemed to shed as he grew old, and my brother and I have mellowed now, too. With all of the rough upbringing that Ned Wiseman had, he somehow, by the Grace of God, sought after and maintained character, character that meant doing the right thing at all costs. I think that the one thing that impressed me most about him was that he refused to "kiss up" to people to get ahead; he could have been much higher up in his job, but he wanted to get where he did, on his record only or nothing at all. He was a very successful man; this webpage could not tell it all; Dad taught us that if something breaks, fix it; if you don't know how, learn about it, and fix it. I came home from school one day, and found our television completely dismantled, and Dad was repairing it... it was working fine by that night. My brother Ralph has that talent; he had his own television repair service for about 20 years. Over all the years of my own "do it yourself" projects, I knew that I could call Daddy if I got into trouble. Dad gave his life to Jesus when he was in his thirties, and before he died, he told me that he could go happily to be with God now because all of his children were "saved", and in the fold; that was his greatest legacy.

Today we honor them...
I have not always honored my parents, but since I became a Christian in 1982, I have tried to. My siblings have honored my parents with their lives, also. My brother and his wife Rita put their lives on hold to stay with my aging parents in their latter years, and my sister Virginia was my mother's care taker for the last two years of Mom's life; my sister Audrey took care of all of Mom's affairs, even years after she passed away. We all, in our own ways have tried to honor our parents when they were with us, and now, I would like to honor them again, and I pray that the Father will give them a little glimpse, just to show them what their lives have meant to us, and the awesome legacy of love, that they have passed on to us, and all who knew them.

How Much???

2006-03-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

THE WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE PART 2

2006-02-02T13:08:00.000-05:00

HOW CAN YOU BE SAVED AND REALLY KNOW IT?

Question: If you were to die tonight, or suddenly be killed,do you know for certain that you would go to Heaven? Now let's assume that your answer is "no", or "I'm not sure." If this is the case, and if someone could show you for certain that you are on your way to Heaven, then surely you would want to get this matter settled once for all, and as soon as possible. Focus your attention for just a minute on that Heart, beating inside you chest. Amazing isn't it? Now I'm sure you must realize that you have no control over that life-supplying vessel, and that right now, at this very moment, you are just one heartbeat away from eternity. You might be saying, "Well, I'm a pretty good person, and I don't do anyone any harm, and I do go to Church every once in a while, so maybe God will have mercy on me, and I'll squeak by somehow." No my friend, no one is going to "squeak by." Just as surely as you are going to have to face the grim reaper one day, you are surely going to face the Judgement Seat of God! Hebrews 9:27 says..."For it is apppointed unto men once to die, but after this is the judgement."
You may ask,"How do I know the Bible is the inspired Word of God?" Well, let's consdider this question for just a minute. You don't question science books, encyclopedias, or other books of truth, In fact, in one way or another, you stake your life on them every day. How many of those books like the Bible were written over a period of 1600 years, on three different continents, by 35 -40 different writers? All of these writers came from different walks of life, were scattered over a span of about 1600 miles, with no modern forms of communication, and yet all came up with the same story, the same prophecies, and the same promises. The Bible is scientifically correct. The Bible makes many scientific observations, and in every case, where it makes these observations, no man has ever proven them to be untrue. In fact, in many cases, after many years of research, scientists have found many of them to be exactly correct. The Bible is prophetically true. Every prophecy which was ever mentioned in the Bible, has either already happened, or is in the process of being fulfilled right now. Now, let's assume that you do accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. Let's see what you have to do first. First, you have to must confess that you are a sinner.

ROMANS 3:23 says..."FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD." Then, secondly, you must accept JESUS. JOHN 3:16 says..."FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO-SO-EVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."
Sakvation is a gift. You can't earn it.
EPHESIANS 2:8,9 says... "FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED, THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."
You must accept what He did for you on the cross. Don't wait until you get better, or until you have a certain feeling. If you trust in your feelings, the devil will try to trick you into thinking that you can't be saved. The good feelings usually come later, as you begin to grow spiritually.
The Bible says in ROMANS 10:10 "FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION." It doesn't say that you have to have a certain feeling. So...it is simple. Believe, Confess, and then ask God to forgive you of all your sins, and come into your heart, and save you. 1st JOHN 1:9 says..."IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."
Yes, you can be saved, and know it. 1st John 5:13 says..."THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."

Now, if you can believe, if you are willing to as God to forgive you of all your sins, and if you will ask Him to come into your heart and save you; You CAN be saved quicker than I tell it. SIMPLY bow your head right now, wherever you are, and pray a simple sinner's prayer.
Here is a prayer that you may use if you wish: "Dear Lord, I realize that I am a sinner, and I deserve to die, and go to hell. But JESUS, I believe that you are the Son of God, and that You were crucified on a cross for my sins, so that I might have eternal life. I ask you Lord, to forgive me of my sins, and to come into my heart, and save me. Now Lord, I thank you for saving my soul."
So, now you are saved, and on your way to Heaven. Don't let anyone tell you that you are not saved; if you prayed that prayer, and meant it. If satan tries to tell you that you are not saved, then remind him that God is not a liar. You are standing on God's Word.
Now, you are a newborn babe in Christ, and just like any child, you will have to have the proper food in order to grow. Spiritual growth is very important in order to have a victorious Christian life. God has provided you with protection who will minister to you through His Word, and will help you in every decision that you need to make. It is the HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT is a gift that is available to you the minute that you get saved. So right now, ask God to fill you with the HOLY SPIRIT, and He will minister to you. Now, when you read your Bible, it will take on new meaning, as God will reveal things to you that He could not do when you were walking in darkness.
Now, as an act of obedience, you need to follow the Lord in believer's baptism, and you need to become active in a good fundamental, soul-winning, Spirit-Filled church. Don't put it off. Ask God to show you the Church that He wants you to be a part of.

It is important that you confess Jesus before men.
Matthew 10:32 says...(the words of Jesus)
"WHOSOEVER THERFORE SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN; HIM WILL I CONFESS ALSO BEFORE MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN."
May God Bless you and keep you in the center of His will, is our prayer.
WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE

WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE

2006-02-01T21:50:00.000-05:00

My big brother Ralph designed and wrote a little Bible tract many years ago, the front of which you can see here(click on the picture for a better view). The relevance of the design is primarily based on his life as a fireman/EMT for 27 years. He began his career as a volunteer in a small rural community, and eventually became a paid fireman. As a Christian, he became extremely burdened for people that are dying without Jesus, and thus, condemned to a devil's hell. The key verses on the cover are from Revelation 14:11,Revelation 26:15, and John 8:32. He invisioned himself as a fireman driving the truck named Word of Truth Rescue, and shouting to the sinner going down the wrong path to hell, hopefully in time to spare him from the lake of fire. While this little tract is very dated(prior to the time of computer graphics), and to some it many seem even a little "corny"; nevertheless, it has been used by God to save many souls. It is out of print now, but I was always touched by the compassion that pours out onto its pages; compassion for lost souls who would be otherwise be eternally seperated from God.
I have attempted to duplicate it here for you, although formatting and scanning were a little bit of a problem. Check the next journal entry for the content of the tract. Ralph and his wonderful wife Rita have been married since 1958; they are both retired now, and live in their mountain retreat called "The Refuge"; a beautiful retreat for missionaries, evangelists, and pastors. It is their calling to minister to these men of God.

What satan meant for evil...God Meant for Good

2006-01-31T22:24:00.000-05:00

Undoubtedly one of the most evil acts in the history of mankind were the atrosities of the Adolf Hitler regime. A story that was related to me during that time will be imbedded in my heart until the day I die, and I hope that I can do it justice by retelling it. It seems that a certain Jewish prisoner was given the daily task of cleaning the latrine of a certain German officer's quarters. The German officer had the disgusting and spiteful habit of using the pages of a Holy Bible to wipe himself after deficating. He threw the pages into a garbage can, kowing that the assigned Jewish prisoner would have to empty on a daily basis. Upon finding the soiled pages in the can, the prisoner secretly took each page, and washed the defication off, and dried them in the sun. He then began to read these pages, and after reading the story of Jesus, and His mighty power to save, the man gave his heart to Jesus, and was gloriously saved. One day, he became sick, and was sent to the doctor, where he shared his faith with the doctor, who subsequently accepted Christ as savior, and the doctor began to share his faith with others, as well.
The Word of God is alive, and NOTHING will defeat it.

THE WORD OF GOD

2006-01-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I keep talking about the Bible, so I guess it's time that I explain my stance on God's Word. Most likely, every person has some perception of the Bible, whether it be a positive or negative one. An atheist, for example, probably thinks that the Bible is a farce, and something that man has created, and a crutch, used by weak-minded religious folk. To be honest, I DO use the Bible as a crutch, but not quite the way that an atheist might perceive it to be, but as a life force , the pulse of God, endued power from the living God, and in effect a real crutch, to keep me from falling. Are you ready for this? The Bible is NOT a book!!! You may ask"What in the world is this crazy fool talking about?" The Word of God is a Living, Breathing, love letter to mankind of ALL time as we know it. Granted, it comes to us, as humans, in book form, but God's Word is eternal, God's Word is Jesus. Now some who read this may also say,"Man!you are really reaching!" John1:1 says this..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God." It goes on the explain that the Word is Jesus, and that ALL things that exist were created by Him.
Now, let's talk about which version of the Bible is the correct one to read. I have lost count of how many versions there actually are, but that does not matter to me anymore. There was a time when I tried to debate that one version is better than the other, or that one can only be right with God if he reads the King James Version; on and on. There is a key verse in the Bible that says that God's word WILL NOT return unto Him void(Isaiah 55:11). Man can burn it, change it, manipulate it, or even pervert it, as many cults have done, but God's Word CANNOT be destroyed; His message of love for ALL mankind WILL come through, no matter what is done to it. So what is the right thing to do? Jesus said that He would not leave us alone, and that he would send a comforter, namely the Holy Spirit of God, who helps us to discern how we should live, and also what His Word means. Personally, I believe that the King James version is the most accurate translation of all, and if you are NEW to the study of God's Word, I would suggest that you start with the KJV. I do use other versions for my personal study, but I depend on the Holy Spirit to show me the way.
This brings up this question:"Are there any versions of the Bible that are wrong?" I may prefer one version over another, but the only ones that I think are "wrong", so to speak, are the ones that delete or deny certain basic principles of salvation, or what is known as "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" I don't attack any one religion or go on "witch hunts" to cause damage to others, but I will speak the truth about the Gospel, even if it angers some people. True Christianity has absolutely NOTHING to do with religion, BUT, it has EVERYTHING to do with having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Here are what I call UNDENIABLE truths about Jesus:#1.Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, a common woman, chosen by God , who gave birth to Jesus from the Immaculate conception of the Holy Spirit of God. I cannot explain it, it needs no explaining, it's just fact, and God planned it that Way!#2. Jesus was, and is all God, all man, who is our Creator, who was incarnated as a man, who lived a perfect, sinless life. and gave Himself to die on a cruel cross for the SIN of mankind, that was the result of the sin of Adam and Eve, a curse passed on to every living person, that could only be resolved by the BLOOD of the Lamb(Jesus).#3. After three days in the grave, Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, and after a short time on Earth, he ascended BACK into Heaven, where He sits on the right hand of the Father, and IS coming again to complete the redemption of HIS children.
If ANY version of the Bible deviates from these basic but incredibly essential doctrines, then THAT version is in error, and most likely the workings of satan, and or a cult of people who are being used as puppets of the devil!! satan is overcome by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB, and the words of my testimony. I don't debate "versions" I only care about "truth", and"the TRUTH shall make you free!"

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE

2006-01-29T00:23:00.000-05:00

I recently recollected the childhood memory of a time when I tried to run away from home. I suppose that everyone has one of those to remember. My dad literally DID run away from home at the age of 13, never to return until he was an adult, but that was in 1926; times were a little different then. My decision to run away came at the ripe old age of 5. I was upset at my parents for something that I can't remember now, so it was probably typical childhood "stuff". My brother, 10 years my elder, told me that if wanted to run away that he would help me pack. I wasn't bright enough at that age to wonder"Why is helping me to leave?", but he did help me; we put everything I held dear to me in my small 45rpm record carry case. These were very essential survival type items like some toy soldiers, a couple of toy cars, two 45rpm records(what was going to play them on?), and if I remember, a toothbrush(no toothpaste). I don't recall what else was in there, but it could not have been much to go into that small case. Well, it came time for me to run away, and my brother bade me farewell...I snuck out the back door of our house, and I started down the hill in our yard towards our lake, and was not gone more that 50 yards, when I became lonely and scared, so I returned to our back yard and sat down near a tree to contemplate my escape a little more. As I sat there, my brother came out of the house laughing at me...he said, "I thought you were running away." I said, "Oh, I am...I just have to figure out which way to go." I still remember the smile on his face as he asked me where I would stay, I told him,"In the woods, I guess." "Well what are you going to eat?" he asked. After a few more of his reality questions, I realized that I had better save runing away for another day, so I stayed there 14 more years until I got married. Now that wasn't so bad, was it? My Mom and Dad had a good laugh about all this when they found out, but I did not think it was so funny at the time.
I am sure my parents could have found me if I had run away, though they may not have known where I was for a time. Our Heavenly Father deals with "runaways' all the time, but the differnce is that He sees and know all, so He has no problem locating His children. We, in our "human-ness" somehow think that we can run and hide from God when we don't want to fellowship with Him for various and sundry reasons. It could be that we don't think that we need God, or we are running away because of some guilt or rebellion. But the one thing that remains constant is that we can't run from Him any more than Adam and Eve could. What we fail ro realize is that God loves us, really loves us just the way we are; He may not approve of our lives, the way we are, but He does love us, and that is the key to renewing our fellowship with Him, NO matter what we may be like. We run away, and God tends to stay, He is there all the time...waiting ...waiting patiently for our return to that quiet place of peace and solitude that we can freely have when we come into His presence. Many times I have gotten out of fellowship with God, and felt SO bad about it; and now I find that when I become distracted with this life, and stray away, that when I return, He is not standing there waiting to beat me or punish me in some way because I have been gone. He is happy at my return, and I am happy for the peace I can have by going back to that quiet place. I want God's blessings, so I have decided that I don't want to leave His side. I still do, from time to time, but I yearn to come home to Him, just like a long, lost, lover returns home to his loved one from some far away land. I am miserable while I am away from God, so my little trips are short ones now, and I long for the day when I can be in His presence FOREVER!!!

LIVING HE LOVED ME,DYING HE SAVED ME!

2006-01-25T05:13:00.001-05:00

I gave this print to my mother many years ago...before her time on this Earth was over, she gave it back to me, saying that it would be something to remember her by. I love this picture, but I don't need it to remember possibly the sweetest woman that God ever gave breath to! It is NO accident that my wife and my two sisters remind me of her, for I am blessed beyond measure.
This does remind me of yet something much deeper than that...the intense and undying Love that Jesus has for me. If I had been the ONLY man on Earth, He would have come and died for me, and I know that. Jesus not only loves me that much, but He loves and has loved all the people that ever WERE and ever HAVE BEEN, and everWILL BE; that's why they call it Amazing Grace!
I am convinced that unless a person has experienced the personal touch of the Savior, that finding words to describe that experience is difficult. The writer of the old hymn "One Day" tells the story. Jesus is our creator...He was always in Heaven for eternity past. He has no beginning.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be.

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt amongst men, my example is He!

Chorus: Living He loved me; dying He saved me;

Buried He carried my sins far away;

Rising He justified, freely, forever;

One day He's coming...O Glorious Day!

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain,

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree:

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;

Bearing our sins, My Redeemer is He!

Chorus

One day they left Him alone in the garden;

One day He rested, from suffering free;

Angels came down o'er His tomb to keep vigil;

Hope of the hopeless, My Savior is He!

Chorus

One day the grave could hold Him no longer'

One day the stone rolled waay from the door;

Then He arose, over death he had conquered;

Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

Chorus

One day the trumpet will sound for His comng;

One day the skies with His glories will shine;

Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;

Glorious Savior, this Jesus is Mine!

Chorus

If you would like to know this wonderful Savior, ask Him, with a sincere heart, to reveal Himself to you. If you really mean it, something supernatural WILL happen in your life; OH...it may be subtle, but it WILL be powerful, and you WILL know it when it happens. If anyone wants answers concerning the Bible, I can help you, or find help, BUT the best place to go is a quiet place that exists between you and God alone. He will send the right people to minister to you if you will ask Him to and trust Him.

THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM

2006-01-22T18:25:00.000-05:00

I was walking down the street in New York City a few years ago, and came face to face with this man. I stood in amazement, watching his gaze, and wondered how this man could look SO much like Albert Einstein. Having never met Mr. Einstein, how did I really know what he looked like? After all, the photos that are published could have been doctored, but most likely, this is what he must have looked like. I took me a minute or so, but I quickly realized that the image in front of me was not a breathing person, but a wax figure; we were standing in front of The Wax Museum. After standing there for even longer, I realized that he was not real, but the features and coloration are mind boggling. On another occasion, I went to the Hall of Presidents at Disney World, and to witness each president standing there speaking and moving on the stage was also a wonder to behold, but they are, in actuality, extremely "high tech" robots.
There are many deceptions in this life, some meant for good, and most meant to satisfy some person or persons selfish desires or schemes. In the Bible, Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, and put lamb's blood on his coat, showing it to their father Jacob, convincing him that his youngest son had been slaughtered by some beast. I have met many types of people in this life, and there are some who don't trust anyone at all, while there are others who will fall for anything, the epitome of naivety. So who can we trust? Bonds of friendship are created between brother and sister, husband and wife, friend to friend, and most of the time, those bonds are trustworthy, but when trust is broken between people, it makes it harder to trust someone in the next relationship. Some feel that they can't even trust God, for through their disappointments or even terrible losses, they find that even God must have some hidden agenda. Well God DOES have an agenda, and He doesn't always share it with us in this life, and sometimes He DOES reveal His plan to us before we leave this world.
Since God created everything, and ultimately controls everything He sees all things from a perspective that we cannot. The one thing that is consistent with God is that He loves us, and He knows us better than we know ourselves(imagine that!). I compare it to when I was 16 years old...time for my first car...most of the kids that I went to high school with were getting GTO's, Corvettes, or some similar "muscle car". My father told me that he wanted to help me get a car, and asked what kind I wanted...well, I began to name some of the fast cars that I wanted, and he quickly stopped me, and explained that he knew what would happen if I had a car like that. He was right...I would have burned the tires off the thing the first week. I ended up buying 1959 Hillman Minx(an old British car)http://www.charm.net/~pdbragg/whatsahillman/newcar.html that we bought from my brother for $35.00; it was wrecked, and we had to drag it out of a ditch. I stripped and sanded, and rubbed and worked all summer, and my Dad worked right along with me, and really did more work than I did; he did all of the extensive body work, and even almost cut his thumb off straightening the frame. The car lasted me several years, and it made me appreciate having a car.
Our Heavenly Father is much like our earthly father, except He knows everything, even what's best for us. When things are not what they seem, He can steer us in the right direction, but how will we know? The only way to know is to be CLOSE to Him. Ask yourself how you can do that. Pray, ask Him into your life...if you have already done that, ask Him to bring you closer to Him. He has not moved or gone anywhere; WE are the ones who move away. Move back in ...closer, closer to God. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean NOT unto your own understanding; In all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 written by the wisest man ever. Solomon.

THE TEMPLE

2006-01-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

Pictured here is a replica of the Byodo-In Temple, located in Kaneohe, Hawaii. This very beautiful structure is actually adjacent to a cemetary called The Valley of the Temples. Both Christians and Buddhists are buried here. The original Byodo-In Temple is located in Uji, Japan, and is constructed of wood, but this Hawaiian replica is made of concrete, because there was great concern that wood could not survive the attack of termites in this area. The temple is surrounded by Koi ponds, and and has a huge bell just outside, that visitors can ring with the big swinging clapper. Inside is a huge golden Buddha, made from wood, and covered in gold lacquer. The craftsmanship is exquisite.
Many people contemplate this temple that we have called the human body. By the same token, many of us take our bodies for granted until something breaks, rots, or is attacked by something. Either way, the truth is that God did create us; none of us were found under a rock, and his Word speaks of our bodies as being the temple of the Spirit of God. Jesus said that if they tore down the temple, that He would raise it again in 3 days. They thought that He meant the actual structure of the temple. What He really was referring to was his actual physical body, which was raised from the dead, 3 days after they killed Him. We should take care of our temple, but more importantly, we as humans, should take care of the soul that is housed within. Jesus taught us that we should fear not that which can kill the body, but rather to fear that which can kill the body and soul, and condemn it to hell.
I don't spend a lot of words teaching a lot of doctrine here, but I do give you some things to think about. You see, many don't believe in this "soul" business, they simply believe that we are just born, and we die, and that is that!, Well. think about this for a time; when you go to the local funeral home, and look into the casket of a dead man, can he see you? can he smell you, hear you, or if you
touch his face, can he feel it? I maintain that what we experience our conscietiousness with is our spirit, or soul. The soul of a dead man is NOT there; it has travelled on... somewhere else. At my age, I am thinking more about keeping the termites out of my temple, so I can live longer to do God's will, but when He allows my temple to fail, my soul within will travel on to be with Him. Whether the finest physical specimen, or not so fine, our bodies really are amazing; God's craftsmanship is exquisite! When all my systems fail, I want what's left to be with God, and He is there all the time...He will never leave us, nor forsake us.

YOUR LIFE

2006-01-17T18:55:00.000-05:00

Words cannot describe the beauty of the image that you see here. It is a place called Waimea Canyon, on the island of Kauaii, one of the Hawaiian islands. Possibly better known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", this is the place that receives the most rainfall per annum of any place the world. The very top of the canyon is over 4,000 ft. above sea level, and this photo was take at about 3,000 ft., and we were on top of the rainbow. It is my understanding that there are people in the valleys and forests below that live there, surviving on nature; we saw wild goats, and there are also wild pigs that probably supply these people with food. About every six months, the rangers go into these areas, and run all the people out of there, because they are trespassing; after a while they return, until the authorities come, and the whole thing starts all over again. Now, the ones living there, for the most part, are not native to Hawaii; they have come from all over to escape from society and life; BUT one might say,"Not a bad life, to live like that in paradise!"
This brings me to the question: What about your life? is it meaningful? does it have to be?are you happy? what would it take for you to be truly happy? is the answer out of you reach?could you ever be happy, even though you may never have what you want? Like many people, I have had some very sad times in my life, and during those times, I was truly sad and depressed, but there always seemed that I could muster some joy and laughter during those times. I cannot explain why, but I could. I used to think that I was just masking over my problem by making jokes, and acting silly, but now that I contemplate those times, I was truly, for small fleeting moments, really happy! I have always been a "count your blessings" sort of guy, but even if I wasn't, I still think that I can always find some small thing to be happy about when I am sad. Maybe you are not one of those people who can do that, BUT I am willing to loan you some of my happiness; and you don't have to pay me back, just pay it forward to the next person when you can. Things are really bad on my job right now, because the company we work for may not survive, and many people may lose their jobs. Today, I heard of 2 suicides of workers in other areas, and it surely did sadden me because I cannot see why someone would want to take his or her own life, but I understand how one can be so sad that he may want to die, and that can grow into a deeper enough depression that the person can't even think straight anymore. Where there is life, there is HOPE, and EVEN if you have to live the rest of your life as a sad person, you can find some brief periods of happiness; take these little epihonies, and try to make them last longer each time, and then try to link them together between the sad and lonely times; eventually, you will find that life IS worth living, and there is some value to waking up in the morning. Notice that I have not shared a bunch of "spiritual stuff" here because I think spiritualizing every thing we do causes us to put on masks. Spiritual things, namely God are important, but I just want to identify the problem of dealing with sadness today; another day, I will get into the DEEP spiritual meanings of things. Have a nice day.

IMAGINE

2006-01-16T17:53:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite pictures is the one you see here today. As time goes on, I will share my experiences as a Christian, and how I came to be one. To make a long story short, I was raised in your average "All American" home, with both parents staying married to each other for 64 years. Imagine that! Both my mother and father were Christians, but as I grew up, I gradually drifted farther and farther away from God; I even became a Buddhist; oh well, I called myself one, but to be honest, I did not even really know what a true Buddhist was, but I meditated a lot, and did not even know what I was meditating on! LOL. So my life went on, and one day the Holy Spirit of God overwhelmed my spirit, and life, and I not only fell in love with Jesus Christ, I gave my heart and life to Him. My life has not been the same since May of 1982, and I have seen many wonderful things happen. Many who read these words will say that the things that I write of are a "crock", but the ONLY reason that they can say that is that they have YET to experience the Word of God, and His wonderful Love. I made all kinds of fun of Christians for so many years, but when you allow God to get you, you are GOTTEN. I will write more later, but I know that I know that I know, and I once was very much like the skeptics that are alive today; SO I can't judge anyone. God Will Bless You, if you allow Him to. Study the picture above, and just IMAGINE one day having the King of the Universe taking you into His arms like that.

Hawaii

2006-01-15T15:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I am just playing around with my new blog, so it will be a little while before I get down to business; I awoke this early this morning, during my prayer time, thinking about what all I will be talking about on this blog. There will be an infinite amount of subjects covered, from philosophy, to politics, to real-life stories, to the salvation of my soul. Today, I simply want to tell you of my love for Hawaii. Since I was nine years old, I have had an insatiable hunger for that wonderful place, and before my eldery Mother passed from this life, she knew that I would be making the first of my six trips there. As time goes on , I will share more of my love for the culture there, but that's a start; stay tuned, I will share some stories, opinions, and most of all some WISDOM that hopefully you can use in your life to be happier and better, OK? OK!

WISEMAN'S WISDOM

2006-01-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

WISEMAN'S WISDOM

2006-01-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings...I am Larry Wiseman; some of you have known me for many years, and some possibly have not seen or heard from me in many years, but I wanted to take some time to share some of my thoughts, and an occasional story of my life. My motives here will be primarily to help others in a way that may not seem obvious, until you take some time to digest my remarks. Some of my words may be offensive to some, although I doubt it. If you don't like any of my writings, then please accept my apologies in advance, and feel free to "change the channel".