IMAGINE Part II

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."

Who is this Jesus?

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

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???

THE WORD OF TRUTH RESCUE PART 2

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

WISEMAN'S WISDOM

WISEMAN'S WISDOM

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".