When Evil is Considered Good!

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe, too, those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the right of the ones who are in the right!” (Isaiah 5:20-23).

Hey Gang:  I was watching a program describing the devastation that is taking place in Hawaii.  As a watched the frantic people take only what they could carry and run for shelter, I could see the terror in their faces.   It brought to mind a recent article that I read telling me that perhaps there are as many as eight percent of the American people who read the Bible on a fairly-regular basis. 

Eight percent!  Paul in 2 Timothy 3 wrote these words: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.  Avoid such as these”.  

As I watched the frantic running for higher ground, as the waters covered the land, I wondered, “Where do you go, when the whole world is crushing in around you and you have no relationship with the One who calms the storms – water or life? 

It brought back a memory that has been tucked in my mind these many years. One day I found myself in the midst of a fire that was rapidly approaching one of our residential units.  The wind was pushing the flames rapidly up the hill and our frantic attempts with rakes and brooms was to no avail.  Suddenly the flames Jumped over my head and I was surrounded by fire!

I could hear the sirens of the fire engines, but would they arrive in time to save me and the house?  I dropped the rake, threw up my arms and yelled at the top of my voice “Lord Jesus, stop the wind!”  I confess I was totally amazed at what happened, but I should not have been -for as believers in Christ we are blessed with God’s dynamic power through the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus Christ, and the Word of God. 

A co-worker, who was not a believer, and I stood in amazement! Not only did the wind stop, but the fire receded back down the hill into the pit where it started. By the times the fireman arrived the fire was out.  You see, my co-worked who was struggling with marital problems at that time, needed to see the power of God at work.  Luke wrote: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8).

My good friends, one has-to-be totally and completely blind, not only their head buried in the sand but their whole body, for we are living in the midst of the greatest shaking of the earth - all that can be shaken is being shaken.  If there was ever a time in history when we, as children of God, must have our whole armor in place- the helmet of Salvation firmly attached, with sword (the Word of God) in our hands and our lamps filled with the Holy Spirit - it is RIGHT NOW! 

Jesus warned, as His return for His children nears, many will have a form of Godliness by lack His power, stay clear of false prophet and leaders.

Prayer for this moment! “Almighty God, I thank You for the power you promised to be me.  Through faith, I appropriate your power in the here-and-now!” 

Blessings,

Gramps

You Are Something Very Special!

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well" (Psa. 139:14).

Hey Gang, As I have traversed through this life on earth, I have grown more amazed daily at the magnificence of God's creation, namely me.  I have been amazed with the unlimited capabilities He built into the control center and  placed in my head.  I have read and heard it said many times that the average person uses only a tiny bit of that capacity.   Have you ever taken a moment or two just to take a deeper look at the center of your electrical system, your brain? 

God created and placed this magnificent miracle in each and every person.  You do believe you were created by God, don't you?  Paul made this clear in his letter to the Colossians: "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him" (Col. 1:16).

I woke up this morning with the song "We Shall Behold Him" running through my electrical system.  I wish I could say I always wake up with a song on my heart but that would be an untruth.  However, I have found that I have the power within me to turn on the stereo system God built into my brain. 

I recently read an article that told me the stress in our society has consumed a growing percentage of our people. We find words like nervous breakdown, anxiety attack, suicide have become far more common than love, joy, and peace.  

Now for the goodie of the day: God also gave us the ability to program our electrical systems to bring honor and glory to our Creator.  I have often used the analogy that we have knobs on the inside of our foreheads designed to hang knowledge that God can pull out of us when the need should arise. 

Here is a question for you to ponder this morning: Can God pull out of you knowledge that you never put in?  Oh, I know the God is all powerful and can do as He pleases but do you think He might depend on you to put into your brain those things so that He can pull out when you find your back is against the wall? 

I do believe that is what Paul was talking about in his letter to the Romans when he wrote, "I urge you, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship."   That is the principle - now he gives the application: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:1-2). 

So, good and faithful believers in Yeshua, your task for the day is to take a few minutes and hang a new piece of knowledge on one of those knobs in your head­­ that God can use to mold you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. He gave you 66 books as resources!

Blessings,  

Gramps

Doldrums or WHOOPIE!!!

“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:26-28).

Hey Gang:  Are your struggling this morning?  Alligators snapping at your heels? back against the wall?  I have wonderful news for you! There is a movement in our world today called “convergence” when all the prophecies of the Bible are rapidly coming together preparing those who are alive and on earth for the greatest event of all time – for those whose names are written the in the Lamb’s Book of Life- Jesus is coming again very soon.

This past week, my bride and I celebrated our sixty-first wedding anniversary.  We retreated to one of our very favorite places in the world to celebrate God’s blessing of our marriage, Shipshewana, Indiana. He has been so faithful as “the strand of three” mentioned in Ecclesiastes, that bonds two people into one under the authority of Father God in our marriage. 

 

Why do we like to go, and choose to go to the tiny oasis?  Because it charges our spiritual batteries to be among the Amish and Mennonite People of Shipshewana, a town so small - but it does not qualify as a ‘one horse town’!   Traffic is slower in Shipshewana because the streets are filled with ‘horse and buggies’,  I love the sound of the clip and clops of the horses.   Oh, I know that is weird to most of the world today.

We go to Shipshe, as it is commonly referred to, several times each year.  There is a police station in the back of a tiny building that is shared by several other government offices, but I have never seen a policeman.  Does that mean there is no problems in the area? No, that is not what I am saying.  But the Amish and Mennonites of the area believe problems are solved and relationships strengthened when misunderstanding handled face to face under the guidance of God.

I recently read a book titled “Signs of he Second Coming’ by Britt Gillette.  I was introduced to a new term which I feel is a very powerful sign of this present age - “exponential curve”.  It is one of the signs that is much like the frog in the pan of water on the stove.  If you put it in when the water is cold and then apply heat, it will remain in the water until the goose (frog) is cooked.     

Albert Einstein once said there is no greater power on earth than compound interest, it is what makes the world go around.  So what does this have to do with the second coming of Jesus?  Almost 2000 years ago, the disciples asked Jesus point blank, “What will be the signs of your return and the end of the age?   Jesus responded by mentioning a list of signs, spiritual, natural, societal and political. 

Notice in verse 8, He, Jesus, said “these are only the beginning of birth pains”.  I do not have a clue, personally, but have seen the pain in my brides face as the birth of our children announced it was time to come and see what this world is all about.   I do remember as the moment of arrival grew nearer it was time to get very serious about getting the delivery system to the hospital.

Jesus is telling us the same pattern will be prevalent- as the day of His coming for His children gets closer.  And what is this pattern? An exponential curve is one that grows slowly and increases with intensity -right up until the time the baby arrives. 

What Jesus has described is not only going to happen but is happening on a very rapid pace as we run at jet speed to the conclusion of the Age of the Gentiles!  I am 84 years of age and remember as a boy running each day to see the arrival of the milk and ice man who delivered their products in horse drawn vehicles.  It was always neat to see the horse move from one customer to the next without the guidance of a human hand.   

And now the space gurus are saying the first trip to Mars is on the drawing board and could come soon.  Really, Mars?  I think I will pass.  I am waiting for my trip to the New Jerusalem!

I PRAY YOU WILL ALL BE PREPARED, WATCHING AND WAITING TO MAKE THAT TRIP.

Blessings,

Gramps

What You See Is Not Always What You Get!

"Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.  Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips" (Pro. 27:1-2). 

Hey Gang:  My dear sainted Grandma used to refer to politicians as "clappers".  When asked what she meant, she would expand on her comment by saying, "A politician’s mouth goes like the clapper on a duck’s rear portions.  But the difference is the duck seems to know where it is going and seems to have the common sense to do what is best for he and his other ‘quakers’.”

We are in that agonizing period that our nation goes through every two years- the election of who we will place on the thrones of leadership of our country - or so we think.  But, as I reached the ‘older than dirt’ period of my life, I am more convinced that God gives us what we deserve.

Why do I believe that?  Solomon, the second wisest man who ever walked this earth wrote these words as a guide to us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding".  Why?  "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" And then the topper:  "Do not be wise in your own eyes" (Pro. 3:5-6).

I confess, I tend not to listen to the rhetoric that fills the airways for, in my “older than dirt” status, my recollections of past elections, people will say about anything and make brash promises that are forgotten when the loyal opposition admits defeat.  I tend to be a wee- bit hypper in my old age and I find my blood pressure begins to rise, if I watch the news -which at this moment is filled with politics.

But I believe in a far greater power than in the electorate of our nation.  Isaiah wrote these words: "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers...., "He it is who reduces rulers to nothing; Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless".

Daniel also addressed this issue when he wrote: "It is He who changes the times and epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings"  (Dan. 2:21).    

Paul refers to our day and age as "perilous times"  I have heard the phrase "going over the cliff" in reference to what is to come soon in our country but I do not believe the politicians in our country will be the drivers on that trip.

I also believe the Believers of our nations have the key to restoration in their hands, as given to us in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If My people, who are called by My name, humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.

God filled His word with promises of restoration but they are all preceded with the mighty word, ”if”.  If you will humble yourself before Me, if you will pray diligently, if you will turn from your wicked ways – then I Will….  The “I wills are unlimited”.  Paul tells us we need to think on these things!  Are you thinking?

Blessings,

Gramps

How Old Is Too Old?

“Blow the trumpet in Zion,  And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.  Surely it is near” (Joel 2:1).

Hey Gang, In the past several years I have found myself waking up in the middle of the night and, let me tell you I do not like it one bit.  But then one day, or should I say night, God sent a very special revelation my way – “You pray that I will give you the words to send in the gramps morning thoughts that will encourage, penetrate and be a refuge for people who are struggling.  In the middle of the night I have your undivided attention, something that is rare during the busy parts of your day.”  And, I must admit, that many of the thoughts that end up in the morning messages come to me in the middle of the night.

Last night, my thoughts were of the depressing news that a very close friend of ours, who has been fighting the war against Parkinson’s for many years, is losing the battle.  On one of his especially bad days he said to his bride- of many years, ”My prayer is that God will allow me to do one more thing for Him before I am called home”. 

 You see, when he learned he had Parkinson’s, he made a vow to the Lord that he would seek out other Parkinson’s victims, come along-side them and make sure the Lord was an integral part of their battle. 

I love the book of Zechariah and, I believe it is a message for his children today. On those days when the zip in my step is a wee bit slower and I allow the idea that I am too old to be of much value to the Lord, I find great solace in Zechariah’s words in 12:8: “In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and  the one who is feeble among them, in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them,

We just returned for a prophecy conference that focused on Matthew 24 and 25.   As I sat there waiting for the service to begin I looked over the hundreds of people who were there. I saw a commonness about them- nearly all had gray hair and most had a hitch-in-their- get-along.  I am sure. if you asked each one they would confess the seats were too hard. (it is a basketball arena); it took great effort to get there; they would be more comfortable in their easy chair at home.

I believe, if you would have asked each one why they were there, they would say, “I am honing the wheel so that I can do one more thing for my Lord.”  There were a multitude of canes, wheel chairs and devices to aid in balance but, in those three days I did not hear a single “O Woe is me.” I did see joy and rejoicing in the faces of all who were there.  Old? Feeble? yes, but there was great power in that room!

As God promised Joshua’s army: “No man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.  One man of you shall chase a thousand; for the Lord your God, He it is that fights for you, as he hath promised you” (Jos. 23:9-10).  Can you say “whoooooopie” to that?

                             

So, warriors for Christ, know this:  for years now, Satan has terrorized God’s people. But all along, God has been training His special forces units and one day soon He will unleash them within His church- doing exploits in the name and power of Christ.  And how do we become a warrior for Christ?

“Paul gives us the way: “Therefore, I urge you, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship and do not be conformed to this world”.  (Rom. 12:1-2a).

Blessings, 

Gramps

Ready or Not?

“As He was sitting of the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and he end of the age?”   And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you”. For many will come in My name saying, “I am the Christ.” And will mislead many” (Matt. 24:3-5).

Hey Gang:  Jesus went on and listed a smorgasbord of signs that we should be aware of, as believers, and number one on His list, “careful folks, be not deceived.”    This week the following headlines appeared on the screen of my computer: “Mega Church Pastor Matt Chandler Says Believers ‘Don’t Go to Heaven in the End” and, another Mega Church Pastor Claims: Christians Can Support Gay Marriage Without Betraying God.”

In my working years I had an opportunity to sit on a State Juvenile Justice Committee that discussed the rise in crime rates in our communities and what we should do about it.  One very boisterous member of the committee, who happened to be a “chief of Police” in a very high crime area, insisted, there was really nothing we could do about it - just control it to the best of our ability.

I disagreed with him based on my experience of working with troubled youngsters and seeing the fruits of introducing them to a God who loves them.  Jesus said the reason for lawlessness is “cold hearts”.  And is here a solution to “cold hearts?” 

I remember, as a little squeezer, Mrs. Barnhard, my teacher in grades one through three. Every day always began with the Lord’s Prayer, followed by a reading from the Bible and then the pledge of allegiance.  You see we were, as a nation, in the fight of our life called World War 2 and she was very committed to make sure we knew the if’s, why’s and but’s of that ordeal.  She often had us lay our heads down on the desk and read us a story – such wonderful stories of guys like David, Daniel, Joseph and, of course, Jesus.  

The point: she was a seed planter into hearts that perhaps had no other spiritual seeds being planted.  Five mornings of every week for three years, in the nine- month period when school was in session, she planted.  Then one day one woman, who was filled with hatred in her heart for Jesus, took her hatred to the Supreme Court and five of the Justices, who must have agreed with her, said you cannot do that anymore; it is an afront to our constitution. 

I have often wondered where the Body of Christ was that day.  Are we not a democracy where the majority rules?  Can one sadistic woman, in her distain for God, remove God and His word from schools for all time?  Unfortunately, the answer is “Yes”.  I believe with all my heart, the seeds of our nations destruction were p[anted that day! 

Peter Hitchens in his book High King of Heaven wrote: “Whenever God is removed from a society or culture, something must take His place.  What often takes the place of God is a godless culture in that state.  The state, in time, begins to demand worship and obedience so that it can rule over even conscience and religion”.

In past years I have been privileged to share my thoughts of prophecy and have found those who want nothing to do with it because it is so frightening.  I would challenge you:  if you feel that way, turn to Luke 21:28 and read these words:  “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

So, my friends, as the clouds gather and all is being shaken that can be shaken, keep your powder dry and your eyes on the sky for this I know, Jesus is coming soon to collect his children and take them to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.” Will you be included?

Blessings,

Gramps

Are You a Ten, Twenty, or Thirty-Year Lifer?

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and still ministering to the saints” (Heb. 6:10).

Hey Gang:  If this epistle sounds a little frazzled, keep in mind in the past thirty hours we have driven five hundred miles to spend a few hours with the youth- of my bride’s brother’s family.   When we heard the six kids were going to assemble, from various places around the country, it took no discussion -  we would crash the party!

Why?  Because we have been commissioned by Abba Father to be “Seed Planters”.  Oh, by the way that same commisson was placed on you by Jesus when He said, “Go, into all the world”, even to your own kin folks.  Was it a good investment of time; we will not know results until eternity.  That is not my responsibility.  We are planters, God is the harvester. 

As we drove across the Turnpike we witnessed the seed planting principle hundreds of times, as the farmers were in the field planting their crops with the faith that there would be a harvest - in the not too distant future.

In the work that we have done with hurting children and families, that has been our prayer:  ‘Lord, we will do the planting, You do the fertilizing, cultivating and harvesting.  We learned very early that, if we placed our full attention on the harvest we would soon “burn out”!

I have also learned, over the years, that time spent on the road can be a time of rich communication with Father God.  My bride often said, “I try to go along with him to keep his mind busy in talk so that another new idea would not surface in his brain that the staff and I would have to develop and implement.”  Yesterday was no different. 

A few years back, more than I like to think about, I ran into a guy, (in book form) by the name of Gar Trusley.   He was a research kind-of-person who studied “what made us tick”.   I was caught up in his work because it was not a pie-in-the-sky type of research but very practical and I could could glean some good practical knowledge.

One of his research projects centered on a problem with the guards at Jackson Prison.  It seemed like there was a lethargy in attitude that had become a consuming fire and had infected many of the guards.  A fire that had resulted in increased sick days and even resignations of some of the more experienced workers.   

His basic modus operandi was to have the guards make a list of their top ten priorities - if they received the tragic news that they had an incurable disease and would be dead in thirty days.  He found that most of the lists, although different, also had similarities.  On the top of most lists were three things:“Get right with God”; “Get right with my family”; “Get right with my neighbors”.  

He then challenged them to make a second list, right beside the other one, and list the ten points in order of current priorities in their lives.  In a very high percentage, the top three priorities listed on the first list were on the bottom of the second list!  His point was not a religious one, but rather that point one in their minds and hearts was “to get right with God”. Now as long as that remained on the bottom of their priority list, there would be an emptiness in their chest cavity that was just the size and shape of God.

He also strongly suggested to them that when they got home from work that night, they should get out the lawn mower and cut the grass, or if there is are things on the ‘honey do’ list, do one to completion.  For forty hours a week, in the prison environment you are facing two continuous issues that we were not designed to live with.  First, you never see the completion of your work and second, we are not designed to be in a totally negative environment for forty hours of our week.

When asked what was the one priority that they look for, all agreed it was weekend and vacation.  Gar’s final assessment was the guards at become like the ones they were watching, “ten, twenty, thirty- years to life”.    

How about you?  What would your top ten priorities of life be?  Are you investing your time in the top three? or the bottom three?   Are you a ten, twenty or thirty-year to life, kind of person? Or are you a seed planter? Planting seeds that have eternal value.  Keep in mind Jesus said, “You did it to the least of these, My brethren”.

Blessings,

Gramps

Something For You to Ponder This Morning

"Thus, I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.  Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble. and the earth will be shaken from its place in the day of His burning anger."  (Isaiah 13:11, 13)

"From the Lord of Hosts you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, With whirlwind and tempest and the flames of a consuming fire. (Isaiah 29:6).

Hey Gang: They say it is the worse fires in the history of the nation.  They say the winds in these storms have been the worse in recorded history in our country.  They say it has been the worse tornado season ever.  They say we have had more volcanos erupt this year than ever before.  They say there is activities in the heavenlies like they have never seen before.   

Joel Rosenberg, in his book "Implosion" wrote, "Yes, I believe something has gone terribly wrong with the American experiment. Our families are imploding. Our national debt is exploding. Experts on the left and the right warn we are on an unsustainable trajectory and urgently need to change course. Yet, too many in Washington, academia, the media and even the church are in a "business as usual" mode. As result, millions of Americans fear the ice is cracking under our feet". 

William Bennett, the Republican former Education Secretary and Drug Czar in the Reagan and Bush administrations, notes:  "Since 1960, even taking into account recent improvements, we have seen a 467 percent increase in violent crime;….a 461 percent increase in out-of-wedlock births; more than a 200 percent increase in the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a doubling of the teen suicide rate;….a doubling of the divorce rate."...53 million creations of God have been sacrificed on the altar of Molech.”

The question was put to Joel:  "Is it too late to turn it around?” His response, “No, God gives us the key to restoration in the following passage: "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive your sin and will heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).

So, those of you who read this message, and are younger than I, which probably includes all of you, have you humbled yourself before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings this morning? Have you prayed diligently for the healing of our land? Have you examined your heart and placed all those things that grieve the Holy Spirit at His feet for cleansing?   Keep in mind that Jesus said, "I come quickly!"

Blessings,

Gramps