Another Wicked Pitch

It's your biggest game! You have practiced throughout the week. Taking practice swings, investing time at the batting cages.  There are many details involved in swinging the bat at the plate;  The stance or the placement of the feet and proper distribution of weight for balance.  Many spend much time developing a good grip.  Hours off the field invested in weight training to build power and speed in your swing.

Now you step up to the plate, feet dug in, good grip, balanced. The wind up, the pitch... the ball is headed for your shoulder at a high rate of speed, flinching and waiting for the pain from this throw you hear.."Strike!"

Your heart drops and ego deflated hearing the jeers of the opposite team and fans. You had been duped by a deceptive pitch by the cunning wicked pitcher. He's practiced as well. He throws a wicked curve, slider and fast ball just out of reach.

                                                           

                                           
You start off to Worship service and/or Bible study and check it off the list of "things to do."  We casually read our Bible and pray before we fall asleep.  Others religiously/habitually attend church and even teach a class etc.

Be alert and "Keep your eyes on the ball" being focused and intentional.  Praying and watching...because your opponent roams around seeking whom he may devour.  The deceptive pitch is his specialty.  It looks and sounds good but what you thought was just what you needed curved or dropped out of reach and you missed the mark.  We have stood there deceived, tricked by a wicked pitch;  "No one will see," "You won't get caught,"  "just this once." etc.

Being more than a game, many a life has been ruined, testimony damaged, families torn apart.  We know we will fall for the deception occasionally, yet not wanting to fall into a lifestyle of "swing and a miss." Let's walk in Spirit and TRUTH.

                                                             Luke 15:11-32

He's risen indeed!

          For many reasons, it may have resembled a political convention.

The cheers may have been in unison and deafening. The angry embarrassed Pharisees told Jesus to silence the crowd.  They had said themselves: "The world has gone after Him."
  A while after raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus makes His triumphant ride into Jerusalem. Thousands plus are on the road to meet, and cheer on Jesus. "He's the Messiah."  "Hosanna! Hosanna!" 

That was on Sunday.  Days later they were shouting; "Crucify Him!" Temple leaders and Pharisees had won.   Didn't they?

Jesus said: "It is finished!"  The disciples said:  "it is over."

Not so fast... Jesus had said; "For this reason I have come." and "My Kingdom is not of this world."  This was right on schedule.

"What do you mean?"

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Gal.4:4,5.

They were (and many still are) looking for him in a tomb. But He is risen, just like He said!

No, the Pharisees didn't win, nor was it over. Little did they know, it was only the beginning!

He is risen indeed!

A Sad State of Affairs

   It would appear to be hopeless, based on appearances.  If it were not for seasons and terms of leadership, there would be no light at the end of the  dark tunnel.

                               

  No matter the coach, pastor or government when the powers that be are jury, judge and executioner it is a dangerous place to be. Even when the followers/victims of the King, dictator or out of control "representatives" agree with those who are ruling.

  We have accelerated the activity of calling evil good and good evil. May God be merciful to this destructive culture.

  There I said it God and destructive culture. Society at large seems to be confused about both.  When we look into the Word of God, today's thought process is in silent, yet violent opposition.

  So, when you are the King, dictator, judge, jury and executioner, you will also redefine even biblical words and terms. Even words in general.

  In past decades many times we were shown two  pictures from the Soviet Union. The first a group picture of leaders. When someone would disagree another picture would be posted without the disinter. 

   Today people are merely cancelled and shunned.  there is no more dialogue but a one-sided monologue, thinking those who shout the loudest are right, (more like laughable) telling of how great life is from behind the fenced in, well-armed walls.

  When many in the population are deceived by the anti-God, church, and true Biblical teaching, it is a cliff without guard rails resulting in fatal lifestyles.

  Thankfully there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel.  Many of today's youth are not falling for the deconstruction of what is true. Many more people are recognizing the fallacy and danger of the popular paradigm.

  It is time to stay united and submitted to God and his Holy Spirit. We may not see it in this life. There will come a day when there will be no darkness only light and that the light of God Himself.

Mathew West Because of Bethlehem

"WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THE WAR DADDY"?

Those were the days my friend, let me run down the list; Civil rights riots, protests for everything and college sit ins. There were Black Panthers and weathermen SDS (Students for a democratic Society) and the Hells Angels.  We had Martin Luther King Jr., JFK, Billy Graham, Timothy O' Leary, Hugh Hefner, John, Paul, George and Ringo, topped off with a little Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi. Throw in the entertainment provided by The BEATLES, Jimi Hendricks, The Rolling Stones, Andy Williams, Bobby Darin, Aretha Franklin, Bev Shea, Janis Joplin and of course the BEATLES.  T.V. had Lucy, Andy Griffith etc.

Every night the news showed pictures of soldiers fighting. We heard of POW's and hot landing zones.  They called it a Conflict,  some wanted to call it a War. Whatever it was, it was VIET NAM !   Our soldiers were armed with superior firepower. Artillery, tanks, Napalm, Fighter Jets and a bomber called "Puff the magic dragon".  The now famous Huey helicopter of the Calvary transported grunts and jarheads.  Once again the times had a cast of thousands led by JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Nixon,Throw in the entertainment of Bob Hope, Jane Fonda and the draft dodgers. Politicians were the top of the show.

The Viet Cong supposedly won using; tunnels, snipers, booby traps, bouncing Bettys, children , villagers, The Jungle, AK47s and  Chinese weapons.  The young men that were drafted experienced all of it.  Someone's son, after tossing in a grenade, went into the tunnels headfirst with a pistol. You can bet death by booby trap, made from bamboo, some with explosives, made the toughest shake a little when made to walk point.
I'm sure an enemy that remained invisible created a mindset that continued long after the "war" was over.

Kids. I spent the war at pep rallies and the High school library. Before the news came on t.v. from Viet Nam I had played a little street football.  Before going to bed I would listen to my A.M. radio playing "Stop, in the name of love."

By the time I graduated High school, the draft for soldiers was ended. The war was almost over. I volunteered to go into the Army a few years after the war.

Thank you who have gone before me and since.  Thanks to those that prepared to go and those that went. Thanks to those who go and "never return."  Thanks to those that are fighting to protect our nation and the world.

The Beatles - Now And Then

"Get Off My Bus!!"

“Get Off My Bus!”

   Soon after deciding to enlist, the day had arrived. I said goodbye to family and friends.. My Dad took me to the train station where we had small talk and said so long. Later I discovered he had gone home and cried...  It was his Birthday (what was I thinking). I was glad to have made him proud, when I returned from my Basic Training. The plane ride was my first. I believe they had to pry my fingers off the arm of my seat!

   Finally after a few days we were to meet our drill instructors. “There they are!” They looked evil and full of military.

                                                         Get off my bus!!
 "You in the back, get up and have your pack in front of you. Go! Go! Get off my bus!!” Those that had been seated in the front were now outside receiving orders and doing push ups. The screaming and running around moved like controlled recklessness.     “Keep your head and eyes to the front. Choose you a brick on that wall and stare at it. Don't look anywhere else!” The guy in front of me was shaking like a leaf. We could hear those still in the bus being ordered outside and others doing more pushups. “This is the worst excuse for humans I have ever seen!”  
  There were about a hundred cool dudes being transformed into whimpering pups at an animal shelter. Some already wanting to go back home to mom's: “I told you so's.”

   Now, off the bus and seventy pushups later, we knew we should fear these men. I was afraid yet loving it and didn't want to be anywhere else. We were on our way to becoming soldiers!

  It's one thing to enlist and act and talk like a hero with mom and dad. You haven't really moved forward until you get up and “Off the bus.”

   This thing of being a follower of Christ, is more than sitting in church talking a big talk to the other pew fillers. It is you and I getting off the pew/couch/cot and going into the population or post, maybe even the next foxhole and walking the walk.

   Thousands of believers are still “on the bus," having no maturity, still unknowing what to do in spiritual combat. This world needs you to get up and get out and love the unlovable soldier next to you as well as those in the population. You decided to enlist? Now you have to get off the bus and into the purpose and plan of God!

Check out the Word:

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you."  Matt 28:19,20.