It’s Time For Change!!

Seriously people it is time for things to change!

Is this really how you want to memorialize the tragic death of George Floyd? As of this morning (Sunday May 31, 2020) there are reportedly 111 major cities that have experienced riots, looting and firebombing. No I did not say protesting! I said rioting, looting and firebombing. People block the street and throw rocks at a police car so the driver plows through the group of people blocking his path. Two wrongs never equal one right. People are frustrated and angry. In their anger they loot and burn down businesses which are owned by minorities who have spent a lifetime building that business. Seriously people!!

Mr. George Floyd was needlessly killed while in handcuffs during a routine police call in Minneapolis for allegedly passing a bogus $20. He was unarmed and in police custody when several arresting officers held him down. One officer had Floyd pinned at the neck and ignored please that he could not breath. Officer Derek Chavin has since then been arrested and the other officers involved have been fired. There may be further charges filed against the officers as the investigation continues.

Injustice, racial tensions, bigotry, hypocrisy, profiling, and other instances of mans’ inhumanity to man have been and will likely be a part of our world as long as we walk this earth. That does not mean there can not be a change. But change can only come when someone is willing to act rather than react!

This world is seeing an unprecedented event because of the cover-19 pandemic. People have died. Resources are strained. Stress levels are high and patience is wearing thin everywhere. The straw that broke the camels back during this time is yet another senseless murder of a black man. Black Lives Matter is an organization whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities. BLM seeks to use resources already in place to speak out, stand up and shine a light on the racial imbalances that occurs far too often. This is one of the paths to change. The path to change can not be found in the ashes of burnt out buildings.

The rallying cry of “No Justice No Peace” isn’t a call for change but rather a threat of violence. Holding an entire city hostage to destruction in order to bring about a desired result is nothing short of kidnapping and terrorism. Likewise walking out of a looted Walmart with a shopping cart full of items will not bring about change. If anything it will fuel the fire of unrest as it exemplifies the mob mentality of opportunistic thugs.

Confusion, disillusion, fear and hopelessness are the cordwood foundations to this fire. The deluded “right” who feel they need to treat other people with disregard and disdain are just as wrong as those who set fire to a police car. Fear and hopelessness that exists in communities of color is a type of heart diseases. When a person has nothing to loose they can do anything. Being backed into a corner by the confusion and despair of poverty, inequality and violence will make a person lash out without restraint.

I recall the Rodney King riots in Los Angles in 1992. Rodney King led police on a high speed chase. When they eventually caught up to him they arrested the other two occupants of the vehicle and proceeded to brutally beat, tase, stomp on and kick Mr. King. In spite of a video tape of the event the officers were acquitted. What followed was days of rioting and unrest that left 63 people dead and 2,383 injured, 12,000 arrested and $1 Billion in property damage. What I recall most (other then the sight of the beating of Mr. King) was the beating of the truck driver (Reginald Denny) who was dragged from his cab at a stop light and beaten by and angry mob. Both of these events are seared into my mind and I feel both are equally horrific and senseless.

Los Angeles 1992.

Minneapolis 2020!

Where next?

Miami? Philadelphia? New York?

Your Town? Your Neighborhood?

When and where will it stop?

Mr. Rodney King asked the question – “Can’t we all just get along?” The resounding answer over these years has been a loud “NO!” apparently. But we must get along. Change must come.

Change Must Come. Change Can Come. Change will come when we look at ourselves in the mirror and look at others through the eyes of God. Jesus told us that we should love God with all our heart and LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS as we love ourselves.

LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS WE LOVE OURSELVES!

There is the key. I believe that many biases and bigotry and violence begins with of the the insecurity of the heart. Whether that insecurity leads to egotistical overcompensation and bullying or if it leads to violent anger against authority and property under the cover of darkness within a mob. It’s a matter of the heart.

Jesus said that it is what comes out of the heart that defiles a man. So we need to guard our hearts against hatred, bigotry, anger that leads to violence. We are told that out the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so listen to your words and see what is in your heart. If your words are filled with hatred then your heart needs change. That is the only way that lasting change can and will come.

And Change must come.

Whose Report Do you Believe?!

Whose report will you believe

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

John 12: 37-41(Isaiah 53:1 ) NKJV

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10: 16-17 NKJV

Faith is such a simply thing that it can easily be overlooked. We set an alarm before we go to sleep never doubting it will wake us. We say good night to loved ones without a worry that we (or they) will rise tomorrow to see them again. We turn on a faucet and expect the water to flow. So many things in our life we take for granted yet we have faith (assurance, trust, no doubt) that they will be there just as before. Even if we have no clear understanding as to how they work – microwaves, computers, plumbing or electrical infastructures, we believe that will be just the way they have always been when we need them.

Salvation is based on a very simply concept as well.

But what does it (the righteousness that is by faith) say?

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Romans 10:6-10 NIV

So, it is all about what we believe in our hearts. Whose Report will You Believe?? CNN? The CDC? The Word of God? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself? It is a very simple question you see because our beliefs shape our thoughts and our thoughts shape our actions and our actions have consequences.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”;

Proverbs 3:5 & 1 Cor 3:19 NKJV

People who know me know that I am an emotional, passionate and maybe dramatic personality. I am an open book as the saying goes. I also can be trusting to the point of gullibility. Therefore the sensational and dramatic can catch my eye. With the pandemic upon us I have seen and read many websites promoting the theory that we are in the end times. Honestly, I can’t help but agree that these unprecedented events we see each day playing out are a cause to reflect, pray and appreciate what is truly important – but with a clear head.

To those of us who already believe in Jesus and have placed our lives into His Hands these events should act as a call to action. Now more than ever we believers must be the light He called us to be. A beacon of stability in a world being blown around by fear and sensationalism and uncertainty. Like Jesus Who slept in the boat (Matt 8:23-26) while the storm tossed it about we should be calm and undeterred by the events unfolding around us. As we stand strong during this crisis others will want to know why we aren’t worried as they are. This will be the opportunity for us to share the faith in and love of God with them.

In this uncertain time, as always, we must remember that God is on His throne. Jesus told us this is how it would be so we should not be surprised. the Bible talks about “great signs and wonders” as the end draws near.

I heard a great analogy of this scripture I’d like to share. When a traveler is in a foreign land and comes to a cross street. They look around and can not understand what they are reading because it’s in a language different from their own. But to the locals who live there it is a sign which gives directions that they clearly understand.

Likewise, these signs we see today (pandemic, hoards of locusts, earthquakes, cyclones, famine, sickness, volcanic eruptions, etc) tell us clearly that the end is near. They are a sign to us who believe because Jesus told us they would come and they they would be the birth pangs of the end. To those who do not believe these events are a wonderland a cause for concern and fear.

Having said all of that –

Whose Report Shall You Believe???

Good Morning

Good morning!

Today is Tuesday. Just another day during this new normal called the covid-19 shut down. I can look out my window and see the sun shining on the flowers in the yard. A breeze blows the branches on the trees and the flag waves in the sunlight. For all intents and purposes it is a good morning.

But that is the problem with superficialities. Things don’t always appear as they are. A duck floats along on a pond looking calm and at peace but below the surface its feet are franticly paddling! Likewise, outside my window the sun shines, birds sing, flowers grow and all appears to be well on my street.

But.

But within the walls of the brightly lit homes on my block are people who are locked down. Locked down, sheltered in place, quarantined, staying safe, flattening the curve, whatever you want to call it, they are not going about living life as usual. It is obviously the same almost everywhere around the world and maybe we can take solace in the fact that we are not the only ones suppressed by this.

And.

“And how are you holding up?”

“Well. We are doing well thanks, considering. It is an inconvenience but we will get through it. Together, of course.”

“Well, be safe and stay well. Please tell everyone at home I said hey!”

Platitudes. The things that we have come to learn are appropriate to say in ever circumstance. We know what to say when someone gets a promotion. What to say when someone looses a loved one. We know what to say to encourage each other when we face an unusual and stressful time such as this.

Why?

Why be superficial and just keep up appearances? Why speak in empty platitudes? Would being real really be so bad? Would it really be so bad if we said how we feel?

Fearful

Frustrated

Broke

Angry

Stressed

Worried

Tired

Hungry

Hot

Cold

Dirty

Defeated

Rejected

Lonely

Overwhelmed

Unemployed

What if we showed ourselves as we are? Drop the facade. Allowed ourselves to be real.

Yell. Cry. Rest. Take five. Take a nap. Call a friend. Hug someone. Ask for help.

Yes, ask for help! How many times have you been willing to help someone? Friend or stranger, have you been ready to help out without a seconds thought? Many people in our world can be so caring and giving. Yet, so many people will not ask for help. They hold it in. They “man-up” or “push through” or “press on” or whatever ridiculous thing they tell themselves just so they don’t have to swallow their pride and be real.

Jesus told us to ask. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 Take note of the words Jesus used – Ask, Seek, Knock – “A” “S” “K”!

The Word of God tells us the we have not because we do not ask. James 4:2

We are also commanded many times to help each other.

Love our neighbors as ourselves. Carry each others burdens. Look after the widows and the sick. Just to name a few. Mathew 22:39, Galatians 6:2, 1 Tim 5:3

But the point I wish to make here today is to be real! Superficialities and platitudes help no-one. Be Real! Be You. Let someone in during these difficult times and let yourself be refreshed by their love and support. After all wouldn’t you be loving and supportive of them if they needed it?

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.        John 4:23-24 NIV

If this scripture isn’t calling for us to let down our superficial ways of approaching God (and each other) then I know nothing and should stop writing. Don’t be locked into platitudes in life and especially not in your prayer life. Be real and be transparent. Love and encourage everyone but also allow yourself to be loved, encouraged, lifted up or even carried if that’s what you need.

I’ll stop now. I’ve obviously gotten carried away with this thought for today. Just be encouraged today and if you need help ask. Ask God. Ask a loved one. But ask. Because pretending you are ok when you are not will not help.

 

Be Blessed A&B

The End Is Near!!

The end is near! 

Haven’t we all heard that before? Maybe even seen a street evangelist touting a sign and shouting “Repent! The end is near.” Jesus Himself told His disciples that although He was leaving “in a little while He would be back.” John 16:16-20 NKJV 

The End Is Near!

But just how near? Will Jesus return in our lifetime? This decade perhaps? Maybe this year? How about this month? Could He come back tomorrow?  Or will He wait much longer before bringing this age to a close? 

The End Is Near!

Look around. Look at your community. How does it compare with the recent past? Compare the world around you today to the world your parents grew up in. Has the overall condition of the neighborhood improved or deteriorated over time? 

The Word of God tells us that in the end days it will be perilous times. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Tim 3:1-5 KNJV

Does this paint a picture of the world we live in or must society move further away from God and civility to fit this description? 

The End Is Near!

Look around. Broaden your vision and look at the world as it is today. Consider world history both recent and past. Compare the world today to the world your parents grew up in. Has the overall condition of the society, or for that matter our planet itself, improved or deteriorated over time? Are you witnessing the continuing evolution of mankind as the world would have you believe? Or are you clearly seeing what I like to call the de-evolution of this world.  

Paul puts it this way in discussing the state of the world – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hopethat the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.                  Romans 8:18-21 NIV

The bondage of decay – This world is in bondage (helpless to stop or prevent) to a condition of decay. This is not a description of something evolving into a better condition than its previous state but rather a slow downward descent into a state of destruction.

Paul goes one to say that “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” and “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:22 &23 KNJV

Jesus told us what the world would look like before His return. He said these things would be the beginnings f sorrows.

“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14 NKJV

He told us that when we see things to look up because our redemption draws near.

Yes!! That’s right even Jesus said the end is near some 2000 years ago. Sooner or later it will be here! 

The End Is Near!!

Covid-19 has and will continue to change the world around us into a new norm. Social distancing, telecommuting, food shortages, schools closed, city streets turned into ghost towns. The world as we knew it just a short time ago may never be again. If you use any of your quarantine time searching the Internet you’ll find theories about this pandemic,  how it came to be what does it mean and when will it end. You’ll find conspiracy theories about the heralding in of a cashless society or the Mark of The Beast,  New World Order and the implementation of an authoritarian government. 

It’s a rabbit hole that’s not easy to get out of so avoid it and concentrate on a real and personnel relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all you need. He is all anyone needs. 

The End Is Near! 

Frankly, whether Jesus returns to take His children home today, tomorrow or some distant day we need to be ready. Whether this pandemic or some other event, large scale or personally, takes our health away and brings the end we need to be ready.

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 NKJV

 

Personal note – not that it matters but for the sake of full disclosure we do believe that the Lord’s return, as evident by the Rapture of the Church is closer than most may believe. Clearly our opinion isn’t of importance here. The only thing that’s important is establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ or strengthening that relationship  if you already know Him.