My Ongoing Thoughts

NOW WE KNOW…

12/10/2018

In my last blog, posted on Pearl Harbor Day, I pointed out the importance of remembering the men and women who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Little did I know what would appear in the news the very next day. It seems as if several families may now get the closing they have sought for nearly eight decades. Advances in modern forensic science, particularly in DNA reclamation and analysis, have now made it possible to identify some of the service personnel who lost their lives that fateful day.

In an article posted on Fox News, writer Perry Chiaramonte tells us that nearly 2,400 members of the U.S. military were killed in the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. And out of that number, 429 Sailors and Marines were killed on the Battleship USS Oklahoma. It famously capsized after it was struck by several torpedoes during the infamous December 7th, 1941 attack.

It seems that only 35 were identified in the years immediately after the attack. The ship itself was raised in 1942 and remains of the rest were exhumed and found to be unidentifiable. Thereafter, they were interred in graves marked as “Unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

He goes on to explain that In 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency started exhuming nearly 400 sets of such remains after a determination had been made that forensic science and genealogical research from families had advanced to the point that identifications were now possible.

As of December of this year, 186 Sailors and Marines from the Oklahoma who were previously marked as “Unknown” have now been successfully identified!

I praise the Lord that this has now unfolded. If at all possible, not one single one of these individuals deserves to go unidentified. Hollywood CGI notwithstanding, one cannot begin to imagine what all they went through! I am confident that each and every individual who perished that fateful day did his (or her) best in their moment of destiny!

They fought hard; they gave all they had; and they died gloriously in defense of this great nation! And they now deserve the recognition they have been deprived of for so long!

At the same time, I am reminded in this that there are a great many more untold deeds of bravery and valor! The men and women who died at Pearl Harbor are not alone. All throughout history, innumerable individuals have given their all for a greater cause and the good of their fellow man, only to have their deeds and their names go unrecorded by posterity.

For this reason, I cannot wait till that day in Heaven when the books are finally opened and the deeds of all such heroes are finally made known. No doubt, on that day, we will finally be able to say: “Now we know!”

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/pearl-harbor-sailors-finally-laid-to-rest-77-years-later-thanks-to-dna-testing.
SEE ALSO: Revelation 20:11-15.

WORTH REMEMBERING

12/7/2018

I am writing this on December 7, 2018, the 77th anniversary of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asserted at the time would a be a date that would live in infamy. As I have shared on previous blogs that fell on this calendar date, I hope I will always be mindful of the great sacrifice laid down by so many that eventful day on behalf of this great nation in which we live.

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Channel has spent the day showing several wonderful period films relating to this significant historical event. In the months and years immediately after its occurrence, Hollywood did her part to help mobilize America for defense by producing quite a few wonderful, if now all but forgotten, classic films.

Today’s line-up has included December 7th: The Movie (a 1943 documentary style film designed to educate the public on the events leading up to the attack), Air Force ( another 1943 movie chronicling the crew of a B-17 bomber named the “Mary Ann” as she arrived from the U.S. mainland just as the attack was occurring, as well as her additional action in the war), and the 1944 classic, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (about Colonel Doolittle’s heroic retaliatory bombing raid on Japan just a little over four months after Pearl Harbor).

I highly recommend these films, as they were all made during the war itself. For this reason, they give the viewer a little of the sense of uncertainly that still pervaded the American psyche at the time. After all, victory in World War Two would not come for another year or two; and the outcome was in no way certain at the time.

Many in the modern era are more familiar with the story of what happened on December 7, 1941 due to its retelling in the 2001 epic war film, Pearl Harbor, starring Bren Affleck and Josh Hartnett and a whole host of a-list actors. This film portrays the days leading up to Pearl Harbor, the attack itself, the immediate aftermath, and the response of America in her first few months into World War Two, culminating in the bombing of Japan by Doolittle’s Raiders.

As I have shared before in earlier posts, Japan attempted a sweeping conquest of the Pacific, with well-coordinated and near simultaneous Japanese attacks on the U.S. held Hawaiian and Philippine Islands, as well as Guam and Wake Island, along with portions of the British Empire in Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

However, Japanese forces failed in at least two major objectives in the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. While America suffered terrible losses in life and among her battleships, the failure of Japan to finish off the numerous fuel reserves stored nearby and, even more consequential, to catch the United States’ aircraft carriers at anchor in Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941 were blunders that would soon prove catastrophic.

What is more, of the twenty-one ships damaged or lost in the attack, all but three were eventually repaired and returned to service by U.S. forces. Thus, what may have seemed like a decisive pre-emptive strike by Japan soon turned into a Pyrrhic victory at best!

Accordingly, six months after Pearl Harbor, on May 4-8, 1942, America essentially fought Japan to a draw in the first ever battle between aircraft carriers, each sinking one carrier of the other’s fleet. One month later, on June 4-6, 1942, in the Battle of Midway, America won a decisive victory, sinking four Japanese carriers against only one carrier lost. Even more significantly, the Japanese had 248 aircraft destroyed and over 3,000 killed, many of whom were their most seasoned pilots.

From that day forward, barely seven months after Pearl Harbor, Japan was on the defensive as America began an island-hopping campaign across the Pacific that eventually reclaimed all the territory Japan had conquered and ultimately led to the defeat of Japan and the occupation of her home islands.

But in the dark days immediately after Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew that his fellow Americans were struggling with fear, doubt, and the specter of defeat. As a leader, he understood that it was his job to find a way to inspire them. So he set his cabinet the task of finding some way to retaliate against Japan and give the American people the all-important boost in morale that they so desperately needed.

The result was a surprise raid in April, 1942, led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and consisting of Sixteen B-25B Mitchell medium range bombers that were launched without fighter escort from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean.

The bold plan called for flying over Japan, dropping bombs on major targets, and then flying on to China before eventually landing in non-Japanese occupied territory. Unfortunately, the U.S. Fleet was sighted and the bombers had to be launched at a far greater distance than anticipated, thus limiting fuel supply.

Many planes finished the mission with little or no fuel, with most crashing far short of their desired landing spots and into Japanese occupied territory. After many harrowing experiences, all but three of the eighty crew members survived and eventually made it back home.

While the mission inflicted very little actual military destruction itself, the damage to the collective psyche on the Japanese due to an attack on their homeland that they had heretofore considered impregnable was considerable.

More to the point, the effect on America’s morale was tremendous. The Doolittle raid, carried out by brave men, conceived by top brass, and inspired by a true leader was of incalculable significance to the outcome of World War Two.

I conclude by sharing a link to a classic scene from the above mentioned 2001 movie, Pearl Harbor. In this scene, Josh Hartnett portrays a pilot named "Danny" who had earlier survived Pearl Harbor and has just flown in the Doolittle Raid, and who has now crash landed in occupied China and been taken prisoner. The Japanese are about kill his best friend “Rafe”, portrayed by Ben Affleck. The imagery is powerful, and also deeply theological, as Danny, lashed to a wooden crossbeam, willingly sacrifices his own life in order to save that of his friend, Rafe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TasKTohEbaI (Beginning at 1 minute, 50 seconds of the overall 4 minute, 10 second clip).

I cannot watch this scene without being reminded, first of the sacrifice of so many one my behalf in order that I might enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! Untold Americans in every generation have placed themselves in harm’s way in order that you and I might live and prosper in the land of the free and the home of the brave! May we never forget their sacrifice!

In like manner, on an infamous day in history known as “Good Friday”, another Individual gave His life in order that you and I might have life, and have it to the full. That Individual was God’s Son, Jesus Christ, Who allowed Himself to be lashed and nailed to the beam of a cross, where He willingly sacrificed His life for our freedom from sin and its consequences. In so doing, He set us free not only for this world, but for all eternity.

On this anniversary of the “Day of Infamy”, may we ever be faithful to express our appreciation to Him as well! For not only did He give us the principle that “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”; He also demonstrated it for us by doing this very thing! And that, my friends, is worth remembering!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/john/15-13.htm.

MISSING PERSONS

12/3/2018

Dr. Tony Evans once told the story of a mother who knew of who was having a gathering to celebrate the birth of her newborn son. She invited a bunch of friends over to celebrate his arrival. She welcomed her guests, and they all had a great time celebrating, eating, and drinking. After a while, one of the ladies said, “Well, bring the baby out. Let us see it.”

The mother went to get the baby from his crib – he was nowhere to be found. She started to panic and to feel fearful. And the, she suddenly remembered that the baby was still at her parents’ house, where she had left him earlier that morning. She and the guests had been having so much fun that they had forgotten what the party was all about in the first place.

Dr. Evans is quite right in his concluding observation: “During the Christmas season, many people get busy with celebration and forget that the birth of Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.” For the little baby boy in Dr. Evans’ story was in effect a “missing person” at the event intended to celebrate his very own birthday.

In like manner, very often, in the modern celebration of Christmas, there is often yet another “Missing Person”, and that individual is the very Son of God, Jesus Christ, Himself, Whose birthday this holiday is designed to celebrate in the first place!

It is possible to see decorations, hear music, view movies, attend functions, and even repeat rituals at Christmas time and yet never even hear or see the person of Jesus Christ referenced.

While this approach to the celebration of Christmas might well be expected by the secular world, it should never be embraced by those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

This year, as the Christmas season unfolds, it is fitting that we who bear the name of Christian celebrate in part by undertaking the various customs and festivities that are associated with the time of year. At the same time, let us be careful to remember why we even celebrate Christmas to begin with. Let us be careful not to overlook Jesus Christ on His birthday!

STORY SOURCE: Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More Than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009), p. 60.

CLEANING UP

11/29/2018

Those who are acquainted with me will agree that I am known as somewhat of a germaphobe. For those not familiar with this term, it is defined as any person who is obsessed with cleanliness and defeating bacteria. As such a person, I long ago learned the art of turning off the faucets and opening the doors of public restrooms with paper towels, etc...

I suppose what made me this way was being a young pastor years ago who was constantly in and out of hospitals every day before coming home to a wife and three small children. I decided early on to do my best not to bring home any more germs than was absolutely necessary, so as not to unduly expose them to sickness.

Thus, thorough handwashing and other such habits were instilled within me early on in my ministry; and I have kept them up ever since.

It was only natural, therefore, that I would be intrigued when I saw that Foxnews.com carried an article this morning by Lauren Sieben of Realtor.com, titled “7 Cleaning Tips That Every Germaphobe Needs To Know”.

I perused the article, which led me to the original source at Realtor.com titled “Our (Easy!) 7-Step House Cleaning Plan for the Germaphobe Inside Us All” by Lauren Sieben dated Nov 27, 2018.

Reading that article led me to another one by Stephanie Booth from Feb 12, 2018 titled “7 Things in Your House That Are Dirtier Than Your Toilet”. This one really got my attention!

Ms. Booth begins the article with these attention getting words:

“You wouldn't dare drink out of your toilet, but surprisingly, it's not the grossest spot in your house. After all, it gets regularly disinfected (we certainly hope). Yep, that's right - there are potentially bigger, more disgusting threats to your health scattered throughout your home. And we've got more bad news for you: You've probably already touched a few today. So grab a Costco-sized bottle of hand sanitizer before you read on - and clear your schedule. You've got some new cleaning chores coming up.”

She then dutifully lists the seven items in our own homes that qualify:

1. Our carpets. (We learn that these hold approximately 200,000 bacteria per square inch, including the infamous E. coli bacteria tracked in on the bottom of our shoes form public restrooms.)

2. Our kitchen sinks. (This is what she calls the "Grand Central Station" of germs, due largely to our kitchen sponges, a single cubic centimeter of which may be packed with as much bacteria as there are people on Earth - multiplied seven times!)

3. Our doorknobs. (Citing research from two prominent state universities, she asserts first, that only 5% of people who use the bathroom wash their hands thoroughly and long enough to kill germs that can cause illness, and second, that the bacteria from just one infected doorknob could travel to as many as 60% of the people in an average office in under four hours.)

4. Our coffee makers. (We discover that irrespective of coffee’s purported antibacterial properties, the water reservoir and piping system are prime spots for bacteria to grow in since they are so often damp and dark.)

5. Our bath towels. (This one takes the cake. Citing further university research, we are told that nearly 90% of the towels that we use to dry our hands or body after a shower could be contaminated with coliform bacteria, which is found in, yes, fecal matter!)

6. Our shower curtains. (Not only is the “soap scum” that we see really a booming community of microorganisms, each time we flush, a plume of bacteria is released, and "it’s gotta go somewhere". Not to mention that black lining along the curtain… We likely have millions of mold spores near us every time we bathe!)

And the straw that breaks the camel’s back…

7. Our remote control(s). (Just like in a hospital or hotel room, our remote controls are “all kinds of nasty”, including such things as grimy hands, Cheetos dust, baby drool, etc…)

Had enough? So had I! Thankfully, therefore, Ms. Booth does not leave us destitute and hopeless. In each instance, she provides an appropriate way to clean the item or items in question. And in the end, this really is the purpose of the article – not just to convince us that we are filthy and in danger within our own homes, but to show us that we can be clean and healthy and happy therein!

As I read these articles – especially the last one, I could not help but be reminded of our predicament as human beings. Think about it. We might like to think that we are clean; but we really are not. For years, I prided myself on not bringing germs into my home by my own personal attempts at cleanliness. And yet, as these article make plain, all my efforts were for naught. My home has been fraught with germs all along!

The same thing applies to my spiritual life. Try as I might, my own endeavors to justify myself, my own personal attempts to make myself clean and righteous, no matter how sincere and intentional they might be, can never make me truly so in God’s eyes.

What I needed was for someone to point that truth out to me - to show me that, under the all-penetrating and all-exposing light of God’s truth, my own righteousness is shown for what it is. As the Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah, tells us (chapter 64, verse 6): “all our righteousness is as filthy rags” before God!

But the wonderful thing about God is that He does not leave us destitute and hopeless! Yes, he points out our problem. But He goes far beyond this, and shows us how we can indeed be made clean! The Apostle John puts it this way in his First New Testament Epistle (chapter 1, verse 9): “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And there you have it! While it may be disconcerting to realize just how filthy our homes are, it is wonderful to have an expert tell us how our homes can receive a legitimate and thorough cleansing. Far more significantly, to be told that our own righteousness is as filthy rage before a truly righteous and holy God may be distressing. But to then be told by that same God that He has provided a way for us to be thoroughly cleansed and gloriously restored to Him is comforting beyond words!

For my part, I’m thrilled to know that in spite of the newly exposed filthiness within my own dwelling, I now have hope for a detailed and thorough cleansing. Maybe you share that feeling in light of the above referenced articles. More to the point, if you have come to see your own righteousness for what it is, as filthy rags before a blameless, holy, and righteous God, then I hope you are relieved to know that this God loves you and has made provision for your cleansing and restoration through His one and only son, Jesus Christ.

If so, then I urge you to join with the Psalmist (Psalm 51, verses 1-8) who once prayed:

1Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness...

Take it from a germaphobe, there is nothing like a thorough house cleaning! Except of course, a thorough heart cleansing!

PRIMARY ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/things-in-house-dirtier-than-your-toilet/

SECONDARY ARTICLE SOURCES:
https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/the-germaphobes-guide-to-cleaning-your-house
https://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/our-easy-7-step-house-cleaning-plan-for-the-germaphobe-inside-us-all

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://www.biblehub.com/isaiah/64-6.htm
https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/51.htm

THE JOY OF GIVING!

11/26/2018

Some time back, Sheryl Crow had a hit song proclaiming that every day is a winding road. These days, it seems, every day is a special day!

Unlike things were "back in the day", when the extent of the fall calendar fall included Halloween and Thanksgiving, with nothing more until Christmas, our modern calendars are now chock full of all sorts of days devoted to first one purpose and then another.

For instance, Thanksgiving, occurring as it does on Thursday, is hardly over before "Black Friday" unfolds. Stores quite literally open at midnight. Indeed some even open at 6pm on Thursday itself! Either way, the frenzy is on! Not to be outdone, "Black Friday" sales then give way to "Small Business Saturday" and "Cyber Monday" and yet another plethora of discounts and deals. In the process, you and I are bidden to spend, spend, and then spend some more.

One wonders how many more such special days will appear in the next decade or two. "Obtain-It-All Tuesday"? "Rake-It-All-In Wednesday"? "Take-It-All-Home Thursday"? "Score-It-All Sunday"? Such is life!

At this point, of course, I realize that that any retailers who happen to be reading this may well take umbrage with me. Many venders actually do depend upon these heavy shopping days to turn a profit for the year. Hence, the very name "Black Friday". (Wikipedia has an excellent article on the origin of this day.)

But, if it sounds like I am being a little disparaging here, then let me remind you how ironic it is that we are so quickly encouraged to set aside the one single day we manage to devote to appreciation and jump right back into day after day of consumption!

All this being said, I do want to affirm one particular new "special" day that has cropped up on the calendar. The day after "Cyber Monday" has now come to be designated as "Giving Tuesday". Begun in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City as a response to the very commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season decried above, this is a relatively new special day on our calendar whose purpose is to encourage charitable giving in a season of conspicuous consumption.

If you are as yet unfamiliar with "Giving Tuesday", don't feel too bad. You are likely not alone. A couple of years ago, the John Templeton Foundation released a study based on a survey of Americans showing that 93% of respondents were familiar with "Black Friday", whereas only 18% were familiar with "Giving Tuesday".

Nonetheless, while this special day still has a long way to go in terms of achieving name recognition, it is fast gaining traction. For instance, records indicate that in the first year it was begun (2012), Americans donated just over $10 million to various charities on this special day. The following year, 2013 saw that amount rise to over $28. 2014 was over $45 million; 2015 topped $116 million; and 2016 exceeded $168 million. The latest figures show that 2017 scored over $274 in charitable contributions! Praise the Lord!

And yet, these figures should not really surprise us. There is little doubt that they are due to the purpose behind this special day. After all, it was Jesus Christ Himself Who reminded us that there is a far bigger blessing in giving than in receiving! And once people come to realize this, it makes a significant impact on their approach to charity.

As I write this, it is right at 9pm on Cyber Monday. A Fox Business News web site article currently contains the following headline: "Cyber Monday Tracking For Biggest Online Shopping Day In US History!" And this comes on the heels of this past Friday, which itself set a record as the single busiest shopping day ever in U.S. history!

All of this is, of course, very good news - for retailers, to be sure - but also for our economy in general. And my previous rant notwithstanding, if this was due in part to you, then you are to be congratulated - both for getting a good deal and for helping to spur our economy in the process.

But do not forget about tomorrow. Let’s make "Giving Tuesday" every bit as successful as "Cyber Monday" and "Black Friday" ever were! For the twin satisfactions of getting a good deal and spurring the economy really do pale in comparison to the blessing we get when we give as much or more than we receive!

INFO SOURCE: You can read more about "Giving Tuesday" here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giving_Tuesday.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/acts/20-35.htm.

NEWS SOURCE: https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/cyber-monday-tracking-for-biggest-online-shopping-day-in-us-history.

TO ALL YE PILGRIMS...

11/22/2018

Thanksgiving Proclamation
November 29, 1623
TO ALL YE PILGRIMS

"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings."

William Bradford
Ye Governor of Ye Colony

SOURCE: http://www.knowledgehouse.info/Thanksgiving%20Proclamation.pdf
and http://www.appleseeds.org/thankgv6.htm.
SEE ALSO: http://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp.

ON WINGS AND PRAYERS

11/19/2018

There is an old parable about how the Lord once sent two angels down to earth to gather up the prayers of men and women. The first angel was tasked with collecting up all the prayers that might be classified as requests, wherein people were shown to be asking God for something.

The second angel was tasked with collecting up all the prayers of thanksgiving, wherein people were shown to be expressing gratitude to God for some thing or things He had already done for them.

Before departing, the two angels agreed to meet back in one month with their respective collections of prayers. They then mounted up on their angel’s wings and flew off in search of all the prayers of men and women.

The first angel, the one collecting prayers that appealed to God for something, quickly became busy. In fact, he was soon overwhelmed. It took an ever-increasing number of baskets to hold all the prayers; and in short order, basket after basket overflowed with prayers asking God for money, health, cars, jewelry, clothing, success, and the like.

At length, there were so many prayers that the angel had to enlist numerous other angels just to help transport all the baskets back to Heaven.

Meanwhile, the second angel, the one looking for prayers of thanksgiving, travelled far and wide across the world looking for even the smallest utterances of appreciation. Sadly, several days and even weeks went by with hardly a prayer of gratitude ever being found.

At the end of a month, as planned, the two angels returned to Heaven with their respective tasks completed. The first angel, the one charged with collecting prayers for requests, presented baskets as far as the eye could see.

By comparison, the second angel, the one charged with collecting prayers of thankfulness, had only a pitifully small amount of prayers - barely enough to cover the bottom of one single basket. Heaven was silent as the awkward truth quickly set in!

Of course, this story is fictitious. Nevertheless, it well illustrates the condition of the human heart! How many of us excel at making requests, both of God and of others, yet fail miserably at expressing gratitude to these same entities?

If this applies to you, then why not take a little time this Thanksgiving week to talk to God and let Him know how much you appreciate what all He has already done for you? Any such prayer will surely be well received up in Heaven! And I assure you that there will be time enough to ask for more things later on!

While you are at it, remember that one of the ways God so often chooses to bless us is through the intervention and provision of others in our lives. For this reason, why not take a little time to offer any overdue appreciation to others as well? Both you and they will be glad you did.

PARABLE SOURCE: Available widely on the internet in differing versions. See, for instance:

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-speaking-tree/try-saying-thank-you/;

as well as:

https://media.mywonderstudio.com/files/en/0-5/001-100/pdf/239_TwoBaskets_en.pdf.

SORRY ABOUT THAT!

11/15/2018

A recent news article by Jennifer Earl was titled “Texas Man Sends Utah City $50, Apology Note 75 Years After Crime: I Was A 'Stupid' Teen”. The story she goes on to relate is one that will surely resonate with all who read it.

It seems that a 90-year-old Texas man decided to prove the old adage that it's never too late to say one is sorry. He did so by mailing a handwritten note of apology along with a $50 bill to the Midvale, Utah public works department.

Identifying himself only as a "sorrowful citizen," he confessed to having stolen a stop sign several decades before; and now enclosed the cash to pay for it.

"I am enclosing $50 to pay for this stop sign I stole when I was a thoughtless teenager," the man wrote. "Stupid might be a better word for it. All of these things have made me sorrow over the few things I did when I was young."

It seems that the elderly man, from somewhere in North Houston, has been "trying to do restitution" for all the many mistakes he has made over the years. His next sentence is revealing. "I wish to be forgiven by the Lord, so I am sorry and truly repentant." It was signed “Anonymous”.

City officials admit that they were somewhat taken back by the letter. They also noted that they wished they could thank the man in person, but could not as the letter did not include a name or return address.

Robert Hale, the Mayor of Midvale, estimates the crime took place approximately 75 years ago. “He paid more than $50 in the 75 years he’s been carrying that burden on his shoulder,” the mayor said. He then added that, while he doesn't know the man's name, he still hopes the 90-year-old knows he's forgiven and can now live peacefully.

“He’s cleared it up a far as we’re concerned," Mayor Hale said. He added that the city plans to use the man's donation to replace another stop sign in the city. "We can scratch out that line on the account receivable now."

I find this a powerful story for several reasons. The mayor is right in his assessment of the guilt this man has surely born all these years. The poor, unidentified man did wrong, and then suffered under a guilty conscience until he could simply stand it no more; whereupon, he finally took steps to repent and make amends.

And the best part of the story is that he has now found the forgiveness he both so long desired and so long needed, along with the peace that comes with a clean conscience.

Herein resides the relevance of this little story for each of us. You see, this man’s story is my story. And it is also your story. Indeed, it is everyone’s story. For it reminds us that we have all done wrong. We have all violated some law of conscience. We have all violated the moral law of God. And we have all had to live with the terrible consequences as a result!

But the best part of the story is that we can all still turn to God and confess our wrongdoing. When we do, we soon discover that God, the ultimate authority against whom we have all sinned, is both gracious and merciful! As such, He freely offers forgiveness to all who turn to Him in repentance and seek reconciliation through His Son Jesus Christ.

Once we do, we discover what the Bible affirms (in the First New Testament Letter of John, chapter 1, verse 9): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

And that is precisely why the story of Jesus Christ is called the “Gospel”. For “Gospel” simply means “Good News”. What greater news can we receive than this? To be forgiven by God for our past transgressions and to live hereafter in perfect peace!

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-man-sends-utah-city-50-apology-note-75-years-after-crime-i-was-a-stupid-teen. Published June 22, 2018.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/1_john/1-9.htm.

UPENDED

11/12/2018

Jerry Watts is an Associational Missions Director serving in Mississippi. He is a gifted communicator who has spent over forty years as a Minister of the Gospel. In a message he once preached based on Proverbs 14:34 and Isaiah 5:20-23 and titled "America: An Upside-Down Nation", he tells the following story…

"As a kid, I used to love the 'jungle gym' - you remember that? We, as the less sophisticated people, called them the monkey bars. And they were rightly named so because we would hang upside down for extended periods of time. Have you ever hung upside down? The world looks different. If you stay in that position for an extended period of time, you'll discover some unusual things happening.

Instead of citing all the physiological problems which could occur, just make a note that the big problem is our circulatory system. The way the body is made up with its veins, arteries and heart, it uses gravity to get the blood to your feet and pump the blood to your head. Reverse your body and some damaging things can happen.

According to Professor Ashley Grossman of the Barts Medical School (Queen Mary, University of London) this may happen, 'Fluid will start to ease out of your blood vessels, you can't get oxygen, and the lungs will become rather still so you will get breathless.' By the way, to remain in that position can lead to a stroke or death."

Dr. Watts then goes on to make this observation:

"To take an honest look at this great country is to see that things are 'out-of-whack', 'unusual', 'out of sync', and 'upside down'. We have become like the Apostle Paul and seem to do what we shouldn't while not doing what we should. We seem to declare right wrong and wrong right. (Like Isaiah 5:20: '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!')

Why is this? The writer of Proverbs explains it in simple terms 'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.' It has been said that America will only be great as long as she is good, and when she ceases to be good she will no longer be great. Righteousness is up and sin is supposed to be down - in a normal world."

I share this on Veteran’s Day weekend because I am greatly concerned about the moral and theological state of our country. Our nation has changed so much in the last few decades that I sometimes wonder if the country in which we now live would be even be recognized by those brave men and women who served and, in so many cases, sacrificed their lives in order that America might be a great nation.

If they somehow came back and walked among us, would the world seem as if it had somehow turned completely upside down? Would they ask themselves whether who we now are and what we have now allowed ourselves to become was worth their sacrifice? Would they say, “Do you mean to tell me that I died for this?!”

I may not can control what others value or how they behave; but for my part, on this Veteran’s Day weekend, 2018, I want to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifice that was laid down for me! I want all those brave men and women who came before me, especially those who served so faithfully and who sacrificed so willingly, to know that I am appreciate of what they valued and how they proved it.

And I want to prove this by the choices I make and by the way I conduct myself in my own time, even as they did in their day and age!

They say the best way to change the world for the better is to draw a circle, get inside of it, and change everything inside that circle for the better! Want you join me in upending your own little portion of this great big world?

If so, perhaps it can be said of us what was said of those first followers of Jesus Christ (in Acts 17:6): "These are the ones who have turned the world upside down!"

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/proverbs/14-34.htm; https://biblehub.com/context/isaiah/5-20.htm; https://www.biblehub.com/acts/17-6.htm.

AUTHOR SOURCE:
http://jerrywatts.net/about.html.

STORY SOURCE:
https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-outlines/77603/america-an-upside-down-nation/.

A SHOW OF HANDS

11/9/2018

In a quirky, somewhat offbeat movie from the 1980s titled "My Stepmother Is an Alien", Dan Akroyd and Kim Bassinger once sang a song together, giving their impression of the famous comedian, Jimmy Durante, as they did.

The song was titled "Did You Ever Have the Feeling That You Wanted to Stay?" The lyrics include the line: "Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go, and then you had the feeling that you wanted to stay?"

These words come from a song made famous by Durante in a 1944 film titled "Two Girls and a Sailor." It had earlier been sung by Durante in another movie, 1942’s "The Man Who Came to Dinner", with Monty Woolley, Ann Sheridan, and Bette Davis.

I share all of this because it sets up a wonderful story that demonstrates how life can sometimes imitate art.

It seems that, at the close of World War II, famed performer Jimmy Durante was invited to entertain wounded soldiers at a certain veteran's hospital. He said he would be able to do only one very short routine as he had two radio shows to do that day.

For this reason, the man who invited him was amazed when Durante didn't rush off but rather gave three complete routines.

"Why did you stay so long," the man asked, "you've probably missed your radio shows?" Durante answered, "Look at the men and you will see for yourself."

There on the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm, who were applauding by clapping their two remaining hands together."

This Sunday is Veteran’s Day – the day we rightfully set aside to honor those who have served in the various branches of the Armed Forces in order that we may have the freedoms that we do.

As this appropriate day of recognition unfolds, make certain that you take the time to slow down and stay awhile, and spend a few moments with someone who deserves to be honored for their service and sacrifice on our behalf!

And, in yet another case of life imitating art, use your own hands to applaud them for what they have done when they themselves stayed put, sacrificed their own agenda, and served you and me!

SOURCES:

https://cdmalele.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/did-you-ever-have-the-feeling-that-you-wanted-to-stay/.

https://aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com/search?q=veteran.

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