My Ongoing Thoughts

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE!

3/18/2019

A hit song a generation ago bears the title I have appropriated for my post today. It came to me as I was driving home from my recent trip to Atlanta. I had made the trip down over spring break for a whole host of reasons.

First, I needed to follow up on my mother’s headstone. As my regular readers are aware, she passed away last year. Her memorial has now been installed; and I might add that the company that prepared and installed it did an excellent job.

Secondly, my stepfather had cataract surgery. Given that two of my uncles are overcoming recent illnesses, I needed to go down and see them all. Lastly, my twin interests in history in general and in genealogy in particular have combined to make me somewhat of the family historian. All of these reasons together compelled me to take some time to make a visit down to my home state of Georgia.

Of course, Georgia has changed a lot since I moved to Tennessee nearly two decades ago. The population has greatly increased. And with this has come numerous other changes. Each time I go home, there are more and more people, and thus more and more houses and businesses, and above all, traffic!

Traffic is so congested in Atlanta that, as is the case in most other large metropolitan areas, special traffic rules have been put into place. One of these is the HOV lane. For those from less congested parts of the nation, HOV stands for “High Occupancy Vehicle”.

In an attempt to discourage excess traffic and encourage carpooling, the left lanes of all three of Atlanta’s intersecting Interstate Expressways (I-75, I-85, and I-20) are all closed to any vehicle containing only one person (with the exception of motorcycles).

Thus, when headed down to my home town south of Atlanta with my wife, we took advantage of this lane, especially as it tends to keep moving swifter than its counterparts. We sailed right through Atlanta with little difficulty. However, on the way back north to Tennessee, my wife rode as far as the north Georgia Mountains with my sister, who was doing some buying for her home interior business.

This put me in a vehicle by myself. It also kept me out of the HOV lane. Even worse, it put me in a position of stop and go interstate traffic while I watched with envy those who were zipping by me in the HOV lane.

Only too late did I realize that this whole scenario might have been concocted by my sister before she asked my wife to ride with her – thus putting her in the fast lane while I was left to putt along in all the congestion! (If I were texting here, I would place the little emoji that is making the face like it is puzzling over something! Hmmmm!!!)

But the Lord used this experience to speak to me. To begin with, as we make our way through life, we can either travel alone or with others. This much is clear. Travelling with others is much preferable to travelling alone!

However, even when we are alone, we do not have to be. For in the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 13, verse 5), our Lord has promised never to leave us nor to forsake us. Imagine that! The resurrected Savior and Lord of all creation, Jesus Christ Himself, has given us His personal promise to abide with us!

And for this reason, no matter what we come against, no matter the difficulty, no matter the struggle, no matter the opposition, we do not face it alone! God Himself is here with us, empowering and encouraging us as we go forth to victory!

Most of those zipping by me last week in the HOV lane were doing just that - they were zipping on by. I envied them for that. But more significantly, they were merrily interacting with others as they did. I envied them even more for this!

That is not to say that they did not have difficulties themselves, that they did not have deadlines to meet, or that they did not have frustrations or fears of their own to face. It is to say that, as they were travelling along, they were not travelling alone! They each had a companion for their journey.

And as I go through life, I am well aware that I will always face my own share of difficulties. Being a born-again believer does not keep me from facing my own fears and frustrations. But this much I know – because of Jesus Christ, I do not have to face these things alone! While I may be beset with the traffic of life all around me, I am not boxed in. Nor do I have to bog down with the burden.

Rather, together with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I can make my way forward on the road of life with a peace that passes all understanding. And the sole difference is His very presence with me as I journey along! The same can be true for you.

This being March 18, I leave you with the famed prayer of St. Patrick, who is purported to have prayed:

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
of the Lord of creation.

Amen!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/hebrews/13-5.htm.

PRAYER OF PATRICK SOURCE:
https://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/catholic/morning/the-prayer-of-st-patrick.aspx#wVR43LgWl6sC0zoR.99.

PRIMARY COLORS

3/15/2019

As I pen this blog post, it is Friday, March 15, 2019. The day after tomorrow is, of course, St. Patrick’s Day. And it goes without saying that this was always one of those special days that we looked so forward to as children in primary school. On this special day, we always made certain to dress in green. That way, we could not be pinched.

But woe be unto any classmate who failed to remember, and mistakenly showed up with no green on. By the end of the school day, he or she would invariably be more red than any other color – mostly from whelps as a result of having been pinched so often by so many.

Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many places across the western world - especially in places where there is a large concentration of people of Irish decent. The reason for this is that Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle due to the fact that it is so green as a result of the nourishing rain it receives from the northern Atlantic Ocean, making it a verdant place indeed.

The connection to St. Patrick is that Patrick (or rather Patricius) was the individual who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. For this reason, the feast day associated with the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated festively by people of Irish descent. While few actual historical records from Patrick’s time have survived to the modern era, there are some stories that have come down to us. One such story concerns the conversion of the King of Ireland.

Specifically, the story has to do with the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Apparently, sometime during the baptismal rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. Blood colored the baptismal water red. It was only after the after the baptism was over that Patrick looked down and saw all the blood.

Realizing what he had obviously done, the preacher begged the king's forgiveness. “Why did you suffer this pain in silence? Why did you not cry out?” Patrick wanted to know. To which the king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual!"

Christian Baptism, of course, does not occur in blood, but rather in water. But in a technical sense, Christian Baptism is reserved for those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus. As the author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 9, verse 22) tells us: “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

The Apostle John adds to this by telling us (in chapter 1, verse 7 of his eponymous first New Testament Letter that “the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purifies us from all sin.”

In light of this, the question asked by hymn-writer E. A. Hoffman of old bears repeating this St. Patrick’s Day…

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior's side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

I hope so. If not, then ask yourself one last question – that posed by the Ethiopian eunuch in the New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 8, verse 36): “What prevents me from being baptized?”

And then hear Philip’s answer and the Ethiopian’s’ response in verse 37: “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

STORY SOURCE:
Available widely on the internet in varying forms. See, for instance:
https://bible.org/illustration/king%E2%80%99s-baptism;
https://www.libraryireland.com/HistoryIreland/Baptism-Aengus.php;
http://www.markfisherauthor.com/2017/04/king-aengus-baptism-rock-of-cashel/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-22.htm;
https://www.biblehub.com/1_john/1-7.htm;
https://biblehub.com/nasb/acts/8.htm.

HYMN LYRICS SOURCE:
https://hymnary.org/text/have_you_been_to_jesus_for_the_cleansing.

FOR MORE ON ST. PATRICK HIMSELF, SEE:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/august/real-st-patrick.html;
https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick;
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick.

TV OR NOT TV… THAT IS THE QUESTION!

3/11/2019

Shakespeare had Hamlet famously assert in a soliloquy: “To be or not to be. That is the question!” My post today poses a similar concern: “TV or not TV”. For in this modern world, that too is a very significant question!

I will begin by saying that I realize more and more with each passing day just how much the world has changed since I was a child. These days, we are bombarded with digital media in every conceivable form and from every imaginable direction. In addition to computers, pads, pods, and smartphones, all delivering digital information and entertainment to us over the World Wide Web, we also have broadcast, cable, and satellite television and radio.

Even the most basic of cable television packages these days comes with scores, if not hundreds, of channel choices. And nowadays, television has expanded into delivery formats that far surpass traditional delivery systems. In addition to simple broadcast, cable, and satellite formats, television programming is now delivered via the internet in such formats as HULU, NETFLIX, ROKU, SLING TV, and numerous other similar media services providers.

What is more, these new delivery systems not only provide traditional television and movie offerings, but like most cable networks, they are now even producing their own original programming. Add to this the fact that most televisions these days are Smart TVs, equipped to receive and display internet signals, thus making possible the viewing of YouTube, Vimeo, and other video-sharing websites on one’s television screen, and you can easily see that today’s viewers have a plethora of programming to choose from. Quite literally, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of videos available for viewing at the click of a few buttons.

Compare and contrast that to what things were like when I was a boy growing up on a farm some thirty miles south of Atlanta back in the 1960s. We had three VHF network channels to choose from: ABC (at the time WXIA-TV channel 11), CBS (at the time WAGA-TV channel 5), and NBC (at the time WSB-TV channel 2). FOX did not yet exist. Neither did cable. Beyond this, we had two or three UHF channels, including channels 17 (at the time, WTCG-TV, though later to become WTBS and then Superstation TBS), 36 (at the time WQXI-TV), and 46 (at the time WHAE-TV). Other than Channel 8 (Public Broadcasting), that was it. Period!

Imagine telling some young kid today that all he or she has to choose from is a mere six or seven television channels! They would likely think you were out of your mind!

And yet, quantity does not necessarily imply quality! Just because people now have hundreds (or even thousands) of choices for viewing does not necessarily mean that they also have better programming options available to them. Indeed, it is for this very reason that, in our own case, my wife and I find ourselves increasingly drawn to classic television over modern programming.

Granted, this may well have to do with our age. It is only natural that one becomes nostalgic as he or she ages, longing for an earlier, by-gone era when life seemed less complicated and much simpler by comparison to the present day.

But a careful assessment of the content of television programming from previous generations, especially when compared with that of the modern era, will quickly reveal that things have changed - arguably for the worse. Whether dramas or situational comedies, television programming of the past was much more wholesome than it is today. It included far less profanity, far less obscenity, far less vulgarity, and far less indecency than it does today. That much is simply undeniable!

What is more, most programs of the past tended to be redemptive in that they were designed to convey some sort of moral at the culmination of the episode. Good most always won out in the end. The “bad guys” most always got caught and paid the price for their transgressions. In the process, essential values about good and evil and right and wrong were both affirmed and confirmed. Sadly, this does not necessarily happen today!

For my part, I have not given up completely on modern television programming. It still has much to offer – as long as one is prudent in his or her viewing choices. The important thing to remember is that one does not have to sit back and mindlessly consume whatever is offered up on this or that given network.

As you make you viewing choices, pay careful attention to what the program you are watching is really attempting to communicate. Is there an underlying message? If so, is that message wholesome? Does it reflect your own values? If not, then by all means, change the channel! Better yet, block the channel so your children and grandchildren are not exposed to it at your expense!

Likewise, pay attention to the commercials as well. Sometimes, networks will air traditional programming, known by all to be wholesome, only to intersperse it with commercials and/or promos for programming that clearly does not reflect the same values as the program being shown!

Simply put, don’t tune in to some network showing some wholesome 1960s era situational comedy only to find that the majority of commercials are from that given network promoting its own programming, the values of which are clearly antithetical to those on display in the sitcom being shown. If you do, you are allowing the network to accomplish their deceptive tactic and goals. Instead, change the channel! You, not that network, control your viewing habits. Accordingly, you, not the given network programmers, control your own values!

One last thought. Psalm 101, verse 3 says “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.” (Click on the link below and read the various translations of this one significant verse!) Make yourself a sign and place it above your television with this one verse form God’s word. I assure you that it will impact your viewing habits! Most likely for the better! Doing so will certainly answer the question of “TV or not TV?” I guarantee it!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/101-3.htm.

DOING RIGHT!

3/7/2019

Decades ago, in a community where I lived in another state, I had a very good friend who served as a Deacon in the church I pastored. His name was Tom and he is now in Heaven. I know, therefore, that his faith has now been made sight. And even though I do not know what all else he is now experiencing, I do know that when I see him again, I too will share the same blessings he currently enjoys.

For now, however, I remember him as he was back when I knew him – an upstanding Christian man who was wise beyond his years and who found joy in the midst of all life’s circumstances, including the unexpected and tragic death of his teenage son.

One thing in particular that I remember about Tom was the wisdom he was noted for dispensing. He was especially fond of one certain catch phrase above all others. Very often, he would be heard saying: “You’ve got to do right! Just do right!” On occasion, he would add these words: “God will take care of everything else - if you just do right!”

I cannot tell you how many times over the intervening years that I have reflected on Tom’s wisdom in general, and on this, his favorite phrase, in particular. What is more, over time, I have come to employ it quite often myself. To be honest, all of my children likely had this phrase burned into their own psyches through its oft repeated utterance from my own lips.

One regret that I have is that I never asked Tom where he got this phrase. Older now, and a bit more well read, my suspicion these days is that it came from a poem penned by Norman Macleod way back in 1857 that was titled “Trust in God and Do the Right”.

First published in The Edinburgh Christian Magazine, MacLeod’s poem was eventually set to music and turned into a popular song by Arthur Sullivan in 1871. The words are as follows:

Courage, brother! do not stumble,
Though thy path is dark as night;
There's a star to guide the humble-
Trust in God and do the right.

Let the road be long and dreary,
And its ending out of sight;
Foot it bravely--strong or weary,
Trust in God and do the right.

Perish "policy" and cunning,
Perish all that fears the light;
Whether losing, whether winning,
Trust in God and do the right.

Trust no party, trust no faction,
Trust no leaders in the fight;
But in every word and action
Trust in God and do the right.

Trust no forms of guilty passion,
Fiends can look like angels bright;
Trust no custom, school, or fashion,
Trust in God and do the right.

Some will hate thee, some will love thee,
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Turn from man, and look above thee,
Trust in God and do the right.

Simple rule and safest guiding,
Inward peace and inward light;
Star upon our path abiding,
TRUST IN GOD AND DO THE RIGHT.

Kudos to Mr. Macleod! The wisdom proffered in this piece of poetry is timeless. It worked in 1857 and it still works in the 2019. No doubt it has also worked every moment of every day in between.

The Bible itself affirms this wisdom. In the 37th Psalm, verse 3, David as much as stated this great principle when he wrote: “Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”

I’m thankful for the admonition of a good friend like Tom. As I am for the affirmation of an inspired poet like Norman Macleod over a century before Tom was born. But above all, I’m thankful for the promise of God’s Word millennia ago.

Our Heavenly Father has not promised us a life without pain. Or without struggle. Or without difficulty. But He has promised us that He will take care of those who both trust in Him and do right by Him. And that is enough for me!

Each day that I live, I hope and pray that I will be seen by both my fellow man and my Heavenly Father as someone who has just decided to “Do right and trust God”!

POEM SOURCE: https://crossroad.to/Victory/poems/trust-do-right.htm.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/37-3.htm.

NOTE: As I recounted in an earlier blog post, “For Dad” (06/19/2017), a story from the 1980s demonstrates this principle well. David Wallechinsky, in his book titled The Complete Book of the Olympics, shares the following story about American sprinter Carl Lewis:

At his father's funeral (in 1987), American Carl Lewis placed his 100-meter gold medal from the 1984 Olympics in his father's hands. "Don't worry," he told his surprised mother. "I'll get another one."

A year later, in the 100-meter final at the 1988 games, Lewis was competing against Canadian world-record-holder Ben Johnson. Halfway through the race Johnson was five feet in front. Lewis was convinced he could catch him. But at 80 meters, he was still five feet behind. It's over, Dad, Lewis thought.

As Johnson crossed the finish, he stared back at Lewis and thrust his right arm in the air, index finger extended. Lewis was exasperated. He had noticed Johnson's bulging muscles and yellow-tinged eyes, both indications of steroid use. "I didn't have the medal, but I could still give to my father by acting with class and dignity," Lewis said later. He shook Johnson's hand and left the track.

But then came the announcement that Johnson had tested positive for anabolic steroids. He was stripped of his medal. The gold went to Lewis, a replacement for the medal he had given his father.

Cf.: https://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/for-dad.

WIND AT OUR BACK

3/4/2019

Louis Casiano published a report for FoxNews.com on February 20, 2019 about a commercial airline flight that reached the blistering speed of 801 mph while flying from west to east some 35,000 feet above Pennsylvania!

How is this possible? Let’s just say that it had a little help from Mother Nature. More specifically, it had assistance from the Jet Stream, the high-altitude air current along which storms travel. The Virgin Atlantic flight from Los Angeles to London reached the record breaking speed with the help of this strong tail wind flowing across the North American continent.

One jet captain, Peter James, tweeted: “[N]ever ever seen this kind of tailwind in my life as a commercial pilot.” How right he was! The record velocity attained by the Boeing 787 twin-jet aircraft was well above the speed of sound - which is 767 mph.

Now, obviously, commercial aircraft are not designed to fly at supersonic speeds. But then again, whether an aircraft breaks the sound barrier is dependent on its airspeed, and not its ground speed. In any event, all’s well that ends well! The flight arrived in London a full 48 minutes early.

Now, the typical Boeing 787 has a cruising speed of around 561 mph. And prior flights have reached top speeds of 776 mph before. But this is still way below the new pace set that eventful Monday this past February.

Apparently the record setting flight was not alone, as several other high speed flights were also recorded that day. One from Los Angeles to New York City hit 678 mph at 39,000 feet over Ohio; and a 737 aircraft en-route from Chicago to New York passed 700 mph the following morning.

The article states that the jet stream was so strong that flight times from Dallas to Boston dipped from the customary three-and-a-half hours to below three hours. Such is the awesome power of the jet stream!

As I read this article, I found myself remembering the words of Jesus to the Pharisee Nicodemus in the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 3, verse 8), when He described the work of the Spirit in the life of those who believe in Him as similar to the way the wind works.

Later, in the New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 2, verses 1 and 2) the Bible says: “1When the day of Pentecost came, the believers were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.”

From that point forward, it is arguable that the remainder of the New Testament is the record of the Holy Spirit bearing various believers aloft as they undertake one incredible feat after another in the name of Jesus Christ!

I do not know where you are at right now in your life, or what you are up against at this particular moment. But this much I do know. The Bible promises us that the Holy Spirit of God provides direction and strength and power to rise above and to overcome whatever difficulties anyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ may be up against.

As the “Paraclete”, or “one called out alongside of”, the Holy Spirit literally comes alongside of us and gives us the added wherewithal to break all spiritual barriers, to accomplish our goal, to arrive at our destination, and to win the race as we do!

In light of this, I agree with the hymn-writer of old, who put it this way:
“O Holy Spirit, wind of God,
O Holy Spirit, wind of God,
give me your power today,
to live in you always:
O Holy Spirit, breathe on me.”

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/jet-stream-helps-flight-reach-801-mph-breaks-speed-of-sound.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/3.htm;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/acts/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/14-26.htm;
https://biblehub.com/greek/parakle_tos_3875.htm;
https://biblehub.com/greek/3875.htm.

HYMN LYRICS SOURCE:
https://hymnary.org/text/o_holy_spirit_breathe_on_me.

HEAVEN KNOWS!

2/28/2019

An article in the news this week, "30-Million-Page Archive of Humanity's Achievements Headed to the Moon" by Christopher Carbone and James Rogers, states that Israel has now compiled a massive record of human activity and achievements for deposit on the moon.

The massive archive documenting humanity’s achievements is actually tucked away inside Israel’s "Beresheet" Lunar Lander, currently on its way to the moon. It consists of a huge collection of images, texts, and symbols; and is designed to be only the first part of a far greater project to build a “Lunar Library” which will serve as a space-based archive of Planet Earth and her inhabitants.

The Arch Mission Foundation (AMF) states that the library contains 30 million pages of human history that covers a wide range of subjects, languages and time periods, all stored on a DVD-sized archive made of 25 nickel discs that are each only 40 microns thick. AMF has also provided an 84-page document to "Gizmodo" that shows subject categories included in the space time capsule - including such diverse topics as aerospace, mathematics, women's studies, humor, and even criminology.

According to AMF, the first four layers contain over 60,000 analog images of pages of books, photos, illustrations and documents, and will eventually include a copy of The World Factbook.

"Gizmodo" inquired as to why the full list of contents was not being released. AMF responded by saying: "We’re only announcing some of the content in the library right now because of the various partnerships we have. Much more content will be revealed... Rather than rely on problematic curations of material, we want to include the full breadth and diversity of recorded human knowledge and culture and a record of the life and civilization of planet Earth."

Accordingly, there will be many more discs sent to the Moon in the coming years, starting with a partnership with "Astrobotic" in 2020.

The article notes that the "Beresheet" lander was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and could reach the Moon by April 11. The plans are for the lander and its time capsule to remain on the Moon indefinitely. Israel’s lander, however, is only one among a number of other countries’ space programs. Earlier this year (January 2, 2019), China became the first country to successfully land a probe on the far side of the moon when their "Chang’e 4" lander reached its relatively unexplored back side.

As I sat reading this article, I could not help but think of another heavenly record of the activities of all mankind. In the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapter 20, verses 12-15) we read:

11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

By contrast, chapters 20 and 21 go on to describe a wonderful place called "Heaven" prepared for all those "whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life" (Chapter 21, verse 27). The point of all of this is that a record of all you and I and every other person who has ever lived has ever done is recorded up above. And when the day of this Great White Thorne judgment comes, this record of every thought, every word, and every deed we have each undertaken will be revealed.

The Bible here asserts that those whose names are not written in the "Lamb’s Book of Life" will be judged according to this record of sinful activity and punished in a lake of fire, elsewhere in the Bible termed "Hell". However, those whose names have been recorded in the "Lamb’s Book of Life" will not be judged by their sinful lives. The reason for this is that their sinful record has been blotted out by the blood of Jesus Christ, who gave His life on the cross as an atonement for the sins of any person who chooses to look to Him for redemption.

As a fellow human being, I am not proud of all I have ever thought, said, and done in life. I would hate to know that I would face the consequences of my sinful life in the coming world. But I do not worry about that eventuality; for I know that I have been forgiven by the grace of God made possible in Jesus Christ as a result of my profession of faith in Him as my personal Lord and Savior.

For this reason, my record up in Heaven now simply reads "Forgiven"! And there awaits me life eternal and life abundant in a perfect place called Heaven!

What does your own "Heavenly Record" state? Now would be a good time to check that record; and make any changes that might need making!

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/science/30-million-page-archive-of-humanitys-achievements-headed-to-the-moon. The principal author, Christopher Carbone, covers technology and science for Fox News Digital; and can be reached at: christopher.carbone@foxnews.com; and/or followed at: @christocarbone.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/20.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/21.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/revelation/22.htm.

A TOUGH SPOT!

2/25/2019

Every so often, I like to post a little humor. I thought I would do so today. I hope you enjoy this one! It seems that…

A certain woman called the local Baptist church and asked for the Pastor. When he came on the line, she asked him if he would be willing to preach a funeral for her dog “Spot”, which had just died.

Not wanting to come across as uncaring, yet clearly too busy to be bothered with what he saw as such a frivolous undertaking, he decided to have a little fun at a fellow Minister’s expense. So he responded by inquiring as to when she would like for the funeral to be held.

Once she had given him two or three options, he replied by saying: "In checking my schedule, ma’am, I see that I am already committed elsewhere on each of those particular dates and times. I’m sorry, therefore, that I will be unable to conduct the service for your deceased dog Spot."

Snickering to himself under his breath, he continued: "But why don't you try the Methodist Pastor across the street? I’m quite sure he will be willing to assist you."

"That’s okay," she said, "I understand. And I do thank you for your assistance. Before we hang up, can you please give me one bit of advice? Could you please tell me how much I should expect to pay the Methodist Pastor for holding the service? Would five hundred dollars be an appropriate figure?"

To which the Pastor immediately replied: "Oh! I’m so sorry, ma’am, I did not realize that Ol’ Spot was Baptist!"

SOURCE: This oldie but goodie is available widely in various versions on the internet. It has been told on various Pastors from various Denominations down through the years. See, for instance: https://www.jokelabs.com/2008/02/1353-funeral-service-for-a-dog.html.

POW’R IN THE BLOOD

2/22/2019

A friend of mine, who is also an ordained Minister of the Gospel, recently had major surgery to repair a shoulder he had injured earlier in life. While his prospects for a full recovery are very good, his time recuperating is nonetheless aggravated by the fact that he is left-handed; and it was his left shoulder that was repaired.

While I was visiting with him earlier this week, he shared something that was, for me at least, amazing. It seems that as he was being prepped for surgery, a technician came in and drew an extensive amount of blood. Not wanting to appear uncooperative, yet at the same time, overcome with curiosity, my friend inquired as to why so much blood was being drawn.

The technician responded by telling him that the doctor had ordered the blood drawn so that it could be put through a separation process. Thereafter, certain components of this blood (from him as the patient) would then be prepared in a solution that would later be applied to his incisions after the surgery. These components would then greatly aid in the healing of his own surgically induced wounds.

Ever curious, I could not wait to find time to research this matter. And while I am no authority on the subject, an internet search seemed to indicate that something known as “Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy” is indeed a method of healing that is often applied to promote cellular growth after surgery, producing faster recovery and reducing scarring from incisions.

Of course, the preacher in both my friend and me could not help but see the parallels to the healing power of the blood of Jesus Christ! Like many of you, my readers, we both grew up singing these powerful lyrics as penned by the hymn-writer Lewis E. Jones:

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood.

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb.
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary's tide;
There's wonderful power in the blood.[Chorus]

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Sin stains are lost in its life giving flow;
There's wonderful power in the blood.[Chorus]

Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There's wonderful power in the blood.[Chorus]

I praise the Lord that we live in a day and age when medicine has advanced to the point that we can extract from our own blood those components that effect our healing and work to make us whole. And yet, I know that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, we will never be able to affect a cure for that which constitutes our greatest affliction – the tainting of our souls with what the Bible calls sin.

The cure for that affliction – indeed the only cure – is not found in the shedding of our own blood, or in the shedding of the blood of some sacrificial animal, but rather in the shedding of Divine blood. For this reason, therefore, Jesus Christ came into this world: to give His life as a redemptive sacrifice for our sins, cleansing us and making us whole in the process.

As the Bible says (in the Apostle Paul’s New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1, verses 3-8):

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love 5he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us.

How right Lewis Jones was! How right the Apostle Paul was! For indeed there is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God given for the redemption of the world!

HYMN LYRICS SOURCE:
https://hymnary.org/text/would_you_be_free_from_the_burden_jones.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/1.htm.

NOTE: A simple internet search for “Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy” will help provide more information on the process whereby autologous conditioned plasma, also known as Platelet-rich plasma (or PRP), for the purpose of expediting wound healing through the process of centrifugation in order to remove red blood cells, is produced.

EYE IN THE SKY

2/18/2019

It all happened with less than a dozen laps to go Sunday evening in the 61st running of the Daytona 500. In a period of 6 short seconds, 19 (of the original 40) racing cars locked up in a spectacular multi-car crash. Given that the cars in question had been zipping around the track all afternoon at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, the truly amazing thing is that every single driver walked away relatively unscathed!

This crash was then followed by yet another one with only four laps left in which another seven cars were crunched up pretty bad! That crash, in turn, was followed by yet a third multi-car crash involving eight more vehicles with just two laps remaining!

Amazingly, all of this had come after two earlier crashes with less than twenty laps to go in the race. As one announcer put it, after five crashes and two red flags stopping the race, it was beginning to look as if the one car with the best chance of winning was the pace car itself!

Of course, NASCAR works hard to keep the sport of auto racing as safe as possible. Layer upon layer of safety precautions have been put into place over the years, helping as much as possible to insure the safety of the drivers, crews, media, and spectators. Just a look inside the vehicles shows how much safety gear has been introduced.

Moreover, all drivers involved in the crash are now required to have an immediate checkup in the medical area. Unlike what happened in 1979 when the final lap crash resulted not in immediate medical checkups, but rather a fist fight between drivers! In any event, kudos to NASCAR for all their efforts in this regard! Needless to say, safety has greatly improved since the days of “Fireball” Roberts.

Of course, these days, mini cameras showing the perspectives of each of the drivers have also been installed within the race cars. This allows for live streaming as well as instant replays of the action as it unfolds in real time.

As I sat watching these various replays from the interior of each of the cars involved in the two crashes, I could not help but notice one other thing working in the drivers’ favor even as the crashes were unfolding. Each driver has a built-in headset inside his or her helmet. This allows for constant communication with a spotter up above. According to Wikipedia:

A spotter in auto racing is a trained team member whose job is to relay information to their driver, keeping them alert of what is occurring on the track. They are typically positioned higher, atop one of the grandstands or other support buildings, to see the entire track. Spotters keep in constant contact with their drivers via two-way radio communication. Spotters are considered the drivers' "eyes" and are one of the more notable yet simple, safety measures adopted by professional auto racing in the past two decades.

Even as the crashes were unfolding, each driver on the track was in constant communication with his respective spotter up above, who was in turn giving him a constant supply of instructions as to which way was best to proceed, what particular path was open, how best to navigate the carnage all around them, etc…

And in this simple process one can see the illustration of a Biblical principle. As we navigate the roads of life, we sometimes find ourselves in tight spots and/or difficult straights. When these times come, with our own perspective so limited, we also find ourselves in dire need of direction from up above. Whenever this happens, true to His Word, our God (Who faithfully watches over us from above) speaks to us and gives us the guidance we so desperately need.

In Psalm 32, verse 8, the Lord gives us this promise: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

The reason I know the promise He has made here is true is because I have experienced the gentle nudging of God in my own life in just such times of trouble. So have many of the people I know. One and all, their testimony and mine is that we have each acknowledged the Lord, and He has faithfully directed our path! He will do the same for you. That is His promise.

SOURCES:

NEWS ARTICLES:
https://amp.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article226406580.html;
https://jalopnik.com/massive-daytona-500-crash-takes-out-half-of-the-field-1832690471/amp.

SPOTTER ARTICLE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotter_(auto_racing).

SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
https://biblehub.com/psalms/32-8.htm;
https://biblehub.com/context/proverbs/3-5.htm.

CROSS PURPOSES

2/15/2019

Given that I am a pastor, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that the following headline caught my attention: “Giant Wooden Cross that Washed up on Florida Beach Draws Crowds”. The article, which appeared on FoxNews.com on February 06, 2019, was written by Caleb Parke, Associate Editor at FoxNews.com.

What happened was that beachgoers walking along Fort Lauderdale’s coast were surprised to discover a giant wooden cross that had mysteriously washed ashore on Saturday afternoon, February 2nd.

It did not take long for the cross to draw a crowd, from whom it evoked many varying responses. For some, it was seen as an answer to prayer; to others some sort of a “sign”; and to still others “divine timing”.

The owner of the Ocean Manor Resort Hotel, Frank Talerico, was quoted as saying that the 20-foot cross that washed ashore was intended as a sign of protection for the community. It was reported that his sister had been praying at the property earlier that day after having a bad dream. And then, voilà, a giant cross appeared!

Mr. Talerico told the news media that he was glad the cross showed up when and where it did. He wanted everyone to know he was content for it to stay where it was; and that any and every one was welcome to come and take pictures if they so desired.

One family from Michigan, which was staying in his hotel, saw it as a holy symbol meant specifically for them to see. “We stood there and just stared at it and each other for quite a few minutes in awe. We had noticed all the barnacles and knew it had been in the ocean for quite a while, so why would the sea finally cough it up at just that moment if it wasn’t meant for us to find it?”

Another visitor from Michigan, Mary Ann Smolinski, called the cross “very spiritual.” She was quoted in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, as saying: “We were just lying on the beach and we saw a crowd of people around and I just got up to see what was going on. It was a cross that was laying right in the water.”

At this time, the origin of the cross is still unknown. Given that it is encrusted with barnacles, it is likely to have been at sea for some time. Most have concluded that it came from Puerto Rico or some other island, possibly as a result of a hurricane.

A late night discussion between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus is recorded in the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 3, verses 1-21). This passage, of course, contains the world’s best known Bible verse, John 3:16, wherein Jesus says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The context of that verse is Jesus telling Nicodemus about the importance of being born again on order to experience life in the Kingdom of God. As a part of this discussion, Jesus also alluded to His own impending crucifixion by referencing the pole upon which Moses had placed the serpent and lifted it up in order for the children of Israel to be healed from being bitten by poisonous snakes. (This incident is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Numbers, chapter 21, verses 4-9.)

At this point, Jesus makes this significant statement (in verses 14 and 15): “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Later on, in the same gospel (chapter 12, verse 32), Jesus said “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

And there we have the essence of the Gospel. At God’s direction, Moses lifted up a bronze snake impaled upon a pole so that those who were drawn to it and looked up at it would be saved. Likewise, God allowed Jesus to be affixed to a cross and lifted up from the earth, so that all who were drawn to Him there and considered His purpose on that very cross would be saved!

I’m glad to know that a barnacle encrusted cross washing ashore on the Florida coast still draws a crowd. I’m even more joyful to know that the old rugged cross upon which Jesus gave His life as an atonement for the sins of all people still beckons people to come to it and consider its significance.

I myself was drawn to that cross. And I myself found salvation at the foot of it. I hope you too have been to the foot of the cross. And that you have found what God has for you there. If not, I hope you will go there at the first opportunity! Then, perhaps you too will share the testimony penned by the hymnwriter of old:

“At the cross, at the cross,
Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away -
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day.”

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/giant-wooden-cross-washes-up-on-florida-beach. The writer, Caleb Parke, is an associate editor for FoxNews.com. One can follow him on Twitter @calebpark3.

NOTE: In a similar story, a herd of cattle was recently found assembled in the form of a cross out in a pasture. A neighbor was drawn to the phenomenon, and took a picture that has since gone viral. Cf.: https://www.foxnews.com/us/holy-cow-cattle-form-the-sign-of-the-cross.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/3.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/12-32.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/numbers/21.htm.

HYMN LYRICS SOURCE: https://www.greatchristianhymns.com/at-the-cross.html.

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