Category: Encourage each other

Techno-stuff


We all live with and use these things all of the time. From smart phones to thermostats which know if you are at home or not, our lives seem to be flooded with technology in almost all areas of our life every day. What would happen to us if that technology suddenly stopped working?

For some people with pacemakers it would mean that they get to see God sooner than they expected. For others, for instance if you were a patient in a hospital, it might mean the same thing. Some people would notice that their car won’t crank or even run at all. Technology runs every part of our lives these days or at least a significant part of it, so what would we do if an EMP went off and wiped out all of the electric grids and anything which depended upon electricity or electronic circuits?

This is the scenario that is ahead if a militant state or group gets the ability to launch a nuclear EMP bomb into the high atmosphere. Within three days every grocery store would be cleaned out. There would be no alarm systems anywhere in America and no fire truck or police or ambulance would be able to respond to calls for help. Your car wouldn’t crank and your cell phone and computer won’t work again. The entire electric grid for America would be shut down because they are dependent upon computers and electricity. An EMP would send our country back as a society to the point of being where our great grandfathers were about 150 years ago!

It is a scary scenario to think about but if someone had this ability, and many do today, our world would be drastically changed. We would have to go back to either using horses or if you happen to have a classic car or truck, one which was made at least 37 years ago, then you may have transportation until the gas runs out.

Technology has spoiled us to the point of being dependent upon it for everything that we do. Our world, not just America, is dependent on it for business and banking and communication so without electricity to power our technology, our way of life will revert to being like it was almost two-hundred years ago. Also, we don’t know how long the effects of an electromagnetic pulse would last. It could be months or even years before we could get things back to the normal that we are accustomed to today.

Why am I bringing this up today? Mainly to get some of you thinking about getting prepared for an event like this should it happen in the near future.

God is coming back in the form of His Son, Jesus and He will put the world back together again the way that He meant for it to be. But, until that day comes we shouldn’t just sit around and wait for Him to fix everything! Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and tell others about Jesus! This is what the church is supposed to do until He comes again. We will see the world go through much trouble and hard times before He returns because the apostle Paul said that “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” 2 Thessalonians 2:3

Be prepared, read and study the Bible, pray and fast to strengthen your faith in Him because these things were foretold through the Spirit of God to the writers of these letters. God’s Word is true and it does tell the end before it comes, these things will happen, when we don’t know. Be mindful and watch and pray that you will be counted among the faithful. Amen.

Times and miracles


Many days we see things or hear about something which happens that could be described as a miracle. Some people may not recognize them as a miracle but in many ways, they are. Why do I say this? Because of the living God Who is Creator, He is the One Who accomplishes these things.

For instance, scientists are still discovering “new” species unknown to science a few years ago. Healing of tumors and cancers which are inoperable happens in many cases where the patient is being prayed for by their family and these are not given the proper respect because the doctor doesn’t know how it happened. But, the family of the person that is healed knows where the healing came from, it came from the Lord!

Sometimes, the healing needs to come to the church itself. The members of some churches are so stone-faced and inexpressive during church until it looks like we are attending a funeral rather than a church service. We are supposed to be living in the Joy of the Lord, not grumbling through a service and sitting like a bunch of old turtles on a log!

Also in the Bible, it says that there will be a falling away by the church and it seems that it is beginning right now. Yes, there are still mega-churches with thousands of members but are those members Christians? Or are they just sitting in a pew when services start and not living a joy-filled life with Jesus? Many small churches and large ones too have the same problem…people who have been raised in the church who believe they are Christians because they have attended church most of their lives.

The Bible says that in the latter days, which we are living in now, young men will see visions and dream dreams. This has been foretold because God is an awesome God! The dreams and visions that young people are seeing are leading them to become Christians even in places where there are no missionaries! People are seeking God in any way that they can and coming to Him by the thousands.

I have read of accounts of young men who were against Christianity and they have learned of it and have come to know their Savior, Jesus! The times in which we are living are hard in ways but also joyous in others. Life can and does find a way to break free from bondage and chains when there is an alternative presented. Christianity does not force anyone to believe because you can’t force belief on anyone. Just as love cannot be forced on anyone.

Our world is coming to an end. It may be in the next year or in a few months or it may be in the next decade but it is winding down like an old-fashioned clock, except God didn’t forget to wind it. He knows exactly the day and the hour that the end will come.

Today…


paintingFor most of us today began about four hours ago, depending on when you may need to get to work. Some of you may have been working last night until this morning, so your morning was during the night for the rest of us. I worked the night shift in the hospital lab for years after I graduated from Clinical Lab Science with a BS. It was different, not very enjoyable though. Your body was not designed to be awake during the night and try to sleep during the day.

Anyway, today is the day that we all have to work with. What we do with it and what we accomplish in it are up to us and the abilities that God has given us. So…what will you do with yours?

Some of us have to go to work for the day, some, like me, are disabled and get to spend the day doing what we can do. For some we can do almost as much as we could before, but pain or tiredness comes on really easily. Like today for me. I was painting a couple of hours ago, but my shoulders began to hurt pretty bad so I had to quit. Hopefully, I can get back to it before it dries completely. If I can finish it, I may put it up here so you can see it.

The painting above is what I was working on yesterday. I hope you like it. I can do better I think, but that will come with practice.

God gives each of us a talent, some of us get more than one. The problem with having more than one is that you have a hard time figuring out what you are supposed to do with yourself. For me, it usually has to do with how much pain I have and how I feel that day. I am sorry about bringing my situation in here because it really doesn’t belong here, but sometimes that is how I feel.

I hope that you don’t have to go through the pain that I have. God loves us and our life, each and every day, is our service to Him and for Him. Regardless of our job or our talents, your day can be useful to you and to God as well. Seek Him out and do what you can do with what you have, every day.

Whom do you believe?


Many religions in our world today purpose to worship men. Men who are dead and have turned to dust or dried up husks in the grave. Why would you worship these who are nothing more than portions of creation itself? Living and breathing in our world is a wonderful grace that God gives to us, hard though it may be at times. Dead men don’t give any such grace or knowledge to us while we live or dream, only God our Creator will do this. We will not see Him, but our spirits will recognize our Creator and God when we hear and feel His calling.

So, whom do you believe in and determine to follow? There are many so-called “prophets”, even to hundreds of years before Christ. Some were in Eastern nations such as India and China, some came a few hundred years after Christ in the Middle Eastern nations. The difference between them and our Lord Jesus is that they lie in graves or have turned to dust while Jesus stands at the right hand of God, alive and well.

Some portions of the Middle Eastern religion say that Jesus is a servant of Allah, which is not true. God the Creator is not Allah, He is God. It is easy to place a name upon One whom you have not seen and give Him a name which you want Him to have and yet is a name which is not His Name. God doesn’t share His glory with any other god because He is God and there is none other!

The Bible speaks of God in three persons. The Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God, the Angel of the Lord or the pre-incarnate Christ and Jesus and of course God the Father. The One that we, as Christians, worship is a Triune Godhead. Being God doesn’t diminish His Spirit nor does it take away from the Son, Jesus the Christ. Trying to make the Son of God into a servant of Allah is blasphemy and is completely wrong.

God sent His Son into the world in order to redeem the world and all of those in it from the consequences of their sins. The only requirement is that they each believe in Him and that He did this for them, repenting of your sins and my sins and following His example in our lives. Following Him every day so that others may see the joy and the example that He set for us to follow and to do. We are not to do it selfishly or in response to the dictates of man, but selflessly and by the order of Jesus. Be a reflection of Him in all that you do every day, in your words and deeds so that you will glorify Him until He comes to take us to our eternal Home.

We have a lot to do….


There are many young people and some older ones who have lived their lives without Christ. WE, as Christians, have to tell them about Him. This is not a request, but it is a command from Jesus written in the gospels. Christians have turned the other cheek and been quiet long enough and the only way that they will know, that many more will find out about their Savior is if we do our part and get the message out to them! I know that today, even in the USA, Christians are being targeted as hate groups because of our beliefs which come from the Bible. This treatment will likely get worse in the near future, but we must push our fear aside and tell others that the Hope that they are looking for can only be found in Jesus.

Why should we do this? Because of God’s love for us, because He gave His Son up to be the Lamb, perfect and unblemished, as the atonement for all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, because all of us fall under that category! There is no one on the Earth now nor has there ever been anyone like Christ! Failing Him and His command is not an option in my being. Like the one who blows the trumpet on the wall to let everyone know about an enemy outside the gate, I want others who follow Jesus to begin to let your friends know, let your family know about Him! We are held accountable for the Truth that we have heard and read in the Bible, therefore we can’t be silent and we shouldn’t be.

If you could save your friend from certain death, wouldn’t you do it if it were in your power? If it were your child or your parent, you certainly would if possible! We are coming to the end of the age of grace, which we have been under for almost two thousand years. Evil is spreading in the world, anti-Christian speech and laws are being passed and reported on around our country and in other parts of the world. The world that most of us grew up in has changed so much in character until it is barely recognizable as the same anymore. It’s not the same as it was, it is much worse!

Television shows and talk shows are bringing up subjects that are occult in nature, much of what is on TV does not fall into the “wholesome” family category anymore. It seems that just in the past fifteen years that it has become harder to find entertainment that is good for the family to watch together anymore. The Internet itself is a place where kids can find anything that they want online, even if mom and dad don’t approve of it. They can bring it up on their phones or their tablet or any connected device available to them.

Even many of the books and games offered on Amazon and other “toy” stores are occult oriented as are many of the games on the Internet. Children don’t think anything is wrong with tarot cards or other occult and witchcraft oriented games or books. Some are innocent to an extent, but if the door to the occult gets opened a crack, many things which you don’t want in your house will have access to your home and to your children.

Read God’s Word and ask for Him to help you understand the wisdom contained in it. Give your heart to Jesus and lead your family in prayer and study of the Bible. The strength and protection that He can give you and your family is needed in these times.

Life, as it could be….


You have heard of life, the one you and I are living here on Earth. It is nasty sometimes, its dangerous sometimes, it’s just hard to deal with most of the time, and then some days, it turns out pretty good. Those days are few but that is what makes them special! If you had a great day, every day, life would be boring, fun but boring. How has life been treating you recently? It depends on your location and your circumstances mostly. If you work for Google, you have a hectic day but you get paid well for it so it’s not so bad from what I have read. If you work for the government…I am sorry. Yes, there are many different jobs and salaries which go from one extreme to the other, some jobs are hourly which is the pits mostly. Some are pretty decent in their pay and benefits, but those are few and depend on education and experience and location, location, location.

Life…is not really fair for most of us. If there were some way that I could help in this matter, I would. I am not kidding, but right at this time I am not in a position to help many more than my immediate family. People ask, “Where is God in all of this?”, He is here with us and with you, like it or not. Why doesn’t He do something to help us? He does, every day! You got up this morning, like I did. You had something for food and drink, maybe went to a job, come home to have something else to eat and then get ready for another day of the same thing tomorrow, all because God chose not to “punch your card” so to speak.

Much of what we call life, good or bad, is a gift from God and we should accept it as such. If it involves a degenerative disease like arthritis, like I have, then just enjoy the days when it doesn’t hurt really bad. If you have other problems which are chronic or severe, then God is still there with you giving you strength and the ability to get through it. Why am I so upbeat on life right now? Because today has been a decent day. I pray that I have more of these and maybe you will too. There is no reason for looking for a dark cloud coming tomorrow because it isn’t here yet!

God can clear it up before it does get here and that is the important part, give tomorrow to Him. Then do it again tomorrow, and the next day. Let Him take care of the stuff that is coming and you enjoy what He lets you have! Keep your eyes on Him for the rest of the day, and He will take care of your tomorrows, Okay?