Shaking my head and wondering if I’ll ever learn

Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ... — Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments. (Lateral meniscus and medial meniscus are cartilage.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lately my knees have been bothering me quite a bit. Arthritis, or something. I’ve had trouble with my feet on and off since I was a kid, too. There was a time, in the mid-70s that a doctor wanted to take apart my foot and sand the bones. I politely declined his invitation.

Despite the problems, up until a few years ago I was in fairly good shape, running and riding a touring bicycle that I’d built.

Needless to say, but with my knee joint issues, I’m no longer running, and rarely ride my bike. This week I’ve been doing a lot of odd jobs, and going up and down stairs is a real strain. At any rate, I dropped my two high schoolers off at their school, and stopped afterward at a grocery store. Waiting at the cashier to checkout, a fellow came up behind me. He may have been sixty years old, or so. His face sported a nice tan. He kept his white hair short and neatly trimmed. I noticed his running shoes, short running pants, and nice white shirt. He looked like he could be headed out to run or maybe play tennis. I thought of my aching knees and got to feeling pretty old. Then I noticed his arm. He had a towel draped over his left arm, and a large bag of ice on top of it. The cashier asked him what happened to his arm. He didn’t say at first, saying it was a bit of a story. She said something nice to him about hoping it would get well. It was then that the fellow confessed that he had had some problems at his morning dialysis appointment. The women said that in her “past life before the grocery store,” she had been a nurse and knew about things, but didn’t want to go back, liking the grocery store better. She was very compassionate, though, in her tone. The fellow said, “In my past life I was healthy, and I’d go back to it right away.”

My attitude reminded me of an old Joan Bias song about being angry for not having shoes, then seeing a man with no legs. I regretted my discontent at my aching knees, and my envy at his apparent athletic abilities. Compared to that fellow, I’m in terrific health, terrific shape.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Philippians 4:11

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine . . .

Bad Mood Rising

John Fogerty reportedly wrote “Bad Moon Rising” after watching The Devil and Daniel Webster. Inspired by a scene in the film involving a hurricane, Fogerty claims the song is about “the apocalypse that was going to be visited upon us.” It was performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969. I was in basic infantry training at Fort Ord, California, at the time. On Saturday nights we would go to Stillwell Hall. A large country club-like building sitting on the beach, it served beer to troops–legally. We couldn’t vote. We couldn’t buy alcoholic beverages off post. But we could go to war. We could defend the hard-won liberties of America. And some of us did. Of those who went, many came home. All who came home were changed, forever changed.

Irritated I am this morning. Well, I am not irritated–it’s just how I feel. There’s a difference. Irritated isn’t the real me.

Funny. That last, short paragraph was rolling around in my head as I headed to J. Christofer’s to grab a bit to eat and write. I’m behind again. I’m sorta over my head in odd jobs that I’ve got going on this week. There’s other things stessin’ me out, too. But I needed to get away to write something this morning. So I sat down to a cup of dark roast coffee and opened my MacBook Air and began a new post with the title, which I most often do not do. I wrote “Bad Mood” then “Rising” seemed to naturally flow from it. It reminded me of a song from the 60s. With internet access at the cafe, I went to Wikipedia. Ah, Credence. . . Memories came like high tide washing over me. I could see myself at Stillwell Hall wearing Army green and newly earned strips, drinking a beer, drinking too many beers. The band played “Bad Moon Rising” and played on and on and the crowd joined in when they sang “We gotta get outta this place, If it’s the last thing we do. . .”

A waitress–sorry, to be politically correct these days I should say “server”–dropped off a nice plate of food and asked how I liked my Mac, saying she was deciding between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. It was a short, friendly conversation. Irritation slipped away making room for feelings of usefulness. I enjoy kind conversation. I like friendly people, willing to talk, willing to be. . . real.

Kind conversation isn’t random. Real people, with real problems, are so often kind despite their feelings [even me, I suppose, when I push away the cloud that gathers over me]. But that isn’t what is portrayed on the television, on “reality” shows, on evening television shows. For in the world of the media, people are combative, accusatory, adversarial. People are crazy, they say, they show us. The American Media and Hollywood misses the pulse of the real America. Too many crime shows, making us suspicious and scared, are dictating our view of people. Too many shows teach that casual sexual relations, both heterosexual and homosexual, are appropriate and expected of us. Too many shows press us to believe in murdering the unborn if they are inconvenient. America’s current president believes that, too, and accuses his opponents of being–what? wrong, evil, non-progressive?–for not supporting such measures.

It seems to me we stand upon the edge of an abyss. Like the half glass of water we see as have empty or half full, we sense America as either half gone mad, being evil and heinous, or half just real people doing the best they can, being as kind as they are able. I suppose it’s our choice.

Back to Credence, the refrain in the chorus, “there’s a bad moon on the rise,” is commonly misheard as “there’s a bathroom on the right”. Fogerty has parodied the mishearing in live performances of the song.

It’s all in how we hear it, see it. Perspective.

Lord give us Your perspective of those to whom You send us. AMEN.

Random Acts. . .

And what exactly was Lot doing in Sodom, anyway? Was he persevering with Random Acts of Kindness? Did he try to organize various community service projects? Lot, along with his immediate family, were the only ones found worth salvaging out of the slime pit of iniquity that had become Sodom. It was so bad there that when strangers came to visit, the town folk wanted to show them a little Sodom Hospitality–from which we take the modern word sodomize. Oh, sure, not everyone wanted to have sex with the Lord’s Search and Rescue Patrol. Those that didn’t probably encouraged them though. With things so bad, couldn’t Lot have seen the handwriting on the wall, so to speak?

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Matthew 24:9-22

Lot didn’t flee Sodom. Perhaps he didn’t know things were that bad. Perhaps he thought he still could do good in Sodom, that it was still daylight there for him to serve G-d. Obviously it was night in Sodom. But G-d, being faithful to His, rescued Lot, pulling Lot’s head buried in the desert sand where he’d simply ignored the signs of the times. [Too many tired cliches–sorry-O.]

To stay; to flee. Which is most noble? Does it make a difference? Think about it, please. [Selah]

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Random Acts. . .

Repent! Jesus is coming soon (Photo credit: Ben Sutherland)

Iniquity abounds in this world in which we reside. Iniquity is no longer a random act; it seems it is the norm. We must know we are merely strangers here. We must believe in our hearts that we are new creatures, reborn through Y’shuaJesus’s redemptive act of enduring kindness. While we walk, through various trials and tribulations, the Spirit of G-d is with us, beside us, within us.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thes 2:7-10

Iniquity is also referred to as “lawlessness.” While it means having no law, it refers to the spirit of these days in which we live. For it is in these days that there is a turning away from G-d and G-d’s Law. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that while there is this spirit of lawlessness in the world, it is contained until G-d chooses to let it completely go. I pointed out the move here in Georgia to encourage “Random Acts of Kindness” and the various community service projects that are undertaken. These, promoted by both Christians and non-Christians, are ways in which G-d keeps some light shining. Y’shuaJesus said to work while it is still day, for in the night, no work can be done.

This all makes me think about the search party going into Sodom to seek out any righteous that may be there, and if things are truly as bad as rumor had it.

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Genesis 18:20-23

G-d didn’t find enough salt in Sodom, so took Lot and his family out, then destroyed the place. It serves as an example to us as iniquity continues to rise and the act of being considerate, just being nice, decline. We are salt the preserves even as things around us fall apart slowly. For there are still some that may hear the Spirit calling their names, and accept the promise of life, abundant live, today and forever.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Random Acts of Kindness

For the past several years a television station in Atlanta, Georgia, has encouraged “Random Acts of Kindness” throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. This month, Georgia’s governor has taken up the cause, and established a day promoting “Random Acts of Kindness” throughout the entire state of Georgia.

A local high school has a community service requirement and each student must perform at least ten hours annually. While this is a formal policy of community service, for some time any student applying for universities and colleges, to be considered, must include on the application some form of community service activity.

There is root to these crys for “Random Acts of Kindness” and the promotion of activities that are of service within our communities. It is within the Law of G-d.

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Luke 10:25-28

One word comes to my mind to sum up proper actions toward others, our “neighbors,” is considerate. Defined, it means: marked by or given to careful consideration, circumspect; and, thoughtful of the rights and feelings of others. To be considerate, we must put ourselves in the shoes of people around us. To do this, we must empathize with them. We must be sensitive to others’ needs.

But [There seems to always be a but. . . for thought stimulation] Is it possible to take this too far? Does being considerate entail being tolerant? If so, how far do we take it?

Let us consider. (Selah)

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Have you every heard a stone cry out?

The other day, an acquaintance said that his neighbor, who is also an amateur radio operator, told him the hobby is dying out as a result of cell phones and internet. I disagree. I told him that hams are very inventive people, and that experimentation with new electronic communications is ongoing. Radio communications became possible through the vibrations, or oscillations, of a tiny piece of crystal—a small rock—to which electricity is applied. The size of the crystal determined the rate of vibration, its frequency. Today, no longer bound to crystals, receivers and transmitters have a large spectrum of frequencies available to tune across with one radio.

I’ve enjoyed ham radio since the mid-1970s and am continually amazed how this “hobby” has evolved to include satellites and a worldwide email system. Despite the modern advances, the old methods still prevail: moving the tuning dial on a receiver, listening for someone calling “CQ,” which is a general invitation to talk, and then broadcasting an answering call. Yes, ham radio is really the first Social Media, predating Facebook by a hundred years.

One of my favorite activities is the Bible nets. Nets are gatherings of hams on a particular frequency (sort of like a channel) at a particular time and day. There is one called the Bible Fellowship Network that operates daily very early in the morning. There are other Bible nets that operate in the afternoons. Bible nets are usually a round table affair with hams commenting on a scripture, giving a report on something for which they wish to praise the Lord, or requesting prayer and being prayed for over the air waves.

Given radios humble beginnings with a crystal vibrating, is it too much of a stretch to say that rocks to cry out?

I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Luke 19:40
Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

A Stone Retaining Wall

Some years ago, while living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I needed to do something about a rather steep hill alongside the driveway leading to the house. During rain storms, for about twenty feet or so along the drive, water flowed down the bank eroding the soil, which washed into the drive. My solution was to build a small retaining wall out of some small, flat stones that I removed from the back of the house. The irregularly shaped stones, carefully placed adjacent to one another in a row, made the first row. The second row I placed so that it was set back several inches as well as each stone overlapping the gap formed between the stones in the first row. The third row I set likewise. Finally, after ten or so rows, the wall was done.

The most important part of the job, I discovered, was in selecting the precise stone to fit particular place in the wall. In some cases, I would pick up a stone, try it, then set it aside. Occasionally, I did this several times before the “right” stone was found to fit. I tried, once, to break a stone and force fit it. It broke in the wrong place, and both pieces were set aside until their right place became apparent.

The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, wrote about Y’shuaJesus being a living stone.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. . .

1 Peter 2:4

Peter compares Y’shuaJesus to a stone that is “disallowed” by men. While I built my wall, I set aside stones, but eventually found a place for them. In Peter’s letter, we see that Y’shuaJesus is not just shown as set aside, but disallowed. As far as humankind is concerned, Y’shuaJesus has no place in society; people have no need for Him. Yet, as Peter tells us, G-d selected Y’shuaJesus to be the perfect stone for our world.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:6

The picture Peter wants us to see is a building in which G-d sets Y’shuaJesus as the chief corner stone. According to the Heritage Dictionary, a cornerstone is a stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls. Such a stone, often inscribed, laid at a ceremony marking the origin of a building. It is also an indispensable and fundamental basis: the cornerstone of an argument.

Some years ago, I recall a sermon in which the pastor said it wasn’t cornerstone at all, but cap stone. He went on to describe the building of a stone arch, and how the masons picked up and tried many stones to get them to fit into place as they built the wall, discarding ones that didn’t fit. In the end, a discarded stone is used to form the cap, the last stone placed, that holds the arch together. While that illustration is interesting, and for some time thought it accurately described the scripture’s intent, it is wrong. As I’m thinking about it now, it really misses the mark, so to speak. It has the masons selecting and discarding, and finally picking up a discarded stone and finding that it fits. That’s a bit arrogant. But then isn’t that what so much preaching is about these days: making Y’shuaJesus fit into our lives?

In the scripture, G-d selects the stone the builders’ discarded. That means if the builders continued, they’d build something false, without a true foundation. Those builders are “confounded.” They are mistaken. The building must begin with the cornerstone and the cornerstone is selected by G-d.

When we come to know Y’shuaJesus as Lord, it is often described as being born again. If we take Peter’s illustration of Y’shuaJesus being the cornerstone selected by G-d, then our lives before Messiah need to be rebuilt with the Lord as our cornerstone. We must build our lives based upon Y’shuaJesus. We must build our lives based upon His Truth.

And from time to time it’s not a bad idea to re-examine the building of our lives to see if it’s coming along according to G-d’s architectural drawings, and not ours.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Micah and a Lasting Peace

Many promise peace. Probably most famous is British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, who promised “peace in our time.” He did this in defense of an appeasement agreement in Munich that allowed Germany to take part of Czechoslovakia. But this didn’t appease Germany. Poland was in its sights. When Poland fell to Germany, England entered what would become WWII. England suffered greatly during the war, with much destruction coming upon it.

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

1 Thes 5:3

Y’shuaJesus didn’t promise peace on Earth.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Matthew 10:34

He promised peace, though, through HIM.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

In the Book of Micah, we find a prophet itemizing the failures of his country–its iniquities. He cries out to his people regarding G-d’s requirements: justice and mercy, walking humbly with G-d. To Micah, proper worship of G-d is the prime ingredient for a proper relationship. Consequences follow when a people loses its relationship with G-d. Destruction. But Micah also promises redemption, salvation. He foretold of the Messiah. He also foretold that the Last Days would usher in a lasting peace with the Earthly reign of Messiah, Y’shuaJesus.

And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Micah 4:3

Bad times come. Bad times go. We ride the worldly roller coaster. Peace we have through all this that is brought into our hearts through our faith in Y’shuaJesus. He is the Only Way to Peace.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Micah’s Word and the Iniquity of the Times

The Book of Micah is prophesy of judgement for various wrongs. In Chapter Two, Micah says:

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!

Micah 2:1

In one of my Bibles (The Matthew Henry Study Bible, Henderson Publishers), the chapter heading is “Wicked Deeds of the Rich.” Hummmmmm. Reading the chapter through, I don’t necessarily see the iniquities spoken of as devised by the rich. Why has this been added as a chapter heading? This reminds me of Jaro, who told me to only read the King James Version Bible, and only one without chapter headings. Jaro is quite a character. I met him in Dallas, Texas, a few years ago during the time when I “went into the Highways,” working for a long-haul flatbed trucking company out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was “stuck” in Dallas awaiting a load. Jaro was living in his car and, at the moment, staying in a truck stop. He said his mission was to bring truth to various people in ministry. He knew to whom he was being sent, and was awaiting the time to approach the current “assignment.” We talked for quite a while on Saturday about various things. I wasn’t quite sure why I had been brought together with him, as it seemed he didn’t exactly have ears to ear, but rather only a mouth to speak. He confessed he didn’t know he was going to meet me, so didn’t exactly know what message I should receive from him. He did say that, at first, he thought perhaps I was a person like himself; as he was the only real Christian he’d encountered. Part of our conversation was him baiting me with questions, refuting my offerings, and telling me his interpretation of the Bible. In the course our talks, I listened and came to understand I’d not really be giving him anything, so the journalist in me simply interviewed him, allowing him to get into his staunch beliefs. Eventually we parted company, cordially, though he gave me some things that I must do in order to achieve salvation. Yeah, well, one does meet a lot of interesting people along the road.

It does seem, however, that Jaro was correct on one point: don’t read the chapter headings. It’s that the chapter headings are misleading. Chapter headings seem to be subjective interpretations of the editor/publisher of a particular Bible. It’s the same way with the various comments that are often included. While the comments in this Bible are based on Matthew Henry Commentary, they are still edited for space. And just because Matthew Henry is from an earlier age, doesn’t mean he had it all correct, either.

In another Bible, the Book of Micah is introduced with a paragraph on the themes found in Micah. It says that Micah had a strong sense of the need for justice in society, courts, in the marketplace, and in political leadership dealing responsibly with power and authority. The bad times that had befallen Israel were a result of iniquities such as forsaking of justice. This seems like a fair viewpoint, too. Later in the introduction the words “social justice” are mentioned. Social Justice. When I hear social justice I think of all the preaching done over the last several years on the “Social Gospel.” Bringing justice to our world, our lives, is the theme of many churches in America these days. It coalesces nicely with “redistribution of wealth” that is being pressed upon us from some in leadership today. When we combine this thought process with the chapter headings that tell us that the rich are wicked, it leads up to a “Robin Hood” mentality. The rich are evil. Let us take from the rich.

What Micah cried against was iniquity PERIOD. He didn’t necessarily have a problem with the rich, it was with those who devise wicked schemes to take property away from people. Yes, some rich do this. Some in government have done this. Russia under Stalin. Germany under Hitler. Some are still doing this today. Some under the banner of social justice and others under the banner of religion. It is not social justice for a poor man to take a rich man’s car; it is theft, iniquity. If we applied social justice to our educational system, we would reduce an “A” earned by one student to a “B” so that a failing student can receive a passing grade that he/she didn’t earn. Is this what we’d call “Just”? No, that is iniquity.

And that’s Micah’s point. Iniquity was so entrenched that G-d allowed judgement to befall Israel.

Lord have mercy upon America.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon y’all. . .

Micah and Bad Times

Since the beginning of our current “global recession,” many have compared it with the American Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s. I’m not sure it really matters which hard time, which bad time, was the worst. During the life of Micah’s preaching, he lived through three kings’ reigns. In all of them, there were some really bad times. Bible scholars have wondered about which king’s reign Micah described when he wrote:

Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

Micah 7:1-3

According to Matthew Henry, Micah described a time in the reign of King Ahaz and the earlier reign of King Hezekiah. There were reformations and a rekindling of desire toward G-d during the reign of King Hezekiah, though. Unfortunately, it didn’t last; after King Hezekiah died, under the reign of King Manasseh, the country fell once again into idolatry and pagan worship. I read that this was because the hearts of the people were not changed. Laws may change the outward behavior, but it takes a change of heart to make a lasting change.

Micah, like many of the prophets, looked ahead to the coming of The Messiah who would redeem us and change us. Like Micah, we live in bad times. But we do not have to look to a future time for our salvation. Salvation came to us, is now ours, in Y’shuaJesus. We only must choose to accept. If we accept that salvation comes from no one, from no where, other than through Y’shuaJesus’s life, death, and resurrection, we may look forward to His coming to collect us to Himself. In this knowledge alone we may rejoice. In Y’shuaJesus we rejoice. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. As He has told us, no one comes to the Father unless he or she comes to Him.

There is no other way!

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .