Faith

  What is faith, and does it have any power? Seeing, as how it is a two point question, it deserves a two point answer. Faith is something that each of us executes every day. When you go to sit on a chair, it is by faith that you sit. You don't stop to think whether the chair is sound enough to hold you, you just sit down. You didn't feel compelled to check it out, because sitting is something you have done so many times before, all without incident. This type of faith comes with familiarity through repetition. Because, other then that one time when you were hopelessly drunk, it wasn't that the chair that failed you, as much as it was, that you failed it. It was you who sent your chair and you sprawling out onto the floor, and it was you who caused yourself and others all that embarrassment. So then, other then that one time at the wedding party, the one that no one will ever let you forget, you have never failed to seat yourself with dignity.
There is that kind of familiarity, the faith of familiarity, the faith of trust.
  But then there is the other type of faith. The type of faith where there has been little, if any experience what so ever. It is this type of faith where the power lys. What is faith? It is the power to know that you know.  

Being Apologetic

  God is a subject that makes most people feel uncomfortable. The most immediate reason for this, is because most people are ignorant of God and his ways. Some are more ignorant then others, but that, is a story for another time. We are an opinionated lot, and we like to think of ourselves as being worldly and reasonably informed on all important matters. Enough so, that we have opinions on just about anything. But when the subject of God comes up generally, or the question of whether he exists at all comes along, most peoples immediate response is to fend off the question. You will hear excuses like this, My dad taught me that there are three things that you shouldn't be brought up in a bar. I don't remember them all, but one of them was religion.
  Or perhaps a more philosophical approach? Saying things like, The subject of God is such a deep subject, that we will never understand it. Anyway, they continue, his thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways, not our way. These are time tested ways of avoiding having to speak intelligently about our Lord and Savior. But whether you have been a believer all your life, or completely ignorant about the things of God, speaking intelligently about God is not easy. It is not an easy subject precisely because God is deep! Just think of the subject matter that would naturally come up in a discussion with him, it would be limitless. Any subject you can think of, every question, no matter how small or how large, the answer to that question, the answer to all questions, now sat across from you. How would you even speak to him at all, what would you say?
  So what is all of this about you might ask? All I'm trying to do, is to get you thinking about such things. Once you do, it is only natural that you will want to know more about those things. In order for you to begin to understand the family of God, you must be family. Makes sense right?
  So in order to understand the family, you must be family, and the only way to become a part of any family, you must first be born into it. This too makes sense, doesn't it? It doesn't matter if you look to become part of a family of badgers, ducks, geese or humans. There must be a mother and a father, and from their love, new babies are born into the family. It is the same with the family of God. In order to become a brother or a sister of the family, you must be born a second time into it. Born, not of just muscle and bone, skin and sinew, but born of the spirit.

The Question

  In the beginning was God, and God was all alone. Complete within himself, but still, very much alone. He thought to himself great thoughts, to keep himself amused. But then he began to think outside of himself, in that he thought to himself, Why don't I have friends and people like myself who I can talk to? And then, at that very instant of thought, suddenly there was a whole host of angels gathered around him praising him! This pleased him very much.
  But eventually he tired of this too, and thought to himself, Sure they praise me, what choice do they have. Because they come from my thoughts, But what if I had a race of beings even more like myself, in that, they could choose for themselves whether I was worthy of praise or not.
  And again, at that very moment of thought, God created Adam in his own image. But in order for Adam to fulfill God's purpose, he first had to fall from grace. Do you think that maybe this God who created everything, even the perfect setting for that first sin doesn't know you? The question is, Do you know Him?

Invincible

  What is ego? Ego is a lot of things, because ego involves itself in all facets of life. You should know, before you go about considering such things, that first and foremost, Ego is a liar. What ego tells you, is that you are totally self sufficient, you can provide for all of your needs, whatever they are, and you have no need of God, because you are your own god.
  Ego is braggadocios and obnoxious. People who are driven by their egos, are at heart, boring, because with them, everything is about them, therefore, egotists can only be taken in small doses. Pride is the basis of all sin, and ego is it's epitome. Pride is all about self, and self is a tyrant! I can tell you these things with confidence, because I was once exactly like that. Everything that I encountered, whatever the matter of the moment was, it was all about how it affected me.
  But every selfish person comes to an end. Some come sooner, and some come later, but the last to come fall the hardest. The egotists will die the slowest of deaths, because they loose power by a lot of small wounds. As they bleed from multiple wounds, the whole time they lie to themselves by assuring themselves that they are still in control. Until at last, as the last of their blood runs dry, and they struggle for their last breath, their life's last thought is, How can this be, I was invincible?

Contrast

  Too many thoughts for too many tales, sometimes become, too many to follow. Each may indeed have been a good tale, but a good story can only be one after its told. So then the decision, which one to stop and think about, and which not? The choice then is obvious, you must decide which one to do, and which one to let go?
  But I have come to a way to combat that, so I don't have to think about it, all I have to do, is to decide to do it. So I sit at my desk, pen and pad at the ready, and whatever sentence that runs through my mind, I write that down. So for me, sometimes what I write comes about randomly, reversed chronologically I suppose, but the last to mind becomes the first to be written.
  But of course, in order to put a thought into action, there must first be an agreement with the will. Before you can physically do it, you must first decide to do it. Once the will is set, you are given the power to do whatever task it is, that you decided to do. That logic may seem circular to you, in coming back to the premise so much, but that is what it is supposed to do, to bring focus.
  The will is a powerful thing, and free will can be outright dangerous at times. Free thought, and free will are two different things. Always, we must be cognizant, that it is the Lord who leads us.
As a final thought, I wonder if any of you have ever thought to yourself, I wonder what its like to be God? The best way, is to give you a parable, at least for a taste of what it is like. You are out walking on a perfect day. You notice in the grass at your feet, a wasp is struggling for life. He can no longer fly, and whatever ails him must be fatal, because the little insect can hardly negotiate the blades of grass. So, what do you do? Step on it to put it out of it's misery, or do you walk on? You've just made a call on another life, It's life was in your hands. In our little parable, you were in fact a type of god, as you had all power over that life. Congratulations, you are god to the insect world.

New Betsy

  The big Buick sparked immediately to life, and she broke her stall as if she had always known my ways. Good morning sweetheart, I said, You and I are going to get along just fine. We moved as one out into the morning traffic, and she glided into the pace, sliding smooth like polished dice when thrown on a velvet table.
  Coming to the highway, there were busy lights, but not too bad of a flow, and when I prodded her out from the now green lights, she seemed to glide into traffic, finding the sweet spot with ease. So we slid and glided together as one, she seemed to anticipate my every move, and always with my pleasure and comfort in mind. And she was comfortable, so much so, that I knew that I would want to ride her until at last her oil ran dry.
  So off together we rode, just her and I against the world. At times I drove her hard, but she didn't complain, giving me only a knowing shudder, until we deepened our trek together as we drove each other to understanding, Her learning my ways, and me hers.
  Afterall, she is a lady of comfort, rather then of speed. No, there would be no rushing her, because with her, every move was calculated as to give maximum comfort. And yes, she made me comfortable. She moved with me, as if she had always known me, and I wasn't new to her at all. Experience you see, Why would you have me rush things, she said, take your sweet time with me, and I will make you feel good for as long as you ride in me. Wow, I think I am beginning to love my new old car.  

The Whore of Babylon

  America has lost her prestige in the world, We are no longer feared, and worse yet, no longer respected. So what, is all of this fall from grace Obama's fault? What of a nation who has pulled so far from the morals that once sustained us, how is it that we have pulled so far from the God of our fathers?  It is illegal to pray to God in our schools, but what of more recent news? A black Ohio politician nailed it when he asked, DO black lives really matter? Why is it he asked, that black children are being aborted at an alarming rate when compared to whites and others? Keep in mind, that blacks are still a minority in this country, and yet, it is they who abort their children at a rate higher then any other American? How about this, Did you know that of the black babies being killed, the largest majority are little black girls, isn't that considered a war on women?
  Of course, middle class Americans and the rich also choose to sometimes end the life they feel inside them. But it is primarily the poor, both black and white, who feel compelled to commit such a desperate act. Could it be that this is a big part of this class warfare we hear so much about?
  And what of the ghouls of Planned Parenthood, who so callously discuss the sale of baby parts to the highest bidder? What of these, do they get a pass from secular America, what kind of a person can remain apathetic to such horrors? The same horrors that are committed every day, in your name America, and with your hard earned taxes. The ghouls over at planned parenthood are the disease, but we, you and I America, are the cause. How long will we turn a blind eye to the carnage?
  Like ancient Israel who turned her back on God, so now have we. This ignoring of simple decencies, have caused this nation to move away from God.  Because of her sins against God, the Hebrew nation was taken captive by Babylon, what will be our punishment? Babylon the great will rise again, and this time, more terrible then before. If you were to see with spiritual eyes, you would recognize, that you have already seen the signs of the whore from Babylon. When you see the unspeakable acts of torture, murder and rape done in the name of a god, you might well ask yourself, Who is this god? She is the whore of Babylon, she is the whore from hell!