Hungry?

    I was serving at a local nursing home, and I met the resident pastor. I introduced myself and asked him his name.  "The people call me Hungry!", he replied.   He is of small stature, and I thought he couldn't get enough to eat.  What kind of hunger did he have?
    The time was after the 6th of August, 1945 the day Hiroshima was bombed.  Hungry was walking the streets of a city in Japan and he was looking for food.  He wasn't able to find any, because  everything was destroyed.  The next day he went  looking for something to eat, and had the same result he had the day before, nothing.  This went on for 13 days, and no food.  On the 14th day he was going through a pile of rubble, and found a yellow New Testament. It was written in Japanese, and he began to read it.  As he was telling me his story you could tell he was still excited about finding The Word of God.  He stated that he was so into his new found treasure, that he read it and didn't even think about how hungry he was for food.  He said he found God's Word about mid- morning, and read late into the night!  Then he couldn't wait till morning to read some more.  "The Word of God satisfied my hunger!" He was only 12 years old when he found the book, and he has been saved and serving The Lord 67 years now!  Did he ever find food?  
     Hungry continued to tell his story.   There was a missionary's house in the city where he lived, and shortly after he found his treasure, he went there because they had food to eat.  
   When Hungry was 18 he decided to come to the US, to attend bible college.  After his education he went to Brazil as a missionary.  While he was there he met his wife who also was a Japanese missionary, and now he is still a missionary in the US.  I asked Hungry if his parents accepted The Lord?  He sadly replied,  "No.  My father was a Shinto priest, and after I became a Christian, he put me out of our house.  I lived at the mission until The Lord led me to go to Bible college.  I went back to see my father to tell him about Jesus, and the difference He has made in my life, but He refused to listen."   "Did he ever change his mind?,"  I asked.  "No, he died and went to Hell."
    I asked Hungry what frustrated him the most.  This is what he answered:  "When I found the little yellow Bible, I knew that it was true, but when I shared it with others,  they didn't believe me. The best that The Lord has for them, and they will not believe that it is true.  It's hard to be a minister, because you want everyone to become Christian, but few do.  This Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship with the only Living God!"
          

Crossroads

     Have you ever been traveling in an unfamiliar area, and not known which way you are supposed to turn?  It probably doesn't happen so often in these days of GPS, but it happened to me just recently.

     I was supposed to pick up my granddaughter at the home of one of her friends.  It was in a somewhat rural area, and even though I had been there a couple times, when I got to where I should have turned, it didn't look right to me.  So I drove past my turn.  Then I had to drive about a mile before I could turn around, and the road was icy.  I got back to my turn, and again, I got confused and drove on by!  I had to drive back to the highway, turn onto it and find a place to turn around.  Boy, did I feel foolish.  But, third time's the charm, right?  I finally got to the house to pick up Emma.

     This experience got me to thinking about the different times in my life where I reached a crossroads, and took the wrong turn;  and to thinking about the times I took the right turn!

     I have mentioned before in this blog about my Catholic school education, for which I am very grateful.  I knew right from wrong from the time I was a little girl.   Then, in my teen years, I came to a crossroads, literally because I was riding in a car, and spiritually, because the enemy of my soul convinced me at that moment that right and wrong were subject to my own perspective and opinion!
That wrong turn led my to a whole series of wrong turns which left me lost and confused.  During those years, I caused a lot of accidents:  pain to myself and those who loved me.
     But, thank God, he did not leave me there on that "Lost Highway."  After a few years of traveling that road, I was offered the opportunity to ask Jesus into my heart.  And I gratefully turned onto the road that leads to his Cross, where I found my home and my salvation.
     I see my old self in so many people, and I want them to know it doesn't have to be the way it was for me.  If you are one of these people, standing at a crossroad in your life, not knowing which way to go, there is a road map that will take you where you need to be.  It's called the word of God.
     "Seek The Lord while he may be found;  call on him while he is near." Is. 55:6
     "But if from there you seek The Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."  Deut. 4:7
     If you want to find your way in this life,  and in the next,  you have to repent of your sins, and ask Jesus to forgive you and to come into your heart!   He is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek him.  Heb. 11:6
     Do it now, my friends!  You don't know when the next turn on life's highway will be your last!
     Today is the day of your salvation!

Are you lonely?

 Have you ever walked down the street, and wondered how many that you have met are redeemed?  Or as you are driving along, how many lost souls have you gone by?
  One day I was sitting in front of the house, and two men approached me, and asked if I would take a ten question survey.  I agreed, at the end of the last question was; between 1-10 ten being the most sure; how sure are you that you will go to heaven?  I answered 10.  Then I asked them:  what kind of answers do you get to that question?  They replied, "We hardly ever get 10 for a answer.  Some say, I'm a good person oh at least a 50-50 chance.  I thought that is so sad.  Then I asked "Well do they go to church?" I was surprised when they said most of them had claimed to belong to a church.
  I had a nursing home ministry, and one day the nurses asked Jimmy if he would like to go to church.   They were surprised that he said yes. The nurse told me "He never wants to go to church!"  As the service went along I said, "If you ask Jesus into your heart, when you die you will go to heaven."  Jimmy had been in a accident 25 years earlier, and was brain damaged.  As soon as I said those words, Jimmy threw up his hands and started to say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, as tears were streaming down his cheeks.  Even though, after a short time he went back into his former state,  I expect to see Jimmy in heaven.  I believe he accepted Jesus as his savior that day!
  Another time, Marge a lady we knew, was also in a service.  When the I asked the question, " Do you want Jesus in your heart?", she responded with raisied hands, and tear filled cheeks.  Shortly after that time, Marge passed, and I expect to see her in heaven.
     Jimmy and Marge each had an appointment to know Jesus.

     In the first situation, with the survey takers, the people who thought they had a 50-50 chance of going to heaven, and had gone to church, SHOULD have known whether or not they were going to heaven.
     Jimmy, the man who was brain-damaged, most people would think that he COULDN'T know.
     Marge, because of the life she had lived, and her age, most would assume she didn't WANT
to know.
     So , the next time you come across one of these lonely people, don't be afraid to share The Lord with them--ask them if they want to know Jesus.  It could be their appointed time!

Not by Bread Alone

     I enjoy reading.  Wait.  Let me rephrase that.   I really, really, REALLY like to read.  Always have, hopefully always will.  I loved it as a little girl.  My favorite presents were dolls and, you guessed it, books.  (I also like to give books as gifts, but mostly for my own pleasure, and not so much for the recipient.)  My first library card opened a new world to me.  I can't remember how old I was, but I recall checking out big stacks of books at the old Carnegie library downtown on the corner (which is now the county museum).  I loved that place!  As a child I read everything:  books,  of course, magazines, newspapers, comic books.  My generation read a lot of comic books.  My dad would take me and Mike to Harry's Dairy (which was more like a neighborhood grocery store) once a week.  We would buy all our favorites:  Little Lulu, Little Dot, Little Lotta, Archie, and Richie Rich.  What a simple pleasure that was!  After the first read,  most of them ended up in the bathroom for our   continued reading pleasure, along with Transport Topics (my dad owned a trucking company) and the  Farm Journal.  I read whatever I found.
   As a teenager, I continued my reading passion.  I got into science fiction, and typical teen novels, but also read lots of classics (and not just because I had to for school).  By the way, I also loved English, Grammar (LOVED to diagram sentences) and Composition.  Yes, you could say I was, and still am,  a nerd.
     When my kids were little, we went to the library and got them stacks of books that we would read sitting on the couch together.  I probably enjoyed it more than they did.
     Reading has always been my pleasure, relaxation, solace.  And I like the actual books--can't really imagine myself reading on an electronic device.  That would take away the pleasure of going to the library!  But there was one important book that I neglected.
     About 10 years ago, as a New Year's resolution, I decided to read the Bible through in a year.  Even though I had been a Christian for many years prior to that, my Bible reading had not been very organized or consistent.  I was surprised and amazed at what I discovered when I read the whole Bible!  When I read about God's plan, beginning to end, it gave me the perspective to realize that God cares more for my character than my comfort!  He truly did provide us with a Guidebook to help us traverse this life that he has given to us!  Why did I ignore it for so long?
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path." Ps. 119:105  He shows us the way we should go!
"Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee."  Ps. 119:11  His words keep us from sinning!
"For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  Heb. 4:12
  And best of all, Jesus's words:  "It is written 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'" Mt. 4:4  and Deut. 8:3

   I discovered that the word of God is not just for Sunday school.  It is my DAILY BREAD!  I need it daily to nourish my spirit.
   
     

What about the Wounded?

  The worlds oldest question, who's in control?  Is it me?  Is it God?  These questions I will try to answer in this blog.  
  We live in a competitive world:  sports, finance, religions, and oh, yes,  the Church.   In our area,  there are  two NFL teams that have a lot of fans: the Vikings and the Packers.  (I won't say which one I prefer.) On Sunday all eyes are glued on the game.  It's sad but I watch the other team to see if they will fail.  How many times do we see a person from another church in our service, and say wonder whats the matter over there. My wife was told of the failure of another brother.  We were sad to hear this and the first thing that came to mind,  pray.
  Was it gambling, or some other trap that was set by the enemy? It doesn't matter what happened.  Another wounded Christian, lost every thing, home, business, respect of the community.  A good time to ask, who's in control?
   Most would think that I'm talking about the brother.  Not so.  I'm talking about the only one that I can do something about,  myself. Do we as the body of Christ react, or respond, to our wounded?  It's so easy to chime in with the one gossiping, and make the wound bigger, reacting.  Its not as easy to pray for the wounded; that would be taking the correct action.  I have failed often.  I know what this brother is feeling: the sleepless nights, the failure to my wife, my family, and associates, my church.  Then it got so bad that taking my own life seemed like the best answer.  All that and still a Christian?  Yes. 
If I had not had the Lord in these times I would have taken my life.  It's sad that we have more compassion for a wounded animal then for another human.  Is it because we feel the animal is helpless?  When we realize that WE are helpless,  it changes our compassion for others.
  Sin is something that we live around every day of our lives.   It's a presence in this world as sure as air, sun, and all the elements.  I hate sin and what it does robs:  kills, cheats, and destroys, yet we contend with it continually.  We can choose who's in control in our lives, but we can't make the choice for anyone else.  And even though we know the right choice is allowing the Lord to control our thoughts, words and actions, that choice will be tested--even by other Christians.
  On my Grandparents marriage license was this Scripture: " And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served who were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Ammorites, in whose land you dwell:  but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  JOSHUA 24:15(KJV)  No matter what the situation  there is always a way to serve the Lord.

The Sin! Victory or Defeat?

  I've been studying the sixth, and seventh chapters of Romans, and feel that I am to write about what they are teaching me.  What is the sin?  How can I have Victory?  Will I be Defeated?
  The Scripture says that we are not to cause our brother, or sister anger.  My lovely wife is also my sister in Christ.
 We own Chance, our dog, and he is a wonderful asset to our home, but he eats about 30 lbs. of dog food a month.  When I do the dishes, Pat appreciates it, if I vacuum she also appreciates that, but when I let the thirty pounds of dog poop accumulate in a frozen condition, she gets angry.  What I did  was to cause that anger, and the anger was not her sin, but my causing the anger is my sin.  If an intelligent man doesn't have wisdom, he ain't too smart.
  When I sat down to write, The Lord said "Go out and pick up the poop, then I will tell you what to write."  He still uses parables, and they still work.  As I was joyfully doing the 11th commandment,  He started to tell me that those dark spots (POOP) on the lawn, are disturbing to your wife, and the neighbors.  There are laws that the city has about those piles of poop.  Do you know why you don't pick them up on a regular basis?  "No." "Well I do. It's The Sin."  "The sin?"
  When John (the baptist) introduced me (Jesus) to the world, he said behold The Lamb of God which taketh away "The Sin of the world".  When I came to this world, My sight was set on undoing what Adam, and Eve did, and the only way that could be accomplished, was to die on My Cross as a perfect human sacrifice.
 When they ate of the tree of knowledge of good, and evil, sin was brought into the world, and the ability for all to sin.  It's a condition that was not intended to be, but I also gave man a free will. When they sinned, it became a part of the nature of man.  When I died on The Cross, I paid for the condition of man, but I didn't change the nature of man.  I replaced Law with Grace, but man still has a free will, the ability to sin.  That ability to sin is "The Sin."  It is a part of every person on earth, as is their soul, and body.  The only answer to any of the lost conditions of man is my Death on The Cross!  If you believe in what I did on the Cross, you can have Victory over  sin.  If you believe that you have to add to my victory, you will be defeated by the sin every time. I did all of the work, and you must place all of your faith in it.

Good Fruit!

  Our dog chance as some of you know is a rescue dog.  When we first got him he was very shy, had no confidence, and was scared most of the time.  Just like people it took time for him to trust us. Relationships take time.  We can't rush them, and we need to adjust.  Chance  knows what's going on!

  The last two mornings while I was having coffee Chance was more affectionate then usual, couldn't get close enough, needed to be petted more,  jump up on my lap, he could sense that something was wrong. I was having issues in my life and they affected him.  When we have issues in our lives they affect others.  
  Pat made a statement "it is what it is".  How true yet we can't always grasp the thought.  I find that the only way to know where I stand is based on this scripture.  But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no Law Galatians 5 22-23 (KJV).  When I find myself trying to change the situations I find myself in, it's  all about me.  When I let the Holy Spirit work, it's all about God.  You will notice it says "The Fruit of the Spirit".  When we aren't experiencing, love, joy, peace, we should know that we are trying to live by the fruits of self.  Vary plane hard to do.  Life and life more abundant a promise from God.  Life of difficulty results of self.
  The next time that Chance is uneasy, maybe someone is trying to tell me something.  Just a dog?  Or a more sensitive creature that has been given to us.  His response to my issues is where this blog came from.

Negative or Positive?

  I have had this thought on my mind for some time: which is more important, negative, or positive?  As I was comparing this thought to our modern society, and it seems we live in a society that likes to hear the positive, but not the negative!
  As I picked up students this morning, one of them was telling me that he sat through a lecture about protons, and electrons.  Dan started to explain protons, and they have a positive charge, and electrons have a negative charge.  If we as humans don't have a plus and minus in our system we die, it's essential to human life.
  Pat and I had a friend, who did all the right things.   He loved The Lord,  ate the proper food, exercised,  as a person he was concerned about his spiritual, and general health.  One night he wasn't feeling well, and got up about 1:00 am.   He told his wife that something didn't feel right.  When she asked what was the matter, his response was "I can't hear you", and he fell down, and those were his last words.  Knowing that he took care of himself, his wife requested an autopsy.  When the results came back they couldn't find anything that caused his death.  I told my cousin, who is a doctor,   what had happened, and that they couldn't find anything in the autopsy.   He said it was likely that something in his electrical system shorted-out.  Positive, and negative, are they essential to life?
  Pat and I were talking about an article she forwarded to one of our blog readers and it pointed out our spiritual life is also plus, and minus.  We aren't always so pleased when we have to deal with negative.  If it isn't all positive some of us even believe it can't be of God!  I'm led to share some Scripture that was Paul's last charge to Timothy.
  "I charge you therefore before God, and The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom; Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they hear to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  But watch thou in all things endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of your Ministry. II Timothy 4: 1-5 (KJV).
  I'm going to become a weather forecaster for just a while to make it easier to understand.  We have a sunny day coming the 13th of January.  The temperature will be in the mid to high eighties, it will be a beautiful day to go to the lake and get a early start on that summer tan.  "My that sounds great! Honey, let's take the kids and have a day at the beach!"  But the truth is on Sunday in Watertown it's going to be -16 degrees below zero.  So the dad liked the eighty degree forecast better, and told the family they were going to the beach, and they did.  Mondays news "A local family found frozen to death on shores of Lake Kampeska!"  
  The weather forecast is a fable, but if it's received as the truth the same results.  In our spiritual life we have to compare what we are being taught, with the Word of God.  Adultery is a terrible sin, and has consequences here on Earth, but God will forgive us if we ask.  Spiritual adultery has eternal consequences, and we are responsible for what we believe.  We have to believe the Word of God, whether positive, or negative because it takes both to be complete..  Spiritual living isn't psychology101;  it's our eternal destiny!      

The Last Hunt of the year.

  I was reading some of our blog's, and when I came to The Hunt, I decided I had better finish the season.  Was she successful?  Did she shoot a pheasant? Was it on the fly?
  An old hunter (Papa) can tell by the expression on his student's face that she (Emma), wasn't a happy hunter.  We had been out hunting most weekends, and the only success for Emma was that raccoon Papa thought had rabies.  I knew that she was getting desperate.  One day while we were driving to hunt she said, "Papa I have dibs!"  Now the mentoring starts.  I have a student that wants to learn, and needs a success so she will want to hunt again.
  In South Dakota we can road hunt.  That means you can drive down a road, and if you find a pheasant in the roadway it's legal game.  I find a country road with grassy ditches, let Chance out of the car, and he hunts the ditches.  He is a pointer, so  when he smells a pheasant he goes on point.  We get out of the car, and the hunt begins, that's fine for a guy that has been hunting for 50 years, but too fast for a beginner.  As I had been observing my student I knew she needed some of my 50 years of experience, (that are legal) and can give her the edge she needed.
  It was the last hunt we were going on, and I said, "If we get a bird today you have to shoot it", she agreed to the terms of the hunt.  I gave her some tips on how to improve her speed, and still be safe while hunting skittish late season birds.  Some opportunities were presented, but Emma was just a little slow yet didn't get a bird.   Then we came over a small hill, and at the bottom there were roosters all over the place.  I picked one out, and gave some last second instructiona.  She raised her gun, took a shot, and bagged her first bird!  Everything happened so fast, I don't know how it happened, but there were two pheasant roosters down.  There was the one that I told her to shoot at, and another one on the other side of the road.  All I could figure out she must have caught another bird in the pellet pattern, and got a double her first shot. We picked up Emma's game and came home, when I asked if she was going to clean them, I got  a resounding "NO"!
  We love the taste of pheasant!  I have a way of cooking it that is a tradition, Daina, and Jon, came over and we ate Emma's first pheasant.  There were some leftovers I had for lunch a couple of day's later, as I was taking my last bite, I could see in my mind the smile on Emma's face after she got that first bird, or birds.  And I still get a tear in my eye when I know that it will always be a memory I will cherish for a lifetime. 
  I told her if someone asks if it was on the fly, just tell them "Not after I shot it"!  Was it?  Only the mentor, and the student know.  Thanks Emma it was the best hunt ever! 

Our Awesome God part III.

Yesterday I wrote about the I AM, today I want to wright about the GREAT I AM.  We as parents want better for our children, a better education, job, not to have to go through everything that we did. We work hard so they can have a better life.  God did the same!  Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,  and shall call His Name Immanuel ("God with us".) ISAIAH 7:14 (KJV). For unto us a Child is born, unto us Son is given:  And the Government shall be upon His Shoulder:  and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ISAIAH 9:6 (KJV)  The first scripture describes the name, the second all that he is.  In the new testament, He says I Am  the Way, the Truth, and the Life no man comes unto the Father but by Me JOHN 14:6 (KJV).  What made me lose the impact of these Scriptures?  When I was a child we would sing the song "oh how I love Jesus,"  after many times of singing it, I still loved Him, but it started to not have the effect that it had the first
time. The same thing happened with how Awesome God is.  If you read our Awesome (part 2)  blog it all started on Sunday with a presentation of I AM before worship.  A fresh new look ate the Power of God, His worthiness of our praise, all that He is, all that He wants to be for us, His Grace, His mercies, all fresh and new again.  Pat made a statement that is so true.  We could tittle everything that we wright Awesome.  Did we feal this way all the time no.  But the Holy Spirit is doing a new thing in our lives, and we want to share it with you.  He is taking thing's that were knowledge and putting them into our hearts in a new fresh way.  As we grow in Christ the scripture is still the same, but every time we read it, it has a deeper meaning to it, it's fresh and alive to us.  I remember one morning we were  having a disagreement, I wanted to make my point, Pat said let's pray, I didn't want to, she knew it, but being the good wife that she is she, just started to pray,  Since that time there has been harmony building in our relationship.  Thing's that we were in disagreement about have changed in our hearts. I must confess Pat was right and I was wrong.  A hard heart had developed in me.  I was having coffee out of a cup that I had since 1986, 26 years, that morning I  it of the lawn table and it broke.  Just as it hit the concrete a small, still, loving voice said, that's what I want to do with your heart.  Until we let him break our hart hearts it's impossible to start to do his will.  The new cup that I use has a thumb print on it it says I'm thumbody. In myself  I'm nobody In Christ I am a child of this Awesome God.  When I started this blog I referred to Jesus as the Great I Am. In finishing I want ask why great?  Think about this He Is God, yet He became human to die on a cross it was His total purpose of coming to earth to redeem mankind, that's AWESOME!!!

We serve an Awesome God part II.

 And God said unto Moses, " I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shall you say unto the Children of Israel,  I AM has sent me unto you." EX. 3:14 (KJV). The name I AM translates : I was, I am , and I shall always continue to be.  This last Sunday our worship service started with a short video about The Great I AM.  He is The Beginning and The End;  He is everything.  I had been told this all of my life;  great thought.  Then the reality started to set in. So often we know something, but it hasn't settled  into our spirit.  It is just head knowledge.  We know about how great God is but we don't experience it in life.  The Lord  gave me a simple example, because I am a simple man.  It is the fall of the year, all the bright colors, the leaves falling,  a slight breeze, beautiful day.  I was enjoying a coffee with my friend Chance.  Looking at the leaves falling the thought came to my mind,  I know every leaf on that tree! I said, who?  Immediately I remembered Sunday service I AM THAT I AM.  I reveled  again at how big our God is.  He know every leaf, when it will fall, where it will fall.   That's Awesome. I feel that God wants us to understand how big he is, and  how small we need to become.  He knows every need we have!  But seek you first the Kingdom of God, and  His Righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. MATTHEW 6:33 (KJV).  Sometimes we forget the part about the righteousness!  Jesus is our Righteousness.  Everything that I need can be found only in Him, and what He did for me on the Cross.  We don't have a problem seeking His kingdom,  but His righteousness we do not seek.  We want the benefits, but don't always want to submit to his Lordship.  As I was watching the leaves falling,  some landed on my car.  I thought to myself,  I just washed the car yesterday!  Now it's covered in dust, leaves, and rain drops.  Just like me: cleansed by the blood, then sin makes me dirty again.   So I go once more to the Living Water and it washes me, and shows me the dirty spots, and helps me through life.  This is how his Lordship works.

We serve an Awesome God!

   A word that can only describe the power of God (AWESOME)!  When Pat and I have our Saturday morning coffee we start talking about what's on our minds.  One morning we talked about how big is God, when you take into consideration that He is the only Living God.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which is to come, the Almighty.REVELATION 1:8(KJV) he will be able to accomplish all that He says.  We have a small idea, of how big He really is. I love  JOB 38-39 when God speaks to Job out of a whirlwind and explains to him the intricacies of the creation, from the springs of the seas, to the strength of the vision of the eagle, the power of a horse who eats only grass, there are many more things that He describes in these two chapter's.  I get all excited when I read them, and would recommend that you read them for yourself.  Shall he who contends with the Almighty instruct Him? he who reproves God, let him answer it JOB 40:2(KJV).  After God spoke Job's reply.  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I will lay my hand upon my mouth JOB 40:4(KJV). Job made a good choice.  When the Lord was dealing with me, it all started this way.  I was sitting in my garage one night looking at my lawn mower, the Lord started to speak to my spirit, He said "I know where every particle of every piece of material came from to make that mower,  every drop of oil in the gas,  every drop of gas, and where they came from,  the person's that made every piece, the hairs on each person's head. Your son-in-law is always trying to figure out how many bushel of corn are in the field, I know how many kernel's of corn are in the field, where they are going what they will be made into, who will consume them. If the corn is fed to a cow what part of it will be made into milk, and who will drink it,The hairs on the head's of all person's involved." That's awesome! He knows everything!  I asked why did You show me that?  I want you to realise how big I am, that it's  impossible to understand, but I want to have fellowship with you, I call you friend. I want to have fellowship with everyone who is walking the face of the earth, I am so big that I can have a relationship with you as if you were the only person on the earth, and have that same relationship with everyone else on the earth at the same time. I know everything , can be everywhere, and can do everything.  For with God nothing shall be impossible. LUKE 1:37 (KJV).  We all need to consider how big He is, how small we are, but still wanting relationship with us as if we were the only one. What a mighty God we serve!

Pat's journey.

  It was about 8:30 AM on the 7th of August 1977.  Our friend Jack was standing in our office and talking about The Lord.  I could see that Pat was interested about the conversation.  After it went on for a while she made this statement.  "I'm scared to die!"  What should I do? Who can help?
  I knew The Lord as a child, didn't live that way, but when push came to shove, I always defended The Lord.  When I first met Pat (blog How I met their mother), I was afraid to share The Lord, because Satan had given me the spirit of fear, he told me that I would lose her if I got religious, so I didn't talk about Jesus directly.  I remember going past the old radio station south of town, and I was talking about the Bible, and she said "You sure know about the Bible".  That was some time before the happenings of Aug. 7th. I decided to go to the back office and pray, " Lord what can I do?"  I decided to call Jack's Pastor and invited him to our house.  Pastor Slater arrived that evening and shared the gospel, and Pat responded.

  I want to make a statement about my wife: Pat is the most Godly women that I know. She is a prayer warrior, a student of the Word, full of mercy, and tenacious about Jesus. After that day I had a different, and better wife, she was a new creation in Christ Jesus.  I'll ask her to tell her side of the story.
     As I have said before on this blog, I attended Catholic school through 8th grade.  Looking back, I can see how valuable it was to my life--and I can see how even back then I wanted to be close to God.  However, I never seemed able to achieve that.  Then came some wild years, when I figured that the "rules" by which I was raised no longer applied to me!  By 1977, I had been married, divorced, and remarried.  I did not want to live the way I had been living.  This friend of ours that Del referred to, Jack, had been quite a wild guy, in a whole family of wild boys.  To hear him talking about God, as though he "knew" him did interest me.  I had friends in high school who were quite devout, and I respected that about them.  I wanted to know peace and freedom from fear.  I wanted a fresh start.
     One day we were riding in the car, with our newborn baby girl in the front seat between us.  (Back in the old days, we could do that!)  I don't know what we were talking about, but I remember Del saying, "She (our baby) is one of God's most favorite people."  Wow!  That struck a nerve in me because that meant that God was interested in us!  This eventually led to the visit from Chuck Slater, where I asked Jesus into my heart--which did indeed change my life for the better.
     I want you to know that I am certainly not the most Godly woman in the world.  I have sins in my life that I struggle with.  But I know when I prayed that prayer back in 1977, Jesus saved me, and forgave my sin.  And he sent the Holy Spirit to me, who makes me aware of my sin.  Nowadays, I like to keep a short account with The Lord--that is, asking forgiveness and praying for his help in dealing with sin and temptation.  He doesn't expect or want us to do it alone!  Thank God for that!
    Well, that is my salvation story--not very exciting compared to others I have heard, but as I said, it was and IS life changing!  

My journey final page.

 I like to qualify with scripture what I say then it's true.   I'm not going to write the whole story it can be found in the 3rd. chapter of JOHN starting with verse 3.  Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Nicodemus asked can he enter his mothers womb the second time? Jesus answered," Verily,Verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." The first qualification is you have to be a whosoever! You have to be born of water! I've
often wondered why it is that in the scripture we are the only creation given a free will. No other creature has that.   Salvation is for whosoever only!  The second thing that  Jesus said was,  we must also be born of the Spirit.  Whosoever's are the only living beings with a soul, the second qualification. .
   Well,  back to my testimony.   Now that the scripture establishes that I was qualified, what will I do?  It was August, time for revival meetings with the same Evangelist. He began with the story from the Bible that I told in the begining of this page.   The week went on,  and on the last night he started out with, "When I was a boy, I went into a store and stole a pack of gum..."  It was more than I could stand!  The lump was in my throat;  the tears were in my eyes. I couldn't wait for him to ask the question, and finally it happened. He asked, "Would anyone like to receive salvation?"  I didn't care who was there, or what they may say or think.   I knew I was a sinner who had to be saved by grace.
   If you find yourself in this position I have a scripture for you: " That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9(KJV).  Is it that simple!  That's all I had to do and I would be given eternal life!  Not a hard thing.   All you need is faith in what is a free gift to you. Here is one more verse that I want to share:
    For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life.  JOHN 3:16(KJV).

My journey part II .

    The time had come to make a choice, walk the aisle or stay in my seat? Harden not your hearts, as in provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. HEBREWS 3:8-9 (KJV). It applies to people now. I didn't go forward and my heart grew harder, continued to steal, lie, and more sin added to the list. There is scripture that describes better my situation. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of this world. 1 JOHN 2:15-16 (KJV). Not wanting my friends to see me cry, pride of life, not ready to give up stealing, money and no work, lust of the flesh. It all fit so well and was a lifestyle that I was getting used to, I had been deceived. 
      This reminds me of another thief, his name unknown, his position well known. He was hanging on a cross sentenced to die for his crimes. Next to him Jesus also on a cross. One there as a death sentence, the other there as  a sacrifice. I was in the position of the first, not because of sin, but because I was a sinner.  I was in the same place! I was as guilty as the thief! The remedy the same for me, and the thief! The shed blood of the Sacrifice. The thief believed surely you are the son of God! The reply was this day you will be with me in paradise. What will I do?

The beginning of my journey.

  This isn't my complete testimony. It's how and why I accepted the Lord  as my personal Savior.
It was a summer day.   My father had a side business,  selling and installing seat covers.   I was in one of his customer's cars,  just playing.   I noticed a pair of pink and blue barrettes, shaped like sunglasses behind the backseat.  I can still see them in my mind 59 years later;  they had a impact.  Before I even stopped to think, I grabbed them!  But as soon as I had them in my hand, I knew:  I WAS A THIEF!  I immediately regretted my choice to take the barrettes, but just like all other sinners, I tried to cover up what I had done.  I took the stolen property and hid them under a rock.  I was covering my sin. My father also had seen the barrettes.   When he asked if I had seen them,  I said no.   Now sin had taken  me  to the next level. Now I was a thief and a liar! That night I felt bad when I said my prayers.  Perjury, theft, and deception all in one day,  and only 7 years old.  "And be sure your sin will find you out ." Num. 32:23 KJV  One day went by, and then another.  Pretty soon it all went to the back of my mind. Out of sight, out of mind.   I got away with it!
    Where I went to church as a child,  we had revival meetings every August just before school started. I loved that time because I loved to hear testimonies, real people, real stories, and the evangelist telling his story. The meetings always started on Sunday and went until Friday.  Everything was fine until the evangelist  told how when he was about 7 years old he took a pack of gum from the candy store.  Oh no! I knew that something was wrong.  I had a lump in my throat and I felt a need to cry.  Then it all started to come back to me:  barrettes and lies!  My sins were coming back to me. What will I do?

 I will continue tomorrow.
   

His Continual Presence

     Have you ever been in a room alone, but you just knew you were not alone?  Have you ever been in a situation, and felt like no one even cared? Have you ever done something, and thought you got by with it?
      I have been in all these situations,  and too often I felt that I was alone.  As I was thinking about this blog, I  remembered something I heard once:  "When you accept Christ, You are never alone again."  It's one of those truths I hear, but often forget.
       Have you ever heard the expression, "No man is an island"?  My interpretation of that saying is that whatever we do affects others around us, for good or bad.  What our children or other family members do, affects us, causing us to feel pride or shame, joy or sorrow.  What our employers, or co workers do affects the rest of the organization.  What a team member or coach does affects the whole team.  But, what God has shown me is that when, as Christians we do something that is sinful, and harmful,  and that affect others, it also affects how others view God.  We are not an island, and we are not alone.
     When we are tempted to sin, we don't have to battle that temptation alone.  The Holy Spirit works on our behalf.  We need to yield to him and not to the tempter.  When  a friend is involved in sin, we have no control, and that sometimes makes us feel frustrated and alone.  That is when we can pray
" God grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can , and the wisdom to know the difference."
     I am a very sensitive person, take too many things personally, and it causes problems.  I have strong beliefs, and I feel that everybody needs to see it my way.  I never understood why some would say, "It's not all about you"!  I am starting to have a better understanding as I grow in Christ.  A key to my understanding is that Christ endures all that I go through, whether it is good or bad,  because He is there all the time, not just when I choose to invite Him.  His word says,  "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Hebrews 13: 5-6 (KJV).          
    We are all the same to a degree, but very different as to how we choose to let God work in our lives.  We all have a free will, and can use it to our advantage, or disadvantage.   He let's us make our own  choice.   But the truth that He is making evident to me is this:  He is there all the time, and if the choices I make are wrong, he won't interfere.  He will patiently wait until I see my error.  He is always willing, and wanting to help, but He will not force the issue.
     Regarding the three questions that I asked, the answer is: The Lord is with us through all of them, and I need to ask for His help in a time of need.  Would you do this for yourselves also.   

Is it time for a change of clothes?

  It's early in the morning, and I just woke up.  Wouldn't a shower, and a fresh change of clothes feel good?  Wouldn't a new clean start for the day feel great?  How about a fresh start for the new year?
  I am writing my first blog for 2013.  This morning I had projects to accomplish, some things to do. As I got back into the car I was listening to one of my favorite Bible teachers.  Where I came into the teaching, he was saying,  "You are a failure. You are a hypocrite! You will never be the Christian you should be!"  Whoa!  This didn't seem too encouraging, or edifying!  As he went on he asked; "Have you ever heard these words in your mind, and wondered where they come from?  Those words are straight out of the mouth of Satan!"  But,  "Lo I am with you always."  " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus!"  "I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly!"  These are the words of Jesus. One set of words make you feel dirty, and another set make you feel clean.   So, I'm starting the new year with a spiritual shower, and some new spiritual clothes.
  As I am writing this blog the devil is hard at work attacking me.  Well, I have decided to take a shower, (spiritual), and change my clothes(spiritual).  All that the devil is trying to do, has been taken care of by the cross of Jesus. I will fail as a Christian, but (I love but) as one who depends on the completed work that He has done on His Cross.  I am justified, righteous, and He is my advocate!  When all that Satan can bring is accusation,  He has given Righteousness, not that I earned it, but that He imputed it; not that I am worthy of it:  it's my gift from God.
  I will never measure up to any of what He has for me, but I must have the faith that believes what He did for me (on His Cross) is sufficient for all that I need!!!
   I knew all the verses, and believed they were true, but to believe them, and place your faith in what He did,  is a different matter.  In 2013, think about what He has given me, and consider some clean spiritual clothes.

Do All Thing's Work Out For Good?

  Since we (Delmar and Patricia Bertsch) have stepped out in faith, and started to share the truth of the Word of God, all hell has come after us.  I have been called a hypocrite, and Satan has attached our family in way's that hurt, but things that we can combat on our knees.  Why does Satan do that?
     In mid September of 2012, I said to Pat "We are going to make an investment in our future"!!  She wasn't as sure about the adventure as I was.  I went and bought a i-pad, and felt that The Lord wanted us to write a Christian blog .  In the period of time that has gone by, we know it is the will of God, because lives have been touched, including ours.
        A couple weeks ago our nation's heart was broken.  Another tragic event has occurred, and lives have been affected at a time of year when we should be joyful.  Families were torn apart by what is called a act of violence, ( I will call it what I believe it should be called "Sin"!)   True,  it was a violent act, but sin is the problem.  As all of those people are suffering, Satan is rejoicing that through one person he accomplished what he had planned, in his realm all things work for evil, for those who follow his ways. We need to consider whose ways do we follow?  Do we hate sin?
  As Christians we should hate sin with a passion, and Satan with a greater passion, because he is the author, of ALL sin!!  However,  any problem that  he can cause, was defeated at The Cross of Christ!
         No matter what, since Adam and Eve first sinned,  and sin first entered our world,  sin is what causes all our problems.  For example,  if you have a illness, sin is still the problem, not because you have sinned, but because sin is what caused the illness to be a part of humanity, and The Crucified Christ is still the answer.  As John the Baptist said, " Behold the Lamb of God who  takes away the sin of the world."              
       I know all things work for good for those that love The Lord, but right now it is a hard time in our lives.  We need and covet your prayers. All kinds of problems have hit us at the same time, and  we are kind of like that cat hanging on to the edge of the table,  you know "Hang in there Baby"!!
  It's hard to author a positive blog when grief and sorrow is  what we are experiencing.  All I can think  about is: Satan you lose, and I'll say it one more time "YOU LOSE!! " Greater is He who is in us then he who is in the world.  Remember, Satan,  The Lord of Lords defeated you, and all of those who agreed with you on that  Old Rugged Cross!  So, I'll tell you one more time,  YOU LOSE!

Peace on Earth...

     Peace on earth--what a concept!  I have always imagined that it means that the whole world will be at peace--something that has not happened since the Garden of Eden--pre-apple-eating.  Since that moment when sin entered in, the world has gotten less and less peaceful!  There will be a time after the return of Jesus when the world will finally know peace.
     However,  if you don't want to wait that long,  peace is available to  each of  us at any moment at any day, through the only source.  We cannot look to anyone or anything of this world for our peace:  our job, our bank account, our family, our church.  The only peace comes from completely trusting Jesus for everything:  our job, our bank account, our family, our church...everything!
     Today is the first day of a new year.  God alone knows the challenges (and the joys!) that await us in this year.  We can face them one of two ways:  with Him or without Him.  I, for one, choose to face this day, with Him--my Rock, my Refuge, my very present help in time of need!  He had a plan in mind from the very beginning, and that was the cross of Jesus.  And as the old hymn says,  "At the cross, where the burden of my sins rolled away..."  There is no greater relief, or peace, than that!
      There is sign along Hwy 81 down by Madison that says, "No God, no peace.  Know God, know peace,"   Dear friends, choose to know God, to know peace.  Go to that cross, and let Jesus roll away the burden of your sins!  Let him give you peace.