I am older, maybe too old to
hold a job anymore, after all I'm over 60 years of age and
“well...I'm better
off, sitting back and waiting on Social Security...than taking a job from some
young Father”. That is the picture of my life today...right? I would have to
disagree. There is one part of today's thinking, that is overlooked continually
by the young, which in years past was considered a foundation. Age. Back
then...AGE was something to be revered, something to look forward to, when the
people of the world would ask the AGED...the burning questions about success in
many areas of Life. Unfortunately, this respect of honored time, is long past
and for the most part has come back in angry tirades, or forgotten all
together, see your local Nursing Home.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a
lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure
in unrighteousness." I couldn't help but wonder about today and all the
people in the world. The days would rush by and I became more and more aware
that these verses were actually being fulfilled even quicker than the days
could turn. We can read in the newspapers and on the net, that UFOs are quickly
becoming the newest sensation. We saw a period of time when the “Ghost Busters”
were sensationalizing everything concerning the paranormal and they have since
fallen into obscurity. I believe they have become obscure, because it poses the
question of the “After Life”. It is rather obvious, that those who believe in
Extra-Terrestrial life would fend off time more equitably, that the Ghost
Busters, after all, who wants to discuss the dead? It seems that, to be
inclined in ghost busting, is more depressing than exhilarating. One could
quickly see, that these are “Fads” than anything else. I decided to do a bit of
investigating in this area of fads.
Come to find out, “Fads” are
about fashion and their accessories, cars, where one vacations, etc., ect., and
is usually followed behind celebrity choices. It would appear that “Fads” have
nothing to do with the paranormal in any way, whether it be Ghost Hunting or
UFOs or the like. “Fads” are all about what we do today and where and what we
wear or engage in. To a lesser degree, innocuous things. We are not endeavoring
to include those, that swing to the outer reaches of society of any “Fad”. We
traditionally speak of things like Bell-Bottom pants, long dog-eared collars,
muscle cars (GTO, 68 Chevy Malibu, etc.) and the like. Ghost hunting and UFOs
are strange in that, they create feelings of dread, speak of the things we
would just as soon NOT think about...”gives ya the Heebie-Jeebies”. They do
indeed have their place, but considering the “State of the World” as we see it
today, so many strange events seem to be taking place and the world is indeed
worried. Therefore, the musings of yester-years young, have fallen away and
everyone is consumed with the “New Revelations” of today. I can't say that I
blame them! In the last 100 years, world events seemed to equalize to a degree
and yet, in the last 2 decades we have seem the worst catastrophic events take
place and the up-tick in sheer numbers of these events has increased 200 fold.
This is bound to catch the notice of the most stubborn hermit.
We watched as Politics and
greed, change and almost eradicate the “Middle Class” here in America. This
alone, would tell even the best Optimist, doom is coming or something close to
it. If ever there was a scenario of “Shooting oneself in the foot” to be had,
this was it! The “One Percent-ers” along with most in Governmental Politics and
Big Corporations, thought they should have the most of everything, regardless
of the outcome. In the end...it brought about the second greatest recession
since the “Great Depression” of the 30's. And to note here, it still isn't
over, by a long shot and it possibly never will be. Will this be the legacy for
our young to remember us by? It is well spoken of, in the Bible, in Proverbs
16:18 “ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall”!
The adjectives used here can also include Greed as well. How foul, PRIDE is?!
And yet, all one needs to do to have this Arrogance of Pride shown to them, is
speak of Jesus Christ in a public forum, of any type. What more does one need,
to examine the effects of Pride, than almost everything going on around us?
Crime is almost the greatest indicator, try Murder and theft for example. I
sort of had a feeling of what was to come, when Madonna's song “I'm a Material
Girl” first came out and then we had the saying “It's all about ME”! Jeremiah
9:23-24 "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in
his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and
righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the
LORD." It is quite evident, the world knows little to nothing about these
verses!
James 1:17 “Every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does NOT change like shifting shadows." Can you imagine, what the
world would be like, if the world took this verse to heart?! We all know when
we SIN, we also know there is a God, who is Just in every way and HE hates SIN,
therefore we must come to HIM and ask for Forgiveness of our SIN. The Problem
is, when we are so puffed up about ourselves...PRIDE...we can't understand or
even see the problem, to begin with! This is why the Bible is so unique, in
pointing to the Humility of our heart...before such a Just GOD! Because of
PRIDE, people in general don't understand why some things happen, then they
excitedly state it was “Being in the wrong place at the wrong time”! How far
from the truth, that thought could ever be!! If there ever was a SIN...so
heinous, so blinding, so vile, it is definitely PRIDE!! It makes you and I,
deceive ourselves, into thinking we are more, than we ought to think, we are
worth. At work, we like to think we are indispensable. At home we think we are
always right and everyone else is wrong and then we wonder why our children
grow up believing they are “The One and Only”, when that place is reserved for
the Lord and no one else!
Romans 14:10-13 "But why
dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we
shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I
live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall
confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no
man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." I
believe this passage of verses, says it all and not only that, but it speaks of
everyone saved or not, we WILL be made accountable for everything in our lives.
Accountable for what we see and how we act, what we say and where our hearts
are, whom we love and whom we hate, absolutely everything! What is even more
unique is, everyone...KNOWS...this is true of themselves, you KNOW it in your
heart (Which is your Spirit). It's just like knowing when you SIN, of which the
majority of Pastors will NOT preach about! All to the detriment of their
congregations! And then these same churches wonder why they are NOT
successful?! “Prosperity” preached in the pulpits today, does nothing more than
speak to the PRIDE in every person sitting there, when the Bible Expressly
speaks of GIVING!! Does anyone still remember the idea...”the MONEY stays here!!
It NEVER Leaves this planet”!! The Bible continually speaks of the
Father...GOD...as SPIRIT!! If that is the case, what has MONEY to do with HIM?!
NOTHING!! The bottom line for us, is to understand that the Lord looks at the
“Content of our Hearts” NOT the content of our wallets! Big Fancy Church
Buildings and how wonderfully upholstered the pews are, mean nothing to the
Lord! These things may even be a hindrance to someone that has no money, even
for the offering plates! How odd...the Bible speaks of humility before the
Lord...so what does man do, builds lavish churches and then says this is a sign
from God! “Prosperity is NOT humility”!! Just like wearing $1000.00 suits and
dresses makes you look down on a someone that is filthy, cold and hungry and needs
help!! I tell you what, you decide which side of the fence you want the Lord to
find you on!
