It happens, doesn’t it?  The best of people have their world turned upside down.  One of my favorite biblical passages is also very sad, yet real: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).  Every day, all across the world, people are having their world turned upside down.  It may be a devastating storm, an accidental or premature death, an act of violence, or other countless things.  We all have this in common:  they turn our lives upside down.

            Over the past two years, I have been involved in events which have turned my life upside down.  First, our grandson was injured seriously in a wreck, leaving him paralyzed and perhaps unable to walk for life; then my wife had five bypasses, both resulting in multiple economic and emotional problems.  But by the grace of God we have survived.

            Senior citizens have had their world turned upside down by the Obama Administration—first, their insurance and now their Social Security is being threatened.  Did you know that if senior’s today have their social security taken away that 51.4% of seniors in Kentucky will be living in poverty, while 54.8% in Tennessee will be living in poverty.  When FDR pushed the Social Security Act through congress, it was his aim for it to be a retirement fund and to be paid in during the working years of a person’s life, not to be squandered by liberal politicians in the future.  Four billion dollars wasted on golf trips and vacations in over five years, and now the elderly are being threatened by the same people who have wasted America’s wealth.  The only answer is to be found in the grace of God.  We must not give in to the ruthless and corrupt politicians of today, but stand our ground and seek guidance and help from God who has the power to undo the liberals, the radical Muslims, and the drones which some in DC are using to threaten Americans. 

            Paul and other apostles turned the world upside down with the gospel—that was the right way, and that is the way we must pursue, and not be overcome by those who are trying to turn our world upside down in an effort to overcome us.  These people want to turn us upside down to control us.  Let’s be Christians and stand our ground for righteousness.  I’ll never give in to the conspiracy for the radical Muslims to take over America and make it an Islamic State governed by Islamic Laws.  I’ll never give in to the doctrine that Islam is as good as Christianity, and that their founder is as good as Jesus Christ.  The fact is, and it doesn’t frighten me to write this, Christianity is the only religion of Devine authority.  All the others have their origin in the twisted minds of men seeking power.

            The Judgment will reveal the truth.

You may not agree and you may become angry with my take on the death of this 22 year old friend of mine who died recently, but I am not alone in my viewpoint.  However, your opposition won’t move me one iota and you wouldn’t like my rebuttal.  In fact, not wishing to be mean, you might be embarrassed by it.  I know whereof I write. 

            Though Brad had only a grave side service, it was not without friends—especially young friends.  Many of the young men and young women he graduated with from R.B.S. High were there to say goodbye to Brad.  They came from Tennessee Tech—young women and young men, hugging each other, remembering how Brad made them laugh and how he reached out to them and helped them in various ways.  Some even gave up a days work to be at the service for him.  Something, more than all the sadness of the day touched my heart, and that was when our paralyzed grandson, Allen, rolled his wheelchair up to Brad’s casket, with tears running down his cheeks, and laid his hand on Brads cold hand.  Brad came to our house numerous times and lifted Allen into his truck.  Allen and the other young men, when they could, shared their money with Brad and he was grateful. 

            Brad didn’t have a father to go fishing with him or to watch him play football, but he had a lot of friends rooting for him. 

            Our family always found him to be a good hearted young man who had at times only a platform rocker for a bed, for his mother was poor too; but a very hard worker.  Some of us didn’t really know how much Brad suffered until recently.  But whatever people did for him, he was thankful.  We had him at our house for Thanksgiving and I’ll not forget that after the meal he went into the living room and said to my wife, “Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your family today.”  Several members of our family along with others in our community gave him money from time to time but I am sickened that we didn’t do more for him. 

            Brad was sick and the medical attention he received was not enough.  When he was younger, I have learned, that he was told by a doctor that he needed surgery but it never happened.

            Brad died the way he lived the most of his life—poor.  In fact, the last year or two of his life he was homeless in Red Boiling, staying wherever he could.  There was no money to bury him, but several helped and though the burial was minimal, he was lovingly buried by some who cared.  Any person wishing to help complete the payment on his funeral expenses or help erect a small monument in his memory should make checks payable to either Anderson & Son Funeral Home in R.B.S. or Lafayette Monument Company. 

            Brad didn’t always make the best decisions, but he knew how to do something some who sit in the pews three times a week haven’t learned how to do—care for people.  Maybe some need to pay better attention to what the preacher says, and go out and practice what they heard in the assembly.  Some apparently find it easier to care for the well-to-do then those whose lives are filled with poverty and struggles.  A little message for all—that was not how Jesus operated.

While you’re on your way to the meeting house, and your religion never really goes beyond the meeting house, turn to Acts 10:38 and read where the Bible says “Jesus went about doing good.”  We need to follow His example.

            Brad, friend, you didn’t die in vain, for some have been made to realize what a sorry example of Christianity they have been.  May we not be a Priest or Levite, but a Good Samaritan.

Democracy will not self-destruct.  Its staying-power will not weaken.  It is some of the ingrates who have been blessed by it who will bring about its demise.  Ignorant and greedy citizens who have been fortunate enough to live in this great nation have cast their votes against the continuance of democracy, out of loyalty to some ignorant cause, while putting their parasitical hands in the pockets of Uncle Sam.  Whether they know it or not, they are the enemies of America.  Those of us who believe in the Constitution are not the enemies of democracy.  No, it is those whose minds are clouded with ignorance and whose hearts are filled with greed—standing by with open hands, hoping the liberal politicians will fill their hands with loaves and fishes and take over the job of running their lives while they take another bath in self-induced ignorance.

            A classic example of the uninformed took place recently in Macon County Tennessee when there were those who criticized a billboard “52 West By-Pass” which told nothing but the historical truth.  Yes Virginia, there was a man, wicked I might add, who did live and who did start World War II, whose name was Adolph Hitler, and did declare that to first take over a nation, the citizens thereof must first be disarmed.  He did that all over Europe.  Whether it is a hand gun, bow and arrow, or my little sling shot which my father made for me when I was 12 years old—it is mine and I have the Constitutional right to have it, and all the bleeding heart Democrats and “scary-cat” Country Club Republicans “ain’t” getting it.  It is not those who stand for the Constitution that is causing the trouble, but those who are willingly ignorant of the horrors of living in a nation which has lost its freedom.

            It is alleged that those who criticized the correct statement on the billboard did so trying to avoid controversy, hogwash!  Haven’t they heard?  We are already in the midst of the biggest controversy since World War II.  The cemeteries throughout Macon County Tennessee and America are filled with the graves of young men and women who proudly and willingly put down Adolph Hitler and his wicked and ignorant followers whose ambition was to rule and conquer the world.  What a controversy!  But thanks be to the men and women in the military who were not afraid of a dictator and his wicked zealots and put down those who wanted to rob the world of freedom.  And to all who believe they are creating a new order, and will ride rough shod over America’s citizens, while creating a new constitution, forget it, because countless millions of us love freedom too much to roll over and play dead.  And to the Liberal Democrats and Country Club Republicans, consider moving to Iran.  None of you fit in here.  We will not allow you to destroy our America.  God is too strong and we will pray to him often.  God Bless America!

            I read of two service station attendants in a town in Michigan who refused to hand over the cash to an intoxicated robber.  When they didn’t, the robber threatened to call the police.  They still refused, so the robber called the police and was arrested.

            Then there was this pair of robbers in Michigan who entered a record store, waving their revolvers in the air.  One yelled, “Nobody moves!”  His partner moved, so…he shot him.  “I was a little nervous,” he was quoted as saying.

            Trying to hide secrets from God is even more foolish than the two illustrations above.  All things are open to Him (Hebrews 4:13).  Everything we do is open to God.  Do you think you are smart enough to pull the wool over God’s eyes?  If so, you are a fool.  Don’t believe for a single second that you will get away with sin.

            We can’t hide our actions from God.

            However, God loves us and wants to forgive us.  Though we can’t hide from God, we can confess our sins to Him and they will be erased by His forgiveness.  This of course applies to the erring Christians.  Christians must be faithful by walking in the light (I Jno 1:7).  If we’ve become Christians in the past, but stopped walking in the light, we can repent of ours sins and confess them and pray for God’s forgiveness, and then He will forgive.  I can’t erase your sins and you can’t erase my sins, but our God can.

An Ordinary Member?

“Just an ordinary member of the church,” I heard him say, but you always find him present, even on a rainy day.

He has a hearty handshake for the stranger in the aisle,

And a friend who is in trouble will find sunshine in his smile.

When the Sunday sermon helps him, he tells the preacher so, and when in need of comfort, he lets the elders know; He always gives so freely and tries to do his share, in the ordinary tasks for which others have no care.

His talents are not many, but his love for God is true; His prayers are not in public, but he prays for me and you.

“An ordinary member”?- I think that I would say,

“He’s an extra-ordinary member in a humble sort of way!”

-Author Unknown

The Most Dangerous Sin

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament warns of the danger of neglect. In fact, the sin of negligence is one of the most dangerous. Sin is divided into sins of Commission and sins of omission. Most members become upset concerning sins of Commission but seem never become alarmed with sins of omission.

1. Neglect is dangerous because it requires no effort. It takes no effort to avoid the needy, visit the sick, to attend Bible Study- all three of which must be classified as sins of omission.
2. Neglect is dangerous because it is the root of other sins. 
3. Neglect is dangerous because it is contrary to the purpose of the Gospel.
4. It is also dangerous because negligent people will be lost.