Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[ampaterry]

Have you ever visited a commercial cave? If you have, you might have had a similar experience to one we have had on several cave tours.
The guide, at some point deep in the cave, turns off the lights. Then they say something like "Few people experience true darkness like this. Anyone lost in this cave would no doubt become insane within a week from the oppressive loneliness. Be quiet for a moment and feel the darkness!"
You can hold your hand right against your eyes, and detect no difference at all – absolute, total darkness. And when everyone is still, it is so quiet you can hear your own heart beating. After only seconds, you feel ready to scream "Turn on the lights! I'm going crazy now!" The guide only leaves them off for perhaps one or two minutes at the most, but you will not soon forget that frightening experience. It makes me think of the "outer darkness" of Hell, and what REAL loneliness will be like!
Our heavenly Father still invites men to the wedding feast of salvation. Through the Savior's atonement He has provided the perfect garment of righteousness that every sinner needs. You can avoid the horror of blackness that each doomed soul will experience in Hell. Without delay, receive Him who is the Eternal Light!

Matthew 8:12 (KJV);
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 22:9-14 (KJV);
“Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

May God bless each one of you -

[ampaterry]

Today is mothers day, and I am going to exercise my prerogative as the author of these devotionals, and make this one a tribute to my mother.
She was born in 1905 into a proper household of British descent. In those days, only the very wealthy could afford to continue their education, the rest needed to go to work to help support the family. My mom went through the 5th grade in school, then did exactly that. My dad only went through the 3rd grade, and used to joke that mom was the educated one in the family.

In spite of this lack of formal education, Mom had one of the finest minds I have ever encountered. I was enrolled in several college level science classes while I was in high school, and I hit a snag one night in my math homework in one of these courses. Mom asked me to explain the problem to her, and I did. She asked a couple more questions about it, read part of the textbook, and explained how I needed to work the problem. I worked it that way, and when the homework was graded I discovered she was right.

Soon after starting school, the government education system convinced me that God did not exist; I became an atheist at a very young age. Mom had a deep faith in Jesus Christ, even though she seldom attended church. I would bring this evidence or that problem home to her, hoping to help her shed this 'crutch' of religion. None of it ever fazed her in the least, other than the obvious hurt I caused her by being a non-believer. As I continued to study, around the tenth grade I began to see problems with the idea that science had all the answers, and I started seeking. After more years, God revealed to me the truth of Mom's faith, and did it in such a way that I have never wavered since. I am very glad that this happened while my Mom was alive to see it, because her pleasure at this was obvious. Now, she is in the arms of Jesus, who she loved and worked to be like all those years.

Thank you, Mom, for all that you did for me.

And thank you, Lord, for giving me a mother that could put up with my years of idiocy, and for keeping her here long enough to see me recover from it.

What can you do to please your mother? Strive for righteousness!

Proverbs 23:24-25 (KJV);
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

May God bless all mothers this day, and each one that is reading this -

[BlackEagle]

Catch-up time, Terry. I've been reading; just haven't had time to respond.
Amen about God wiping the slate clean for us. Psalm 103:11-12 says: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Re: Donald Cargill: I have seen the place where he was captured and the place where he was hanged. His head was then cut off and placed on a spike, along with many others, at one of the entrance gates to Edinburgh as a warning to others. He was one of many Christians during the "Killing Times" in Scotland who gave up all he had for the cause of Christ. These people had to "bug out". These people lived, and died, for what they believed in.
Interestingly enough, standing in the crowd watching his execution was one James Renwick who became a preacher, and was the last martyr of that dark time in Scotland.
Dad asks the question this way: When you lie down to die, what will you need to see to know that your life has been a success?

As my daughter would say, Moms Rock!!

Thanks again, Terry; and HONK!!

[ampaterry]

Thank you, BlackEagle! I was starting to worry about you - -

For today:

Thomas Gillespie wrote this in “The Accidental Parson”, published in Christianity Today several years ago, and I thought you would enjoy it.
A schoolboy was at his desk composing a report for his class. At a loss for an appropriate introduction, he laid down his pen and sought out his mother who was in the kitchen preparing supper. Without warning, he asked, "Mother, how was I born?"

Mother, of course, was aware that this question about human reproduction was inevitable, but she was not about to deal with it while she was cooking dinner. So she put him off with the old saw, "The stork brought you, dear."

The boy nodded and moved to the living room where his grandmother was knitting. Again without warning, he asked, "Grandma, how was my mother born?" Being a product of the Victorian era, this dear lady was not about to touch that one.

"My dear child," she explained, "the stork brought your mother."

"Grandma," the boy persisted, "how were you born?"

"The stork brought me, too," she responded.

He thanked her and returned to his desk. Picking up his pen, he began his report with these words, "There hasn't been a normal birth in our family for three generations."

That’s a funny story! But it brings up an interesting point; What, exactly, is a “normal” birth? Is the full definition of this event just a physical description of the biological process involved? Hardly! Listen to a modernized version of one of the Psalms of David, describing this miraculous event:

Psalm 139:15-16 (NCV);
“You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother’s body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.”

Birth is a MIRACLE! And the extent of a human life is far beyond the physical, earthly part of it.

May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

That is a good story.
And the wonder is how much can happen when a child is in utero. I am praying for friends of ours in Cyprus. She is pregnant, but scans have shown heart abnormalities in the baby. The doctors in Cyprus don't have the skill or equipment, but there is a possibility (if the government signs the paperwork) they could come to the UK, where doctors can operate on the baby while it is still in the womb. That to me is amazing.

God formed us; He brought us life, and new life in Christ--born, again--and He has a purpose for each of our lives.

I meant to add, for Mother's Day...Mom had 3 John v4 posted on her desk, where she could see it every day: I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

Thanks again, Terry, from the Amen corner.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, BlackEagle - Judy and I just uplifted your Cyprus friends to the Lord this morning, that he would bring healing to this child -

Today is a special day; Shavuot.
We all know the story of Moses climbing up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Law from God:

Exodus 24:12 (KJV);
And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

We have all read that story or at least have heard about it, but we do not commemorate it in any way. The Jewish people, on the other hand, remember the date of this occurrence every year as the second of the their three major festivals of historic and agricultural significance. The other two such festivals are Passover and Sukkot. The date of Shavuot moves around on our calendar, but it is fixed on the Hebrew calendar to the 6th of Sivan, which is tomorrow. As with all Jewish days, tomorrow begins at sundown today, and ends at sunset tomorrow.
Shavuot is not only the day which celebrates the historic event of the giving of the Torah, but it also commemorates the time when the first fruits are harvested and brought to the temple.

In celebration of this day, no work is performed. The Jewish people stayed awake all night last night reading the Torah, and they had prayers as early as possible this morning.

In contrast to this, many Christians can hardly stand an hour of church a week, would not loose sleep over anything religious without a personal appearance of Jesus Christ demanding it of them, have not read the Bible in months – if ever, and pray only when they need something.

The Jews are radical.

They love God, and aren't ashamed to say it and live it.

Too bad we don't have more Christians that do that.

Have a blessed Shavuot, my Jewish brothers. I pray that God will bless you for your many remembrances of Him and His word.

And may He bless each and every one here as well -

[BlackEagle]

Thanks on their behalf for the prayers.

I have thought several times that we need to be more agressive in challenging attacks on Christianity; to not be ashamed of Christ. I think of part of Psalm 118:

17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.

And of course Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Thanks again, Terry. May God gie us boldness and the right ways and words to proclaim Him to others and honor Him in our own lives.

[ampaterry]

I agree, BlackEagle - may God give us that boldness, wisdom and opportunity!

Today is another recognized day. I talk a great deal about our armed forces. I speak of their bravery and sacrifice, how they risk their lives for you and for me, and how they do it for so little pay. We also know that members of the armed forces subject themselves to a chain of command that can place them in peril at any moment, and from which they have virtually no respite. To make matters even worse, they are under constant control by rules and regulations which change at irregular intervals concerning when it is OK to use the weapon they carry. All of that is so very true, and God Bless every member of our fighting forces. They are the reason we live in safety here in our country.

But today is a different day entirely. Today, we recognize a completely different group of men and women who have lost their lives because they put themselves in an almost identical set of circumstances, yet did it here in our own country. Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day set aside in by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to recognize the sacrifice of the law enforcement people in our country that have lost their lives or become disabled in the line of duty. We owe these people every bit as much respect and gratitude as we do those that have served in the armed forces. In reality, these people ARE in the armed forces. They face evil every day in a completely different form! The evil these people face every day are from people in our country that are indistinguishable from the rest of us; they wear no uniform. So, not only do our peace officers have to risk their lives in combating our enemies, but they must first determine WHO the enemy is! God bless every member of our peace officer agencies at city, county, state and federal levels.

Lord, we ask that you would watch over all peace officers today. We ask for your blessing and comfort to every person that has lost a loved one performing this service for the rest of us. We ask that you would help each one of us to recognize that these men and women deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our love as they perform their duties. And we ask all of these things in the name of Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Amen -


May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

When I was a police chaplain I would choose to ride with the police on a Friday night, and got some interesting insights into life in the city, fighting the "enemy".
My prayer for them was along the lines of Psalm 134:
1 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!

In the sense that they are upholding the law, they become servants of the Lord.
In a way, since they are guarding our homes, they are guarding the house of the Lord. Especially at night.

Amen, Terry.

[ampaterry]

Great insights, BlackEagle!

And, speaking of the One who made heaven and earth, today I want to share a devotional with all of you that was written by the former president of the Institute for Creation Research, the late Henry M. Morris. He called this one Christ the King.

"But His citizens hated Him, and sent a message after Him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14).

In this parable, the nobleman who had gone into a far country to receive His kingdom is a picture of Christ in the interim between His first and second comings. The "citizens" of His kingdom, however, refuse His Kingship. Nevertheless, He is the King, and when He returns, those "enemies, which would not that I should reign over them" (v.27) will be slain. How much better to accept Him now!
The first title ascribed to Him was "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2). Long before that, however, He was King of creation. "For God is the King of all the earth, . . . a great King above all gods. . . . The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land" (Psalm 47:7; 95:3,5).
He is also King of redemption, providing salvation for the world He created. "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth" (Psalm 74:12). "|The Father| hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).
He is not only King of all the worlds, but also King of all the ages. He is "my King of old" and also "King for ever" (Psalm 10:16). He is "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God" (I Timothy 1:17).
He is "King of saints" (Revelation 15:3), the "Lord of hosts, my King, and my God" (Psalm 84:3). Indeed, He is "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (I Timothy 6:15). Therefore, let His citizens say: "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever" (Revelation 5:13).

I sure do miss Dr. Morris's writings -

May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

Sooo true, Terry.

Dad has done particular study into Christ's Mediatorial Dominion--the dominion God gave Him described, for example, in the last verses of Ephesians 1...v 22 "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,"

to the church is in the dative, which means it could also be translated "for the church"--for the benefit of the Church. In the statement "I got this for you" you would be in the dative, in Greek. "You" would also be in the dative in the statement "I gave this to you".

All things includes the individual, family, community, church, government, and the natural world.

That study changed Dad's ministry, and has in turn changed the lives of people all over the world, in all walks of life.

Amen, and Thanks. Honk!!

[ampaterry]

Thank you, BlackEagle -

Today is another recognized day.
I joined the United States Air Force just a few months after I graduated High School back in 1961. In selecting a branch of the service at that time, the Navy and the Air Force had the best training programs, so I narrowed it down to those two. I saw the Navy moving around in ships, and the Air Force flying high in the clouds, and that settled it for me. Reality set in when I flew on a commercial craft to Texas for basic training, then five weeks later was sent by train to Colorado for advanced training. In my entire time in the service, I was in an Air Force plane only one time, and it was a cargo plane that was not pressurized, so it had to fly around the mountains rather than over them to keep from killing those of us in the cargo area. I drove deuce and a half trucks, flatbeds, weapons carriers, and marched (and did the Combat Crawl) many miles, but never did fly up in the clouds in a military craft. I traveled from assignment to assignment in trains, buses, and other commercial transport. And that is pretty common. The defense forces of this country depend on civilian transportation for everything from troop movements to supply deliveries. That realization is why, in 1957, congress set aside the third Friday in May, today, as National Defense Transportation Day.

Scripture speaks of the needed supplies for an armed force:
1 Kings 4:26-28 (KJV);
"And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge."

Lets all remember in our prayers, especially on this day, everyone that works in any part of the transportation industry. Everyone from the long-haul truckers to the taxi drivers. From the commercial pilots to the guy that sweeps the floors in the bus station. Every one, from the most glorious position to the most humble, is a vital part of this system that makes our national defense possible. The best trained fighting forces and the latest high-tech equipment are worthless unless they are in the right place at the right time, and are continually furnished with the food, clothing and supplies they require to do their job.

May God bless each one of you -

[reflex1]

Spot on Brother Terry! Honk!

[BlackEagle]

Logistics has been at the heart of war for aeons. One particularly vivid example, if I recall correctly, was in the Battle of the Bulge, when the German tanks ran out of fuel and could no longer continue to fight; and the Germans were defeated.

It is the reason the US Interstate system was developed.

And God has a logistics system for us as Christians in our war against Satan: Philippians 4:18-19 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Those who do the so-called menial work of cleaning and supply are the ones who keep the place going, and I always treat them with courtesy and respect.

Amen, Terry

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!
I always do that too, BlackEagle - but honestly, few people do - -

Today is yet another recognized day, rather connected to yesterday: Armed Forces Day! This is a day on which we should especially think about, thank and pray for all the members of our armed forces. All of us here know the freedoms that were put into place for the citizens of this nation of ours. The constitution is the law of our land, and guarantees those freedoms.
But if you examine it objectively, the constitution is nothing but high sounding words written on paper. It has no power to guarantee anything to anyone. No proclamation of any kind has the power to guarantee anything without some force to back it up. The deed to your home and the title to your car are both meaningless without the Judiciary system to certify your ownership of both against those that would claim they are really theirs. But even the certification of the Judiciary means nothing without some force of arms to ensure that this certification is honored. Domestically, this force of arms consists of the various police agencies. Protection of your ownership from those outside of our nation is the purview of the Armed Forces. Every single freedom which we enjoy is only there because of the past and present work of men and women willing to literally risk their lives by taking up arms and fighting those that would take our freedoms from us. Everything we own, everything we do, everything we love would be at risk without these fine young people standing between us and the forces of evil that run rampant around the world.
Does that mean that all other citizens, you and I, can just kick back and let God handle all those troubles by using the tools of our armed forces?
No.
We have our own duty to perform:
Deuteronomy 23:9 (KJV);
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

The armies alone cannot secure our blessings; each one of us is required to strive for righteousness within themselves, for only then will God continue to bless us as he has done thus far.

May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

Well said, Terry.

The UK Armed Forces Day isn't until 29 June, but all my family was in the US armed forces. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. But as God says, the nation needs to maintain righteousness. So we see today's dilemma where some in the the military elite are trying to stifle freedom of religion and expression when they label Christians as extremists. The current military religious guru is an anti-Christian bigot.

But Psalm 127:1 says "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain."

Thanks again, Terry. Amen.

[ampaterry]

That is a very disturbing article, BlackEagle - thank you for sharing it.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, a day recognized by Orthodox, Catholic, and several protestant churches. Pentecost means simply “fiftieth day” in ancient Greek, because this is the 50th day after Christs resurrection from the dead. This day marks the end of the Easter season.
But what is the significance of this day? For that, we turn to scripture, to the first mention of Pentecost:

Acts 2:1-6 (KJV);
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

What happened here? Christ spoke of this prior to his ascension:

Luke 24:46-49 (KJV);
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
And He spoke of it earlier, prior to his crucifixion:

John 16:7 (KJV);
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

All Christians receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, to live in them and guide them. Some are aware of this, some are not. Some Christians receive the gift of tongues, with which they can speak in languages unknown to them. Some accept it, some reject it, and some display it without actually receiving it.
Accept it – OK. It is scriptural and valid.
Reject it – OK. It is not a requirement for salvation.
Fake it – Very bad move.

May God bless each one of you.

[BlackEagle]

Tongues is not the only gift the Holy Spirit gives. IMHO God tailors the gifts He gives us based on our ability, personality, and circumstances and what He wants to do through us. It's up to us to use those gifts...Romans 11:29 says "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." Romans 12 and 1 Cor. 12 both have lists of gifts God gives us.

And as you say, faking it is totally wrong.

Thanks again, Terry, and Amen.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, BlackEagle!

Your article on Christians as Extremists Saturday - I printed it out and shared it with the congregation yesterday. No one realized exactly how bad it had become!

For today, an OLD piece that was originally written by David Parks, I believe:

Well, here I am, Lord. You said "Take up your cross," and I'm here to do it. It's not easy, you know, this self-denial thing. I mean to go through with it though, yes sir! I'll bet you wish more people were willing to be disciples like me. I've counted the cost and surrendered my life, and it's not an easy road. You mind if I look over these crosses? I'd kind of like a new one. I'm not fussy, you understand; but a disciple has to be impressive these days.

I was wondering -- are there any that are softly padded? I'm thinking of attracting others, you know? If I could show them a comfortable cross, I'm sure I could win a lot more. Have to have some mass appeal here, some proper marketing techniques. And I need something durable so I can treasure it always. Oh, is there one that's sort of flat so it would fit under my coat? One shouldn't be too obvious; might scare folks off.

Funny, there doesn't seem to be much choice here: just that coarse, rough old wood. I mean that could hurt. Don't you have something more distinctive, Lord? I can tell you right now, none of my friends are going to be impressed by this shoddy workmanship. They'll think I'm a nut or something. And my family will be just mortified.

What's that? It's either one of these or forget the whole thing? But Lord, I want to be your disciple, I mean, just being with you; that's all that counts; but life has to have a balance, too, today, or people will dismiss me immediately. Who’s going to be attracted by this self-denial bit? I mean, I want to; but let's not over do it. Start getting radical like this, and they'll have me fitted for a white jacket that ties in the back, know what I mean?

Oh - also - no blood, OK? I just can't stand the thought of that, Lord, and - uh - - Lord? - Jesus? – Jesus?? Now where do you suppose He went?

Matthew 10:37-38 (Christ speaking; KJV);
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

Luke 9:23-24 (KJV);
“And he” (Jesus Christ) “said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

If you can find anything by George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilisation, get it and read it. He is one of the most challenging Christian leaders I have ever met. He is an example of what Paul was talking about in Phil 3...13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Too many choose the soft option that the church in Loadicea took in the last half of Revelation 3, and were condemned for it; yet Christ threw a line of hope thrown to any in that church who would respond.

That's a big challenge. Thanks again, Terry. Amen.

[ampaterry]

On one occasion Michelangelo turned to his fellow artists and said with frustration in his voice, "Why do you keep filling gallery after gallery with endless pictures on the one theme of Christ in weakness, Christ on the cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead?" he asked. "Why do you concentrate on the passing episode as if it were the last work, as if the curtain dropped down there on disaster and defeat? That dreadful scene lasted only a few hours. But to the unending eternity Christ is alive; Christ rules and reigns and triumphs!"

Michelangelo was right. Even though the cross is vitally important because of the redemption Jesus accomplished for us there, we must not emphasize His death to the exclusion of His resurrection victory. We should think of Him now in His glorified state in heaven.

Acts 3:13 (KJV);
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.”

Philippians 2:9-11(KJV);
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

We do NOT have a faith of ‘pie in the sky by and by’; we have a faith of the HERE and the NOW – a faith in Jesus Christ, and in his redemptive power over sin, and over death. You see – eternal life is NOT something we look forward to at death; eternal life is something we are ALREADY living; the only question for the future is our eternal mailing address! Will it be upper golden road, or lower brimstone avenue?

May God bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

Amen Terry.

The Bible depicts Jesus now, as you have said in Phil. 2.
He is standing (not just sitting) at the right hand of God in times when His Church is in crisis--Acts 7:54-56.
Revelation 1 describes him walking among the seven lampstands--actively watching over His Church.

Thanks again.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, BlackEagle!

In 1965, I was discharged from the Air Force and stayed in Alaska. The first job I got there was lumberjacking for the Northern Alaska Development Company(NADCO) north of Fairbanks. It was without a doubt the hardest work I have ever done. The turnover there was heavy, with some guys leaving after the first day. One man I remember, though, just loved it. He was young, strong, and seemed to thrive on this grueling work. One day I asked him what he had done before this. He said he had been in the Merchant Marine, but found the work there so hard that he had jumped ship on the southern Alaskan coast. That is an indication of how hard the life in the Merchant Marine is.

On May 22nd of 1819 the steam ship Savannah left Savannah Georgia for the first successful transoceanic voyage, which brought it to Liverpool, England 29 days later. This event is commemorated each year on this date as National Maritime Day. The Merchant Marine is a vital part of our commerce and our defense; in WWII, they were being fired on before the US even entered the war, so they were the first in battle. At the conclusion of hostilities, they brought troops home from service, so they were the last to return home after the war.

We owe a debt to these Mariners for the very difficult work they do, because our lives would be very different without them. They move war materials that consist of everything from Tanks to bombs, and from Bullets to Beans. In 1945, the Merchant Marine combined with the Coast Guard delivered cargo at the rate of seventeen million pounds per hour! They had a death rate of one in thirty, which was higher than any branch of the military. It is for good cause that they are awarded most of the benefits afforded to Veterans today.

Scripture tells the dangers of maritime travel to both cargo and people:
Acts 27:9-10 (KJV);
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

May God bless all those who risk their lives in this service -