Paul Morris

Paul Morris

3/31/14

There are certain times in our life that we may endure some hardships that are beyond our control.  Having to deal with a loved one or close friends falls into this category which none of us really wish to believe that this time will ever come to our lives.  But, like every other person on this planet these times do present themselves and we have to find a way to muddle through them.  This type of setting presented itself to me and my family over this past weekend with not just one death but two.

The first of these settings came on Saturday afternoon when it was made known that one of my good friends and coworkers Morris had passed away.  While Morris was not a lifelong friend of mine he had become a good mentor to me during the time that we worked together. Morris was a retired minister who had served in the army of God for many decades.  His enthusiasm and projection of hope to the people around him served a greater purpose than many ever knew.  Even though I did not have the opportunity to sit under his ministry I could tell that I would have been blessed by the words that he shared from God.

Morris worked at the hospital laboratory as a courier in which he would take medications, deliver and pick up specimens from many institutions in the area, take call at night for almost every department within the hospital and sometimes get called out for products that patients needed and then take them to the required areas of the county.  Morris would also serve as the hospital oncology department’s personal courier when patients that needed treatment could not drive themselves to our facility.  What a great opportunity to get to serve the community and I guarantee that Morris loved being around and helping out those people.  Not many people knew what Morris’s job was exactly but for those who knew what his job entailed, we shall sorely miss him.

I noticed that even in these occasions he always displayed nothing but a kind, gentle and passionate man for life, food, fun and love for everyone around him.  The Oncology receptionist has a black scheduling book that she keeps on her desk.  All of the oncology and Pharmacy staff look through this book a couple of times each day for any changes that may arise.  I remember that on certain occasions she would write up at the top left hand corner “No Morris”.  This meant that Morris was either working for the main hospital or he and his family were out playing together somewhere.  Either way, Morris was not going to be around for that day or week.  I had no idea that when I looked at that phrase that it would soon one day mean that Morris was never going to return to us, even though he was looking forward to finally retiring and moving down closer to his kids.  Morris was always thankful for work and enjoyed being useful in every situation that presented itself and in this capacity as well; Morris we will miss seeing your smile when you walk through that door, so much so that I will even miss seeing “No Morris” in our scheduling book.

Morris was diagnosed with a dreaded disease and God did not wish for him to suffer long.  I have said many times that I despise death but I cannot argue about the walks that Morris now takes.  Morris lived a great life and was a faithful servant to God’s Kingdom to which he now understands more than you and I can ever physically know.  We have physically lost Morris from this earth but we shall never forget what Morris meant to our lives.  We shall miss you Morris and look forward to seeing you once again some fine day.  I speak blessings upon the entire family of Morris Ohlin and nothing but Godspeed to your legacy.

The very next day our family received news that one of our close neighbors had passed away.  Our neighborhood is filled with some awesome families and Paul Hunter and his wife Nancy are one of these families.  Receiving news of one death is tough but to receive the news of another close friend a day later puts life into perspective.  Mr. Hunter falls into the same category s Morris in that he and his wife were not long time friends but for close to a decade now they have been a calming presence within our street.

My two youngest daughters dubbed Mr. Hunter as “Mr. Paul” and when they had an opportunity they would run over and spend a little time with him.  He did not give them much with the exception of some great words of wisdom that they will keep in their hearts until they go home to heaven and what a treasure they have whether they realize this yet or not.  I must admit that the girls spent more time with the Hunters than I did and they will probably “miss” him more than some of us will, but all of us will miss his presence on our block and I shall miss him walking the halls of our hospital as well.

Mr. Paul was a volunteer at our hospital and his wife Nancy still volunteers as well.  It is a comfort to know that people such as the Hunter’s love the community enough that they willingly volunteer their time in order to help out in any way possible.  I guess Mr. Paul understood the concept of volunteering quite well for he served in our military and eventually retired from this great service after decades of service to our country.  Paul Hunter loved his country and each morning as he opened his garage door the first thing that he would do would be to mount the American flag on the side of his house and proudly displayed Old glory for whom he so gallantly served.

I know that Paul’s family will miss him tremendously and so will my family and our community.  I did not get to attend his memorial service but I understand that there was a tremendous turnout and that every volunteer from the hospital that could attend was dressed in their appropriate volunteer uniforms.  What an excellent tribute to a well deserving gentleman.  No one ever likes to attend a funeral but I have taught my girls that they are necessary to show respect and dignity to loved ones who we had the privilege of knowing.  Paul will be greatly missed, especially around the 4^th of July when fireworks are the call of the day.

Two great warriors laid to rest in consecutive days.  Both fought in separate wars but both fought with a common and loving heart.  Both will be physically missed by many but are now wrapped in loving arms that we do not completely understand.  I look forward in seeing both of these gentlemen some day but for now I know that I when I look at our hospital courier car driving around I will still wish to see Morris behind the wheel.  And I know that I will continually look for Paul’s red truck to be slowly driving down our street.  Both men physically silenced yet both men still ring loud and clear within our hearts.  I stand up and proudly salute you Paul Morris and may both your legacies remain within our hearts for generations to come.

DLB

I Believe You But....

I Believe You But….

3/22/14

This is a phrase that many of us have heard over the years of our life.  Surprisingly this phrase is a popular one that is used from those within the religious circles that are spread across our globe and direct these words to those who are actually true examples of what the gospel has done within those who have not grown up in church.  I am amazed at how we the Church can honestly believe this phrase even exists and furthermore use it against those who have benefited from the true transformation from worldly standards.  This attitude towards those who are actively obeying the command of Jesus but who have not sat in pews should not be condemned but exalted as examples of what the gospel does for lives.  Remember what Jesus did in the Temple courtyard?  Maybe we should take a closer look at this inner sanctum philosophy that we have embraced and change some of our thinking methods.

Over the past few years I have heard of increasing amounts of stories that deal with this phrase and how it is being subjected onto those that some believe are not deemed worthy enough to proclaim truths concerning the gospel of God’s Word.  It utterly disturbs me that we Christians that have sat in pews all of our lives have the gall to proclaim that someone who is telling the truth through the Bible cannot be trusted because of what they have been through at some point in their lives.  On the other hand, this ideology does not surprise me by any means since this type of behavior was directly addressed by Jesus in a very unique manner and really should be driven home to our hearts as a lesson in religion that God absolutely rejects.

The other day I was listening to one of the Christian radio stations and one of the DJs that works there was telling about some of her past and how she had encountered many people who have wrongly rejected her ministry on the airwaves because of what she had done in her past.  At that time I really did not think too much more about the subject but kept the thought in my head because I completely understood what she was saying and how hurt she was because other Christians would not believe her words due to this past fact.  Today (3/22/14) I was listening to the same radio personality and she once again addressed this concern but this time she used another person’s testimony, from that person’s blog, about how people did not so much disagree with the words that God had given her but because of what she had chosen to do in her past, condemned her from those people believing what she was pointing out to them.

Now, I do not know if her words were spoken at a Bible study, small group, youth group, Wednesday night service or any other type of church setting.  However, I do know that if a person has received God into their lives it does not matter what that person has done because God can use anyone at any given time to advance His Kingdom.  For a while my father was involved in the local prison ministry and he made a profound statement that some people did not enjoy listening to.  He stated that some of those men who were in jail and that had turned their lives over to Christ were actually more free than those who had the luxury of attending church services every Sunday.  WHY would he say something like this?  It is because those men understood what it meant to be captive to their pasts and then to have everything erased with one true choice of salvation, thus their spiritual freedom from what had lured them into the criminal mannerism that brought them to that specific point in their lives.  And if the truth be told while dad was talking to some of these men he found out that a fair amount of them actually had some kind of church background and were not total strangers from the message of God.

As we read in Scripture, it says many times that Jesus was out among the people.  He had no fear of being with the prostitutes, tax collectors, drunkards and many other social and civil settings.  We also read about and get the feeling that His disciples were somewhat annoyed with this fact and contemplated on why Jesus would actually “hang around” this type of crowd.  It fascinates me that while the disciples were arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest and at the same time wondering why Jesus chose to share His message with these people, that these concepts totally blinded them to the fact that Jesus had chosen the same type of “scum, losers, lowlifes, thieves of life” that He was ministering to on a daily basis.  If we take a closer and deep look at this setting we will find that the entire Church is acting EXACTLY as the disciples did and have voluntarily blinded our spiritual site due to our fallacies.  When a person who has been lucky enough to sit in a church building for the majority of their lives says that one who has come from the street and now has a message from God, that they are not worthy, then pick a disciple out and rename yourself because you are committing the same atrocity by doubting what God can do through a human being.

Did you ever hear of Jesus yelling at those who He was sharing His message with, or limiting them with what, when and where they could share His message to others?  Even when He was dying on a tree His love still poured out on one of the thieves that were beside Him that day.  So, if Jesus was willing to take the time to share His message with a thief in his final moments of life on earth, what gives us the authority to tell someone who comes from the world that they are not “good enough” to share this eternal message to others?

I pose to you another situation and setting that I have witnessed many times throughout my life.  It is a common theme and one who has walked around on this earth will recognize its theme as soon as I begin these words.  I am going to look at preacher’s kids for a moment.  I cannot tell you how many times people have come up to me and asked me why did I stay with God all of these years after being forced to attend church and did I ever resent the fact that my parents were ministers?  There are so many angles to these two questions and there are just as many answers that I can give in return, but the answer that I will use in this article goes along with the area of this topic that even though I was raised in church that does not mean that I always followed the ways of God.  Big shock????  If you are honest, you will answer that question with a solid “no”.

For quite some time I did not want to have anything to do with God, nor anything that He had for my life.  Did I ruin your beliefs about me with that last statement?  If so, then ok.  I am ok with that because what I have to say to you, the Church, and to a dying world comes from my Heavenly Father and these words are directed specifically towards you since you have fallen within the same category that Jesus ranted and raged against while He was on this earth.  God has no condemnation for those who wish to have a relationship with Him and He will guide their hearts in such a holy manner that not only will be specific for that person but will also create and establish some sort of ministry within these people so that they can portray their spiritual change in someone else.  If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would be writing articles about God and His wishes for His people, I probably laughed in your face, because I hated to write.  Ask any one of my friends in junior high, high school and college; they would write me but I never wrote them back, because I did not like to write but today I write all the time.  God changes people who desire to be changed for the better, His way of being better.

Preacher’s kids are notorious for having bad reputations in the communities, towns, and cities that their parents pastor within.  Yet when a failed preacher’s kid, deacon’s kid, altar boy, or any other person who returns to the “fold” they are received with open arms and can basically do what they wish after the initial truth period wears off.  Their promiscuous acts are quickly forgiven and after a certain amount of “rehabilitation” they can go back to their Christian statuses like nothing ever happened.  And WHAT a testimony that they have to share with others; these types of testimonies have started fiery revivals yet those who have been snatched from the gates of hell and have never before been established within the church community are doubted.  How much more of a pious, biased double standard can one have?  No wonder Jesus used the word vipers when He was addressing some of the religious personalities of His day and age.

Stop and think about what you are saying to God when you chose not to fully believe a person who He has changed through the gospel of Christ.  By initiating this philosophy, a person is telling God that since I have been raised in church, my knowledge and trust in God is far greater than what the person who has not been sitting right next to me for these many years can have.  In truth and if that is a truth then one must have to throw out the majority of the New Testament since it was written by a person who was not a Christian for all of his life.  In fact that person actually was guilty of murdering the very same people that he eventually preached to in many cities.  Should we throw out the majority of what Paul wrote because of his pagan ways and hatred for the Christians?  If we truly believe this notion then we must seriously take a step back and look at what we are living because we are living a lie.

Ever wonder why Jesus went out to the public instead of taking His message to the so called church goers of His time?  Jesus understood that the religious spirits would jump all over His ministry and basically rise up against Him and what He was ordained to do; if you do not believe me then read for yourself and find out who brought the death charges against Jesus.  Jesus knew that His message was to a dying world and that if He went into this world and preached God’s Kingdom then it would be those people that one day might accomplish the mission that He began.  Jesus did not have a social club; He had a Kingdom club and had a divine message of truth for those that He knew would have open hearts and the will to listen.

I ask you again, why do we condemn or not believe those who have been in the world and are now a part of the Kingdom?  Who better than to teach those who have been sitting in the pews, and doing nothing, of how the world operates and to rid ourselves of these notions and practices?  Who better to draw out the attention of those worldly gestures that we have allowed into our church buildings?  Who better than to wake us up and to shake our hearts enough that we take our blinders off and see what is occurring around us?  We should not be condemning or ignoring these words for they are wise through the spirit of God.  For if they are true words from God then they shall line up with His Word and will not falter when tested.  I cannot state that every person who says they hear from God actually does but the fruits that they speak shall tell those who are listening, the truth. 

If we do not have the discernment to recognize when God is speaking to our hearts then we as the Church are sunk.  And at this point we need Jesus to come into our inner courtyards, our hearts, and to overturn our tables and to ask us in a holy anger why we have allowed His Church to become lovers of the world instead of loving her groom’s calling.  Have you ever wondered why Jesus went into the tabernacle and overturned those tables and not out in society?  Think about it, why would He do the opposite?  The tabernacle was always pretty and shiny to the eyes, yet some of the vilest and wickedest deeds were accomplished inside those walls, all the while God’s message was being delivered.  Why would Jesus spend His time with those clowns and goofs who did not really believe in what God stood for in the first place?  Yep….I just compared the Church to those hypocrites in the religious orders during Jesus’ time because it is the truth and we need to recognize this and change our ways so that we may once again become the Church and Bride that He is coming back for one day.

As all of you know, one day we will all draw our last breath.  Our physical fate is already sealed and there is nothing that we can change concerning this set time.  Human science has offered us, I included, many opportunities to prolong this last breath setting and I for one am extremely ecstatic about this, but we all must realize something about our lives that I know I forget about every day.  When God created us He did so in such a fashion that our lives would live forever.  We functioned at the perfect capacity and represented nothing but life.  When humans chose to go our own way we allowed a sin to enter into our existence that produced a finality called physical death.  Death is an abomination to God and since He cannot die He therefore cannot create anything that can die either, which means that our physical lives are an abomination to Him.

I am not saying that our life is an abomination but because we die, that truth of life that is being robbed which is the abomination to Him.  It is the death of one cell that annoys God the most for that cell goes totally against what God created for us.  We must remember that every human does through this cell dying process and therefore have an obligation to ensure that God’s message of love, salvation, restoration and eternal life reaches even the furthest person on this planet that there is a way out of this mess.  How much Kingdom advancement potential in those who have come to Christ from outside church walls have we allowed to wane away because of our denial of their true repentance, salvation and restoration due to their background?  It is horrific a thought to contemplate, knowing that we have rejected what God is telling us through those who the gospel has reached.  How much spiritual death could we have avoided if we would have listened to these people and what course of action are we heading in because of our lack of understanding about religion versus relationship with God?

God wants a relationship with you, not a religious belief.  God does not care about your denominational background nor does He care if you have been a crack cocaine dealer.  What He cares about is that you and He have a personal relationship with each other and it does not matter who tells them about this fact, He just want it told about.  But first the Church needs to get off their pews and follow the action verb that Jesus commanded us to do so that these people will know what true life means.  Stop denominationalizing God and stop rationalizing His ways for Him, just do what He wants us to do and allow God to minister into others lives.  Repent and allow God to restore us to that personal relationship once again and a true change shall come to your heart.  God will choose those that are listening to His voice to spread the gospel, no matter who that person may be and if you miss His words because of a technical hang up, then who really is at fault in this situation?

DLB

Is God Pro Choice?

Is God Pro Choice?

3/10/14

This topic is a highly debated one and defines many people that walk among our soil today.  It is a topic that most churches and Christians shy away from and refuse to deal with the efforts of those who use this topic on a daily basis.  This phrase sparks anger, hatred and even violence in many hearts yet in the majority of the cases these outcries are for the wrong and incomplete reasons.  The word choice itself is controversial but a word that needs to be completely understood before lavishing in its results.  This word is a strong word that has everlasting effects upon those who use its contents.  The ultimate question that everyone involved with this word is if God is pro choice and if He is then what can I expect my choices to render in my life? 

God gave me this topic to write about some time ago and I have been doing a wonderful job at dragging my feet and avoiding writing about this potentially explosive article.  While the concept makes sense and if people take what the Bible says and think about what those words mean then they will understand what God is trying to show us.  The topic of choice is always a hot issue and for the most part presents a hard line that divides humanity and from all angles places us into the irreconcilable differences category of this separation status. This article has many personal obligations in my life in addition to what many might say when they read what God is saying to us. 

I urge the reader to understand the entire direction of this article before drawing any conclusions.  This topic and article might need to be read over a couple of times before any conclusions are made.  Please understand that this is a tough subject and one that God does want us to understand because it is imperative for Him to get His entire message and the importance of this message to a dying world.  As I stated above, God showed me this topic a while back but I have been lax in my responsibilities in completing it but now it is time for the world to understand God’s point of view on choice and how He feels about the word and its meaning.  One also remember that God is a complete God and that everything that He has ordained has a complete meaning no matter how or why the human decides proportionately define a term or word.

We first need to understand that the word choice is a final word and a decisive word that has consequences.  This is why it can be determined that whatever the choice may be, what happens next is usually a final result.  To what extent do we take this word and to what value do we place upon it?  If this word is used in order to terminate a pregnancy then the result is a final one, yet life and its future circumstances will still inhabit this individual at some point in time.  If a choice is made to go to war, eventually some sort of final result occurs and as in the example before the results of this choice are final as well and will last just as long.  The choice to buy a car and move to London, England positive one but one does not know what will become of that choice until days, weeks or years down the road.  It is plain to see that choices have consequences no matter what level of choice is made and we must understand that these results may seem adequate at the moment, but what long term effects will they have and have we thoroughly considered all of these options?

It is easy for humans to say that their choice is their choice and no one should have any say otherwise.  While this fact is true, one should remember that taking counsel with others before making a choice has always been a wise option and has provided many mistakes from being created.  This brings up which counsel to seek and can we even ask God about what He would do and if He would help us through this period in time.  Human counsel is just that, a flawed and limited knowledge that usually seeks a quick remedy with the least amount of pain possible.  But is this the correct choice and even though many humans would agree with this path is it the correct choice?  A true choice cannot be one of manipulation or setting an uncomfortable situation straight; this is a type of whimsical choice that solves an immediate problem with no change in the heart and this type of choice does not enlighten the person and heighten their awareness against this choice if this case ever arises again.

Many people do not even consider God as an option when hard decisions or major ones that they believe could condemn them in certain circles arise.  I am not going to make any specific cases in this article except for God’s.  I am going to use an example that I have used as a long term answer when some people have asked me about certain decisions in their life, I am also going to use a very personal choice that had huge affects upon my life and then I am going to focus upon how God views choice.  God is a final and complete God and His entire vocabulary ring loud and clear throughout eternity and one really needs to understand that God is the only true option when a person seeks help and refuge for a major choice in their lives.  How serious is God when it comes to choice, eternally serious.

There was a lady who graduated college with a business degree and as soon as her diploma was handed to her and the ceremonies completed a person approached her with a job offer that she could not refuse.  It was her dream job and it had the perfect benefit package that went along with it.  The only drawback to the job in her opinion was that the job required her to move to Seattle, Washington, and this lady really did not like the wet and cold weather but would overlook it in order to make amends.  The lady loved her job and excelled in her position and within a few years had climbed the corporate ladder enough to be over the department that she once worked within. Time marched along and after thirty five years of hard work she had the opportunity to retire at a young age and enjoyed her remaining days and passed away peacefully at a ripe old age.

This same lady in the same setting after graduation decided not to take the job in Seattle but took another job closer to her hometown.  It was a great job and the benefits were just as appealing and her life was a happy one.  She met a man who had been transferred to her company and they began dating.  The dating scene became serious and wedding bells were eventually heard throughout the town.  True happiness came a few years later when their first child was born and a son graced the world as a future heir to that specific name.  A phone call came one afternoon notifying her that there had been an accident and that her husband was involved in a fatal crash.  Her life was ruined and it seemed like the world was crumbling around her, but things were not all bad she still had her family and her son that would bring light to her as each future day passed into history.

This example occurs in our lives every day and leaves no one out of the patterns of life.  We have no idea what our choices will hold but we take charge of our lives and hope for the best.  The lady in this example had no idea what her life was going to hold and even though there may have been some regrets about her choices, she still had to live with the consequences of those choices.  This example explains that life has its consequences no matter what we choose to do and even these innate choices have serious results that we will have to deal with in time.  This lady had no idea of what her choices would produce but at the same time she hoped that everything would turn out for the best.

In November of 1967 a tiny boy came into the world that had a head full of black hair and was small enough to fit into a dresser drawer until a crib was bought.  While there were millions of little boys born on the 23^rd of November 1967 it was one boy in particular that I am going to use in this example; that boy is me.  Most of you know that I was adopted shortly after my birth and I have enjoyed a wonderful life with the only parents that I have ever known.  My parents were open and honest with me about my adoption and as I grew and became older they shared more information with me concerning this fact about my life.

My parents made an important choice when they adopted me because the result of this choice would change everything about their lives from that moment forward.  They have never regretted their decision and would do it all over again if the opportunity would appear.  But their choice was not the only one that was in play during that time for I had a birth mother who had to make certain choices in her life as well. While abortions were not legal in the 1960s the procedure was still available and could have been completed when she found out that she was pregnant.  The same lady had to make another choice when she said that she was permanently giving me up to another family.  Many choices had to be made in the heart of this lady and I thank God every day that she allowed me to live and to grow up and to know what life is all about.  I love my parents and would not trade them for anything either, but most of all I am so glad to have to opportunity to draw a breath and to witness the beauty of life itself.

I am going to add another example of choice into the mix and it is just as important as the ones that I have already shared.  When I was a kid I liked to watch a couple of television shows on Saturday evening.  One of these shows was called “Fantasy Island”.  Some of the plots within each show were probably not the best but each plot represented a desire or wishes of a specific person and they arrived on this island to fulfill this dream.  We all knew that some of these fantasies could never be accomplished in real life but on the off chance that something similar to them did cross the minds of those who watched the show.  The catch to the show was that the one who wanted to fulfill this exotic or whimsical choice of theirs had to live with the consequences of the outcome.  There was no guarantee that the results would be favorable but the chance to see what occurred was always present.  It was the choice and the result that the show focused on and how each would affect that individual’s life from that point onward.

All of the examples I have used so far have been choices that humans have made.  It is obvious that we make choices each second of our lives that can have some type of permanent result that lasts until we depart this world.  But what about God and the choices that He made. Yes, God made choices and proves the point that God is pro choice.  Now, before the uproar begins let me say that the reader should continue their reading of this article and with the best of their ability not to close their minds and their hearts to the truth about this topic.  I understand that some may not like that answer and totally ignore the rest of this article and that choice is very wrong.  I also understand that some will take what I just said and run with it to prove that God is on their side of certain issues and that choice is just as wrong as the opposite view.  There is an important truth here that everyone needs to keep in mind and this truth represents the definition of this word and what it means to our lives, both physical and spiritual.

The Bible tells us that we have an enemy, and it is the job of our enemy to do his best to destroy us in every capacity.  The Bible also tells us that this eternal and immortal enemy was not always our enemy.  A very long time ago there was an angel named Lucifer.  This angel was the highest ranking angel that God had ever created.  He was very beautiful and was in charge of the music that flowed in and out of heaven.  Lucifer was a created being from a complete Creator who loved life.  We have to understand that spirit beings are eternal and really do not understand the concept of time, so it is humanly impossible to actually comprehend when Lucifer was created or how much time passed before the day of his fateful choice.

I have stated many times in my past articles that God is a complete God and that He leaves no stone unturned when He completes a process.  When God created the angels his plan for humanity was already in place so in order for Him to be complete and true in every aspect He had to keep in line with what He had established within His heart.  God gave the angels a choice to serve Him or to make another choice.  The Bible tells us that Lucifer wanted to be like God and wanted to have the opportunity to complete the things that God did, so God granted Lucifer this choice.  But while Lucifer was making this choice he knew that the consequences of this choice would be grave and after God sent him from his post, Lucifer vowed to take revenge against God in a specific manner sometime down the road.

When Lucifer made the choice to challenge God and since he was a created being his choice was permanent and could not be erased or changed.  It was permanent choice that had severe and eternal results.  This means that once Lucifer had set into motion his decision the process of that decision could not be changed or stopped.  The drive that Lucifer must have had to try and accomplish the exact same creations that God had perfectly created but have been unaccountable, yet God allowed this eternal being to have a choice in his eternity. The Bible also states that when Lucifer made his choice to challenge God and leave the host of angelic beings, that he took a third of the angels with him.  Now, if Lucifer had a choice or free will then that means that the other angels that went with Lucifer also had a free will. In other words, every angel or spirit being that God has created has free will and has the ability to make a choice, no matter what that choice might be.

So because our enemy had the opportunity to make the choice to challenge God that proves that long before mankind was created God was pro choice.  God created the ability for angels to make choices which in essence was a choice of God and if God practiced the concept of choice, we can honestly say that God is pro choice.  It is not questionable that God understands the results of the choices that His created beings make for as any father would act it must have broken His heart to witness millions or billions of His created beings rebel against His authority.  I have no idea how many angels fell with Lucifer but it is apparent that there were enough that the Bible gives an account of how many did choose to leave with Lucifer. 

It is hard for our finite minds to comprehend why any of them would choose to leave, but we do know that the event did happen and that they did leave sealing their eternal fate without any chance of change.  However, the process of making a choice is very familiar to our lives and what is amazing to me is that the initiation, execution and the results of Lucifer’s plan can be witnessed in our choices as well.  The process of wanting more or something different entered into the thought process of Lucifer.  That idea then developed into a process and a plan of action.  The plan was then executed in some manner and a result ensued after God allowed the plan to be experienced.  This is the result of a choice that a being made and it fits into our lives in the same order.

Eventually Satan came to the Garden of Eden and saw that it was inhabited by fleshy people.  They were different in the fact that they had both a physical body and a spirit within themselves.  A unique design but one that angered Satan ferociously and their entire meaning was a direct slap in the face to him.  It was his goal to prey upon God’s new creation and to prove that the humans could fall as well.  Satan knew that if God had instilled the power of choice within his life then God had no choice but to follow suit when creating mankind.  Satan was correct in this matter and it was not long afterwards that mankind made the choice to go it alone and to see what God had given to man.

God gave one law to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and we choose to disobey this law.  We can try to blame Satan or Eve but in reality it was the act of choice and the ability to choose that was given to us which led to our downfall, in short it was our choice.  See, when God does something He is very specific and very complete on all issues.  So, if He creates one thing a certain way He is therefore obligated to further create in the same manner.  When God gave the angels the ability to choose then He was obligated to give the same to humans.  However, with humans God decided to play a little trick on His enemy and changed up the order of creation a bit just to ensure that Satan’s status had no spiritual legal grounds for arguments and would allow us to have a personal choice to be eternally redeemed.

The actions of mankind in the Garden of Eden prove that God gave humans the ability to choose and this process we call freedom of choice is a process in which we thrive upon and use on a continual basis.  But with the example that God has set into motion concerning our creation, the process of choice still comes into play and the results that these choices play in our lives holds just as much eternal salvation and damnation as it did for our immortal enemy.  It is this fact that people tend to forget and then allow our enemy to pounce upon the results after we have made a certain or specific choice.

Given the truth about the results of Lucifer’s choice and what the Bible says about that entire scene, then it would be safe to say that our choices will have the same results on our lives as well.  The only difference is that because of the way God created us we have an opportunity to be forgiven of the choices that we have made and to begin again within the guidelines and laws of God.  It is the job of our enemy to make sure that we do not understand God’s ways and to thoroughly discredit God that our choices actually have any root in our future.  Our enemy takes joy in the fact that we have the opportunity to make a choice but what he leaves out are the consequences that might come about after we make that choice.  Our enemy does not care anything about what happens to us after the choice is made, all he is concerned with is for us to separate ourselves from God far enough that we lose all trust and truth in our Creator.

The concept and truth about choice is a huge asset that we have and if used properly and in a godly manner it is one of the best gifts that man can harbor.  But choice is so seldom used in this capacity but is thrown around as a scapegoat and a cover to hide our own actions. It has become a popular stance to say that one is pro choice and everyone has this ability within them but when a choice is used for political gains or in such a way that it serves as a platform for a personal action, it becomes a death sentence to us from the One who gave us that ability from our beginnings.  A choice will present itself in many circumstances and many times we may not have the time to think about the decision that has to be made.  But if we have thoroughly studied the One who has given us this option and understand His ways then we can base our immediate and long term choices upon His ways.  God shall always choose life no matter what the question or conditions may offer.  It is mankind who chooses other than life and even though it is embedded within us to choose, we must not take the decisions lightly or use them carelessly in order to obtain a quick fix to an uncertain present situation.

In keeping with the choices of man and the response that we force God to undertake, reread the stories within the Bible or any other story in history and apply the outcomes of each story with the complete stance of choice.  Napoleon chose to attack Russia in the winter, and he failed miserably taking thousands of lives to their deaths even before the fighting began.  The Catholic Church fought enough amongst themselves that they actually broke apart into two sections, totally based upon the way man chose to think about God’s representation on earth.  A couple just had a beautiful baby girl that was born over the weekend and this new life has brought so much joy to that entire family.

God has granted us the ability to choose and we must remain in the pro choice category for if we did not then we would give up a basic element of our existence.  God shall always choose life and everything choice that He has ever made proves His choice.  God is happy with your life and He may be disappointed in some of the choices that we make but He never gives up and hopes that we fully understand His ways and that one day we honestly give Him a chance to operate with His laws in place within our lives.

All of the examples and the details that I have given in this article point out a logical and truth that we need to understand.  God is pro choice but He is chooses life for everyone and every creation that is His.  Not everyone will agree with this fact and I know that some will continue to harbor their own selfish means.  God accepts this for it is your choice and He accepts the choices that you make each day but He also wants you to understand that He loves you and He placed this ability within us so that we may choose Him and leave the world alone.  The king of the world cares nothing about you and wants to see your life destroyed, but this too is your choice.  Everything in this world is temporary and the things in it will come and go.  But God is everlasting, complete and faithful in all of His ways and He shall never change from choosing life.

What does this mean to our lives?  It means that God will accept the fact that He has installed into us free will which means we are free to make the choices that we deem necessary.  God is not the type of person who wants to rule our lives with a heavy hand, unlike what the world has to offer.  This also means that God will allow us to make our choices and then have to live with whatever consequences those choices may bring into our lives.  God also will allow these choices to establish a pattern within our society and to accept them for what they represent in truth, not through superficial and emotional benefit.  Everything that we choose to make in our lives that go against God’s Laws God will allow continuing.  It is not because He does not care but because He wants us to make the choice to choose Him.

To be complete God will allow these acts to continue and as long as our choices include God within our choices, God has promised to protect His people.  However, we all understand that as we continue to pursue humanity rather than God our choices become more selfish and quick tempered which is baseless according to God’s laws.  As stated before God is a complete God and will allow this action to continue but only up to a point.  For God sees the heart and He recognizes the desires of the heart of the society as well and it is at this point when warnings are given.  Our choices do matter but in truth they are ours to make.  It is also God’s to make as well so we need to keep this concept in mind when the world begins to fall apart, so that we will understand exactly who is to blame.  God loves each one of us and He does not wish to see any harm come to any of His children but our choices must be in line with God and His ways or we are placing ourselves into a situational demise that all of us will witness.  Remember God shall never make a choice in anger nor will He ever choose death over life.  But His ways are holy in every way and those ways must be kept or we that deviate from that path shall see turmoil like we have never known before.

So according to God’s Word God is pro choice but also recognize that God’s choices shall never harm the human nor will they bring pain upon His created beings and His choices shall always promote and side with life.  When someone comes up to you and asks if you are pro choice or pro life you can honestly say, yes to both.  And of course this will confuse them or even upset them a little but it sure does open up the opportunity to share the gospel with that person or group and that is what we are supposed to do in the first place.  Think about this topic and take it to heart.  God loves you and wants us to live in eternal life and happiness.

DLB

Losing Your Crunch Part 2

Losing Your Crunch Part 2

3/9/14

The second example I am going to use also demonstrates the laws of the environment and a few other naturally occurring ones that have always fascinated me.  Ever since I began my studies in Chemistry, Biology and more specifically Medical Technology my knowledge of physical properties has increased and over these decades of my studies  I have been amazed to learn of exactly how some of the physical properties of objects function.  One of these physical properties can be observed when two objects are placed side by side which is the subject of this second example.

Most of us enjoy the combination of cheese and crackers.  It is a combination that I was introduced to when I was very young and it is still a huge favorite of mine today.  When I was a young boy the only option that I had concerning this combination was a saltine and a slice of cheese.  Mom or dad would slice some strips of cheese for me and then I would quickly begin to build my cheese and cracker sandwich. For some reason they did not trust me with a knife, just as my wife does not trust me with a knife today; I still do not understand why. Anyway, the cheese and cracker sandwich was a snack that I loved to receive and would never complain when it was served to me.  The snack was quickly consumed and for the most part had no chance of long term survival as its manufactured state after it was presented to me.

After I grew up and became an adult someone in the western world had the brilliant idea of manufacturing a pre packaged cheese and cracker set.  Most of us have seen these items in the grocery stores where the cheese and crackers are kept in a separate bin and everything is sealed for preservation and freshness.  They can be expensive at times so I usually do not buy this product but every time I see one I think to myself of why I did not think about this product and produce something like this before that other person did.  The concept is a great one and with the contents provided there is a specific reason as to why they are kept separate.  It was not until I took Chemistry that I understood why this was necessary and as time progressed God showed me a very important concept about His Kingdom and our enemy’s kingdom and what happens when we try to mix the two.

Since I have converted to being a diabetic it is important for me to have a snack at times.  I do not need the sugar snacks but some type of protein is needed within my body to make sure that my sugar levels stay within their normal range.  There is nothing wrong with cheese as being a snack because it is a great source of protein and if cheese is in order then I must have some type of cracker along with it.  I still make my little cheese and cracker sandwiches and they serve their purpose quite nicely when and if I eat them.

For some reason we were in a hurry one morning and my wife was hurrying to make my snack so she put the cheese and crackers into the same pouch.  She did not think about what she had done and when I looked at the pouch to see what my snack was I did not think about the fact of the order either.  I usually go into work at 0645 in the morning and do not get off work until about 1500 or so which means that my morning snack would reach my stomach sometime around 1000.  So the contents of my snack have to be close to each other for about 3-4 hours until I have the opportunity to eat.  Most of the time what my wife fixes me this time frame should not matter and have no effect on the contents but with cheese and crackers there could be a problem if they are placed together for this long of a time.

The time came that I had enough time to sit for a spell and eat a portion of my snack.  I grabbed my bag and opened it to locate the pouch that contained my snack.  I had the mental taste of cheese and crackers in my mind all morning and as soon as my eyes hit the bad those memories sprang into action.  I found the pouch and picked it up and set it on my little desk.  I then opened the pouch and picked up one piece of cheese and two crackers.  This task was not hard to complete since the way the items were placed into my bag they had basically already formed a sandwich so all I did was continue the pattern out of the pouch.

The sandwich looked ok and the smell of the cheese and flavored crackers were still filling the immediate area.  I had no idea that there could be anything wrong with my little sandwich but that false reality was quickly erased as soon as I took my first bite of tat sandwich. There was hardly any crunchiness to the crackers and the flavor of the cheese had partially vanished.  The crackers had become soggy even though their physical appearance had not changed, or at least that is what I noticed on my first glance.

I took a closer look at my sandwich and noticed that the color of the cracker had slightly changed which meant that something had occurred to complete this change.  My scientific mind immediately kicked in and I was reminded that when one object that has a higher moisture content than the other object that it is attached to, some of the moisture of the higher content will cross over to the drier environment.  This physical law when put into motion will effectively change the consistency of both objects, and if tasted can be recognized in that area as well.  The sandwich had been compromised in such a way that it really did not appeal to my taste buds any longer.  While there was technically nothing wrong with the sandwich it had lost all of its appetizing thoughts to my stomach.  Needless to say I did not eat any more of the sandwich and really struggled with the fact that I had to throw away the soggy mess that was once going to be a beautiful masterpiece.

What a concept that can be illustrated here where our lives and spiritual lives are concerned and how if reflects upon the Church and her functional mission that Jesus ordained.  The cracker is a dry environment and is designed to be as such.  There are not too many popular soggy crackers out on the market and while this type of cracker is edible it would present a very harmful setting if any bacteria came into contact with it.  The cheese on the other hand can have a moister content because of how it is made.  We all know that some types of cheese are considered to be dry but even in this state the moisture content are still considerable higher by the structure and formation of the cheese.

It is a natural process when two objects are placed together that their contents will act accordingly.  The only way to avoid this mixing of contents is to keep the object totally separated until time of consumption.  As long as there is this separation then the physical laws of absorption and imbibition cannot take place but as soon as they are placed together these laws are subject to activation; nothing extraordinary or special just a fact of nature.  It is this concept of imbibition and absorption that comes into play on the spiritual aspects of our lives when we allow ourselves to be in close contact with the world.

The close contact that I am referring to here is one that allows the acceptance of world standards into our lives.  It is common knowledge that when something is first introduced into our lives it is an awkward feeling and presentation but if that source is allowed to continue to have an influence around us then that source will eventually become accepted as a natural part of our lives.  In human terms it is called a habit or a way of life that we “need” to accept as the truth.  We see this pattern occurring in today’s world with every turn of our head and it is not hard to understand why these events are transpiring.  What is more difficult to ascertain is that this same process is present within the Church and the influence of the world into the Church is on a breakneck pace.

The Church has failed to realize that it has voluntarily accepted the ways of the world into her gates and that while she is supposed to accomplish this feat she is also responsible to keep her separation status intact.  This explains why we cannot avoid living in this world but we sure do have the choice of not accepting the death wishes that the world has to offer.  The Church has completed this assimilation process with the world and it is now coming to light of exactly what has occurred. 

I was recently talking with one of my cousins online and she was asking me why the status of the Church has no bearing upon the world today and I mentioned briefly about this concept and how this integration concept with the world is not something new to the Church.  It was established shortly after Jesus’ death and has blossomed ever since.  The fruits of this worldly connection have been noticeable for centuries but due to modern methods of communication these fruits are easily portrayed.  We as Christians have failed to recognize this fact about ourselves and have voluntarily ignored the issues that have torn down our offensive capabilities.

It is this process of absorption and imbibition that has led to the weakening of the Church and the gain of momentum of the world.  It is a direct objective of our enemy to lessen our presence in the world and to render the presence and authority of the Church dead.  What we do not get is the fact that as long as our enemy can incorporate his kingdom into our lives we will not be able to do what God has commissioned us to do as human beings.  This act has affected the Church throughout our history, it is affecting the Church today and it will continue to affect the Church in the future.  It is a systematic failing due to the lack of understanding of what God designed us to complete and that design being redistributed as self as its replacement.  Self is the only law that the world has to offer and it can only be distributed into our lives, the Church, when it is in close contact with our hearts.

This is a kingdom concept that is being portrayed here through a terrible and deadly lie from our enemy.  The Church has become close enough to the world that she has heard the message of our enemy’s kingdom louder than what we have heard the message of our Creator’s Kingdom.  We have been so enthused about having our own ways fulfilled within the Church that we have accepted the ways of the world as a means to obtain our ambitions, even if we cry them out in the name of God.  What more of a “holy” blasphemic example can be portrayed to a dying world?  Think about what we are actually doing when we allow the world to become assimilated within the laws and confines of the Church.  It is a death sentence to the Church, which means it is a spiritual death sentence to YOU!!

There cannot be any compromise with the world when it comes to its acceptance of its ways into the Church.  A person can still invite and bring the complete sinner into the church building but if the Church allows that person’s sin into the Church and then allows it to stay without teaching them of their sin, then we are inviting the world to incorporate its laws into the Church.  Then when this condition occurs the question has to be asked of ourselves, who is the drier of the two objects?  And isn’t this the exact opposite of what Jesus said that we were to be?

Have you ever wondered why God would say that if a person or group of people, such as the Church, would be spit out of His mouth if they were lukewarm?  Can one compare this situation with stale chips and still not be blasphemous in their origins?  I believe it is possible and in fact I believe that it is an excellent comparison since the concepts of the reaction to the condition of the item is in question.  God is a complete God and He will use examples that our finite minds can use in order for us to understand.  A stale chip is terrible and the majority of us would do the exact same thing as I did when we encountered that chip.  Any company or manufacturing company knows that if their product is old, dry and feeble that their product will not sell and that it does not truly represent what that company promotes, so why would the Creator of all life produce and expect anything different from this standard? 

The bag of chips would be indicative of the Church and the chips are representative of the people within the Church.  The atmosphere inside the bag is uniquely created so that the vitality and freshness would be separate from what the outside conditions portray.  But it is the nature of the Church for its inhabitants to be shared with the world so their internal environment needs to be opened for the world to consume.  However, if the world is allowed into the Church and the true and sole purpose of the Church through the people of the Church are not used properly then the laws of the world, or in this example the laws of physical nature, will eventually take over.

We should also take notice that the concept of the cheese and cracker corresponds with the first example concerning the chips.  Both principles are active and are destroying the congruency of the Church and as long as the Church operates in this blinding fashion we will do nothing more but churn the waters of hate and deceit amongst our own building walls and give the world further reason to pick us up and throw us into the world’s garbage bin.  It is a guaranteed fact that if the Church does not return to her roots and once again teach the truth about God and accept His ways as the true law of the world, we are in for the shock of our lives and a shaking to our core that will be hard to imagine.

The command that Jesus said to His Church was to “go into the world and preach the gospel.”  The verb that He used here is an action verb which means that one must be on an active or alive status in order for it to be effective.  Sitting around within the confines of a building will not fuel this action verb and hence with given time become stale in its message and will be subject to worldly laws.  It is obvious that when Jesus came into the world He opened the bag of chips (the Church environment) because He understood that the world needed the nourishment and life that the Church could provide.  He also understood that the Church needed the authority to provide this nourishment so He commanded us “to go”. 

But look at us know and one will see a pretty church that has every need fulfilled yet we remain within the confines of our buildings knitting our own little booties and waiting upon the return of the Christ.  The Church is establishing fewer and fewer churches throughout the world and our population is dwindling by each day.  It is obvious that the world is still in the mood for the presence of the Church but its motives have drastically changed in that when the world reaches in for a “chip” it is to crush that chip and to make it lay waste inside the garbage can.  We cannot blame the world for this action for they are doing exactly what their leader has shown them to do. 

It is OUR fault that we are being thrown into the trash bin because we have deliberately ignored what Jesus has told us to complete.  We have told ourselves that our product is the best and that no matter how long we sit around and present ourselves to the world our taste and flavor will always remain.  Right now the world is throwing the entire concept of God and His ways into the trash bucket because the Church that He ordained to preach the gospel has sat on her duffs and not done what He commanded.  The Kingdom of God is being pushed back daily because of our lack of understanding and deliberate disobedience to what has been told to us.

It is this stale environment that our enemy is using against us and even today the majority of the Church does not see what it has done to herself.  It is true that God has opened our doors to the world and that is exactly what we are supposed to do but when we sit there and allow the world’s environment into the walls of the Church and then do nothing it is at this time that we lose our crunch by allowing the dry kingdom and its conditions to suck the flavor and life out of our mission. It does not matter if this occurs on the individual level, group level, or national level for once the process begins our mission is effectively cancelled and until we realize what has transpired, our troubles will continue.

Once the initial doors are opened then the true nature of the Church can be witnessed.  A dull and stale church does not have the vitality to sustain life and thus creates a setting of complacency and death.  This will be embraced by the world but will be rejected by those who actually have a desire to know God and want a change for their life.  It is this stale condition that can be compared to the verse in the Bible about God spewing or spitting the lukewarm person or group out of His mouth.  No one wants dull and boring yet they do not wish to have a spiritual show either.  Hurting people wish to be involved in a church setting that is alive from within and projects to the world a real difference from what is being presented to them outside of the Church walls.

People were created for uniqueness and the Church should be no different from this concept.  Each church setting should be unified and focused upon one goal, the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world.  God cannot accept a stale and dull setting for He represents total and true life for all mankind and this stale environment comes not from Him.  God did not create you in this manner nor did He create His Church to act in this dull manner either.  God cannot change His standards and ways so that means that the Church has varied away from its original plans, not God.

God expects His Church to be full of life and flavor when the world takes a bite out of what we have to offer in the confines of the church. This means that our lives must be constantly infiltrated with a supernatural source of energy and flavorings in order to make a difference in the mundane offerings that the world presents to everyone.  The Church must be at the forefront of all worldly issues and united against them in order to provide a different kind of lifestyle, one that speaks of hope, love and true happiness.  There is no way that the Church can portray this kind of action if we are in acceptance of the world’s standards and beliefs.  For if we do accept the world’s conditions as our own, then the Church becomes stagnate and stale and acceptable to the world, which is the definition of a dying Church.

What comes next when the person eating the chips realizes that the entire bag is stale, the bag gets thrown away.  And when this occurs in a church setting this means that the church is dead and has no life within its walls any longer.  God has no choice but to throw the entire Church away and start over once again, which means that He must wake us up again in His own manner and timing.  Isn’t it about time that we regain our solid and backboned stance towards the world before God has to step in and do our job for us?  For we all know that a flimsy and stale church is no match for the conditions of the world, even the conditions that we have accepted into the church will overwhelm us.  See, the Church was created to be different and separate from the world and not to accept the world within its walls, for the two cannot live together for they are eternally separate in spirit.

Restore your effectiveness to the world and return to God and allow Him to salt you once again to make a difference to the world.  The church building will sit on its own and rot away just as we do if we do not change our ways.  It is ok to be different from the world and God expects us to thrive in this difference.  So when you bite into a stale chip again think about how God looks upon your heart; then allow God to examine your heart in order to bring out all of the impurities that would cause you to become stale.  When this process has begun I guarantee that others around you will see the change and they too will have the realization of the new vitality that you have within.

The crunch that God restores into your life is not a preservative or a substance that will break down anytime soon, but it is an added ingredient, His own special ingredient that changes your form and shape so that you can stand out in the world again.  It is this personal recipe that makes you unique to others and is the reason that each one of us has the potential to push forward God’s Kingdom, which really irritates the enemy.  Be a light to the world and be a life to your church so that the Church may once again be restored to her original state of holiness, sanctity and purity towards the world.

DLB

Losing Your Crunch Part 1

Losing Your Crunch

3/9/14

Interesting concept huh, losing your crunch, but let us take a bit and examine this example and see just what it means to our lives.  God chose Jesus to come to the earth for a reason and to fulfill a goal for humanity.  Jesus also charged His Church with a special mission and calling which created a unique opportunity for all of us to complete.  Still the majority of the Church has not done its part in fulfilling this mission nor have we any desire to either.  Is a lazy hearted Church the type of stance Jesus would have taken towards the lost?  We have blended into the world instead of being the salt of the world and this one condition has effectively wiped out the Church’s effectiveness to complete the mission that is before us. 

The examples God has given to share with you concerning this topic have been enormously wonderful.  It is my desire to share everything with you and in order for me to accomplish this I am breaking the topic up into two parts.  The first part is just as important as the second part so I ask you to read both parts so that we all can understand what God is sharing with us.  Part one is considerable shorter that the second but both contain vital information.

I do not know how many people have placed the Church and our lives into this category but this topic serves a very important area of our lives that we need to keep in our forebrains.  Because if we lax in any area of this magnitude we automatically subject ourselves to infiltration from our enemy and then have the potential to become blinded to the truth.  And when we are blinded in any form we are then sitting ducks for further lies and temptations that can lead to devastating attacks down the road.  I will use two relatively common examples in this article and each one of these examples actually uses the laws of the environment to prove that these examples do occur and how these concepts can be introduced into our lives.  A few days ago I finished an article about the two kingdoms that we knowingly or unknowingly deal with each day and how that while they are both present in our lives they cannot mix in any way, shape or form.  If you have not read that article I ask that you do so that this topic will be easier to understand and to follow.

All of us like to have a tasteful dinner.  Great food and side dishes make up the best portions of our dietary intake and when humans partake in these settings we like to make sure that all bases are covered.  A big portion of my growing up years included a place known as Texas.  Texas is famous for many things and southwestern style cooking is one of them.  I remember enjoying this type of cuisine many times while I lived there and even up to this day there are times that I crave the flavor of this type of food.  All of us can relate to these types of cravings and even though yours might be of another ethnic origin there is nothing wrong with indulging yourself when these attacks occur providing your stomach has the necessary defense mechanisms in place to properly digest the source.

In our house when this type of food is served we make sure that the main course is always accompanied by certain condiments and side dishes.  A “staple” condiment that is present on our table is our homemade salsa which is copiously applied to most of the sides and the main dish when this setting is presented.  A popular side or addition with the main course is chips, with almost any kind of regular unflavored corn chip or flavored chip brands being subject to annihilation and cannot be left out while the consumption process is in progress. 

A short time ago this type of setting graced our family table.  Everything was neatly prepared by my wife and her timing was right on schedule with everyone being present and accounted for.  The family sat down and we promptly said a prayer of thankfulness for the food and then as soon as the word “amen” came from one of my daughter’s lips, the free-for-all began.  Every item was quickly passed around the table and each one of us had the opportunity to accept or to deny what was being served.  After the main course and sides were passed around then began the parade of condiments and chips.  I was the lucky one who got to start the chips portion of this parade so I grabbed the bag that was closest to me.

The bag of chips that was at the table had already been opened which for the most did not serve as a problem because it is normal to have an open bag of chips in our house.  Hips are not just for the dinner table because some of us have a huge weakness when it comes to having chips and salsa as an evening snack.  Anyway, I opened the bag of chips and reached in and took a small handful of chips and them carried to the table and them set them down until I was ready to use them one at a time.  The bag was half full which told me that the bag had not been opened for too long and that the quality of the chips should not be in question.  I then motioned to my daughter who was sitting next to me by slightly moving the bag in a back and forth direction.  She was busy placing another condiment item on her sides and refused the bag.  After gesturing to the others at the table it was clear that no one else wanted chips so I rolled the bag back up and placed it back on the flood and out of the way.

I then proceeded to take my first chip into my right hand and then took my fork and placed in into the food on my plate with my other hand.  The first bite of food reached my mouth and of course it was hot with fire so I immediately raced the chip into my mouth for some type of relief.  I crunched down onto the food and the chip and at that moment I heard no crunch protruding from my mouth.  I could hardly believe my ears and taste buds.  As soon as I swallowed the food that was in my mouth I quickly grabbed another chip and put it in my mouth to see if I had just randomly chose a dud or if the chips that I had obtained from the bag were in the same category as the first chip.

As I grabbed the second chip and put into my mouth utter disappointment came over my face because it was then that I realized that the entire bag of chips were in the same condition as the first chip.  They had lost their crispness and even their flavor and taste.  There was nothing good or appealing about them any longer so I picked up the bag and was going to try one more before throwing them away.  By now the inhabitants around the table understood what I was doing and everyone had their eyes glued to what I was about to do next. 

The taste and texture of the third chip sealed the deal for the entire bag in which I immediately reached for the remaining chips that I had placed on the table and in one methodical motion placed each one of them back into the bag.  The third chip never made it past my mouth and it came out almost as quickly as I had placed it into my mouth and thus it was obvious that the three chips that I had chosen proved that it was no fluke that the first chip was bad and that the entire bag had followed suit.  I knew that no one else would have anything to do with this bag of chips and that my wife would not use them for any reason so it was time for them to go into the trash.  What a waste I thought to myself as I was heading over to the trash can but it seemed like there was nothing else to do with them.  The environmental changes to their original condition had taken its toll on their consistency and their fate was sealed.

There was no reason to become upset at the chips for their lack of taste, consistence and flavor because it was a human that had opened the bag and had taken out a sample.  I can guarantee that the chips were in great condition immediately after opening and probably had a wonderful taste.  It is at this point to where this example comes into play about the condition of the Church and how she has lost her crunch.  When the chips were originally placed into that individual bag it was totally sealed and would not allow any other outside forces to invade it unless that seal was broken at some future time.  At the time that the seal was broken the chips became subject to the atmosphere and all of the surrounding conditions that it encountered.  Now I understand and recognize that chips cannot feel anything nor can they have any say in how their environment changes, but they are present in a sealed state and when that state changes their status has no choice but to respond accordingly to their new “living” conditions.

DLB