AUTUMN LEAVES

AUTUMN LEAVES

  “He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”    Daniel 2:21 (NKJV)

            Looking out across my backyard, I watched the autumn leaves falling off the trees and landing all over the grass.  The green of summer grass has changed and turned into a carpet of brown and beige.  Just as God changes the seasons of the earth, he also changes the seasons of our lives.  It seems like autumn always brings many changes.
            First, this is Harvest Time; a time when we gather the fruits of the fields and orchards.  The produce stands are filled with apples, pears, squash and pumpkins. Cider and donuts are readily available.  For some reason these sights are such a comfort.  Maybe it’s because these are familiar sights which have appeared year after year and it’s comforting to know that it hasn’t changed for decades. 
            Secondly, this is Halloween time or All Hollow’s Eve.  As Christians we do not celebrate the underworld or those that dwell in it.  We want nothing to do with witchcraft or demon figures.  The Christian’s enemy is Satan and his demons and to honor this day of Halloween is totally against what we believe.  This is really difficult for the children who are in school and want to be a part of what is going on.  After all, who doesn’t like to dress up and pretend to be someone else? 
            Many churches and groups have ‘Harvest Parties’ in place of trick or treating.  I’m not sure if it’s the ‘right thing’ to do, or if it’s ‘Compromise’.  As a child I loved Halloween; dressing up and getting bags of candy was a pretty exciting thing.  However, when I actually knew what it really meant, it changed my entire thought about it.  This is a good time to teach our children what Halloween is really about, the truth is scary enough that they might not want any part of it.  Of course it is up to each parent to decide the best direction for their children.  It might be a good thing to pray about.
            Thirdly, this is the time of year for elections.  This year is probably the most crucial election for a president that there has ever been in the history of the United States.  Our very country is at stake; our national debt is out of sight; our jobless people are at the highest level; poverty is at its highest and we won’t even talk about gas prices and energy.
            Look at the above scripture in the Living Bible; “World events are under his control. He removes kings and sets others on their thrones.”  Daniel 2:21 (TLB) Does this mean we shouldn’t even bother to vote?  No, not at all; rather it means that as God’s people we need to be praying about this daily.  God will give you direction and already has in his Word.  Let’s look at some of those answers.

1.               “You shall not murder!”  This means we should not vote for anyone who stands for abortion.     Deuteronomy 5:17 (NKJV)

      2.               Same-Sex Marriage: “And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my
                 flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."  Therefore a man
                shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one
                flesh.”           Genesis 2:23-24 (NKJV)

3.               Un-Godly; we should not vote for anyone who does not hold up God Almighty, or does not practice Godly morals. “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”  Amos 3:3 (NKJV)                  

4.               Other Religions:  It is one thing to be tolerant of people of another faith, but it is another thing to lift up those of a faith that breeds terrorists and jihad.  Do not vote for someone who lifts up those whose goal is to kill Americans and Israelis. Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."                    2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)

5.               Backing Israel:  Do not vote for anyone who does not completely stand with Israel.  Israel is God’s nation of God’s chosen people.  Those nations who would come against her are in danger of being destroyed.  “For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.  For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.”     Zechariah 2:8-9 (NKJV)

There are many more things we should prayerfully consider in the Word of God before we vote.  I believe the outcome of whom we vote for will personally and seriously affect us in the near future. If you are satisfied with where our country is today and has been over the last 4 years, you know who to vote for.  If you think our country needs a change for the better, you know who to vote for.

      As for me, I’m anxious to see if all the ‘born again’ Christians who believe the Word of God is the Truth, will step up and vote The Bible.  Yes, it will take time to reverse the damage that’s been done, but be patient and wait on the Lord.  He has it all in control.  Amen!

TWO-TRACKING

Two-Tracking

by

                                                               Wanda Hammond Ritter

 

            Years ago my son called and wanted to take me two-tracking.  I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he had a new truck and so I thought it would be fun.  We took off down the road and he suddenly turned off into the woods on what we would call a two-track road.  My first thought was, “Where are we going?”  My next thought, as we hit a large bump, was, “Are we going to make it?”

            After an hour of bumps and jogs we eventually came out to a normal road.  I had been jiggled and joggled and still didn’t know where we were.  When I asked if we were almost there my son said, “Wasn’t it fun driving around through the woods?”
            “Didn’t you have a destination,” I asked?
            “No”, he answered, “I had no idea where we were going; we just followed the two-tracks.  They had to end up someplace.”

          Thinking back on that little adventure, it reminds me of Abraham in the Old Testament. God spoke to [Abram] and told him to leave his father, Terah and head out for an unknown destination.  So he took his wife [Sarai] and nephew, Lot, with all their families, animals and goods and left.  At that time there were no two-tracks to follow.  They had to make their own way and didn’t even know where they were headed. Yet they obeyed the Lord.

          I believe that many Christians today are two-tracking; following where others have been, but still aren’t sure of the direction to go.  They struggle with, ‘is this what God wants me to do?”  Yet, they are too busy to slow down enough to listen to God’s direction.  The Bible tells us plainly in Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delights in his way.”   God wants us to follow His directions because it is always the better way.
            Going back to Abraham, the Bible tells us he made some side trips.  He went to Egypt!  Although Egypt is a real place, it is also symbolic of worldliness.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve made a few side trips to Egypt and from experience I can tell you that Egypt is not a good place to be.  Abraham found that out when he arrived.  His life was in danger and so was his wife’s.  It gets worse; he lied and let them take Sarah to the Pharaoh who was amazed by her beauty.  Only by God’s interference by sending plagues on the Egyptians were they able to be set free and leave Egypt.
           Our own desires can tempt us to go two-tracking, when we weren’t really following the Lord’s direction.  It never works!  I’ve heard so many stories of people whom God called into ministry and they have run the other way.  Some struggle for years before they finally realize that they are better off to follow God’s direction.  Take a look at Jonah and what he went through before he obeyed God.
           For many years I thought my gift was singing.  From the time I was 4 years old I was on stage singing.  Through the years, singing was my life. I sang for weddings, funerals and every place I could. After I asked the Lord into my heart, my goal was singing.  My husband, Jerry and I hosted a television program where I sang almost every week, I became worship leader at the church we attended. I traveled a good deal to speak at meetings and always sang as well.  I was sure these steps were ordered by the Lord, because it was my heart’s desire.  Then, when Shiloh began, we went with Pastor Verne and Sheryl and the first day we had church, Sheryl Ann did the praise and worship, because I had to play the piano.
           When Sunday School began, I started the adult class.  After 27 years we never changed, although others came along and took over the piano playing, I kept teaching.  I still sang specials, directed choirs and musicals and thought I was still following the Lord’s direction.  Then about ten years ago, I lost my singing voice.  At first I was devastated; my voice was gone and someone else had taken over my piano playing.  I cried out to the Lord, “Why did this happen to me; I thought I was doing what you wanted?”  During this low time in my walk with God, I heard his direction, “Teach.” 
           I now understand that this was where he wanted me to go; not that following another direction was bad because I was ministering to others, but that was not his calling on my life.  Many things have happened since that time and changes have come again, but I haven’t quit teaching.  It’s not always in a classroom, but the Lord has given me the ability to use the internet as a teaching tool.  As I told someone the other day, “It doesn’t matter how old I am, or how crippled up I might become, I will write and teach until the end of my days.  This is where God called and I will obey.”
           In the past years I spent some time in Egypt and many of you have no doubt done the same thing.  This doesn’t mean that God deserted you; it may mean you had lessons to learn.  If you think back you may remember when you met those who encouraged you or were great examples to you; those weren’t coincidences, they were divine appointments which helped you back on the right track. 
           Yes, you can get lost two-tracking like Abraham did, but remember this, “The steps of a good man (or woman) are ordered by the Lord.”  When in doubt of where you are headed, stop and pray; then listen to God’s answer.  Don’t waste your time bemoaning the fact that you didn’t follow your heart’s desire.  You may be exactly where God wants you to be.  If you are in a position to minister to others in a unique way and to change lives; then you are right where God took your footsteps.  Perhaps when you’ve been two-tracking the things you learned were preparing you to do what you are doing today.

                                                     Be blessed!

 

 

HOW TO BECOME CONTENT

How to Become Content

           RBC’s ‘Daily Bread’ is something I have read for more years than I remember.  I recently came across one where it quoted Paul’s comment in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”  It made me stop and look back on my own life and realize the discontentment I had felt in past years.

            When I was a teenager, I always wanted something different than what I had.  I had many a pity party because I wanted better clothes, nicer hair, more spending money, and more excitement in my life.
            Looking back, I should have been content; I had beautiful clothes, lots of friends, good grades and to top it off, I was a cheerleader.  [In those days, your peers voted you in.]  Because I was discontent, I soon began to make poor choices.
            When I was a young wife and mother, I wanted a better home, more respect, perfect children and part of the (In Crowd).  I didn’t appreciate what I had; a nice home, a good car, lots of church friends and four wonderful, very talented children (not perfect, but wonderful).  Yet, I wasn’t content; I always wanted more and more.
            Interesting to note is the fact that the more I got, the less content I was.  I was always longing for something more.  When I came to know Jesus as my Savior, my live began to change.  It wasn’t an immediate change, gradual.  I can honestly say today with Paul, “I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.”
            ‘Bigger and Better’ means little to me today.  I live in a small, unassuming home; it doesn’t really matter what other people think of it; it pleases me.  I don’t have a closet full of expensive clothes like I once had; I don’t belong to the Country Club as I once did, I don’t drive a new car every other year like I once did.  But, ‘Oh”, I am so content.  I don’t keep house as well as I once did, but visitors are welcome whenever they come. 
            I’m sure many of you can relate to some of these things I’ve shared, but let’s move up a bit.  Why is the world in such chaos, because it is in such discontent? 
            The people world-wide are not satisfied to be who they are.  The mid-east hates the U.S. because they want what we have; freedom, places to live, jobs, food, medical help and so much more.  We, as Americans complain that we don’t have more freedom, better homes, and better jobs. 
            Think of some of the things in this country that are caused by discontent.  Let’s begin with abortion; girls and women want to kill their unborn babies because they don’t want to take care of them; they might disrupt their lifestyle, they want to hide their sin or various other reasons.
            Infidelity; adultery, fornication, pedophilia and homosexuality are all sexual sins and can be traced back to ‘discontent’.  These people are discontent with their spouses, life without sex, and have a desire for abnormal sex. 
            Our own government is so discontent with each other that they often undermine others to promote themselves.  They have turned away from a nation under God and stand for a nation that uplifts false religions and puts down anything to do with God and even the Name of Jesus Christ because it might offend someone.
            What about people like you and me who are offended by their attempting to wipe the name of Jesus off everything?  Isn’t that discontentment?  No, it’s called ‘Righteous Anger’.  Even the word ‘Christian’ seems to be an abomination to this worldly bunch.
            It is discontent that causes wars.  As of today, there are 16 different wars going on in the world and rumors of many more to come.  Discontent caused World War I and World War II, as well as the Civil War and war after war before that. 
            How can we possibly find contentment with all this conflict around the world?  We need to look to God for that answer.  I’ll share a few of them.
      

“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  Psalm 118:6 (NKJV)

              "God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.”    
               Psalm 62:7 (NKJV)

^“ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”   Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)

^“ And he said: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;  The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.”  2 Samuel 22:2-3 (NKJV)

^“The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.”  Habakkuk 3:19 (NKJV)
“Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?”              Luke 12:22-24 (NKJV)

I could fill many pages of scriptures that God gives us in his Word so that we might find contentment in life, because He watches over us and protects us.   You can be content, as Paul tells us, if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  He will give you a peace that passes all understanding and with peace comes contentment.

 

ATTENTION - ALL DEER HUNTERS!

        

          Once again the elusive White Tail deer is being stalked my people covered in camouflage and sitting high in a tree or hiding behind blinds.  These gentle-looking creatures walk into the vision of a hunter who is determined to take home a trophy set of antlers.  Sometimes they do, but mostly they don’t.  The following poem depicts one hunter’s outcome.

 

           The Hunter’s Defeat

 

There once was a hunter named Jim,

Whom late one day on a whim,

Took up his bow and decided to go,

For the urge to kill was in him.

 

The weather was dark and murky,

But his mind was on venison jerky.

The distance not far, he jumped in his car;

Dressed up to look like a turkey.

 

He arrived in the woods about dusk,

Smelling strongly of whitetail musk.

Bow in his hand, he climbed up on the stand.

Underneath laid corn in the husk.

 

He waited and soon came the sound

Of something pawing the ground.

The rustle of grass, as below it did pass,

Caused his heart to instantly pound.

 

                                                His eyes became narrow and dark

As he focused to find the mark.

He pulled up the bow and the arrow let go;

Sailed through the air like a lark.

 

Feather and steel parted air;

Tore through the muscle and hair.

Down fell the stag, now he could brag.

He had killed without thought or care.

 

                                                Down from the tree he did bound

And ran as he hit the ground.

He plunged in the knife and ended its life;

Blood flowed with a gushing sound.

 

He tied the deer to the hood,

Drove quickly out of the wood.

He felt such a thrill and relished the kill.

He would do it again if he could.

 

The deer hung by its legs in a shed.

Its body now all stained in red.

Its eyes glazed and still; where now was the thrill?

The prince of the forest was dead.

 

Once regal, its antlers a crown;

Intelligence gleamed from eyes brown.

How proud it once stood in the sheltering wood;

Protector of doe and of fawn.

 

No longer to run like the wind

Or drink from the stream at the bend.

Its head now hangs low, what a cruel way to go.

It appears we have come to the end.

 

But wait; there is more to the tale.

To not tell it indeed I would fail.

Ironic the fate; revenge never late,

For the deer in the end will prevail.

 

Its antlers now lay on the floor

To be mounted over the door.

But a dog lured by scent, to the source he went;

Took them off to be seen never more.

 

And so, heartless hunter of deer,

No trophy have you to cheer.

Revenge is so sweet; it shouts your defeat.

The deer had the last laugh, it’s clear.

                                                                                Wanda Hammond Ritter