I am still struggling, but each day is better than the one before; although there are setbacks last night was not a very good one. Still very swollen, very sore and still ‘out of it.’ 

Weather is allowing Carla to play in the dirt, so she is happy.  They have an ordinance limiting when she can burn.  Unfortunately instead of giving the fire department authority to make the dates based on weather and common sense, they gave specific dates.  She can’t burn until April 1, but the past couple weeks would have been ideal for burning.

Being a large garden, debris hauled off to ‘recycling’ is very expensive and burning for a couple of days takes care of it and the residue can be used in the garden. 

I know, complaining to you doesn’t change anything....

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mathew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

We need a new airplane the leaders of a “Mega-Church” proclaimed and feasted their eyes on this:

“Gulfstream's website lists an asking price of $67,950,000 for a G650 with a flight record of 1,616 hours and 625 landings since it entered service in mid-December.”

Then asked for 200,000 people to step up and donate $300 each.

Other than the emphasis on earthly riches, I have no idea what the leader of this church preaches and I don’t mean to cast dispersions on the individual or his ministry.  But I have to ask, if they do need an airplane to transport people and cargo, why are they looking at such a pricy one?

If they are doing so well, why don’t they budget for it out of their current donations?

Guess I wasn’t the only one, as they have retracted that request and ‘focus more on presenting the Gospel.’

What were they thinking when they went after money for the jet?

And not just any jet, but one of the most expensive luxury jets built?

If it was a truly valuable item and necessary for their ministry why did they suddenly not only withdraw their request but decide to focus on serving?

How much of the turning away from God is directly related to these kinds of pleas from leaders of ‘Christian’ organizations?

If the message is, a good Christian believes ‘if you believe God, He will give you riches here on earth,’ does that mean that the hundreds of thousands of Christians that are being tormented, tortured and enduring all means of persecution – including poverty and destitution - are not good Christians?

I do believe that God wants to bless us with things that provide for our daily needs, and I don’t think that excludes nice cars, clothes, housing, etc.  But it doesn’t mean that He wants us to focus on those items to the detriment of preaching the Word and salvation – both of which demand sacrifice.

We only have to look at Jesus’ life to see what He thinks of riches – not to mention His messages.  If He felt that riches were truly important and should be the focus of His ministry He would not have been born in a manger.

There is nothing here on earth that comes close to equaling what is awaiting Christians in heaven – Jesus gave up everything so that He could become the sacrifice for all of us, and He didn’t use expensive transportation to preach His message.

The ‘believe it and you will receive it’ messages are all about the me; not the preaching of God’s Word, in a meaningful manner, to the people that need salvation.  Their message is not service to God for His Glory but service so I can get material wealth.

I rarely watch the ‘televangelists’ on TV.  Their message often does have truth to it, but their message also includes calls for money so they can live a more lavish lifestyle.  When I do watch I often see them showing how they have this telephone exchange and all these people waiting for the watchers’ phone calls to give donations to their ministry.

I prefer the teaching messages, where the preacher or teacher is teaching the Word and not pleading for funds.  They may not be as flashy and they may not be as ‘large’ as some of these others but they teach God and His Word, not money.

We need to take great care in who we support to spread the Word of God.  Many of these ‘televangelists’ and large congregations water down Jesus’ message so they can get more people to contribute.  They point to numbers as success, but are they really seeing people come to Jesus, or just to a means to get more material things?

I am sure there are those that come to know Christ through these people, what concerns me is that so many of them focus on their ministry to the detriment of local communities and true Christian service.

We need to discern the message being given to us.  If we have questions we need to compare the messages with God’s Word, we need to talk with those we respect who have a demonstrated understanding of the Word.  We need to encourage others to do the same.

It is amazing what people will believe because they read it on the internet or see it on TV. 

With Social media being the rage of the day, everything is put out there – and a lot of it is wrong.  There is no filter on these people – they have no accountability to anyone.

People’s lives are being destroyed and false teachings are being amplified.  People are putting out information as fact, when they have no idea what is or isn’t.  We had a fire here earlier this week – the man was to be evicted from his home, he started a fire in the house and committed suicide.

When the deputy went to the house to serve notice gun shots were heard inside the house.  The deputy backed off and called it in.  City and State Police also assisted as the Sheriff had an area cordoned off around the house, and schools were locked down.  Shortly after wisps of smoke were seen coming from the house.

It took several hours before they breached the house.  When they opened the house the fire took off and the house burned, it was totaled.  The fire was put out and the man’s remains were found.

During this time all kinds of things were being sent out by people on the different social media platforms and NONE of it was correct, yet people believed it, fed off it and reported falsehoods as facts.

Christians are being led down these same paths of destruction.  Rather than proving the message before accepting it they are just sending it out.  We need to be better than that.

As Christians we want to be sure the message of Christ is correct, not accept it because some well-known evangelist says it.  We should have learned our lesson in the 80’s when many televangelists were exposed for their greed and sinful behavior.

Unfortunately, some of these Mega Church Pastors have the same mindset and focus on earthly gain and/or a watered down message rather than a message that speaks the truth and challenges Christians to serve God in the manner He has commanded.  

To our earthly ears some of the preaching may sound good – but it does not glorify God or His Word. We have the ability to know the difference and we need to search out what is being said and relay only the truth of the Gospel.

I don’t like social media because it does so much damage, but I know it won’t go away because I don’t like it.  Like it or not using the social media can be a good tool; we just want to make sure we don’t use it as another instrument to spread gossip and untruths.

Malachi 3:17-18   And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

¹⁸ Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We have the Word to help us, the Holy Spirit to guide us and our own ability to discern the truth – let us use these things and not just accept something because it sounds good.

Later, Dad :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again