A Blessed Women

The Metro bus can be a microcosm of God's Love at work. Last Friday on the 372 a women with two small children got on the bus. She had one of the children in one of those carriers that straps unto her shoulders and puts the child in front of her. The child looks toward the front, as does the mother. The other child held onto one hand of the mother. The other hand of the mom held onto a light weight stroller. She sat down, with one child in front of her and the other beside her. The mother's eyes looked tired.

I said, "You sure have your hands full."

She replied, "Not really."

The bus went along and soon the younger child tried to put her hat on. She succeeded, but backwards. The mother said, "Good job, backwards, but good job. High five." The mom stuck her hand out. The little one slapped it. Then the older one wanted to high five mom too. But the little one knew she was the one who earned it and wanted more high fives. soon the little one gave up and the mom stuck her hand on the side so the little one wouldn't see the older sister give a high five.

Next the older daughter showed the wet toe part of her shoes to her mother. Mom pointed out that it was from the rainy wet sidewalks outside. I pointed to mine and showed the girl that mine were wet, too. As did the mom. soon they got off as we reached their stop.

As they went past me, I said, "You are blessed."

The mom said, "Yes, I am."

Later that evening, my wife and I were sharing the events of our day. After I finished telling her about the blessed women, she asked me what the Biblical Significance of the encounter was. Off the top of my head I couldn't form the thought, except that the kids are blessing and that the interaction between the mom and her kids was precious.

Children are blessing to parents. In today's society, we ofter get the message that they are a burden not a blessing. We are told that they get in our way. That they will use up our money, after all on average it costs a quarter million dollars to raise a child, and even more if they get a top notch education. That children will keep us from doing the fun things! But proverbs says that they are like arrows in a man's quiver. That they are a blessing.

What are the roots that have changed the view of children being a burden instead of a blessing? One could say that it is a different world view. One that no longer sees the need to have children. But one that lets us take care of ourselves, or counts on social security for the needs of our later years. Also the advent of sophisticated Birth control, that put the me in the me generation.

But what is hugh is the doublethink that has been foisted upon us. Doublethink is a term that George Orwell coined in his book 1984, published in 1949. It is "To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which canceled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it."

One of our daughters is about to give birth. It might even be today. What is interesting is how early on she referred to the child as a baby not as a fetus. My daughter wants this baby. Often when a baby is not wanted it is referred to as a fetus, or just a lump of tissue, thinking not that there is a beating heart inside that baby. Months ago, early in the pregnancy, my daughter and her husband played music for and talked to the baby, well before the babies third trimester. She understood that the baby was in his early developmental stage.

Even in days of old, the baby was understood to be unique while in the mothers womb. Luke, a physician, in the days of Jesus recorded how John leaped in his mothers womb. What is interesting is not so much that John was active in his womb, but that the word that John used for the baby in Elizabeth was the same word that he used when he described the baby Jesus when He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. So it is obvious that the physician John saw the unborn baby and the born baby in the same light, both as living humans.

What makes the lady on the bus really blessed is that she survived the pressure to murder her own babies, not after they were born but before they were out of the womb. Much of the pressure today comes in the form of an economic reason. I need more money for the things that I want to do. Or an entertainment argument, I need more time to go sking or fishing or to go dancing. The best blessing is that of loving life. How much richer when that life comes from oneself? although it is sometimes difficult, tiring and resource consuming giving of oneself is always a blessing that fills us up and doesn't let us down.

Mark and the Goblet of Fire

Today I went to the Seattle Center to check it out. Not much was happening there. So I tried to find where I could catch the 372 Metro Bus. The map I had was not very detailed so I walked many extra blocks. Finally I went back to Seattle Center and asked directions. I got on the bus and began the first stage of my return home.

Soon a young man got on the bus and sat to my right in the seats that faced forward. I was seating in the seats that face across the bus. As he sat there I notices that he was reading a Harry Potter book, something about a goblet of fire. When I strike up a conversation, I like to start with something that is of interest to the other party.

so I said to him, "You know that magic doesn't happen like that." Pointing to the book. "It doesn't come in flames and whooseing sounds, like in the book."

I established that miracles still happen, but not like magic in Harry Potter.

Anyway, we talked about the Lord for the duration of the bus ride. He told me about how his deceased parents had been Christians. And that he had spent some time looking at various religions, but had not made up his mind.

At one point I felt that I was being baited into saying that Jesus is the only way. I really felt that if I had said this a wall would have been thrown up that would have been insurmountable at this time. What I said was that I only know one God. A little later was able to point out that the work that Jesus had done on the cross is unique in all the religions that I had studied. And that His work freed me from sin, and allowed me to go forward in my walk with the Lord. Much more was said in the twenty minutes of sharing. When I had to get of the bus Mark thanked me, and said that it had been a long time since he had talked about God.

Although Mark, not his real name, has not made up his mind on following the Lord, he is still hungry for spiritual things. There are two things that need to be remembered from this conversation. The first is be ready to listen to the other person. If we are just announcing, then we are only doing another commercial, and the DVR of the listeners mind will skip right through the message. Then no information will be shared. The second is that is important to focus on the essential points. whether or not the Gospel is the only way is not as important as establishing the points of the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. Long before understanding the uniqueness of the work on the cross, it is possible accept and believe in the salvation that Jesus did for us. So it was good to focus on the work that Jesus did. There definitely are times when it is necessary to focus on the uniqueness of the work of cross, and there on times when it is best to just focus on the work itself.

SE Spokane County Fair

Sept 25, 26, and 27 were a Friday, Saturday and Sunday this year. They were warm and Sunny. Perfect weather for a small county fair. Actually Spokane County is not a small county, but this fair is a small affair. Most of the participants were from Rockford and Fairfield, two very small towns. Spokane is only about 25 miles away and has an overly large fair. It is as though the local people wanted to keep a small town feel and a small town fair. The small town atmosphere that may be almost lost in our world of fast cars, instant messaging and on demand cell phones. My cell phone and most other carriers phones quit working about a mile and a half out of town as we dropped down into the valley that houses Rockford.

About four weeks prior to the fair, my heart was burdened to tell people about walking with God. As I looked for venues where I could get peoples attention, many required much money or had a long lead time to reserve a spot. Then I came across the SE Spokane County Fair. I went for it. The booth organizer, Charlie Salt alloted us a 10' by 10' space in the show. But we did not have a canopy that we needed. Kimberly mentioned our need on a Facebook post. Sangeeta, a friend of ours, and of a different religion, offered her brand new canopy. Thank you Lord for people with generous hearts. Thank you, Sangeeta for allowing your heart to be generous.

Thursday evening was the set-up time. After setting up the canopy, I set up a tent for sleeping in near the barns. I am afraid that I am not a country boy. It seems that one of the show cows mooed all night long. It was a tough time sleeping. But the first day of the show was worth a poor nights sleep. The presentation was titled, "From Tragedy to Triumph." I told about our RV burning and how that was a tragedy, but it was turned into a triumph. I then told a little about our book, "Stories of a Salvation." Many people bought copies of the book. Some saw the title, scoffed and walked away. Others, said that they did not want to read the book, but thanked me for the stories that I told on the spot. That night I went to Spokane and rented a motel room. The next day was much the same as Friday, except I was able to pray with some people, too.

One interesting encounter, that has kept me praying and meditating on God's Word, occurred on the way to the restroom on Saturday. I stopped at a table where the people were trying to get others to sign a petition. It turns out that the two men were Gay. One of them told me that he is a Christian and that he has been rejected from churches. But that he believes that God loves him as he loves God. He pointed out that Jesus never condemned homosexuality. Later, a couple came by my booth and told me how they hated homosexuals. Their words were not kind words. I have been pondering how God loves all and sent His Son to the cross that ALL might be saved. He loves both the hater and the hated.

Maybe I am sensitive to those who are rejected because I remember a time when I went to a church and no one sat in the same pew that I did, even though every other pew was full, and no one even said, "Hi" to me. Jesus loved me even then, even though I had very long hair and was wearing an old army jacket that a friend had given me on a cold night in Southern California.

Sunday morning there was a worship service on the grounds. They sang the old hymns, and a lot of them. It was an anointed time of worship. Gods presence was there. Two Gay guys were singing on stage in the choir, and yet I could feel the blessing of God on the song service.

I feel that I must post his part and work on a post about my meditations on the Fair in Light of the Word.

Spread the Love!

Governmental efficiencies

For most of my life i have complained about the government. It didn't matter if the topic were the Federal government or the State Government, or the City government. The complaints would even go down tho the level of community home owners association. But last night I had an epiphany. Good government comes from a healthy spiritual environment.
Whoa! You say, not so fast. OK so lets look at what government is. When we leave out names of parties and ideologies we are left with people making decisions. Now when people make decisions they will make some good and some bad decisions. After all, they are human. As humans we make decisions all the time. Some will be good and some will be bad.

1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Romans 13:1-7 (NLT)

Wisdom to be found

Bad things have been happening to good people for at least two thousand years. Jesus pointed out that the tower of Siloam fell and killed good people. Today it occurred to me that some good people I know have had bad things happen to them. Out of our early morning prayer team, three have had marital separations. One of them has ended in divorce, while one has been reconciled. The other day I was talking with the one that had been separated, but was now living with the same wife in a harmonious relationship. He had pointed out to me a scripture that illustrates the choices that sometimes we fail to make that can help our situation.
1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment. proverbs 1:18 NKJV.
When guys get hurt we tend to crawl into a cave and isolate ourselves. Indeed, today we even have special places in our houses called "man cave". I sometimes joke that at least it is better than the dog house. The one fellow whose wife left him didn't do that. Indeed he did just the opposite. He came consistently to the church and added the men's prayer time to his busy schedule. During the prayer time he asked the brothers to pray for him. I can't say that he sought counsel, but a betting man would bet that he did! He and his wife are still together, and appear to be enjoying each others company.
Of the other two whose wives left, one never, to my knowledge sought prayer from the group that we attend, one has since been divorced, while the other and his wife are seeking counseling.

Men be wise. In tough situations seek prayer and counsel from those that love you and the Lord!

Coming revival

When I was in Spokane at a healing rooms conference, Cal Pierce showed a cover of Newsweek that said something to the effect that church attendance is down over much of America. A short time later, as I was dancing in the spirit. The Lord quickened to me that when a really large wave comes to shore the water before the wave is drawn back into the wave itself, often exposing bare sand that before was covered with water. This is what is happening now. It appears that the church is drying in other parts of our country. There is a hugh wave coming. I remember a time some decades ago when the press was saying that "God is Dead." But what happened was the Jesus Movement came along with a new time of refreshing. There is a new wave coming!!!! I chose to ride that wave! I am sure it will be awesome.
Before the aforementioned time, I was in prayer and had a prayer dream. In the dream, I went to a very large empty field. At one edge there were a few table set up, on the far end was activity that appeared to be the setting of a stage. At the near tables were some women. I said to one, I have signed up and am here to help with the revival She said that it wasn't quite time yet. Then asked me what church I was with. I told her CFC. To which she replied that they had all they needed. She then said that I should stand in the spot for Kellogg. I said that there was no one else there. She said, "That more will be coming along."

Giving and receiving

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, you will be measured.”*ISV International Standard Version.

I would like to share with you a case where this scripture was fulfilled again. About two months ago I was talking to John, a friend, about my need to replace or repair a portion of our floor. In the kitchen the vinyl was torn, and the entry way and dining area had shabby looking oak. John looked at the floor and said that the oak was only engineered and after 20+ years would best be replaced. He suggested that both the vinyl and the oak be removed and replaced.
John’s trade was installing and finishing hardwood flooring. John had not been working for quite a while. But, nonetheless, he offered to do the work for us for no cost other than the materials. As he offered I remembered the scripture, “Acts 20:35 In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” I felt in my heart that if John did this then God would bless him abundantly for his giving out of his heart.
About a month ago, John was on the last day of finishing the new floor, which had doubled from 400 square feet to about 800 square feet. At that time John got contracts for two floors, and the next week started training for a new job. For the last month John has been so busy that he couldn't’t see daylight. Yesterday he called and told me that he had finished training. During the next two weeks, which were his first two weeks on his own at the new job, his earnings were over $3700. Not bad, for a newbie. But God is God. Why should we be surprised!?

retired or not retired

Last fall I was in Spokane at a Healing Rooms Conference. After morning prayer, I was sitting in the presence of the Lord, and realized that my confession, when I introduced myself, was incorrect when I said that I am retired. So I told the Lord that I would change my confession to, "I am a full time servant of the Lord." He said what will you do? I said, "What ever You put in front of me." Then I wandered out to the foyer and asked a young man who was working on the equipment that live steamed the event on the internet, "How much bandwidth does it take to stream this event?" He said, "I don't know. But, we do need someone to run a camera." I then was given camera three to operate on stage right. Since then, I am always busy with pressing things that need to be done.

answered prayer

Today my daughter, Gaby, Was late getting up. I took her to school. We got there at the sound of the bell. After her second period, she sent me a text message saying that she was super sick. Would I come pick her up? Before I could send her one back, I got another one. It said that she needed to stay to take a math test. Would I pray for her? I sent a prayer text. God honored it, and at lunch time I got another text telling me that she was fine.

Angels singing above

Yesterday evening I was sitting at my desk, writing out checks and enjoying the aroma of chicken and noodles that were cooking upstairs. Soon something not so usual occurred. I heard angelic voices being raised in song. The sweet sounds uplifted my spirits at the end of this day. After a song or two the singing stopped. But the voices didn't they just went into a fast kind of twittering conversation, interspersed with giggles and laughter. Then the wonderful, delightful singing resumed, and the joy swelled in my heart, once again! This cycle went on for several times, and then stopped. I heard the door upstairs open and close. I went upstairs to find my wife cooking dinner in the kitchen. Gaby and several friends were sitting in the great room talking.
Now I understood the enchanting sounds that I heard. Gaby and eight friends were practicing for their ensemble performance for Bothell High School.
In my life I have experienced many things. I have received hundreds of trophies for driving my sports car fast, have made exciting business deals, have traveled to distant lands, have done things that are unspeakable. But nothing compares to the feeling and sense of peace and joy that I was given yesterday evening. I am so glad that I decided to marry and have children. I must thank the Lord for bearing with me for decades. He makes it all worthwhile in those special moments.

praying in tongues

Glossolalia, speaking in tongues, is often debated for what it is or isn’t--whether it is an authentic manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Christian’s life or bogus religious mumbo-jumbo. Rarely is it looked at for what it does for the believer. A pilot study done by Timothy Arthur Jones in partial fulfillment of a Masters Degree in Psychology at the University of Idaho, looked at the brainwave activity of Christians who prayed in tongues.

The experiment measured the electrical activity of both sides of the brain while the Christians were resting, then praying in tongues, then resting.
The study looked at three different types of brainwaves: alpha, beta, and theta.
In simple terms, alpha brain waves are found during periods of relaxation with eyes closed, but still in awake state. They are thought to represent the activity of the brain in an idle state. Beta rhythm are associated with normal waking consciousness (above 12 Hz). They are associated with active, busy, or anxious thinking and active concentration. Theta rhythms are normally absent in healthy awake adults. Theta waves are normally present in adults just before sleep, what is referred to as the twilight state: between consciousness and sleep. It is associated with increased creativity, stress reduction, learning enhancement, and an awakening of intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.

Findings: The most interesting finding was that a significant increase in theta waves was found during the prayer period.

Interpretation:The study suggests that the Christian that prays in an other tongues has the opportunity to fulfill what is being referred to in I Corinthians 14:4: that is, to build himself up, to find answers that require original and creative thinking.

“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself.” (I Corinthians 14:4).
ed·i·fy:
1) to instruct or improve spiritually...
2) archaic a: build b: establish
to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge : uplift ; also : enlighten , inform

So the real question about speaking in tongues is not whether it is a known language or not or whether it is for the modern day Christian, but rather, can it have benefit to the believer today and in if so, how? This study opens some thought provoking possibilities that should be addressed further.

Christianity, The President, and Abortion

The opening remarks of Casey Treat in first service this mornin, January 11, 2009, seem to be particularly relevant to our times. With a major change in the presidency and economic problems there is much room for negativity and reduction of faith. A friend from my old church in Monroe called me this morning. He asked me if I thought that the president elect might be the anti-Christ. I tried to make the point that the government is of this world and the Lord’s is of the heart.
I asked him why he thought that Obama might be the anti-Christ. He replied that Obama supports abortion. He also asked if any democrat can be a Christian? After the election Dutch Sheets says that he is quite confident that the election of Barack Obama was definitely not God’s will. http://www.dutchsheets.org/index.cfm. He seems to base this on the premise that Mr. Obama supports abortion. when I listened to Obama it seems to me that he knows that abortion is not the best option. It seems to me that President -elect Obama would like to enhance the life options, rather than returning to wire coat hanger abortions.
Let’s not just look at the particular issue of abortions, but the entire issue about a Christian individuals relationship to the Government. The fate of new born or unborn are issues that are of intense opinions thought out our society. This issue causes many to break laws and to lose their inner peace. look at those who are in prison now for the destruction of Abortion clinics. The opposition also shows much anger about the issue. Decades ago, I visited a friend of mine, Bill Warren. He was a photographer. When I met him he was very proud of his latest assignment. he had made the cover of Newsweek Magazine. It was a collage of shots that he had taken at some abortion protests. At that time abortions were illegal. Women were dying from ill performed abortions. Today almost forty years later I can still feel the anger of the demonstrators.
     These events have caused me to look at these issues in light of the Bible. After the election I looked up the verse about government in Romans 13:1-5.

1. Every person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God's permission. 

2. The existing authorities have been established by God, so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval.
4 For they are God's servants working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to execute wrath on anyone who does wrong.
5 Therefore, it is necessary for you to be subject, not only because of God's wrath but also because of your own conscience. ISV
One interesting point about the Romans of the Biblical era was the way they handled a birth in a family. The baby would be presented to Pater Familias, the family head, who would decide the fate of the newborn. At the whim of the Pater Familias the baby would be taken to the forest and abandoned. There is archaeological evidence that some babies were actually placed on the trash heaps and never made it to the woods. If Paul admonished the Romans to obey the government and they were to pray for their leaders and to pay tribute. How can it be any thing other for us? God’s plan for us is peace. We may not see it in the world, but peace in our hearts, now!
I would like to comment about the Pastor that led President-elect Obama to the Lord, and to whose church Obama attended for many years. maybe you have seen the press videos of the Pastor ranting. Sometimes people vent. Does any Christian always have God’s Peace and His mind? I think that it would be almost impossible for anyone born in white middle class America to understand the Black experience in America. This certainly was made abundantly true for me one night in the mid sixties.
I had made friend a when I was working on the minuteman guidance system at the aircraft factory. His last name was the same as mine. We would go out at lunch time and ride our motorcycles together. He had a full dress Harley. I had a 250 rice burnin Yamaha. His first name was Vinsone, or Vinnie to me. One day he invited me to a party at his place. His place was in Watts, California. Vinnie was Black. It was only a year or two since Watts had burned the first time. So there I was, at a place that looked something like a plain old apartment complex, two story stucco sided buildings with lawns in between the building and close line poles in the lawns. At that time Vinnie chained his Full Dress Harley to a steel clothes line pole in the lawn in front of his apartment. While Vinnie's girl friend was trying to teach me to dance, Vinnie's brother burst in the front door and said that some guys were scheming to steal his bike. So, I said, “Let’s call the cops.” No response, only a heavy silence hung in the room as all eyes turned to look at the dumb white boy, me. So finally, it dawned me that in that part of town, in the local inhabitants minds, the cops weren't friends, allies or protectors, but something else.
Vinnie opened the closet by the front door and reached for the chains and baseball bats that were kept there. So, I said, “Let’s get ‘em.” I too reached for the goodies in the closet. Vinnie grabbed my arm and told me to stay there. It was good advice that kept my obit out of the Garden Grove paper. The guys went out without me, they were not gone long. When they returned they said it was all cool now. That night made me eventually realize that I am just a dumb white boy from the suburbs. As a white boy from the 'burbs I realize that I cannot, with the natural mind, understand another man's framework of thoughts and experiences. 

So how can I judge the stance or position of another person's walk with the Lord? Is He finished with me yet? Is He finished with you yet? A persons heart is only too easy to be deceived. The walk with the Lord, for many, is long and perhaps rocky. I can only think of the years that I walked in an abusive nature, while thinking that I was close to perfection.
It is with this background that when I saw Obama’s Pastor go verbally ballistic, ranting about this country, I thought, "This man has a lot to vent." Although, only God can know a man’s heart, I believe that someday Barack’s Pastor, Rev. Wright,  Barack and I will all be in heaven.

Today I posted a comment to president elect Obama's economic team. It is great way to express my thoughts. His web change.gov gives us access to many different layers of his administration. It seems to be a practical way to give "Power to the People." Empower yourself, It even feels good! Below is what I what sent them.  

I liked where Jason Furman spoke about something that is lasting that TRANSFORMS OUR ECONOMY FOR THE LONG TERM. FDR made long term changes when he electrified our country. We in the West still reap the benefits of the Columbia Project with cheap power. Other areas have similar projects. The South west has Boulder Dam, the TVA still provides power to a large area.
We need to change from Carbonaesous fuel to others. I have done much research and believe that hydrogen is a viable path. Make more electricity from wind, solar, tidal, and geothermal. Convert that at a local level to H2 hydrogen. This has hugh advantages over our present use of fossil fuels. One is the low,almost no environmental impact, the other is that it is produced solely by us. GM has done a study saying that fueling stations to serve a hugh majority of drivers can be built for 15 billon dollars. Didn't Exxon have profits in excess of 40 billion in 2006? Yet they have done virtually nothing for change. I hope that you act to change this fossilized thinking.

Tim Jones
tinysview.blogspot.com
www.TimandKimberlyJones.com