THE PIANO

                                                  THE PIANO

    The number on the mailbox read 4440 and Tulip Lane appeared

under it. Rip turned into the driveway and got out of the car. As he

did, a voice called from behind the house, "I'm out back here in the

yard!" Rip walked around the side of the house and paused briefly

at the sight in front of him. A blonde wearing a black bikini was in

the process of bathing a huge dog. The girl was about 5-6 or 5-7, 

and the dog was that tall sitting up. The girl had soap suds splashed

on her, and as she rinsed them off the dog, he shook his body and

gave her a shower of suds and water. Rip was mesmerized by the

sight,  and his surprise continued as the girl said, "Hi, Rip!"

    He had never met the girl and didn't recognize her. It would have

been impossible for a man to not remember meeting somebody who

looked like this. "How do you know my name? Rip asked, "I've never

met you." The girl laughed, and replied, "I've been seeing you for the

past couple of months!" Now Rip began to question his sanity, as this

seemed impossible. "I don't remember seeing you at all before, and

certainly not over the past two months. Whatever are you talking

about?" The girl laughed and her eyes sparkled. "I've seen you every

Sunday," she teased. "How could that be?" he asked, perplexed.

"I couldn't possibly ignore someone who looked like you!" She

laughed again at his confusion, and replied, "Because you never saw

me without by choir robe on. And, all the girls at church know your car.

You're the only guy around with a new red convertible who's single

and available!"

    Now, Rip was beginning to recover. This girl was witty and had led

him on a merry chase. She was also pretty, and her address number,

44-40, probably matched her physical measurements. She continued

to smile as she said, "I'm disappointed you appear to be here on 

business instead of pleasure. Are you working on a fund drive for

the church?" Rip said, "I'm working on an investigation to try and

recover stolen property." It was the girl's turn to be surprised. "You

mean you're a cop, too?" she asked unbelievably. "No, no, he

responded quickly. The man who sold the church the organ was robbed

recently. The sheriff is my uncle, and he knows I took some criminal

justice courses, so he put me on the case part time just for expenses. 

I still have my ministry duties."

    "Well, now!" she exclaimed. "I suppose you're going to find the sinner,

convict him, then have him repent, and get saved," she surmised in

mock seriousness. Rip thought, she's darn good. The more I say, the

more she's able to carry the conversation. This is really interesting.

My investigation has already uncovered a gem. "Your surmise does

sound ideal," Rip admitted. "The research I do for my teaching ties in

with investigative research. It's sort of the 'why' and the 'why not'.

Why commit a sin and break the law, or why not get saved and learn

the virtues of grace under Christianity?" Now it was her turn to 

evaluate Rip. Nice recovery, she thought. I had him dead to rights, and

he's recovering well. I like intelligence.

    "If I can help, I'll sure do what I can," she promised, turning serious

for a change. "What was stolen that you're looking for?" He kept a

straight face as he said matter-of-factly, "A baby grand piano."For a

couple of seconds, she was stunned. When she collected her

thoughts, she doubted him, suspecting he was giving her a hard time

for the teasing she gave him. "You mean to tell me somebody stole a

baby grand piano and nobody has found it or caught the thief?" she

asked exasperated. Now Rip knew he had reversed her advantage, and

it would be fun to pursue the advantage. "Sure," Rip responded. "It

happens all the time. You don't hear about it because it's so 

embarrassing to the cops."

    "So, do you go around asking people if they've seen a missing baby

grand piano?" she asked, laughing again so hard her blonde hair shook

from side to side. Rip had to laugh, too. "No, I try to be diplomatic by

telling them we had a major robbery and a valuable musical instrument

is missing. The size and quality of the instrument require special care

in its recovery. A violin or guitar is easier to find than this item because

its size precludes anyone stealing it, and it is a pricey theft. When I tell

them it is a baby grand piano, their jaw drops. They go into shock, either

in disbelief or humor. When I tell them I'm a Christian minister working

on the case, it gets worse. You have no idea. When they ask what church

I belong to, it gets very unfriendly at times."

    "You mean they're strict denominationals?" she asked. "No, it's the

name of the church," he explained. "What's the matter with that?" she

continued. "It's named for outstanding biblical characters. How can

that be so terrible?" "It has more to do with generations and the degree

of conservatism," Rip explained. "Some people equate the names in

the title with a musical group of some years back. When you say St.

Peter, Paul and Mary, they get angry." "That was quite a long time ago,"

she agreed. "They were a fine group, and I don't see anything wrong

with the name." Rip added, "I don't even mention my religious connections

unless the subject comes up. As the saying goes,'never discuss religion

or politics.' Christianity is my mission, so I can't shirk my duty."

    "Is this missing piano much like the one we have in the church?" she

asked. "Yes, it is," Rip answered, "And it has been on order for another

church for some time. There aren't that many baby grands around, and

we don't have a motive. What would you do with a baby grand?" "I see

your point," she said. "All I can do is wish you luck." "I thank you very 

much for your time," Rip thanked her. "But my investigation is not

finished here." "What do you mean," she asked with surprise. "I don't

even know your name," Rip said. "My list just has the address and initial

H. Bunnythorpe. Is your last name connected to the town in New Zealand

of that name?" She was very surprised and asked, "I'm amazed you would

know that, and yes, it is connected." "And, your first name is...?" Rip posed the question. "Honey," she responded. It was Rip's turn to laugh as he said, "A real Honey Bunny!" "All right. I had it coming," she laughed.

`"I have another question for you, she said. "How on earth did my name

get on your check list?" He paused a bit before answering. "Well, there

was this performance involving a baby grand recently." She said, with

some surprise, "Performance?" Again he was a bit hesitant as he slowly

responded. "It seems there was this party at the club and you performed

a rousing song using the baby grand as a prop." She had a look of disbelief

and paused just a split second before explosively responding with a loud

"I can't believe it! I sing a song and become a suspect in the robbery of

a baby grand!"

     "We have to check any and all leads," he said apologetically. "Their

description of your performance was quite 'stirring'," he added. "In fact,

I don't believe he did it justice now that I've seen you." "I'll take that as

a compliment," she laughed. "I love to sing, and I'm an extrovert, as you

probably can see." Rip laughed, too, as he agreed, "I don't believe anyone

would question that." Now, Rip was virtually 'hooked' by the young lady, 

who combined looks with intelligence. She obviously had a keen sense

of humor. Why hadn't he noticed her before? This couldn't end here on

an 'off key'.

    "Honey, I'm going out to the warehouse where the baby grand was

stored this afternoon to look around the area and talk to an employee

or two and anyone else in the area. Would you consider an investigative

field trip with me?" he said very hopefully, able to stifle his eagerness

only partially.

(to be continued)

Rev. Walbear

BLACK CLOUDS AND GLORY

                                                       BLACK CLOUDS AND GLORY

If you recall the comic strip Lil' Abner, you may also recall one of the characters: a dejected looking man who always had a black rain cloud over his head. He had continuing bad fortune. When you're about to receive a blessing from God, Satan frequently slips in, and tries to place a black cloud over your head. This message will be different than usual, because I'm going to write about a very blessed event: the birth of our daughter. I happen to know there are some others out there who celebrate birthdays on the same date as Helga. We're pleased to have you with us, and a very happy celebration. The events of our daughter's birth were quite unusual, even for our abnormal normalcy. 

The Queen had a very good pregnancy, and kept working along side me on the farm. We had no hired help, and had asked my parents to come and stay with us as we dealt with the farm work plus a new addition to the family. We told my Dad the due date, and asked them to come a few days early. He insisted the Queen would deliver on the same day as my sister's birthday. That was two weeks past the due date, but he was steadfast it would happen on her birthday. As the delivery date approached, the Queen's water broke. The doctor said she could continue working at home, but to be careful. If she didn't deliver by Sunday, he would induce delivery. This was on Thursday. We decide to attend an agricultural banquet Friday night because I was on schedule to receive two awards and be one of the speakers. All

went well. After we returned home she began experiencing some

back pain, so we knew it would be soon.

We had a large flock of sheep, and we lambed year-round. There were a couple of ewes due, and we always kept a close check on them to insure speedy deliveries. The Queen told me to get some sleep, and she'd keep an eye on the sheep barn. She probably wouldn't be able to rest well because of the back pain. Just past the middle of the night, she got me up. This was not a good time because when I took her to the hospital, I would have to return home right away for chores. My parents hadn't arrived, and I would have no help. This was disappointing, because we had arranged for me to be present at the birth.

Upon returning home, I found two men waiting for me because

they were looking for breeding stock. I was already late for chores, but I showed them the stock. When they went to leave, they found they had parked their car partly in a snow bank, and they were stuck. I got a shovel and dug them out. Did I mention it was a bitter cold, dreary morning? I fed the cows before milking, and that brought me the next problem. Since my parents hadn't arrived, one of our 4-H lads had helped us with chores Friday night. He forgot to close a trap door, and the milker metal parts had ice. I had dairy cows to milk, dairy goats to feed and milk, the sheep to feed and check for evidence of lambing, horses to feed, 2,000 layers to feed and water, manure to get out, and various other usual tasks. The morning wore on to noon, and I learned a had a daughter through a the daily radio announcement from the hospital. We had two phones in barns, but several barns, so I received no call. This was before the cell phone was available.

When I stopped for brunch around 1 p.m., I called and the Queen told me everything was fine. She had already been visited by several of our co-workers and friends. My parents were still not there, so I moved right into the round of chores and necessary work. The queen knew I wouldn't be able to visit. By about 10 p.m. I was exhausted, and had to get some sleep. I worked on chores Sunday morning, and by early afternoon my parents had arrived. I was finally able to go to the hospital and see my daughter. She already had her mother's good looks. The long hours and cold were taking their toll on me, and by the time my Dad and I finished work, I was exhausted to the point I couldn't stay awake. I finally got some good sleep.

Monday was homecoming day for mother and daughter. Dad and I did chores early so I could pick them up after lunch. By the time we got home, I was having trouble staying awake again. I managed to get through chores Tuesday morning before exhaustion caught up with me again. I went to sleep, and they just couldn't get me up in the afternoon. This wasn't good, because we were due to get a load of hay in the afternoon. Our neighbor was hauling the hay for us, but he needed someone to go along to load. Dad couldn't do it, so the Queen went with our neighbor to get the hay. This was a determined and tough lady. She helped unload it, too. The Queen's two and a half days to deliver Helga were her "vacation." 

The glory was evident in the wonderful daughter and the tremendous vitality of the Queen. The black clouds didn't go away. Satan wasn't happy that we made it through the tough time. Although the Queen had lots of milk for breast feeding, Helga demonstrated that she considered herself a cut above the usual. The mother's milk wasn't good enough for her, and she didn't keep it down. The doctor tried putting her on a substitute, but it didn't work, either. My Dad told us about the problem they had with me as a baby. Apparently I had the same attitude as my

daughter. They got Jersey milk from a neighbor, and I took off like a rocket. I had needed more butterfat in the milk. As they said, I just had to have milk that was more RICH. We switched doctors, and the new doctor agreed we should try the richer milk. That solved the

problem. 

To her mother's delight, she took to horses immediately, and was riding her pony at the age of three. At the age of five she was milking the dairy goats and rode her Morgan mare as part of our equestrian unit in several regional parades. She accompanied us to our news office and began working on trying to write stories. As I soon learned, the first few months of her family life turned out to be somewhat easier than the years that followed. She was very independent and worked hard to support her beliefs. The best thing about that was her staunch support of our family.

My Valentine message is in the form of an original series patterned after the previous story of Cattle Rustlers. It is scripturally based, but has some humor as well. This time the story line is a combination mystery-romance. There is considerable romance and love in the bible, as well as the serious stuff. Sometimes we spend too much time in negatives and miss the joy of positives. If you have comments---pro or con--- about the story messages, I would appreciate hearing from you. In the meantime, the story "Piano" is my valentine to you. 

Rev. Walbear

GOD'S TREE

                                                                 GOD'S TREE

This message is not about Christmas trees, but it could be. Rather we need to look at how God has selected certain things to represent His realm. He began the use of symbols immediately in scripture and gives us a clear idea of their importance. In the story of creation, note the third day was spent creating trees and plants, Gen. 1:12. "And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind." Man was not created until the sixth day, Gen 1:27, "so God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Nay sayers point to Gen. 2:18-25, where Eve was constructed from Adam's rib, and claim this is in contradiction to Gen. 1:27. The verses in chapter two explain why and how woman was made. Since woman was actually a part of man, it was a matter of altering the original. An important side bar here is the clear interpretation of "image of God." Christ said in John 14:9, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father?'" These verses are the second part of verse 9.

Before we get to the subject of trees, we need to look at how the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the image of Christ (God) is not legally complete. In a ruling by the Conservative majority, the image now includes a corporation because it is considered a person. Why do Christians who claim they are Conservatives agree with this violation of scripture? The ruling opened the door for unlimited political donations. Millions of dollars are being spent in political campaigns that could otherwise benefit citizens and reduce the national debt. As we proceed, you'll understand why trees are also being treated as money. 

God named two special trees in the Garden of Eden, Gen. 2:9, part 2 tells us "The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." God gave humans the command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Everything else was permitted food. That included the tree of life. Human nature tends us to follow our desires rather than God's directions. Satan know this and is a student of scripture. He is subtle and sly. Without the Holy Spirit, a Christian is no match for him. If you are saved, you have the presence of the holy Spirit to assist you in making the correct choices. The tree of knowledge will yield the Godly answers.

Christians use the symbol of a Cross to show their affiliation to the Christian faith. This is not wrong, but the Cross should more accurately be made of wood. The wooden Cross signifies a dual meaning...the end of earthly life, and the beginning of heavenly life. The cross for crucifixion was made from a tree, and the cross is sometimes referred to as "the tree." The Christmas tree is more accurately displayed as the celebration of Christ's birthday. The tree represents life, and the lights we place upon it refer to His personal identity as truth and the light of the world. You might say
they are the candles on His cake. Americans are so bigoted they take sides for or against faith symbols such as the Christmas tree. All faiths should be free to display their faith symbols, but the Constitution separates differing faiths from "advertising" on public property. It is discrimination to refuse service to any faith. Christians should be well aware of this is they claim to follow Christ's teaching in the four gospels.

Trees and specific locations can have spiritual significance for people. We recognize some locations as battle sites, or well known homes of leaders, or meeting places. For some spiritual people, there may be a connection to specific trees, a flower or other plant. It could even be a rock or certain area of ground. This is not to claim the item or place represents anything religious such as an idol. It could be a certain seat in a church or in front of an altar. It is somewhat like the connection between a horse or dog whisperer and a human. It can be very inspirational and enable a committed Christian to make Godly decisions. It may also lead to discoveries of historical or family information.

One person has a lone tree in a cemetery that has a special place, and it also mirrors the trinity. It stands alone in the cemetery, but is a variety that brings forth three trunks from one stem. It has several names, but most common is the red oak. This is not a stately tree as are some varieties. The three growths from a single stem represent the Christian trinity. The tree is a  reminder of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and scripture. It provides comfort, and there is no special connection to people because there are no relatives or acquaintances buried in the cemetery.

My wife and I were looking at farm properties in Virginia many years ago in and about the Shenandoah Valley. We were taken to view a farm that had good fields, a nice brick home, and a small stream with some brush and woods. The realtor took us for a walk along a farm road between fields to the creek. It was shallow, and we didn't need boots to cross it. When we got past the few scrub trees along the creek, there was a small open field. We both got chills when we crossed the creek. It was very creepy. There was no way we were going to buy that place. We were later told the  realtor was having trouble trying to sell it. Local historians told us there was a hanging across that little creek.

Another person has a special tree located on a cliff overlooking a beautiful river and valley. It is a pine, and stands alone, sort of like a lookout. It has spiritual connotations for the owner of the property. The land was part of what was known as a "poor farm,"
a facility kept by the county to home people who had no money. In those days (not that long ago), there was no social security and few pension plans. When people were too old to work and had no property of their own, they could live on the poor farm. This tree had "seen" all the struggling people who lived there, and also had
witnessed a major Civil War battle. There are caves on the property, and at one time, the property owner had slaves. The tree has an inspiring and comforting effect as a gathering point overlooking the historic and beautiful countryside.

Two trees had a special spiritual connection for a young boy. One was on a neighbor's property, and stood alone among a small forest of hardwood trees. This tree was a pine, and towered towards the sky. The hardwoods appeared as servants to a master. The tree served as inspiration for writing, and was affectionately known as the "Lone Pine" in the background of stories. There was another tree, a huge sycamore that suggested great strength and protection. It was located along a stream, near a super fishing hole. The site was frequently utilized in the summer as a campsite for two boys who did it the hard way, with a pup tent, cooking over a campfire, and often sleeping under the stars. There were no sleeping bags. This tree made you feel like you were in a home.

Christ often used a tree to illustrate a teaching point. Luke 13:6-9 tells us about our Christian obligation in the story about a fruit tree. Verse 9 says, "And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down." There are similar warnings about a Christian's obligation to bear spiritual fruit. When you receive salvation, you are expected to work for Christ. Every saved person can witness, and most have more than one gift of the Spirit. Being saved doesn't mean you can sit back in the easy chair and wait for your trip to heaven. Christ doesn't want loafers in heaven. Like a tree, if you don't have good fruit, there isn't a place for you in one of the mansions. Use a good tree as an example of producing something good.

Trees are constantly facing destruction because of greed and
outright stupidity. Developers want to cut down trees to clear building sites. Trees are cut for their value in lumber. Trees are cut to clear land for farming. Often, there is no regard for the environmental value of trees. They soak up water and prevent soil erosion. They cleanse the air and provide shade. We get many varieties of fruit and maple syrup from them, paper, building supplies and heat. Our national and state forests are a valuable asset for all citizens. They are exploited for money, not national well being. Christians, as well as the general public, should value trees for their spiritual contribution. This benefit may not be visible to the eye, but it is as real as other invisible basics we treasure---God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Walbear

THE ART OF SPIN

                                                   THE ART OF SPIN

We begin Walbear's expose of scriptural spin by reading Matt. 7:1. "Judge not, that you be not judged." Most of us make an assessment of individuals when we meet them, which is actually judgment. This type of judgment gives us a basis to deal with them. We attempt to decide if the person can be trusted with issues common to us, such as telling the truth, stealing, safety, etc. The more religious person often goes further, placing the individual as a loser or not worthy to be considered a Christian. This is snap judgment, and establishes how far we can consider this information when we have to make a decision. Many Christians assess the person to place him in one of two classes: saved or unsaved. You could replace those terms with Christian or otherwise.

It has amazed me to now see and hear a SPIN applied to this verse of scripture. By quoting just one verse, you are able to further define the subject at your own pleasure as long as you don't go to verse two and complete the admonition of Christ. By limiting your delivery of judgment to one verse, you can divert complete attention to your goal. To fully understand Christ's teaching of judgment, you need to read chapter seven's verses one through five. Verse two explains the pitfall of making an incorrect judgment. "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

These verses are a warning not to exclude others from the Christian community because only Christ can do that. We are talking about any person and their general actions. We are not talking about sins, because we are all sinners. The question is, does the person who claims to be a Christian, or who is touted as a Christian, display the characteristics of a Christian as given us by Christ in the four gospels? We need to give this subject careful thought. Committing a sin is quite normal for any Christian, and only one is unforgiven. Christ died to cover our sins, but a genuine Christian has an obligation to utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to cure the temptation of sin. Christians of different denominations should not judge others of a different denomination, etc.

This is pretty straight forward instruction. Now we get to the spin. It begins as explained above by citing just one verse. To throw you off, you now get a veiled threat through verse two above. Salvation and Heaven are determined by God and Christ, not by any man. There are several places in the gospels that tell us this. Man cannot make a determination of Christian worthiness, so it is not our choice to label anyone a Christian or non Christian. That seems pretty final, but it ignores a Christian's duty for separation. Everyone has a choice to accept or reject salvation. The problem then becomes one of separating apostate (false) pretenders and teachers from the real Christians.

Apostate teachers and supporters are quite proficient in their work. We see some pretty polished liars and half truth merchants making the rounds and amassing huge fortunes. How do we keep ourselves from their clutches? If you are saved, you can call on the Holy Spirit to guide you. Of course you will be directed to scripture, where the answer can be found. If you are comfortable with spiritual experiences, you can follow the directions for discerning spirits. The quickest way is to look at the person's character and actions. What does the person say, and what does he do? Since we are talking about individuals who are trying to persuade you to do something, carefully check his true record. Make certain your material doesn't come from prepared or biased reports. There is scripture for this. This is where false teachers or commentators lead you into the sin of violating the Ninth Commandment...bearing false witness.

Christians should investigate not what anyone says, but what they do and have done. Your snap judgment should lead you directly to "they said" or "they did." Christ explains how to personally judge His true followers in Matt. 7:15-20, and 7:21-23. We can judge not their salvation, but their character through their lifetime activities at work and play, in their family life, and treatment of others. Saved people sin, but they do not dwell on any particular sin, and they do not violate numerous sins frequently. Verses 21-23 tell us claims by individuals to be "religiously correct" are often used by apostates. Matt. 12:33-37 gives us another warning to carefully consider the words and actions of people. The example of good and bad fruit relates to a common experience we have through our lifetime.

To prevent us from confusing Christ's judgment of good, evil and salvation, we have the details in Matt. 25:31-46. These passages deal with Christ's final judgment. This is the judgment of compassion, the set of values Christ taught. These are the actions a saved person who claims to be a Christian MUST have. These verses are compactly summarized in James 2:14-26. Don't be fooled by talk about socialism. That is entirely different from compassion. This is the efficient method apostates utilize to confuse greed of money with Christ's compassion. We'll look at the verses of Matthew first, then look at James's warming.

Matt. 25:31-46: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying 'Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them,
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, My brethren, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty and a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

These passages make in clear that we must look out for those who are unfortunate and need assistance. Of course there will be people who lie and cheat to get something for nothing. That does not give us license to deny help to deserving people. I'm going to give you a spin being offered by politicians that sounds good to the upper half of society. It requires the simple knowledge of being aware of our laws of taxation. A person or family living on minimum wages loses deductions for social security and withheld income tax when the paycheck comes. These people also pay sales taxes on purchases. The social security deduction and sales tax are not returned. When a politician says he will help the poor by slashing taxes, it will only amount to the very small income tax taken from the paycheck. The lower middle class will get virtually no benefit. Stones do not have blood to give; you must get blood from something that has blood. Slashing taxes in this manner is simply spin to satisfy people who can live comfortably on their income. It will generate lots of votes.

Confusing compassion with socialism is a major factor in dumbing down Christians. Sharing is not a trait of humans at birth. Children need to be taught to share. Americans need to understand that sharing from plenty is not socialism. While many churches have good programs for missions and community service, the difference between compassion and socialism is not adequately explained. There are other faiths that have a better understanding of sharing, at least those who have more devout members. It's not all about money, which seems to be the main talking point.

Christians learned about compassionate sharing in Acts 4:32-35, and note sharing was "as they had need." Also see Acts, chapter five, where a couple sold possessions and lied about keeping half the proceeds. They gave a sizable gift to the fledgling church, and it was not wrong for them to keep half. They sinned because they lied about their sacrifice. When Christians tithe or give alms, the gift is judged by Christ, and He judges the person's heart. You see this clearly in Luke 21, with the widow's mites.

As the early church grew, so did the number of apostate teachers. This continues today, and the advancement of communications, along with our pressure to balance work, school, family and other interests, apostate teaching abounds. The church and politics have become entwined because congregations are a virtual captive audience, and ripe for apostate misinformation. James sums it up in chapter two, verses
14-17. "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body , what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead." Obedience is more desired by God than sacrifice. Our political leaders inherited the United States from white immigrants. We conquered another race to do it. Are we now about to deny other immigrants an opportunity? You have a choice of fear or faith. The lessons of scripture are being ignored.

Rev. Walbear

ECHOES FROM THE PAST

 ECHOES FROM THE PAST

The history of Jesus Christ is given to Christians in just four books of the bible. Of course the Old Testament gives us more background information, including the blood lineage of Jesus. But, there are verbal stories about Christ that are told in various locations, including the United States, about His time on earth. Since there is no written record, we have no definite proof. Every now and then we have a connection with that possibility through a current issue that causes reflection. That happened during the Oregon standoff at the Malheur Reserve, when an Indian spokesperson stated the original owner of that land was the Indian.

A check of history always places the American white man in a very bad light. For a supposed Christian nation, we have repeatedly been not Christ like. More on this later, but now we look at a comment made by an Indian chief in 1876, when the U.S. Government changed the terms of a treaty yet again. The Indians in Oregon were so badly treated that some were actually starved out. When the treaty in 1876 was given these Indians, land that had been designated for them was changed. The new "reservation" was designated away from decent useable land to a distant range of mountains. The Indians never had any choice. If they didn't move, the government sent troops, and the edict was "peace or death."

When this treaty of treason was given to the Indians, Chief  E-He-Gant (Egan) responded to the white man eloquently, and referred to Matt. 13:5-6. Missionaries often were sent to Indian territories to Christianize them, so it could be the chief had learned scripture from a missionary. It is interesting that an Indian would be familiar enough with scripture to verbalize a portion such as these two verses. "Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. but when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away."

The Chief said, "Do you see that high mountain away off there? There is nothing but rocks there. Is that where the Big Father wants me to go? If you scattered your seed and it should fall there, it would not grow, for it is all rocks there." Many Indian tribes have a legend passed on to generations that Christ visited them and gave them instructions about living a good life. Part of that legend describes Him as the Great White Father. If you research the many instances Indians dealt with our government, you will see our white leader has always been known as the Great White Father.

The history of the United States has always been flavored through an over generous dose of freedom and patriotism. That, however, has been a mask for greed and racism. The Indians in southeastern America were herded on foot from their homelands to worthless land in the historical "trail of tears." They were later herded to other worthless land when the first site was discovered to have valuable mineral deposits or fertile soil. The same thing happened in the west, when Indians were forced onto reservations to free land for settlers and miners. They were moved again and again, as white men discovered gold or other profitable natural resources. To make matters worse, the Indian agents and government did not honor reservation boundaries, and settlers, miners and lumbermen were allowed to enter reservations and rape the natural resources.

The establishment of the national preserves was meant to prevent the type of problem such as the creation of the dust bowl by careless farming and destruction of the natural grasses in the Midwest. The national parks and preserves such as the Malheur Reserve in Oregon were purchased through federal taxpayer funds. The Indians only received an order to move. Those parks belong to every American citizen. They do not belong to any municipality, county or state. Some states also have preserves, but they belong to the state's taxpayers. None of these "freedom patriots" are patriots, and none apparently have any knowledge of our Constitution or laws. They certainly don't qualify as Christians.

Those of us who attempt to teach the word of God and lead people to Christianity have a difficult time explaining these imposters to people of other or no faiths. Our supposed Christian leaders do not take a stand to expose these charlatans. Our Congress takes no action except to continue the emphasis on everybody packing heat. We are supposed to be a nation under God and law. Guns may have won the West, but it was civilized law that established the West. It's a sad condition when an
Indian 150 years ago could verbalize Christian teaching while "patriots" today display extreme idiocy. By humoring these misfits, we are not standing up for Christ; we are encouraging separation. Again, check Matt., this time Matt. 12:25. Christ warned the end result when people were divided and refused to work together.

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." The supporters of individual states' rights brought the nation to civil war over 150 years ago, and the continued erosion of federal and Constitutional rights will again result in disaster. This time around, the church should be preaching unity, not separation. That means controlling deranged wannabes or television hams who threaten use of guns. Christians should be taught God's word from scripture. What did Jesus say about fear and safety?

For starters, we go to His very last words before He left earth, as given in Matt. 28:20, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Christ taught separation was to keep evil from contaminating good. He NEVER stressed the use of force. Salvation was available to everyone. There was no racism. There was no greed or lust for money. The Indians lived and cared about nature. They didn't destroy or pollute their environment. They had faith, and their beliefs included sacred issues.

A lesson for us is their weakness in the matter of tribal territory, and their divisive wars between tribes. They did not "unionize" as did the American whites who came to America. This lack of togetherness was their ultimate doom. Christ taught the real method of a cooperative society. You will find it in Acts 2:44-45, but church leaders have not been teaching this accurately. It was never meant that everyone must share everything equally. You should note "and divided them among all, as anyone had need," which is part of verse 45. There were no believers who would have to lack food and shelter. This was America's version we know as welfare, which has been abused. There will always be  people who are unable to provide for themselves because of health or other problems. Christians must always care for others. Your "hard earned" cash isn't yours; it belongs to God. He expects you to use it as Christ directed.

The greed of the white race has always cleverly been masked by corrupt leaders who ploy a clever type of espionage, encouraging others to do the "dirty work." The Indian treaties were always altered by the government, but could not be changed by the Indians. Attempts to correct provisions had to be approved by Congress, and the Senate always failed to grant approval. The work of lobbyists was evident even then, as money influenced legislators. Even small states had two senators, making it easier to form a blocking vote. Things don't change much; they just get more sophisticated. People can divide the races, as they address immigration; they can divide by religion; they can divide by gender; they can divide by wealth, they can divide by age; they can divide by education. We are all His children, and politicians are using all the above divisions. The future of America is no longer in the Book of Revelation. It's before us now.

Rev. Walbear

GLORY REWARD

                                                        GLORY REWARD

    The leaves on the tree outside the study window seemed to dance in the light breeze. Ah, yes! What is so rare as a day in  June? A clear blue sky, and the sun announcing the longest day of the year was at hand. The physical world was giving humans the example of God's perfection. The example of spiritual perfection was not as sunny as the day outside the pastor's window. He always remembered the significance of crossing
the Rubicon. In itself, the Rubicon was not a physically significant river unless you were interested enough in history to understand the finality of the action. Once you crossed the river heading away from the city, you had made a spiritual decision, even though you may not be religious. You had decided to defend your nation and your people against an enemy. It could mean permanent separation.

     The pastor's mind was not on a river, but on a cross. Crossing a river is physical; recognizing the Cross was spiritual, and was the key to everlasting life. The pastor knew these types of decisions occurred in the lives of all people, not just Christians. But for a Christian, especially a leader, the right choice affected the lives of many people. History was the witness that exposed the human carnage caused by church leaders of many faiths, but was especially telling for Jews and Christians. They had the one true God whose resurrected Son died on the cross to provide
everlasting life. 

    The pastor knew what he had to do and he could visualize the water of the Rubicon under the bridge. His eyes, however were on the cross on the hill. The leadership of this church was a dream position. The structure was over 200 years old, and had been carefully crafted of local stone. It was originally the centerpiece of a new university that too, was a beautiful example of a college campus. The church and university were loosely affiliated, but the university was a wonderful example of diversity. Pastors of several denominations had passed through its doors.

     Shiny, expensive cars were filing into the parking lot across the street from the church. The men were all dressed as you'd expect  at a corporate board meeting. These were the men who served on the University Board of Trustees. There were no women trustees. The church had never been able to move from all male dominance, or for women as pastors or high ranking leaders. He had watched several outstanding graduates move from the denomination because of this bias. It was a point the congregation and he could not agree upon. But, for the most part, it was a good congregation with a minimum amount of gossip and disagreement. Several members of the University's trustees were members of the church, including some who lived at a considerable distance.

    The parking lot was now quite full, and the Pastor saw it was time for him to join the trustees. He usually sat in at their meetings, although he was not a trustee. He was the official presence of the church. The Pastor's wife entered the study, and quietly told him, "It's time, Dear." He hugged his wife as he acknowledged it was indeed time. "Lord," he said, "I ask you to go with me to this meeting, and open these men to the words You gave us through Your Son, who  gave His life that we may live eternally." He held her hands, and said, "Sweetheart, His will will be done. I have my service to perform, and I willingly do it. God gives us all a choice, and rewards us accordingly." She answered, "I know the Holy Spirit is with you, and that's all you need. Whether they listen or not, you will give them the choice," With that, the Pastor left the church and crossed the street to the parking lot.

    It was short walk to the administration building, which like most other buildings on campus were of stone and careful architecture. The meeting room was large, and the Pastor met and greeted most of the trustees who usually only saw each other at quarterly meetings. The University President was serving as the board chair for this meeting, which signified special importance. As action of minor  importance and announcements proceeded, the Pastor's thoughts were on the meeting's main issue--the new 17 million dollar college of business building. It was a beautiful, state of the art building that would be part of the university's centerpiece. It would open to students this Fall. The problem would be naming the building. A graduate of the university had done quite well in the business world, and he was paying the entire 17 million dollars. 

    This was not an unusual situation. Many times the donor of large sums of money for new buildings or athletic facilities were honored in this way. A few years previously one of the university's science professors discovered a new system. He received recognition from his peers and national attention. The university received a large  federal grant as a result and was able to construct a new science lab. The professor received a small monetary bonus. His name was not suggested for the new building. The bonus was so small, other universities realized they had the opportunity to grab this professor. Meanwhile, the recognition and human life saving value of the professor's discovery brought continuing benefits to the university. The professor received a much higher paying position as well as the department head at another university.

    What bothered the Pastor was the lack of recognition for  achievement in the field of academics while quickly rewarding financial advances. The real issue, however, was scriptural. Man can receive his rewards and recognition on earth from humans, but he then can expect no heavenly awards. Scripture tells us that we can't have it both ways. This man is doing a good thing for the university and mankind, and certainly deserves recognition. There are certain circumstances that color this decision. Placing the man's name on the building gives him the honor and credit for
its donation to the university. The man owed his success primarily to God's blessing. But it didn't stop there.

    He began his business with a small wholesale grocery operation, and eventually moved into retail, and had established a popular and growing chain of stores in several states. He stressed mostly middle to  upper quality products and kept his pricing reasonable for the majority of customers. He was a home town boy who knew and understood the buying habits of his town folk. Upon this solid base, he added his system of employment. This was the challenging point of his success and honor. He knew the type of middle class people who would work out just fine in his stores. He didn't have layoffs. He operated with a very poor and stark benefit program, which employees accepted because the jobs were always there. This sort of guarantee allowed him to set wages on the low end. When you put all this together, you came to the conclusion the employee sweat and dedication were responsible for the man's success. He had done the administrative and business planning, but also had
gained the lion's share of the profits. To be truthful, the building should bear the names of the employees whose dedicated work provided a major part of the profit. There was academic excellence in the business plan, but many other people were necessary to bring about success. The glory reflected in the new building would fall upon the donor alone. Thus, he would miss his reward in Heaven.

    The President was now delivering the information about the building and the generosity of the donor. As the resolution was about to be made, the Pastor asked to make some comments, and was given the floor. "I make these comments respectfully and as the ordained pastor of our affiliated church," the Pastor began. "I agree whole heartedly with the wonderful benefit this building will bring to the university. I also agree it is a very generous gift to both the university and community. Because I have spent many years  preaching the word of God, I believe I should make you aware of a choice scripture gives us in a situation such as this. I quote from Matt. 6:1-4.

    "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

    As the Pastor concluded the passages, he saw the scripture was not well received. There were frowns, especially from some of the trustees who were not church members, and probably not saved. The Pastor said he did not mean to discredit the donation, but to explore the opportunity to follow scripture. There was some low  key grumbling, and the President closed the meeting with the suggestion the Board review the option and meet with the donor before making a decision. The Board was scheduled to meet in two weeks. The beautiful June day had suddenly become very
spiritually cold.

Rev. Walbear