THIS IS MY MOM FOR SOME SIXTY YEARS

My sister Ellen who has graciously been the care taker of my mother now for some years. Mom is 86 years old, that is old, I must say, but she is sharp as a tack, slow as a duck , or is that a turtle, or a snail, in walking that is. She is fast at cross word puzzles. She loves to eat. She loves her grandson Stephen, and she even likes her son in law.

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Mom was married to my dad for just 22 years. I used to think that was a long time, but since I have been married to Charity for thirty eight years, 22 doesn't seem long. Dad died in 1966, and Mom never remarried. She was asked several times, but each time, she said no. Goodness.

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I remember Mom most playing the piano at church. I remember Mom cooking three meals a day for as long as I was at home. I remember Mom always taking care of us kids. I remember Mom teaching us in Sunday School. I remember Mom singing with me on the churches radio program. Mom sung a lot in church. Mom would play the piano, and when dad would preach I remember sitting beside her and going to sleep on her lap a lot.

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When I got older, I asked Mom, "Mom wasn't it hard being a preachers wife?" I am sure it was hard, but there was a lot of joy. It seemed that Mom loved the ministry and she was a great help to Dad.

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MOTHER'S DAY. 2008 IS VERY SPECIAL TO ME AGAIN THIS YEAR. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM, I LOVE YOU.
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Love you mom

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PSALMS ONE: THE WHOLE DUTY OF A BELIEVER

I was telling Charity last night, I loved teaching the Teens at West Handley Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas in 1968. May 2, 2008 -- 40 years ago, on Psalms 1. Then I remembered teaching Psalms in Roanoke, Virginia to our youth in 1964. Psalms has been a part my thinking for a long time. From the mountains of Virginia to the cities of Texas, to the farming and hunting land of Kansas to the horse country of Kentucky and to the valley of the Ohio River.

We are rich indeed when we turn from our own wicked ways. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Ps 1:1) But to reach this point, His Law must first be on our minds and hearts. Without the consideration of His commandments, there is no walking in them.. The Psalmist knew this and tells us that the same one who is blessed is the one who considers and delights in the Law of the Lord. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Ps 1:2) Again, we must ask, "Where is my mind in all of this?" "Am I concerned with such things, or is my mind too filled with the world that such blessed meditations cannot enter?" It is not only a blessing to do good, but to meditate on it day and night as well.

With the knowledge that God made us and saved us that we should fear. The forerunner to obedience is the meditation of His Laws. They should be in our hearts and minds always, for they should be our joy. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psa 1:2 ) They are not cumbersome to us, but rather a constantly yielding stream of refreshment. He feeds us with their streams of living water so that whatever we do, we will prosper in Him. (Ps 1:3) It is a blessed life where our hearts are filled with wonderful things from His Law, bearing fruit in every season to the glory of God. Even under the rod of our Father, we are blessed, for He teaches us His ways. (Ps 94:12)

With the knowledge that God made us and saved us that we should fear Him and obey Him, we should pursue this with all that is in us. Indeed, it is the first and great commandment. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Mat 22:37) And we should go to Him daily, seeking the desire and strength to do His will. "Deliver us from evil."

It should not be hard to spend time in the Word, it’s not been hard over the last forty years to be in the Word day and night. (In one form or another: reading, talking, writing, listening, etc) I was glad there were twenty four hours in a day, because I usually had to work in the secular world at least eight hours, and then I had the joy of doing ministry for another ten hours. I never found it cumbersome to start studying a sermon on Monday, preach on Wednesday and then get ready for three sermons on Sunday.

While it’s true when you are a pastor/teacher you are in the Word daily. I must confess when you are not in the pastorate, you do find yourself busy with the routine daily activities of the day. Often you are distracted by the events of the day. Thus we need to keep focused daily on our duty or privilege to think on the Laws of Christ, and the Glory of the Lord, and read His word. Listen to a sermon, read a sermon, read a Doctrinal book, keep your mind fresh with the Word of God.

Psalms 1 is not just for pastors but for all those who call themselves Christians.

• Paul prayed for the Colossians, and in His prayer we see both elements of the whole duty of man,
  Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

IN THE BEGINNING. . . . . GOD. . . . . .

All things began with God. NOTHING STARTED WITHOUT GOD. Genesis chapter one, two and three are historically and scientifically correct. Literal in every sense of the term. Simply, God and Genesis are true.

• The Bible is totally correct in every detail, historical and scientific.
• The origin of the universe began with God, as stated in Genesis..
• The creation of Planet Earth began with God.
• The first people on Planet Earth were Adam and Eve.
• Scripture supports a young earth, not more than 10,000 years old.

IN THE BEGINNING. . . . . GOD. . . . . .

Scripture offers the only accurate explanations that can be found anywhere about how our race began, where our moral sense originated, why we cannot seem to do what our own consciences tells us is right, and how we can be redeemed from this hopeless situation.
Scripture is not merely the best of several possible explanations. It is the Word of God.

WHEN YOU THINK OF ETERNTIY - HEAVEN - HOW DO YOU VIEW HEAVEN?

CLOUDS ?

part one

The New Heaven and the New Earth

• 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [1] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, [2] and God himself will be with them as their God. [3] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
  5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
  

The New Jerusalem

• 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
  15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. [4] Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits [5] by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. ESV

As chapter 21 opens, all the sinners of all the ages, both demons and men, including Satan, the beast, and false prophet, are in the lake of fire (Hell) forever.

The whole universe, world has been destroyed, and God creates a new universe to be the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed, a new heaven and a new earth.

The whole universe as we now know it will be destroyed: 2 Peter 3:10-13

• 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies [1] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. [2]
  11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

And will be replaced by a new creation that will last forever. A NEW CREATION.

"NO MORE SEA"

Today three-fourths of the earth's surface is water, but the new environment, will no longer be water-based, and will have completely different climatic conditions.

CLOUDS? Do not think so!

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GOD IS EVERYWHERE, ALL DAY LONG HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING

My dad must have read J.C. Ryle sermon, "The Real Presence". Dad taught me that God is everywhere at all times, and God was watching me all the time. Now that was rather hard on a young child, and a young boy, and even as a teenager to know God was watching you every moment of the day.

Here is what J.C. Ryle said:

"Where is your God, my boy?" said an infidel to a child whom he saw coming out of a church. "Where is your God, about whom you have been reading? Show Him to me, and I will give you a treat!" "Show me where He is not," was the answer, "and I will give you two! My God is everywhere!"

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good!" (Proverbs 15:3)

The teaching of the Bible on this point—is clear, plain, and unmistakable. God is everywhere! There is no place in heaven or earth, where He is not. There is no place in air or land or sea, no place above ground or under ground, no place in town or country, no place in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America—where God is not always present. Enter into your room and lock the door—God is there. Climb to the top of the highest mountain, where not even an insect moves—God is there. Sail to the most remote island in the Pacific Ocean, where the foot of man never trod—God is there. He is always near us—seeing, hearing, observing; knowing every action, and deed, and word, and whisper, and look, and thought, and motive, and secret of everyone of us—wherever we are.

"His eyes watch over a man’s ways, and He observes all his steps. There is no darkness, no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves!" (Job 34:21, 22)

One half the sin committed by mankind, arises from wrong views of their Maker and Judge! Men are reckless and wicked, because they do not think that God sees them! They do things they would never do—if they really believed that they were under the eyes of the Almighty God! "They say, 'The Lord doesn't see it! The God of Jacob doesn't pay attention!' Is the One who made your ears deaf? Is the One who formed your eyes blind? He punishes the nations—won't he also punish you? He knows everything; doesn't He also know what you are doing?" (Psalm 94:7-10)

However hard it is to comprehend this doctrine—it is one which is most useful and wholesome for our souls. To keep continually in mind—that God is always present with us; to live always as in God's sight; to act and speak and think as always under His eye—all this is eminently calculated to have a good effect upon our souls. Wide, and deep, and searching, and piercing—is the influence of that one thought, "You are the God who sees me!" (Genesis 16:13)

• (1) The thought of God's presence—is a loud call to humility. How much which is evil and defective, must the all-seeing eye—see in everyone of us! How small a part of our character is really known by man!

"Man looks on the outward appearance—but the Lord looks on the heart!" (1 Sam. 16:7). Man does not always see us—but the Lord is always looking at us—morning, noon, and night! Who has not need to say, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"

• (2) The thought of God's presence—is a crushing proof of our need of Jesus Christ. What hope of salvation could we have, if there was not a Mediator between God and man? Before the eye of the ever-present God—our best righteousness is filthy rags—and our best doings are full of imperfection! Where would we be—if there was not a fountain open for all sin—even the blood of Christ! Without Christ—the prospect of death, judgment, and eternity would drive us to despair!

• (3) The thought of God's presence—teaches the folly of hypocrisy in religion. What can be more silly and childish—than to wear a mere cloak of Christianity, while we inwardly cleave to sin, when God is ever looking at us and sees us through and through! It is easy to deceive ministers and fellow-Christians, because they often see us only upon Sundays. But God sees us morning, noon, and night—and cannot be deceived. Oh, whatever we are in religion—let us be real and true!

• (4) The thought of God's presence—is a check and curb on the inclination to sin. The recollection that there is One who is always near us and observing us, who will one day have a reckoning with all mankind—may well keep us back from evil! Happy are those sons and daughters who, when they leave the family home, and launch forth into the world, carry with them the abiding remembrance of God's eye. "My father and mother do not see me—but God does!" This was the feeling which preserved Joseph when tempted in a foreign land: "How can I do this great wickedness—and sin against God!" (Gen. 39:9)

• (5) The thought of God's presence—is a spur to the pursuit of true holiness. The highest standard of sanctification is to "walk with God" as Enoch did, and to "walk before God" as Abraham did. Where is the man who would not strive to live so as to please God—if he realized that God was always standing at his elbow! To get away from God—is the secret aim of the sinner. To get nearer to God—is the longing desire of the saint. The real servants of the Lord are "a people near unto Him." (Psalm 148:14)

• (6) The thought of God's presence—is a comfort in time of public calamity. When war and famine and pestilence break in upon a land; when the nations are torn by inward divisions, and all order seems in peril—it is cheering to reflect that God sees and knows and is close at hand—that the King of kings is near, and is not asleep.

• (7) The thought of God's presence—is a strong consolation in private trial. We may be driven from home and native land—and placed at the other side of the world; we may be bereaved of wife and children and friends—and left alone, like the last tree in a forest. But we can never go to any place where God is not; and under no circumstances can we be left entirely alone.

Such thoughts as these, are useful and profitable for us all. That man must be in a poor state of soul, who does not feel them to be so. Let it be a settled principle in our religion—never to forget that in every condition and place—that we are under the eye of God! It need not frighten us—if we are true believers. The sins of all believers are cast behind God's back—and even the all-seeing God sees no spot in them! It ought to cheer us—if our Christianity is genuine and sincere. We can then appeal to God with confidence, like David, and say, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You—and lead me along the path of everlasting life!" (Psalm 139:23, 24). Great is the mystery of God's omnipresence; but the true man of God can look at it without fear.
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OF COURSE AT TIMES I BELIEVE MY DAD WAS GOD.

AND HE WAS EVER PRESENT IN MY MIND