The Parable of the Mayonnaise Jar

I wish I could take credit for this writing, but all I contributed was the ending comment. This was plucked from a cyber-space fly by ~author unknown~


A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar slightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, "yes!"

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things,...your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you'll never have room for the things that are really important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit the grandparents. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Smell the roses. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised his hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said," I'm glad you asked. The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a loved one!"


Hebrews 13:1,.."Let brotherly love continue."

How simplistic this life was meant to be lived. Yet, we've filled it with drama and complexities that overshadow the essence of what's truly valuable to us. May we refect upon the mirror of Scripture,...

UNASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL FOLLOWERS

Thank you all for hangin' tough in this era of uncertainty regarding man's actions. I hear this morning, that a few Senators want to make the insurance benefits provided by employers taxable income for you,...the worker & taxpayer! So much for everyone that takes a lower paying job for the sake of the great benefits! There's also another idea gaining traction; it's about mandating companies to give their employees, either full or part-time, paid vacations. This under the guise of stimulus, and healthier employees. When the government controls private business, that is fascism; and it's tentacles are becoming more tightened around the neck of our free market experiment daily!


Does this describe our current administration? Ecclesiates 5:10,..."He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." However, I adhere to the belief that the taxpayer monies theft is a means to an end; mainly,...power.

The biblical verses regarding the reaping and sowing principle should make hindsight perfectly clear to the Church !! You can't place people in office because of political correctness, your entitlement hopes, ethnicity, nor any other reasoning beyond the ability and merit of the potential leader to guide this republic.

The Church should meditate upon this before entering ANY voting booth. Proverbs 29:2,..".When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."


Awww yes,...that door of escape provided by the immutable Word of God !!!!!!!!!!!!

Protecting our Salt

Colossians 4:6,..."Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

Jude 1:3,..."...ye should earnestly contend for the faith..."


There's an ideological war being waged, with our country's moral compass hanging in the balance. Our horizons are somewhat darkened as gathered forces advance upon our liberties and biblical principles; this enemy doesn't desire prisoners, they're wholly bent upon total annihilation of their foe...us!

Among their many pronged attack is the insidious, 'Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act' of 2009. This bill ( S 909 )which is now in the Senate, essentially assigns differing levels of punishment for some crimes while providing 'unequal justice' for all. As it protects deviant behaviors, it promotes defining Scripture as hate speech; criminalizing the revelations of our Lord to His Church!!


EVERY Senator needs to receive this letter, or a reasonable facsimile in numbers too large to ignore....asap!

Dear Senator ___________:

I'm writing this to encourage you to do all in your power to oppose the passage of S. 909, or known as, "The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

Passing of this bill would be reckless and irresponsible because it's contrary to the 1st Amendment rights to free speech, and it provides special legal protection for pedophiles, and other sexual offenders.

This bill is becoming known as "The Pedophile Protection Act." This has resulted from a House debate, when a simple amendment to exempt pedophiles from protections offered by this bill was rejected!

If ever a time and reason was offered for a filibuster, this is that time! I appeal for a bi-partisan standing against this bill.

I also include this warning; those that support it, or allow it to pass without a fight, shall be held accountable at election time!

Stop "The Pedophile Protection Act."

I'll appreciate you writing to me, expressing your position regarding this bill.

Sincerely,
Your name/address


The times are dictating that the e-mail forwards, shaking our heads, rolling eyeballs, and preachin' to the choir, offers no hope for solutions. Sitting down being passive, or depending upon 'someone else' to do it only makes one become part of the problem!



~Samuel Stillman, 1779~ "We are engaged in a most important contest; not for power but freedom. We mean not to change our masters, but to secure to ourselves, and to generations, yet unborn, the perpetual enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, in their fullest extent.


Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:13, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?


If we don't take a stand now, when? And if not us,...who?

C-O-M-P-R-O-M-I-S-E spells murder

Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.'

Acts 17:26, "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."

Romans 9:20, "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Psalm 127:3, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:..."

Compromise: making a settlement by each side giving up part of it's demands,...something that is halfway between opposing opinions.


From the preceding verses we are shown unequivocally that God creates life; and children are a gift from God. He has determined when and where we'll live; and we're not to question His orchestration of our life! We must realize that EVERY life is ordained of God, and if we aren't allowed to question God about our birth,...how much less should a mother or doctor get to decide.

We glean from the definition of compromise, that opposite opinions have to give up, or change portions of their stance to appease the other opinion holders to enable an agreement to prevail between the two. A good example of this is the ecumenical movement; where everyone is so overwhelmed with 'why can't we just get along' they'll ignore goodly portions of the Bible for the sake of pleasing man!

My questions are these; hypothetically, if you were a a professing Christian leader of a country with a division regarding the murdering of , or prolonging the life of babies,... what portion of God's Word would you ignore to appease those that want to murder babies??????? and,...What would you compromise to formulate an agreement between the two camps ?????

Proverbs 17:15,..."He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

To Co-laborers I've Never Met...

In the Bible, there's a recalling of Simon Peter's response to a question poised by Jesus. Several disciples had decided not to follow Jesus, and turning back, "...walked no more with him..."
Jesus asked, "Will ye also go away" .....to which the Bible records Simon Peter's reply, ..."Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

Scripture states that once we become a Christian, we're a new creature, ( 2 Corinthians 5:17). In Colossians 3:10 we see another attribute to the new creature,..."which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:..."

Here's yet another pearl in the fields of Scripture; this admonishment lies in Colossians 2:8,..."Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

This blog may cover varying topics, with all of them overlapping more or less, but the thread of continuity is the 'God's Word' foundation I try to place them all upon. Many commentators, pundits, and word warriors offer up a profundity of opinions, and I do too, but without God's wisdom it's all worth the same; an opinion and $2.00 MIGHT get you a cup of coffee !!! What the world needs is absolute truth, not formulated opinions based upon which way the winds a blowin' today !!!

One movie I've placed upon my 'must see list for Christians' is 'Timechanger.' It's an endeavor that portrays a staunch Christian transported from the 1800's into a contemporary Christian setting. The underlying premise that the movie rests upon is this; any instruction is worthless if not rooted in Scripture! If you haven't viewed it, put it on your list of things to do.

I do hope the meanderings & musings I've, with God's grace, been posting, have become fodder for chewing upon, and that the Scripture has illuminated the wording, giving it strength;....and strengthened each reader in some manner. As we all face life with it's overflowing complexities, we must always remember that all those formidable giants are quite readily handled, ( or avoided ) by the simplistic words from God.

I'll leave this posting with,...1 Corinthians 3:19,...For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God..."


Check out, "The Dinosaur Book of Wisdom and Observations" at, preacherjoepaluch.com

Notre Dame,... Left, Right, or On The Fence???

Revelation 3:15, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot."

1 Kings 18:31, "How long halt ye between two opinions?"

Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters:"

James 1:8, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."



With the passage of time, Scripture has been displayed to every generation; and has been rejected or accepted with the accompanying positive or negative consequences of those choices. A preponderance of historical referencing has documented each rise and fall of moral barometers, validated by the exclamation points of each value shift.

The aforementioned biblical excerptions illuminate the perfect will of our Father; and the duty of Christians to make life applications of them is demonstrated with constancy by similar renderings such as Eccl. 12:13, ..."Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." In other words, "choose you this day whom ye will serve;"

However, I notice how those verses aren't often picked up by "buffet-style" consumers of the Word.......but many will regret not having surveyed the serving tables a little more critically; for the Lord left no room for excuses.......

Revelation 3:17-19,..."Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and annoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."


I have neither the time, nor the desire to belabor my thoughts, but with succinctness may I emphatically state;....that during the whole time frame of pastoring flocks, I NEVER relinquished the pulpit, nor placed honorariums upon anyone believing contrariwise to God regarding life, or other doctrines of God's Word; nor, have countless other co-laborers desiring to please God. 1 Peter 5:2-3, "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.


Jesus speaking of hypocrites, Mark 7:6, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

In Timothy we read, 2 Timothy 3:7, "Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

John 12:43 gives us this,..."For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."


I don't pretend to know the reasoning behind Notre Dame's decision making processes, except to say they mirror the attributes of hypocrisy, weakness, and political correctness; with no consideration of spiritual collateral damages. With that said, I offer Scripture for their consideration, and meditation,......


Proverbs 22:2, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts."

Proverbs 29:25, "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe."

Ephesians 2:8,9,.."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."



For me and the Lord,..."but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

For me and Notre Dame,..."Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."


Often, one standing for God perceives himself as a soldier on a lonely watch, with a bleak and desolate horizon ringing their outpost; but draw strength from what Paul gives us in Timothy 4 :16-18,.."At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

A Christian Response

Colossians 4:5,.."Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

I recently was tuned into a conservative radio station (but the liberal camel's nose is under the tent) where the topic at hand was whether homosexuality was learned behavior, or were people born with a gay gene. Disputing the learned behavior argument being put forth by the call-in participants, one of the hosts was easily befuddling the callers with this question, "As a heterosexual, when did you decide to be straight?" Every caller stammered through some quickly made-up reply that brought empowerment to his argument of homosexuals being born that way, casting the behavior argument into ridicule, while bloating his ego!

Romans 1:26 ..."for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:"

Romans 1:27 ..."And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,"

Romans 1:31 ..."without natural affection,"

So how should one answer if faced with that question, "As a heterosexual, when did you decide to be straight?". Whatever feels comfortable for you, but couch it within the framework of the Scriptures. One doesn't decide to do what's natural. one makes the choice to act unnaturally!

James 1:13-15..."Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin..."


What is one of the most natural acts of mankind? Eating! You may face moments of the 'grumbly in the tumbly' causing you to hunt down a snack, but that's timing; not deciding upon the act of eating, it comes natural. Now if you decide to fast, or go on a hunger strike, THAT'S unnatural, and you had to decide upon it.

What's another natural act? Childbirth! A woman is blessed with a gift from God, and the most natural behavior is to carry the baby to term, and nurture it. But often the decision is to murder the baby and dispose of it; is that natural? No!

What's another natural act? Walking! Do you have to train for it? No, it comes naturally; babies don't attend Walking 101 classes. Nor do we think about it. But dancing, skating, skipping, hurdling, etc. takes a little training & practice. Why? Unnatural!

This could go on forever, but I hope you get the gist of it; God created mankind as innocent, and natural behaving. It's only when mankind steps out from under the umbrella of God's authority do we choose the unnatural ways of sin. Be real now !!! I'm not saying fasting or hurdling is sin, get a grip; just saying SIN is never natural, but still the choice of many!

Please, whenever you decide to join a radio discussion, remember, you are an ambassador for Christ; and carry the responsibility of being the "pillar and ground of truth."


As James admonishes us in James 1:16,..."Do not err, my beloved brethren."


~Check out, "The Dinosaur Book of Wisdom and Observations" at, preacherjoepaluch.com~

Some Homeschooling Legal Defense..errr...Offense

Proverbs 1:8,..."My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:"

Proverbs 22:6,..."Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."


At the Lord's urging, my wife & I began the unschooling process back in the 1980's. With varying degrees of success, (and some flat out failures) we utilized differing alternatives and curriculum, amid ever changing mind-sets for educating our children since we deemed anything other than government schooling HAD to be in our best interests ! Of course we played the required 'homeschooling games' to keep suspicious eyes & minds at bay !! The old, "You get to go out only when the neighborhood children do" and to the ever inquiring store clerk, "We're on a field trip." Or the ever practiced mumbling with glazed over 'deer in the headlights' eyes in response to, "Oh, where do your children attend school?" However, as the grandchildren may quip, "That's so five minutes ago!" It's reported that homeschooling is the fastest growing mode of education here in the United States, with more curriculum options, expanding extra-curricular activity choices, support groups, legal defense mechanisms, and growing recognition by higher learning institutions, and employers,...to name a few. Yet, ominous clouds still linger on the horizon; and unfortunately, I'm here to warn you,...you're about to lose the freedom's that allow for the biblical mandated responsibility of training up your children.

Before continuing with this train of thought, I feel obligated to inject a "who would have believed it?" scenario,.......

In my lifetime, which is but a vapor in eternity, I've witnessed the evolution (or should I say devilution?) of this country in many varied areas, but none so repugnant as the rise of homosexuality. From it's beginnings as an outlawed perversion, being described as a mental disorder, and it's practitioners castigated by society; to 'gay' marriages being recognized by more and more states, it's lifestyle being flaunted by Hellywood, taught in learning institutions,
ruled in favor of by activist judiciaries, deemed as a normal diversity by the public, and lastly, and most damaging, it's slowly being accepted within the Church. Those that possess a clearer moral compass, ( God's Infallible Truth) are demogogued, and will shortly, without divine intervention, be victimized & criminalized by the latest 'hate-crime' legislation penned by the rulers of the darkness.
If one looks up 'Stonewall riot' on Wikipedia, they will discover the catalyst for the modern "gay" movement. It is from this riot on June 11, 1969 that the scales of morality in this area began to tip. Nearly 20 years later, gay activists gathered at a 'war conference' to map out stratagems for the homosexual community. For the sake of brevity, I'll encapsulate their 3 pronged war room agenda; force acceptance of homosexual culture into the mainstream of America, convert the society of America, and silence all opposition. They have succeeded in all three. Again, who would have believed it?


I interjected that piece to underscore this; homeschooling is a threat to the liberal agendas & mind-sets that permeate throughout this country. Government schools are producing graduates that have been homogenized, pasteurized, and otherwise processed to fit the politically accepted norms of the day. They are not critical thinking, rugged individualists that mirror our country's constitutional & Christian underpinnings, but are cookie cutter minions of the status quo, whatever it happens to be that year !! Homeschoolers don't "follow the multitude to do evil" so many aspects of society yearn to legislate them out of existence to protect their own misguided purposes. Government school teacher unions, professional politicians garnering votes, and other generally nefarious groupings, all relish to wrest control of all the children to meet their own ends. I state this to pop any comfort bubbles homeschoolers may have placed themselves
into by thinking," There's just too many of us to attack us!" A well oiled purposed group of homosexuals flying under the radar imposed themselves upon a whole country of sleepy millions: that thin ice on Lake Complacent isn't as strong as many believe it to be.

Turning back now, I want to illuminate home schooling's lack of foresight in assimilating into society. Since it's inception, those eyeing homeschooling have been fraught with misunderstandings, suspicions, and outright misconceptions. Most commonly, the homeschooling response has been; defense, defense, and more defense !! Essentially, the accepted norm of defense has been the cloaking of more contemporary camouflages, and the, "I'm in the homeschooling movement, hear me roar!".....but unfortunately, it's always sung to the homeschooling choir!

It's time for the unschooling crowd to strip itself of many defense mechanisms, come out of the closet so to speak, and initiate a war stratagem very similar to the homosexual communities war room think tank. It's time for offense !!! Didn't someone put forth, "The greatest defense, is a strong offense."

Let's briefly review a three pronged attack:

Force acceptance of homeschooling into American culture: This means no more lurking in the shadows & leaving society to formulate & keep their own notions of homeschooling! The leaders, parents, and children all need to participate. Some co-ops are blessed by having media coverage of their sports efforts by their local newspaper. This is good, but it's only a very minute segment garnering any attention. The unschooled need to be mentioned in ALL media outlets available, in positive , constant repetition. The unschooled need to be represented in, participate in, and be recognized as the unschooled movement in every aspect of community life. Those naysayers will not beat a path to your door seeking to dispel any misgivings they have concerning homeschooling antics; YOU, have to beat a path to their door !!!

Convert the society of America: The more contact and dispelling of myths that occurs, the greater the depth and breadth of acceptance into the culture! Although you may find it repulsive,... Why do you see the insertion of 'gay' people into every aspect of entertainment media? Why would someone produce, 'Brokeback Mountain' ? Because you may be keeping yourself a mile away from them, but if they can somehow produce one inch less of repulsiveness, or one inch less unfamiliarity, causing one inch less of separation they tout that as a victory. Inches turn into feet, feet into yards, etc. You don't have to believe me, just look around. A poll today reveals 40% of the childbirth in the U.S. is to unwed mothers. Not divorced, or widowed, etc.,... just plain unmarried. As the Bible laments in Jeremiah 8:12,..."Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush;..."

Silence all opposition: This presents a higher hurdle than the preceding two points, for not all opposition shall be eliminated; but lofty goals must still be striven for. How meaningful are the words of God for us here,...1 Peter 2:15,..."For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:" Much silencing today seems to be by the dispensing of false 'junk science' , legislative strong arming, or just good old fashioned peer pressure! Whenever making a presentation of sorts to decision makers, I attempt to fulfill this sentiment; if they decide to act contrary to my proposal/suggestion; it will have to be because they either ignored the facts, or have chosen to disregard the facts.


All of the aforementioned points were implemented by the 'gay' movement with success, and to varying degrees been copied throughout this country by other rapscallions, also with success. What sets the homeschooler apart is the implementation of these points while maintaining the fragrance of morality and principled values throughout. Not so daunting if we recognize the help offered us,..Ephesians 6:10,."Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."

Whether you participate, or not,..believe it, or not; there's a war being waged for the children. I 'FIRMLY' believe that one of the key ingredients needed for this country to survive, are the children of homeschooling parents. Homeschooling must survive, for everything we hold dear is being weighed in the balance !! In Washington D.C. the voucher system that took students out of poor schools and placed them into a better learning environments will be ended with the graduation of the voucher holders. There's no more vouchers to be considered. No more hope for disenfranchised children hoping for a leg up to improve their minds by escaping their poor schools. While not supporting the government schooling, I do want to portray the callousness of this decision. This, in the face of the parents, the students, and the schools that were overjoyed at the positive outcomes being produced. Please grasp this, the students welfare isn't the key consideration in today's decision processes; it's the funneling of young minds through a broken system in order to turn out compliant followers of the powers that be. Still think your 'little darlings' have nothing to fear ???

I do hope that you are part of the homeschooling, or unschooled movement, for you are part of a group that's walking the "road less traveled" while equipping your children with the tools necessary to face life, and molding them into being solutions, and not problems. BRAVO !!!

I also hope you'll consider all the words penned here, and realize, "Not making a decision, is still a decision."

Some of the most saddest words recorded,...Luke 9:61, "I will follow thee; but...'


MUST READING:
http://www.preservenet.com/theory/Gatto.html

"The Dinosaur Book of Wisdom and Observations"

'The Marketing of Evil"

No Habla James Dobson

During the course of each day, I expose myself to insights and refreshing commentary of others; and while I needn't accept nor advocate every thought put forth, the corners of their fields often leave an abundance for gleaning! For you see, I choose to hang around their fenceline waiting to pick up the food supply that drops,..... free for the pickin'.

Today, as I scanned across the fence surrounding a blog, I read a somewhat disturbing bunch of words ever bound together. The type that are so bleached of any nutrition that if you eat them on a continuing basis, it'll weaken you to the point of not being able to stand!!

WARNING: The words that are being quoted may affect your Romans 12:1,..."reasonable service." and cause you to forever skip over, Jude 3,..."ye should earnestly contend for the faith...'

The insightful blogmeister quoted James Dobson, from a radio show entitled, "Protecting our Country's Future". He ( Dobson ) states, "There is nothing you can do at this time about what is taking place because there is simply no limit to what the left can do at this time. Anything they want, they get and so we can't stop them."

Back to my thoughts,...In essence, J. Dobson says activism is useless !!!! In essence he says to you, and me, "Throw in the towel. Game over." But I view our current state of affairs with a differing perspective; allow me to quote another.

"History affords no example of any nation, country, or people, long free, who did not take some care of themselves; and endeavor to guard and secure their own liberties. Power is of a grasping, encroaching nature, in all beings, except in Him to whom it emphatically "belongeth" ...Power aims at extending itself, and operating according to mere will, wherever it meets with no balance, check, control, or opposition of any kind. For which reason it will always be necessary for those who would preserve and perpetuate their liberties, to guard them with a wakeful attention."

~Jonathan Mayhew, D.D. of Boston Sermon, "The Snare Broken," 1766~


Nahum 2:1,..."keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily."

Matthew 24:43,..."But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up."

1 Corinthians 16:13,..."Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

Luke 19:13,...In this parable, Jesus put forth the principle,..."Occupy till I come."

Some may wither, fall by the wayside, or halt between two opinions,......but the Church;
with chiseled countenances, and eyes affixed upon a far greater Glory, MUST, out of obedience keep marching on !! As that wonderful hymn's lyrics proclaim,..."Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before!"

Let us take counsel from the words in Exodus 1:11,12,... Here we see the Israelites placed under the heavy handed taskmasters,...stripped of all possessions and taken captive to serve their captors,..yet...."Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew." ....and later, although even more heinous burdens were placed upon them; the Bible declares in v20,..."...and the people multiplied, and waxed very mightily."

We live with computers, c-fones, big screens, microwaves, in our fully carpeted, climate controlled, ceiling fanned houses,..... then drive our uphostered, GPS equipped, a/c'd, satellite radioed, tinted window automobiles to the grocery store that offers at least 100,000 differing choices of foodstuffs and we still complain when it doesn't have "my brand", and drive 50 miles to catch the 'latest' movie, and pay for a $4 coffee drink along the way,....cram every nook & cranny with stuff, "I just gotta have!" enjoy three day week-ends at the lake, etc. etc. ad nausem,...and we want to throw our hands up in the air because we can't get evwee widdle biddy ting to go our way !!! Perhaps we need to, once again, revisit, "Foxes Book of Martyrs."...or perhaps the faith chapter of Hebrews 11 !!

And finally; yes, those words of defeatism are hard to swallow, and I shall not try; I'll merely put forth these words,...."Perhaps one doesn't wish to remain joined to those continuing to fight; but all I ask is please, don't obstruct those of us choosing to do so!"


2 Timothy 2:3,..."Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."


Check out:
~"The Dinosaur Book of Wisdom and Observations" at, preacherjoepaluch.com~