HOPE YOU REMEMBER THOSE WHO SACRIFIED

Today is a day for remembrance.  A day when memories should be front and center.   In truth, every day should be a Memorial Day.  A time to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy provided by those that serve.

We've had two of our children serve, Kristopher and Jonathan.  Without question we are proud of the commitment both made at such a young point in their life.  Kristopher served in Afghanistan in 2010-2011.  Jonathan served state side.  In many ways, we are thankful that he did.  Our family knows all too well what sacrifice means.  It's not just the soldier.  It's family and friends as well. So this is a day to remember their part in the process.

Serving those that Served.........

I've known a few soldiers who have deployed and were killed in action. None intimately.  One I knew was when I was in high school and the others were part of the 400 Iowa and Nebraska troops that deployed to Afghanistan with our oldest.  What does this day mean to those people that knew someone first-hand?  My hope is a lot.  My bigger hope is we look deep down and make Memorial Day something other than time off and family outings.  Make it a holiday.  You know what a holiday is, right?  By definition, " A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work, including school, are suspended or reduced.  Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event of  tradition of cultural or religious significance".   Hopefully a deep meaning becomes custom to you.

Today, I think of a solider who served.  Who saw some horrific things and brought that battle back to the states.  His name is Ryan Whitt.  Specialist Jeffrey Ryan Whitt.  I think of his family today.  I'm sure this day is like one of many days they ache for him.....birthdays, holidays, wedding day, and the day of his death.  Remember Specialist Whitt today.  He was a fine young man that left this earth far too early.  That's what I will remember.  I hope you have someone you can remember in the same way.       


Jocko Willink, a retired Nay SEAL offers some unique thoughts on this Memorial Day.  Hope you realize a deeper appreciation in viewing his interview:

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6159024891001?playlist_id=6097749916001#sp=show-clips


YGG,

John

HOPE YOU'RE NOT BEING DECEIVED

Gosh.  Where do I start?  There's so much to unbox regarding the times we're in.  How about I start with perhaps the most important part?  Don't be DECEIVED.  Keep your eyes and ears open because there are a myriad of critics offering advise as to how we need to live or lives. 

The biggest question in their suggestions should be, "where does your wisdom come from?"  If it's from an educated position, theory, model or a gut feeling we'd best run the other way.  Where should our answers come from?  There is only one place.  It's called the Bible.  It's here where we've been told what's in store....and it's called Prophecy.  Inspired declaration of what's to come.

Here is one thing that's for certain.  Things will never be like they were before this coronavirus hysteria.  Don't expect a new normal.  There will be no such thing as normal.  This is not a time to hide in the sheets and hope things will go away.  They won't.  YOU and I need to wake up...and rely more than ever on JESUS CHRIST.  If we don't we'll be deceived.  Evil is working feverishly.  It's that old axiom.  Strike now while the iron is hot.  That's where Satan is operating from today.   So, how do we combat that?  Ask, ask and ask again for Ears to Hear and Eyes to See.  We're going to need both senses as acute as they've ever been.

Pastor  Ernest Amstalden, from Victory Christian Fellowship Church in Jewell, Iowa offers some great insights on the art of deception. "The first thing that goes is truth", he offered.  And the Pastor suggests that when people are "under attack, like this virus thing, people become scared and do things they wouldn't normally do.  Just where Satan wants us.  He wants deception....one of his biggest disguises. We need to see clearly.  Almstalden's following words provided just that.

"We live in an electronic concentration camp.  Call it what you will.  The meaning is the same; in our quest for less personal responsibility, a sense of greater security and no burdensome obligations to each other or to future generations, we have created a society in which we have no true freedom."

Will you be Deceived? 

Almstaden suggests we can look to 2 Corinthians 6-10 for a wing dinger of wisdom.

"6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as your were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.  He is the head over every power and authority."

In the coming days, weeks and months you'll see businesses shuttering their windows and doors.  People will see their jobs being phased out and unemployment will be long-term and not a small stoppage in monies.  Our political will be more combative, if that's possible. Churches will fall to wayside.  A vaccine will be offered for the coronavirus despite being only 40-60% effective but in
essence will provide the microchipping IT heads and some medical groups have clamored for.  And let's not forget a one world government will be talked about as the saving face to our world.  Far-fetched?  Take a look back what the world was like several months ago.  We are closer now than we've ever been before in seeing the return of Jesus Christ.  If you don't believe me, check Prophecy.

Which leads me to a comment from JD Farag, Pastor of Calvary Chapel Kaneoh in Hawaii when asked by a member of his congregation who was fearful of end times and what will take place on earth.  "I'm afraid", he said.  Farag was straight forward in his response.  "Don't be.  Because you and I won't be here".

And that's not Deception.  Rest in that.

YGG,

John 

HOPE YOU'RE LOOKIN UP!

I made the decision yesterday that I'm going to return to posting "My Father's Voice" to Facebook.  It's been a long time since I've taken our stories and placed them on the social media giant.  The biggest reason I left FB was that I felt that most posts had become way to political and confrontational.  It had become clutter....and confusion.  Frankly, I didn't want any part of it.  So I jettisoned.

Recently, I came to the conclusion, that despite any backlash that my posts would receive if I returned, it's far better than doing nothing at all.  Because the way I see it, we are in desperate times where desperate action is needed.

Here's where my challenge came from.  A Des Moines, Iowa author, Galyn Wiemers, who is founder of Generation Word, a Bible teaching ministry, penned a book in 2007, entitled "Hope for America's Last  Generation".   One of many paragraphs got my attention.  But this is the one that really made an impact.  "God rewards believers for their faithful service. The believer who has been saved for many years and lived a faithful life will have more opportunities for rewards than one who got saved at the last minute or one who never truly walked in obedience to God.  It is possible to spend your life thinking you are serving the Lord but earn no reward in the end (1 Corinthians 3:15; 9:27).  Rewards are only given for actions that involve:

1.  Pure or sincere motivation-(doing the right thing for the wrong reason won't earn a reward)
2.  Serving God in truth-(having a sincere motive but doing the wrong thing won't get a reward)

So I asked myself, and you might do the same thing....am I doing all I can to tell people about what prophecy is telling us about the times were in?  My immediate and sad answer...was NO.  I've always thought of myself as one who tries to walk faithfully, but never one that talks much about God and my relationship with my creator.  I've never felt comfortable talking about it.  My wife on the other hand looks for any opportunity there is to spread the word. 

It made me think..."My Father's Voice" impacted many during the time our son was deployed to Afghanistan.  People from over 150 countries came to our site to see what God's voice was instructing.  It helped people....it challenged people.....and it changed people.  So I asked myself.  Couldn't this be a way to increase my motivation and means of serving God?  That's where I'm at.  And going forth, that's where I'm going to be.  A distributor of Truth, offering No Confusion.  There will be a whole lot of Hope in my messages.  My book, "Hope is a Weapon", was the centerpiece behind this line of thinking.  In these times, there is only one Hope.  And it's not in anything but Jesus.

I will say though.  You'd better be looking up.  Times are close at hand.  A LifeWay Research article offers some insight with this quote, "Almost 9 in 10 pastors see at least some current events matching those Jesus said would occur shortly before he returns to Earth".  Now, if that's the case then, why aren't they talking about it from the pulpit?  Why are they not telling their flock?   Shouldn't they be educating their audience as to what's at stake? 

There's a very good reason to be looking up

 
These words might say why:

"But concerning that day and hour no ones knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.  For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the Ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man". -Matthew 24:36 

Now you know why I say, "I Hope You're Looking Up".

YGG,

John