From My Perspective - - -

A special day reserved for giving thanks – what a splendid idea! Family members travelling from far and near to be together – what a fulfilling time for all! A meal or feast of all the traditional goodies – how excellent are the provisions of God for His children! The leftovers from the Thanksgiving Feast – what a great reminder of the good time had by all.

Sometimes, there are unplanned events that happen in conjunction with Thanksgiving Day, such as, backing a Truck into someone’s van; backing the Truck and catching the mirror on one of the support posts (damaging both); a plastic baking dish filled with Green Bean Casserole melting and catching fire in the oven – ruining the Green Bean Casserole and a Hash Brown Casserole that was alongside of it; cleaning and scraping, scraping and scrubbing the oven; an attempt to bake an Au Gratin Potato Casserole the next day in the same "obsessed" oven – the dish did not melt or burn – but it did actually explode in the oven leaving glass shards and potatoes all over the oven, with milk and cheese sauce leaking out of the oven into a storage drawer beneath and onto the floor; cleaning, scraping, scrubbing the "obsessed" oven once again; the yelling at Grand-kids for rushing into the disaster area; getting irritated because of some thinking it was funny; an antique piece of China dropped onto an antique piece of crystal – both pieces breaking – these are a few of a Thanksgiving Memory!

In everything – Give Thanks! How does one do that when in the span of two days all of the above occurred? Well – the “everything” and the “giving thanks” – how does and can this work? Give thanks – no one was injured. Give thanks – the fire was contained and other than the food – no damage occurred to anyone or anything. Give thanks – the two vehicles can be repaired with minimum cost. Give thanks – the China and Crystal are only “things” that are temporary at best. Yes! – Give thanks – what a privilege and discipline!

When one thinks about the “in  everything” passages in the Bible, there is an all-encompassing dimension of life that is presented. In Everything and the Grace of Giving mentioned in II Corinthians 8:7, “But as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you--see that you excel in this act of grace (of giving) also.” In Ephesians 5:19-20, the interactional life one should have within the household of faith is to: “address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” In Colossians 1:17-19, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is to be seen, recognized and honored as the one who… “is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” In addition, we are to understand that in our “everything” – He is preeminent!  In Colossians 3:17, there is the instruction about how we are to approach every and all tasks, namely, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

To enable us to have a clear focus for life, there are two additional passages we’ll note. The first is I Timothy 6:17, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” It is a reminder to honor The Source of all that we have been given to enjoy. The second verse is II Timothy 2:7, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” There are many more “in everything” passages but these suffice so that the “in everything” experiences – whether they are deemed positive or negative – should find expressions of Thanksgiving to God. Why? Because He was there all the time, and because He has a perfect plan for each of our lives. Psalm 118:1 enjoins: “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 118:28, “You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.”  Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

Advice is many times worth exactly what one pays for it – usually nothing. The trite saying – “different strokes for different folks” – has considerable application when it comes to writing a Blog. Occasionally, especially when one differs with my approach and/or format, I have had the passing thought – “if you would have done it differently – then – do it!” This Blog is a case in point where the conclusion is upfront. I try to see contemporary happenings and how Biblical principles could have or would make a difference in approach and outcome. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of Civility.

To the professing Christian and the practicing Church, the Apostle Paul wrote these words in Ephesians 4:29-32, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” In other words, let civility emanate from you always. The NLT expresses it this way: “Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” This level behavior is not possible for the secular-minded person who has either avoided or seen no need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If one has ignored the role of the Holy Spirit in ones life, there would be no sensitivity whether or not one was grieving the one who is being ignored.

On November 7, 2010 Parade Magazine contained an article: "Mr. Smith Flees Washington... Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak got fed up with the mean-spiritedness of D.C. The elections are over. Bart Stupak did not run. After nine terms in Congress, the Democratic representative from Michigan’s 1st District is walking away to the winter of his discontent, sadly wondering what happened to the public service he entered 18 years ago…It’s so hateful now…Every boundary of decency has been crossed…When did we become so nasty…Stupak sighs. Remember Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? Those days are gone…Mr. Smith no longer dreams of going to Washington. He dreams of leaving it. That cannot be good for America. The irony is that at the end of the Frank Capra movie, Mr. Smith, the senator played by Jimmy Stewart, becomes a shining example of the difference one man can make. Can we become real-life Mr. Smiths and change the ugly tone of our national conversation?”

A problem is that the carnal-type behavior exists among the professing Christian and the practicing Church. It has become a ritual to include as part of a Worship Service – The Lord’s Prayer – but to ignore what Jesus stated immediately after teaching His Disciples how to pray. The Prayer includes these words – Matthew 6:12 (NLT) – “and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” One can (and does) pray these words each week – but – many refuse to practice it. They would rather hold onto their grudges and biases and mean-spiritedness – anything and everything except obedience to Jesus Christ. What are the words of Jesus that immediately follow this model prayer? How much attention are they given? How willing are you – are we – to implement them and do them – immediately? Okay! Here are the words of Jesus to you – Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) – “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” It cannot be more plain or clear – but still – it is consistently ignored! Why? Do you not believe Jesus Christ said what he meant and means what He has said? Could it be that you “…bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live…”? If so, you can and should correct this immediately. Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - - 

It is a certainty – everyone has had a Discombobulating Moment at some point in life! It wasn’t planned for or anticipated – but it occurred anyway. After it had occurred, there was the dissecting of the moment or event to determine “Why?” that became the lingering experience. What does it mean to be Discombobulated? The definition is: to be confused or disconcerted; to be upset, frustrated or perplexed. The Synonyms are several and amplify Discombobulation further: to be addled, baffled, befuddled, bewildered, confounded, disturbed, flustered, mixed up, puzzled, ruffled, thrown. Yes – at some point in fact and in life – all have been Discombobulated.

How does Discombobulated connect to Implosion? Implosion means – “a bursting inward.” Many have seen an act of “implosion” when large buildings of structures are being removed. In moments, that which had been a useful and inhabited structure is reduced to dust and rubble. The Medical Dictionary has an interesting application for Implosion. It states that it is “A type of behavior therapy in which the patient is repeatedly subjected to anxiety-arousing stimuli while the therapist attempts to extinguish the patient's anxiety and anxious behavior - replacing them with more appropriate responses - a bursting inward rather than outward.” It is a restructuring of a personality and a behavior.

If one was given to being politically caustic, it could be suggested that what has occurred in the United States in recent weeks and months is a classic illustration of Discombobulation Implosion! Two years ago, it seemed as though there was a type of Tsunami effect as people voted for “Hope” and “Change”! It was packaged and presented well. One of the great political lines was uttered by John Boehner when he said: “When we had Ronald Reagan as President, we also had Bob Hope and Johnny Cash. Now – we have no hope, and no cash!” The citizenry has always been fickle (that is: “likely to change…due to irresolution or instability …not constant or loyal in affection”). People were led to believe they would get something for nothing to meet Health Care issues. While some ideas were good and some corrections were needed, the reality quickly became obvious – this change came with a high price tag that will continue to increase. If in doubt, check health care premiums, co-pay increases, higher deductibles, and lower reimbursements. There also was the sudden awareness of Stimulus efforts run amuck and Trillion Dollar Deficits becoming part of the normal financial vocabulary.

Is it any wonder there is an increase in Discombobulation Implosion? Is it any wonder that discontentment, disarray and disconnection are occurring? Is it any wonder so many are disillusioned because of those elected to political office have yielded to deception and fostered distrust? Humorists from the past commented on the State of the Nation in their day. Mark Twain said: “Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress? But then, I repeat myself!” Will Rogers stated: “We have the best Congress money can buy.” Also, “everything is changing. People are taking the Comedians seriously and the Politicians as a joke.” And, “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the Government and report the facts.”

The Psalmist David made interesting observations regarding the changing times and the Discombobulating Implosions of his day. In Psalm 108:11-13 he prayed, inquired and implored: “Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.” The Message Translation expresses some of the phrases as: “You aren't giving up on us, are you, God? refusing to go out with our troops? Give us help for the hard task; human help is worthless…” No! God is not going to abandon His people. They may have to pass through difficult times and insurmountable challenges – but – He is always The Shepherd Who leads, guides and cares for His sheep. Don’t let Discombobulating Implosions tare you down. Turn to Him and Trust in Him so that you can face today and all of your tomorrows saying - “because the Lord the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything that I need.” Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

The ideal Pedagogical situation is when there is effective result in terms of what one is to Know, Think and Do. For too many, a Dutch Proverb is an apt summary of life: “We get too soon old, and too late smart.” Life is lived at such a rapid pace! The tendency is to race from one event or activity to another. Schedules are jammed with things that must be done and places where one must go. Learning is being based on experiences and activities rather than a study of history and reflection upon it. The idea that “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it” is foreign and distant with each generation. Could that be why a nation would forget its foundational principles and remove itself to a pathway of enslavement, poverty, loss of values, and ultimate oblivion. All indicators are that we may “…get too soon old and too late smart.”

When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel addressed the United Nations in September 2009, he made frequent reference to Sir Winston Churchill, The references pertain to events leading up to World War II and a prevailing apathy and isolation in Great Britain. Some of what he included was: “When the situation was manageable it was neglected, and now that it is thoroughly out of hand we apply too late the remedies which then might have effected a cure. There is nothing new in the story. It is as old as the sibylline books. It falls into that long, dismal catalog of the fruitlessness of experience and the confirmed unteachability of mankind. Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong - these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history…”

Netanyahu summarized: What an utterly condemning statement! We haven’t learned from history—even recent history of Churchill and World War II.  If mankind is unteachable, it’s not just ignorance. It’s refusing to face the truth. Man just naturally hates and rebels against authority. Human nature is the first enemy that we must conquer. Then we can be taught.” His summary continued with Churchill comments interjected: “There was still a possibility…of preserving peace. ‘Never must we despair…never must we give in, but we must face facts and draw true conclusions from them.’ It was now essential for Britain to retrieve ‘the woeful miscalculations of which we are at present the dupes, and of which, unless we take warning in time, we may some day be the victims’…Can America and Britain face facts today and draw true conclusions from them? The very survival of our nations depends on it. And time is once again a very urgent factor. Churchill reiterated his worries…when he wrote to Colonel Pakenham-Walsh: ‘I am astounded at the indifference with which the press and public seem to view the fact that the government has been utterly wrong about the German air strength, and that we are now substantially outnumbered and must continue to fall further and further behind for at least two years, in fact we can never catch up unless they wish it…”

For individuals and nations, the words of Proverbs 21:1-11 are appropriate and applicable: “The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice…The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right. The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright…when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.” A similar summary is given in Proverbs 26:5, 12,  "answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes…Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him…” This blends in with Proverbs 21:20-24 (NLT), “The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor. The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust… Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.” There is a brief moment for our nation to Return To The Lord! We are very close to the precipice! Don’t be among those who – when falling over the precipice - lament: “we get too soon old and too late smart!”   Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

Sooner or later, one will have a moment of Human Latency! No one is exempt! It is just part of who one is and how one innately functions. Do you think you’re exempt from such a moment or period of time? Or, do you believe that of all people on this planet, you would be exempt? Have you ever found yourself thinking or saying: “that thought never crossed my mind”? If so, attribute it to Human Latency! Have you ever been in a situation where you allowed “my mind went blank”? If so, you experienced Human Latency! Have you ever found yourself in a situation that left you “speechless”? Once again, that is Human Latency! The most common amplification for the phrase Human Latency is: “It’s a buzzword or phrase that refers to the gap in communications as a human being responds to new information. Example: If someone calls you on the phone and tells you something that leaves you gasping for breath and groping for words, that gap is Human Latency.” This happens to everyone from time to time.

In the political culture and diatribe currently being inflicted upon the public, one would welcome Human Latency on the part of more politicians. They pay to communicate to people who have grown weary of their empty and vain declarations; their bloviating and hallucinations about what they have done or will do; their contributing the media frenzy for trashing an opponent. It should be about relevant issues that concern the citizenry – not the gutter-trash-talk and innuendo about others. The Media should perform its proper function and report facts in terms of what a person currently believes and what he/she will do if elected to office. Instead, we are seeing a resuscitation of what a politician of forty-years ago opined when he referred to the Media as: “Nattering Nabobs of Negativism.” It was Vice-President Spiro Agnew who expressed those words because of his particularly acrimonious relationship with the press - whom he also deemed "an effete corps of impudent snobs…” According to the Congressional Record, these terms were first used during Agnew's address to the California Republican state convention in San Diego on September 11, 1970. In context, it was used together with another well-known Agnew alliteration: "In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H Club -- the Hopeless, Hysterical Hypochondriacs of History.”

Practical Principles for Faith and Practice are contained in The Holy Scriptures, such as:

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 gives good advice and a sound principle for life: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”

The New Living Translation is: “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! Don't be a fool who doesn't realize that mindless offerings to God are evil. And don't make rash promises to God, for he is in heaven, and you are only here on earth. So let your words be few.”

The Message Translation states it bluntly and succinctly: “Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you - the less you speak, the better.”

Similar counsel and another principle is given in James 1:19-23, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

October 31^st is Reformation Day for the Christian Church. One premise upon which it was based  is Romans 1:17, “The just (righteous) shall live by Faith…” As Individuals and as a Nation, we desperately need Reformation – not succumbing to the Traditions and Politics of man, but to the Principles of Scripture and the Standards of Almighty God. Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

What is your greatest interest and concern as this nation faces a Day of Decision in less than two weeks? Is it the considerable and growing national debt? Is it the loss of benefits and increased cost for Medicare recipients? Is it the sharp increase in Health Insurance Premiums already starting in parts of our country? Have you looked at food costs lately and the increase that is beginning to occur there? Is it the intrusion of government more and more into private businesses and personal investments (E-Trade has recently sent notice that the Government is requiring a report on every transaction, every gain or loss, every distribution made from an account, etc.)? Are you fearful of the control of media by those absorbed and obsessed with Political Correctness (considerable attention has been given this week to National Public Radio and the decision to terminate the Contract with Juan Williams in terms of political correctness when he expressed his personal view regarding anxiety when he boards a plane and someone in Muslim garb also boards)?

The list of questions could be considerable. The politics occurring currently are discouraging at best and disingenuous at worst. Who can really believe what is uttered anymore? The old joke line is becoming more true: “How can you tell if a politician is lying? If his lips are moving!” It so many instances – what is culturally acceptable – is causing us to become an embedded culture. In her column in The Wall Street Journal on October 22^nd entitled Tea Party To The Rescue, Peggy Noonan writes: “The Tea Party did something the Republican establishment was incapable of doing: It got the party out from under George W. Bush. The Tea Party rejected his administration's spending, overreach and immigration proposals…and has become only too willing to say so. In doing this, the Tea Party allowed the Republican establishment itself to get out from under Mr. Bush - We had to - it was a political necessity! They released the GOP establishment from its shame cringe. And they not only freed the Washington establishment, they woke it up. That establishment, composed largely of 50 to 75year-olds who came to Washington during the Reagan era in a great rush of idealism, in many cases stayed on…not to do good but to do well. They populated a conservative infrastructure that barely existed when Reagan was coming up: the think tanks and PR groups, the media outlets and governmental organizations. They did not do what conservatives are supposed to do, which is finish their patriotic work and go home, taking the knowledge and sophistication derived from Washington and applying it to local problems…The GOP establishment stayed, and one way or another lived off government, breathed in its ways and came to know - learned all too well! - the limits of what is possible and passable. Part of the social and cultural reality behind the tea party-GOP establishment split has been the sheer fact that tea partiers live in non-D.C. America. The establishment came from America, but hasn't lived there in a long time.” This is a brilliant analysis that is on-target.

We have long-thought of ourselves as being a “Christian” Nation. But in case you haven’t noticed, we currently have a “leader” who infrequently attends a “Christian” Church and has chosen to omit or to use “Creator” when quoting from The Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Where is the voice of “The Church” or “The Christian Community” in this nation? One is caused to wonder whether or not "Christians" who have become so embedded in the Culture - and - the Culture embedded in them - that they have desensitized themselves (seared consciences) and are incapable of discerning right from wrong! A demonstration of this occurring is given in Genesis 19 – the account of Sodom and Gomorrah – where only Lot and his family were deemed to be righteous and savable. Why is this important for us to know? When a person or nation becomes embedded by the culture and the culture becomes embedded in them, that person and nation has become desensitized to the things of The Eternal God. In doing so, Jude 1 (NLT) is the pending reality: “And don't forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with sexual immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and are a warning of the eternal fire that will punish all who are evil.” There is still time to change course!  Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

The Inscription on the Statue of Liberty is well-known by most people: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door." We have a considerable number who would attest that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. There are many who would attest they are falling through the cracks into the poor classification. The intrusion of government into the lives of the citizenry is considerable. Every man, woman and child now owns and owes $47,000.00 of the national debt, and that amount continues to increase as more and more stimulus plans are conceived and enacted.

Interestingly, The Drudge Report highlights two nations – England and France -  who are trying to deal with the Economic Realities of their respective nations. England is making drastic cuts in government employment, while France is attempting to adjust the retirement age and benefits amid Labor Union Strikes and shut-downs of important businesses and transportation. Two Headlines following these reports ask: “Will Americans Follow Mass Civil Unrest?” and “Will The Federal Reserve Cause A Civil War?” One can only hope and pray that these things will not become common-place or a reality in our nation. Even the suggestion of those possibilities should sound an alarm and bring about a different behavior. The Tea Party Movement is one area where orderly resistance is taking place. However, those who oppose civil discourse use slurs and name-calling by saying anyone associated with such a movement is either a “racist” or a “nut-job”! A demonstration of this is the Press Release from the NAACP regarding entitled: "Tea Party Nationalism: A Critical Examination of the Tea Party Movement and the Size, Scope, and Focus of its National Factions." The Press Release states: “The result of this study contravenes many of the Tea Parties' self-invented myths, particularly their supposed sole concentration on budget deficits, taxes, and the power of the federal government. Instead, this report found Tea Party ranks to be permeated with concerns about race and national identity and other so-called social issues. Tea Party organizations have given platforms to anti-Semites, racists, and bigots. Further, hard-core white nationalists have been attracted to these protests, looking for potential recruits and hoping to push these (white) protestors towards a more self-conscious and ideological white supremacy.”

Civil Discourse should have a basic courtesy and common ground. It has been said: “Civil discourse is engagement in discourse (conversation) intended to enhance understanding. It is the language of dispassionate objectivity, and suggests that it requires respect of the other participants, such as the reader. It neither diminishes the others moral worth, nor questions their good judgment; it avoids hostility, direct antagonism, or excessive persuasion; it requires modesty and an appreciation for the other participants experiences.” As citizens of this nation, we should demand nothing less than reasonable and courteous interaction by those who embrace differing views. We should demand that civil discourse be factual and presented respectfully.

Isaiah 1 records The Lord’s indignation toward His people because of their sinful and rebellious ways. In the midst of what he is saying, these words appear (1:16-20): “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord…If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." It requires a clear evaluation of where one is at a given point. It is expected to be done with clarity, A calm and gentle spirit is to prevail. We need to be concerned for “the huddled masses yearning to breathe free” who many times are befuddled by the hollow and empty rhetoric of those who make bold and sweeping promises – but – who fail to follow-through and deliver. The hope and refuge is Jesus Christ, Who said to all huddled masses: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. It would be wise to come to The One Who has never reneged on any of His Promises.  Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

Sinking is a frightening word. The Online Dictionary lists 40 different possible uses for the word. The definition used here is: “to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped; fall or descend into or below the surface or to the bottom…” In World War II, many Allied Ships were sunk.“According to the War Shipping Administration, the U.S. Merchant Marine suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II. Officially, a total of 1,554 ships were sunk due to war conditions, including 733 ships of over 1,000 gross tons. Hundreds of other ships were damaged by torpedoes, shelling, bombs, kamikazes, mines, etc. Foreign flag ships, especially those with Naval Armed Guard on board as well as ships belonging to U.S. territories such as the Philippines, are included in this list.” At Pearl Harbor, most of the Pacific Fleet was either sunk or greatly damaged. Sinking is not ones anticipation or desire when boarding and setting sail on a ship of any description. No one would have sailed on the Titanic if they had any idea it would hit an Iceberg and sink!

The word “ship” has been applied to other areas beyond a sailing vessel. The “Ship of State” is one such reference. How secure is that ship? How safe can one anticipate being? Is the “Ship of State” capable of sinking? An interesting article appeared in Daily Finance on October 17, 2010 (an AOL Money and Finance Site) entitled: “Disturbing Statistics On The Decline Of America's Middle Class” by Bruce Watson. Part of what he wrote is: “In American public life, it's hard to escape the long shadow of the middle class…Mainstream values are described as middle class, as are common tastes and preferences. Economists often state that the middle class is the engine of commerce, and industries from construction to education to consumer electronics rely on a strong middle class…my Daily Finance colleague Charles Hugh Smith laid out a fairly clear argument for the disappearance of the middle class, at least in terms of wealth. As Smith notes, the top 20% of the American populace holds roughly 93% of the country's financial wealth, and the top 1% of the country holds approximately 43% of the money in the U.S. Meanwhile, the middle 20% of the population -- what would, officially, be called the middle class -- holds only 6% of the country's total assets. While disturbing, even this minuscule share of the wealth pie dwarfs the bottom 40% of the country, who control less than 1%...So how did the middle class become second class citizens…Not surprisingly, the answer is complicated, involving factors like the rising cost of education, the loss of pension funds and affordable health care, falling middle class wages, and the skyrocketing price of housing. Yet one clear answer lies in manufacturing…a good number to start with is 42,000. That's the total number of factories that the U.S. lost between 2001 and the end of 2009. Put another way, this translates into the outsourcing of 32% of all manufacturing jobs in America.

One begins to sense and realize that the “ship of state” depended upon has lost its mooring; the anchor is no longer present; the rudder is malfunctioning; the drift is headed toward perilous Seas; hope and confidence is waning; and – sinking appears to be the imminent result. What should one do in a “sinking” moment and situation? When in peril – what is there left to do? Mark 4:36-41 (NLT) tells of an incident where Jesus and His Disciples have boarded a ship: “…But soon a fierce storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they woke him up, shouting, Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown? When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, Quiet down!(Peace! Be Still!)! Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. And he asked them, Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?" In your moments of fear, anxiety, panic or peril – who or what is your reference point for life and survival? Whatever one may think of the Disciples, at least they did the right thing at the right time. They came to Jesus! They awaken Him! Their question – don’t you care that we are perishing – may have meant – “we need everyone to help bail out this boat – get a bucket and help!” All Jesus had to do was speak – Peace! Be Still! He can and will do that for our nation as the “ship of state” takes water and is beginning to list. If we turn to Him, he will enable us to stay afloat. Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

Worldview – what is it? Is it completely objective or somewhat subjective? Does it identify itself by and with present trends or by foundational Core Beliefs and Values? Those who attempt to define it state: “It is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing natural philosophy; fundamental existential and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and ethics…it refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interprets the world and interacts with it.” From a German Perspective, it is noted as – “The Weltanschauung of a people originates from the unique world experience of a people, which they experience over several millennia. The language of a people reflects the Weltanschauung of that people in the form of its syntactic structures and untranslatable connotations and its denotations. Worldview can be expressed as the fundamental cognitive, affective, and evaluative presuppositions a group of people make about the nature of things, and which they use to order their lives…” Does that assist you in understanding what a Worldview is or should be? I didn’t think so!

A simpler approach and statement about a Worldview is: “Everyone has a worldview. Whether or not we realize it, we all have certain presuppositions and biases that affect the way we view all of life and reality. A worldview is like a set of lenses which taint our vision or alter the way we perceive the world around us. Our worldview is formed by our education, our upbringing, the culture we live in, the books we read, the media and movies we absorb, etc. For many people their worldview is simply something they have absorbed by osmosis from their surrounding cultural influences. They have never thought strategically about what they believe and wouldn't be able to give a rational defense of their beliefs to others.” A Worldview that borders on the subjective will be flawed and non-constant. It is devoid of reality and rests on hopeful/wishful thinking.

An example of this is given in a New York Times article on October 16^th, 2010 written by Martin Fackler. It is entitled: “Japan Goes From Dynamic To Disheartened.” Following is a description of a Worldview: “Like many members of Japan's middle class, Masato Y. enjoyed a level of affluence two decades ago that was the envy of the world. Masato, a small-business owner, bought a $500,000 condominium, vacationed in Hawaii and drove a late-model Mercedes…his living standards slowly crumbled along with Japan’s overall economy. First, he was forced to reduce trips abroad and then eliminate them. Then he traded the Mercedes for a cheaper domestic model. Last year, he sold his condo — for a third of what he paid for it, and for less than what he still owed on the mortgage he took out 17 years ago.” What happened to cause this disintegration and overall collapse of personal wealth and lifestyle? The answer is seen in this observation: “Few nations in recent history have seen such a striking reversal of economic fortune as Japan…Japan rode one of the great speculative stock and property bubbles of all time in the 1980s to become the first Asian country to challenge the long dominance of the West. But the bubbles popped in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Japan fell into a slow but relentless decline that neither enormous budget deficits nor a flood of easy money has reversed. For nearly a generation now, the nation has been trapped in low growth and a corrosive downward spiral of prices, known as deflation in the process shriveling…to an afterthought in the global economy…”

Jesus addressed a worldview not based on core values and firm foundations when He taught in Matthew 7:26-27 (ESV): “…everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. "The choice Jesus set before the crowds was both clear and obvious – build on solid rock and endure, or build on shifting sand that will result in collapse and failure. The wise man chooses the rock – the firm foundation and solid core values, whereas the foolish man – grabs for what he deems to be the fastest means to achieve a short-term goal – but in the process loses it all! What choice(s) have you made? Are you among the “dynamic” with a strong faith in God, or among the “disheartened” because your hope was in a man-conceived Weltanschauung? Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

It was reported that more than one-billion people were captivated by what was about to happen! What was it that had and held the attention of people across National and Cultural barriers? The world stopped and watched to see a spectacular rescue of 33 men trapped almost one-half mile under the earth’s surface for 70 days. The NBC News Service reported: “Chile's trapped miners were shuttled up a narrow escape shaft to freedom and joyous reunions on Wednesday in a meticulously planned rescue operation that ended the longest underground entrapment in human history. One after another, the miners climbed into a missile-like steel capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders and took a 15-minute journey through 2,000 feet of rock to the surface…All of the miners were freed Wednesday night in a rescue operation that advanced rapidly without hitches…The last miner out was Luis Alberto Urzua, 54, the shift foreman credited with helping the trapped miners endure 17 days in isolation before Chileans discovered the men had survived the mine collapse. We have done what the entire world was waiting for, he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing…”

It’s strange how it takes an Actor with access to the President to remind the Nation and World of the tremendous and continuing need in Darfur. Where is Darfur? How did it come into existence? How large is it? Many do not know the answers – it just represents in the minds of those who care a place of need and suffering. Wikipedia indicates: “Most of the region is a semi-arid plain and thus insufficient for supporting a large and complex civilization...An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian Forces…During the mid-18th century the country was wracked by conflict between rival factions, and external war with Sennar and Wadai. In 1875, the weakened kingdom was destroyed by the Egyptians…” And the suffering and need continues to this day.

A Cable News Network is investigating financial matters regarding Haiti. “On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti and devastated the capital city, Port-au-Prince. Although the exact number was difficult to determine, reportedly more than 230,000 people were killed. The Presidential palace, Parliament and many other important structures were destroyed, along with countless homes and businesses, leaving many homeless.” More than one and one-half billion dollars was raised to provide relief for that impoverished nation – but where is it? What happened to that money? Why is it that so little has been done to provide relief for a very needy and suffering people?

The following email from a religious organization – written by Arklie Hooten - appeared today. “Growth is Possible- the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied" (Acts 12:24). It is amazing to watch ministry develop once a need is recognized, defined, people called, and resources committed…Growth is an awesome thing…Folks could just stay the same, with a static blandness, and that would be utterly normal, if it's all we knew. But we're made to grow, to blossom, to be transformed and to flourish. It's in our nature. That is how the Creator created us. It's the glorious thing about a believer's new nature…The Bible has a lot to say about it…especially the New Testament which is full with the theme of growth.God grows His people - 1 Corinthians 3:6-7; The seed sown in good soil grows - Mark 4:8, 20; The temple of God, the church, grows - Ephesians 2:21-22; The milk of the Word makes the Christian grow - 1 Peter 2:2; The church body grows - Ephesians 4:15-16 and Colossians 2:19; The faith and love of the saints grow, and they grow abundantly - 2 Thessalonians 1:3; The gospel grows…among all whom it transforms - Colossians 1:6.” The Foundation and Starting Point for any growth is found in the concluding instruction in II Peter 3:17-18, “…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” One should be guarded lest there is a response based upon the Fixation of the Moment.” Biblical-type response is a constant – not a fixation! Consider these things with me!

From My Perspective - - -

Economics – is it a boring subject or one that is vital to how you exist now and in the near future? The following - even though it is politically motivated – should at least gain some attention (taken from Boortz):

Figures From The Wall Street Journal:

When the Democrats took control of Congress in 2007, the debt held by the public was 36.2% of GDP. It rose to 40.2% the next year. This year it will be about 63.6%, next year 68.6%, then 77% of GDP in 2020. And the Obama administration's budget estimates 218% in 2050. The deficit in 2007 was $160 billion. In the next year the Pelosi-Reid Congress took it up to $458 billion, and when President Obama came into office in 2009 it hit $1.4 trillion. The current 2010 projected deficit is $1.6 trillion, which will lead to a tripling of our national debt from 2008 to 202o.

Budgets Proposed By Presidents:

If Obama had simply kept Bush's spending policies in place, federal deficits over the next eight years would be 60 percent lower. In 2018, we'd have a deficit of just $188 billion, instead of the projected $996 billion under Obama's budget.

The following is excerpted from Jerome Corsi's Red Alert, an online newsletter:

The Institute of International Finance, a group that represents 420 of the world's largest banks and finance houses, has issued yet another call for a one-world global currency…A core group of the world's leading economies need to come together and hammer out an understanding…There needs to be a return to the G-20 commitment to utilize International Monetary Fund special drawing rights to create an international one-world currency alternative to the U.S. dollar as a new standard of foreign-exchange reserves…A July United Nations report called for the replacement of the dollar as the standard for holding foreign-exchange reserves in international trade with a new one-world currency issued by the International Monetary Fund.

An Additional Report states: Senior Citizens Brace For Social Security Freeze (Drudge Report):

Seniors prepared to cut back on everything from food to charitable donations to whiskey as word spread Monday that they will have to wait until at least 2012 to see their Social Security checks increase. The government is expected to announce this week that more than 58 million Social Security recipients will go through a second straight year without an increase in monthly benefits…More than 58.7 million people rely on Social Security checks that average $1,072 monthly. It was the primary source of income for 64 percent of retirees who got benefits in 2008; one-third relied on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income…Advocates for seniors argue the Consumer Price Index doesn't adequately weigh the costs that most affect older adults, particularly medical care and housing.

Lastly, the following report: Dollar Falls As 'Currency War' Concerns Linger:

The dollar fell against the euro and yen on Monday after the world's top finance officials failed to reach a consensus on measures to head off what some see as a looming ‘currency war’…The euro reached 1.40 dollars, while the US unit hit a fresh 15-year low against the yen amid growing expectation that the Federal Reserve will…bolster the struggling US economy…

The world is facing uncertain times. Question: In “What” or in “Whom” is your Faith and Confidence Placed? Can Almighty God – Will the Faithful God - provide for His people? The answer is – Yes!

Matthew 6:25-34 urges one “not to worry about what you will eat, drink or wear…your Heavenly Father knows…” and for those who seek Him first – all these things will be cared for and provided.

Matthew 17:24-27 records the miracle of the coin in the mouth of the fish that was used by Jesus and His disciples to pay their Temple Tax.

Do you remember I Kings 17:1-15 and the time of famine? The Lord provided for a faithful and caring widow by making certain that her supply of oil and flour remained constant.

The God and Savior who is the same yesterday, today and forever wants us to cast all of our care upon Him, and know of His care for us (I Peter 5:7)! He knows all things (Omniscience); He is able to do all things (Omnipotence); and He is with you wherever you are (Omnipresence). Trust Him! Consider these things with me!