Praise the LORD!!!
I just finished reading an article at Change.org on the homeless. This one hit an area close to my heart. It was on the homeless that have come from the confines of our prison systems. You see, before the LORD found me I had just been arrested and saw that I had totally messed up my life. This is when I was blessed to accept salvation, thus my life took a 360 and has never been the same. But this isn't about me, it's about those that have served their time in prison, sans the LORD, and been released into a 'new world.' For no matter the length of sentence, their world as they'd known it has changed.
These changes range from their no longer being accepted by society as one having the rights of the normal person. They've become a lower than life form of being. No longer fit to be employed. Unable to receive many of the governments social programs. Like the young lady in this story, they become homeless, outcast of society. This even if they've changed their lifestyle or not. Many may resort to any means possible to survive. This woman chose 'pan handling', but many others will turn to illegal means to survive. This too, isn't the reason for this blog.
What is the problem with a system that takes people into it and then just turns them out without caring about whether or not it had benefited the person? Our prison systems turn out possibly thousands like this each month. Many not able to support themselves by legal means, end up right back in the system that was meant to correct their problem in the first place.There are many programs in prison to improve oneself, but no guarantee that a person will take advantage of them, let alone complete them. At one time prisons were meant to adjust a person's behavior to that of the norms of society, but that is no longer the case. Now it is more of a money game, just meant to take them out of society for a while and later on run them through again. This too is not the reason for this blog!
How is it that we as a "Christian" nation can sit back and allow our fellow man to be put through such treatment? It is bad enough that we allow a system that is truly flawed to continue to operate in such manor. Greater still that we can turn our backs on our 'neighbor' when they are treated in such manor. How is it that we as Christians can continue to vote in politicians that won't address these problems straight on, no matter what the repercussions to their political futures? How is it that we can call ourselves Christians when we allow our fellow man to be treated more like an animal then a human and not speak up or reach out to them with a hand of compassion? Have we lost sight of the very principles which made this country so great? Worse yet, have we lost sight, and touch, with the GOD that we call our LORD and SAVIOR?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Doing whatever I can...
Praise the LORD!!!
Though not able to help at this time, due to lack of funding, I'm doing whatever I can to help those in need, both physically and spiritually. Truly this should be the stance of all those that call JESUS both LORD and SAVIOR! There are thousands of organizations out there that are crying out for help. Whether through donations or physical assistance. Why is this?
Even though I can't help through donations or physically going to help, I am spending my time online drawing as much attention to their causes as possible. Through blogging, clipping and amplifying, starting up fundraisers, whatever, I'm putting the time and effort into doing it. I could be spending my time playing games or watching videos, or maybe just reading or listening to music. But I'm not!
As CHRIST is my LORD and SAVIOR I just can't sit back and watch the world go by. I've got to do something. I've been working on VCM now for twelve years now and am still doing it all by myself. Not one person has caught the dream and vision of a Christian helps ministry that truly brings the glory of CHRIST to the front of all they do. Not just a "self' named ministry, like so many today, but one that has CHRIST at its heart and in the center of all that it does and represents.
Years back when I first brought VCM to the internet, I began asking the big 'self' named ministries tor assistance in any way possible. Of about thirty that I contacted, only one responded with any substantial action. This ministry responded with over $300 worth of their books and teaching tapes. Not that much, but better than the rest and I'm very thankful for them, though they've been lost by the wayside through my travels. Most of the others, though considered "Mega" ministries, just offered up their prayers for the ministry and me. If I could run my Bible programs and enter this at the same time I'd give you the verses that call this a sin before GOD, but I can't. Look it up, if you even have to, but it isn't right when we can help others when they ask and don't.
In VCM's first newsletter, last months, the 'Modern day Parable' was a true story. This happened to me on my first attempted trip down here. All the events show that the church and Christians of today focus more on their own needs instead of those needs of their 'neighbors.' In the name of JESUS this has to stop!!!
Though not able to help at this time, due to lack of funding, I'm doing whatever I can to help those in need, both physically and spiritually. Truly this should be the stance of all those that call JESUS both LORD and SAVIOR! There are thousands of organizations out there that are crying out for help. Whether through donations or physical assistance. Why is this?
Even though I can't help through donations or physically going to help, I am spending my time online drawing as much attention to their causes as possible. Through blogging, clipping and amplifying, starting up fundraisers, whatever, I'm putting the time and effort into doing it. I could be spending my time playing games or watching videos, or maybe just reading or listening to music. But I'm not!
As CHRIST is my LORD and SAVIOR I just can't sit back and watch the world go by. I've got to do something. I've been working on VCM now for twelve years now and am still doing it all by myself. Not one person has caught the dream and vision of a Christian helps ministry that truly brings the glory of CHRIST to the front of all they do. Not just a "self' named ministry, like so many today, but one that has CHRIST at its heart and in the center of all that it does and represents.
Years back when I first brought VCM to the internet, I began asking the big 'self' named ministries tor assistance in any way possible. Of about thirty that I contacted, only one responded with any substantial action. This ministry responded with over $300 worth of their books and teaching tapes. Not that much, but better than the rest and I'm very thankful for them, though they've been lost by the wayside through my travels. Most of the others, though considered "Mega" ministries, just offered up their prayers for the ministry and me. If I could run my Bible programs and enter this at the same time I'd give you the verses that call this a sin before GOD, but I can't. Look it up, if you even have to, but it isn't right when we can help others when they ask and don't.
In VCM's first newsletter, last months, the 'Modern day Parable' was a true story. This happened to me on my first attempted trip down here. All the events show that the church and Christians of today focus more on their own needs instead of those needs of their 'neighbors.' In the name of JESUS this has to stop!!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Christian helps?
Praise the LORD!!!
Christian helps? Christian helps ministry? What exactly do these two mean? To start out we as Christian are told to "love our neighbors as we love ourselves" and "that the world will know us by our works." As Christians we are called to show the love of CHRIST to others by show them our for them, to them. How can we show a person we love them? In the same way that we show love for ourselves, by the way we take care of them. Do we place them before ourselves and aid them in their lives struggles and we would pray that others would reach out to us? Do we take the time to lend a listening ear when they've something burdening their soul? Do we give to them as we'd wish someone would give to us when we are down and out? Boy, that sure is a lot of questions isn't it?
Vine of CHRIST Ministries is trying to fulfill all of these questions in every second of the ministry's existence. During the '05' hurricane season, I had one family that was displaced by hurricane Katrina living with us, when Rita began to bear down on us (we lived at the time in Iowa, LA.) As the storm began to draw nearer to the coast, I decided to ship my friends and these people off to the north, to stay behind and ride out the storm with my dog. You see, we had a seven person van and there was five of us, plus my 100 lb. dog, and the two of them and their cat. With all the needed supplies and people, all of us going would not of worked out, so off they all went and I battened down the hatches on the little farm shanty that we were renting.
To say the least it was a very, very exciting ride! 165 to 185 mile per hour winds, torrential rain and so many tornadoes that they couldn't be counted. After nearly 24 hours of being housebound I was finally able to go outside. A once over on the shanty and off I went to survey the damage to my neighbors homes and the local infrastructure. I commandeered my neighbors riding lawnmower and off I went (I knew this would be fine, because I used it to mow theirs and our yards all the time.) There was no one else around within a half mile of the house. A good amount of structural damage to a number of the houses and a lot of tree damage. All the power was out in the area, but we were blessed to have a working city water system still functioning.
There wasn't much that could be done at the moment, so I returned to work on weatherizing our place. It was missing several metal roof panels and half of the shingles on the back side of the hose. I covered these the best I could with plastic and moved as much of the personal belongs out of harms way. At this I began to formulate a plan as to all the supplies available to me and how to ration them in the best possible manor. No one else was in the area at this time, but I began to reckon how to help anyone else that would show up.
It wasn't until the third day that neighbors began to return to their homes and this was because there were police barricades on the major roads into the area. I had marked the house with spray paint before the storm, so officials would know how many had stayed behind. It wasn't until this third day that I saw any of the local police or emergency workers, but I was managing fine. As neighbors began to show up, I'd stop in and check on them, telling them that I was available when they needed any help and at all. Things began to progress quickly, trees that had fallen were cut up and moved. Debris was piled up out of the way and anything that was displaced was either returned to its location or put where it could be found.
Shortly people began to venture out towards Lake Charles, working to find needed supplies of whatever kind they could. One day we had 580 lbs. of some fine Cajun smoked sausage given to us, because it had been in a local store's fridges which had lost power, so it couldn't be sold. I was riding around still on the mower giving out trash bags full of this stuff, it didn't need refrigeration, so it could be cooked or eaten anyway you could think of. The people in this area pulled together and though the damage was widespread they worked together to help out each other until the job was done and everyone's lives return something close to normal.
In this most of those questions were answered. Christian helps and a helps ministry gets out there and does whatever it takes to help people in their time of need. It doesn't matter if its a major storm like these, or just an everyday problem. Its Christians reaching out to others to show that the care about them and love them as CHRIST loves us!!!
Christian helps? Christian helps ministry? What exactly do these two mean? To start out we as Christian are told to "love our neighbors as we love ourselves" and "that the world will know us by our works." As Christians we are called to show the love of CHRIST to others by show them our for them, to them. How can we show a person we love them? In the same way that we show love for ourselves, by the way we take care of them. Do we place them before ourselves and aid them in their lives struggles and we would pray that others would reach out to us? Do we take the time to lend a listening ear when they've something burdening their soul? Do we give to them as we'd wish someone would give to us when we are down and out? Boy, that sure is a lot of questions isn't it?
Vine of CHRIST Ministries is trying to fulfill all of these questions in every second of the ministry's existence. During the '05' hurricane season, I had one family that was displaced by hurricane Katrina living with us, when Rita began to bear down on us (we lived at the time in Iowa, LA.) As the storm began to draw nearer to the coast, I decided to ship my friends and these people off to the north, to stay behind and ride out the storm with my dog. You see, we had a seven person van and there was five of us, plus my 100 lb. dog, and the two of them and their cat. With all the needed supplies and people, all of us going would not of worked out, so off they all went and I battened down the hatches on the little farm shanty that we were renting.
To say the least it was a very, very exciting ride! 165 to 185 mile per hour winds, torrential rain and so many tornadoes that they couldn't be counted. After nearly 24 hours of being housebound I was finally able to go outside. A once over on the shanty and off I went to survey the damage to my neighbors homes and the local infrastructure. I commandeered my neighbors riding lawnmower and off I went (I knew this would be fine, because I used it to mow theirs and our yards all the time.) There was no one else around within a half mile of the house. A good amount of structural damage to a number of the houses and a lot of tree damage. All the power was out in the area, but we were blessed to have a working city water system still functioning.
There wasn't much that could be done at the moment, so I returned to work on weatherizing our place. It was missing several metal roof panels and half of the shingles on the back side of the hose. I covered these the best I could with plastic and moved as much of the personal belongs out of harms way. At this I began to formulate a plan as to all the supplies available to me and how to ration them in the best possible manor. No one else was in the area at this time, but I began to reckon how to help anyone else that would show up.
It wasn't until the third day that neighbors began to return to their homes and this was because there were police barricades on the major roads into the area. I had marked the house with spray paint before the storm, so officials would know how many had stayed behind. It wasn't until this third day that I saw any of the local police or emergency workers, but I was managing fine. As neighbors began to show up, I'd stop in and check on them, telling them that I was available when they needed any help and at all. Things began to progress quickly, trees that had fallen were cut up and moved. Debris was piled up out of the way and anything that was displaced was either returned to its location or put where it could be found.
Shortly people began to venture out towards Lake Charles, working to find needed supplies of whatever kind they could. One day we had 580 lbs. of some fine Cajun smoked sausage given to us, because it had been in a local store's fridges which had lost power, so it couldn't be sold. I was riding around still on the mower giving out trash bags full of this stuff, it didn't need refrigeration, so it could be cooked or eaten anyway you could think of. The people in this area pulled together and though the damage was widespread they worked together to help out each other until the job was done and everyone's lives return something close to normal.
In this most of those questions were answered. Christian helps and a helps ministry gets out there and does whatever it takes to help people in their time of need. It doesn't matter if its a major storm like these, or just an everyday problem. Its Christians reaching out to others to show that the care about them and love them as CHRIST loves us!!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I've read today...
Praise the LORD!!!
I've just finished reading today's news release from FEMA. In it they talk about giving gifts of preparedness for Christmas. Though this may sound corny, it isn't. For there are probably more disasters during the holiday season then at any other time of year. I don't know the stats on this, but from experience, I'd say its a safe bet to say so. Sure they may not be of major proportion, but they still are emergencies in someone's life.
There is never a time that one should not be prepared for whatever may happen. In today's society, we've become far to complacent. "That couldn't happen to me" or "that's why we have emergency services." Come on people! Each and everyone of us needs to be prepared for whatever could and may happen within our lives. It's truly not that hard to set up a plan and gather the things that could really prosper you in and emergency!
There was a time in my life when you could of called me a crazy survivalist and not been that far off! (this was before CHRIST found me) I'd grown up as a Boy Scout, with the motto of "Be Prepared, " and it had carried over into my early adulthood. I begun to see that society was in sad shape and really couldn't be trusted to look after my personal well being, at anytime, let alone an emergency. I'd witnessed first hand several floods in the general area in which I had grownup and witnessed how emergency services were greatly lacking in that which they could do to protect everyone in any given area. Though these services have greatly improved, they're still lacking when it comes to the quick and efficient deployment of emergency services into every area which faces a sudden need. Most likely, they never will be, there are just to many variables that need to be covered and they're far under staffed and funded!
This is why each one of us has a duty to be prepared to help ourselves when the need arises. If we've a family, this becomes even more important and should be examined in greater detail. It really doesn't take much thinking to realize these facts are true and something that needs to be considered by every adult in the nation.
Check out the links page at our website and use these sites to start with, but investigate a plan of action and the needed items that it would take to be prepared for most emergencies. It is recommended that you build these for a 72 hr. period, but truthfully I like to extend this to a full week! Remember, I rode through an almost direct hit by Rita in '05' and it was almost a full week before any relief became available. If you never use these plans and supplies, count it a blessing, but if you do ever need them you'll call them an even bigger blessing!!!
I've just finished reading today's news release from FEMA. In it they talk about giving gifts of preparedness for Christmas. Though this may sound corny, it isn't. For there are probably more disasters during the holiday season then at any other time of year. I don't know the stats on this, but from experience, I'd say its a safe bet to say so. Sure they may not be of major proportion, but they still are emergencies in someone's life.
There is never a time that one should not be prepared for whatever may happen. In today's society, we've become far to complacent. "That couldn't happen to me" or "that's why we have emergency services." Come on people! Each and everyone of us needs to be prepared for whatever could and may happen within our lives. It's truly not that hard to set up a plan and gather the things that could really prosper you in and emergency!
There was a time in my life when you could of called me a crazy survivalist and not been that far off! (this was before CHRIST found me) I'd grown up as a Boy Scout, with the motto of "Be Prepared, " and it had carried over into my early adulthood. I begun to see that society was in sad shape and really couldn't be trusted to look after my personal well being, at anytime, let alone an emergency. I'd witnessed first hand several floods in the general area in which I had grownup and witnessed how emergency services were greatly lacking in that which they could do to protect everyone in any given area. Though these services have greatly improved, they're still lacking when it comes to the quick and efficient deployment of emergency services into every area which faces a sudden need. Most likely, they never will be, there are just to many variables that need to be covered and they're far under staffed and funded!
This is why each one of us has a duty to be prepared to help ourselves when the need arises. If we've a family, this becomes even more important and should be examined in greater detail. It really doesn't take much thinking to realize these facts are true and something that needs to be considered by every adult in the nation.
Check out the links page at our website and use these sites to start with, but investigate a plan of action and the needed items that it would take to be prepared for most emergencies. It is recommended that you build these for a 72 hr. period, but truthfully I like to extend this to a full week! Remember, I rode through an almost direct hit by Rita in '05' and it was almost a full week before any relief became available. If you never use these plans and supplies, count it a blessing, but if you do ever need them you'll call them an even bigger blessing!!!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
In all things...
Praise the LORD!!! For any of you that are familiar with me, you will know that I always offer up thanks and praises to GOD before anything else is done. You may wonder, especially with hearing of some of the recent events, how I can maintain such a stance. It goes back to when GOD first began to allow the HOLY SPIRIT to convict my heart of my need for a deep personal relationship with HIM. If you’ve read my book, “Out of the LIGHT”, you’ll know exactly the reason for this. If not, I’ll fill you in briefly. After being arrested for a armed bank robbery that I took part in, the LORD brought into my hands a book called “From Prison to Praise”, by Merlin Carothers. Without going into to much detail, the foundational principle of his teachings are that no matter what happens within our lives, GOD has a reason for it. I’ve followed this principle pretty closely to this day and it has brought me through many trying situations to say the least.
During this last week, I’ve been working intently on new phases of the ministry and have had a constant battle within each and every detail of it. My computer system was constantly freezing up, many times after a good bit of time in entering information. Or I’d lose internet connection in the middle of an upload, thus losing all that had been transferred. This whole of the last week had been this way, time and time again something would happen, causing me to redo or rethink that which I’d been doing. All through all of this my attitude was one of thankfulness and praise!
Paul in 1 Thes. 5:18 tells us, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is GOD’s will for you in CHRIST JESUS.” (NIV) and again in Eph. 5:20, “always giving thanks to GOD the FATHER for everything, in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.” These are but two of the places in scripture where this thought is conveyed, I could give you more, but these give you the idea. Another verse that I’ll give you at this time is Romans 8:28, but I’ll leave this one for you to look up. The point of the matter is that, no matter what kind of trial or tribulation we find ourselves in, GOD has an ultimate purpose for our being subjected to it and HE has principles set up for us to follow.
We are in a battle with the powers of darkness and everything that we do to reveal the light of JESUS CHRIST to the world through our lives is a threat to their kingdom. Herein we bring on a conflict with them and they will do their best, through problems within and without, to stay our progress of bringing light into a darken world. The greatest way to bring defeat to them is through our offering up praise and thanksgiving unto GOD in the name of JESUS CHRIST!!! Just once though is not a cure all, because numerous time, and more likely than not, it’ll bring on a greater wave of problems (they aren’t a weak bunch and have many means to trouble us!) If you are going to practice this principle within your walk with CHRIST, you had better be ready. For all hell will come against you and most likely those around you. I’ve witnessed this numerous times and LORD willing, will continue to use this against all those that stand against the progression of the KINGDOM of GOD on earth.
I’ve come a long way since I was a trembling man, seeing all that my life had been, dissolve right before my eyes, to where I am today. I’ve spent many an hour reading and studying scripture. Many an hour on my knees in passionate prayers, often in great sobbing tears, crying out to the LORD for HIS grace to strengthen me to withstand the assaults of the enemy. I’ll tell you the truth, I’d not exchange one moment of it for times of peace and comfort. For I know, to the depths of my being, that it is the greatest way to do harm to the kingdom of darkness and it’s minions!!! So let me conclude with this, praise the LORD JESUS and may the gates of hell tremble!!!
During this last week, I’ve been working intently on new phases of the ministry and have had a constant battle within each and every detail of it. My computer system was constantly freezing up, many times after a good bit of time in entering information. Or I’d lose internet connection in the middle of an upload, thus losing all that had been transferred. This whole of the last week had been this way, time and time again something would happen, causing me to redo or rethink that which I’d been doing. All through all of this my attitude was one of thankfulness and praise!
Paul in 1 Thes. 5:18 tells us, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is GOD’s will for you in CHRIST JESUS.” (NIV) and again in Eph. 5:20, “always giving thanks to GOD the FATHER for everything, in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.” These are but two of the places in scripture where this thought is conveyed, I could give you more, but these give you the idea. Another verse that I’ll give you at this time is Romans 8:28, but I’ll leave this one for you to look up. The point of the matter is that, no matter what kind of trial or tribulation we find ourselves in, GOD has an ultimate purpose for our being subjected to it and HE has principles set up for us to follow.
We are in a battle with the powers of darkness and everything that we do to reveal the light of JESUS CHRIST to the world through our lives is a threat to their kingdom. Herein we bring on a conflict with them and they will do their best, through problems within and without, to stay our progress of bringing light into a darken world. The greatest way to bring defeat to them is through our offering up praise and thanksgiving unto GOD in the name of JESUS CHRIST!!! Just once though is not a cure all, because numerous time, and more likely than not, it’ll bring on a greater wave of problems (they aren’t a weak bunch and have many means to trouble us!) If you are going to practice this principle within your walk with CHRIST, you had better be ready. For all hell will come against you and most likely those around you. I’ve witnessed this numerous times and LORD willing, will continue to use this against all those that stand against the progression of the KINGDOM of GOD on earth.
I’ve come a long way since I was a trembling man, seeing all that my life had been, dissolve right before my eyes, to where I am today. I’ve spent many an hour reading and studying scripture. Many an hour on my knees in passionate prayers, often in great sobbing tears, crying out to the LORD for HIS grace to strengthen me to withstand the assaults of the enemy. I’ll tell you the truth, I’d not exchange one moment of it for times of peace and comfort. For I know, to the depths of my being, that it is the greatest way to do harm to the kingdom of darkness and it’s minions!!! So let me conclude with this, praise the LORD JESUS and may the gates of hell tremble!!!
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