WHAT WE NEVER TALK ABOUT!

There are three things my Christian brothers and sisters don't seem to know. Three important facts: (1) That Satan is the god of this world (I JOHN 5:19) & (EPH 2:2), (2) that we have an enemy and (3) we're in a war (EPH 6:12). Blissfully ignorant? Intentionally ignorant? ... I don't know, but ignorant we are!

It seems the American saints never talk about Satan or his strategy. Books or preaching; I don't hear of our enemy or warfare. If I didn't know my Bible and work the darkness, I guess I would be blissfully ignorant too.

The Bible tells us of Satan, his position and strategies. In fact our Bible warns us against being ignorant of his strategies (II COR 2 :11). Be alert the Bible says ... (I PET 5:8) ... Pray against Satan? I don't think so.

For some reason we keep this Biblical doctrine under wraps. I wonder what the reason could be? Speaking of the Devil, his demons, and demon possession just isn't ... well, politically correct for the church today.

We don't want to be seen as extremist ... yet few there are who are “extreme” on this subject.

One day when I Was talking with a “man of God”, I mentioned Satan ... he tensed up saying he felt that we shouldn't give the Devil “free advertisement.”

In the old days we used to sing a hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers.” I tended to keep mum on that one ... it was just another song we shouldn't sing unless we believed it. Indeed where are the soldiers? Where is the enemy? Where is the war? What is our weapon? Just another inside the church-hymn.

It's apparent Satan has a different strategy for different cultures. The strategy he is using in affluent America is working well.

Like the hypnotic cobra, he has hypnotized the church.

We are kept in ignorance.

What have you heard about the war lately?

A ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD'S DOCTRINE ON PAPER

Monday morning I was sitting on Robert's bed at the orphanage and he was showing me some of his drawings.

He pulled out a page and gave it to me.

I was fascinated as I studied it. Robert is nine years old, and for some reason decided to visualize the doctrine he was taught. I studied the drawing as he watched, asking questions.

The large hand on the upper right is our Lord's nail scarred and bleeding hand with blood dripping down. Little things with wings flying up toward His hand are actually Christians dying and brought up into heaven.

Climbing the hard path up the right side of the mountains were pilgrims climbing some real hard areas. Christian pilgrims haven't an easy road.

Under the large mountain are the two different roads taking you two different directions. Decision please.

On the left are those non-believers on their pilgrimage trying to find God, they were met by lightening, fire and brimstone ... finally ending in flaming hell.

On the top of the mountain is glory of God and the cross of Jesus Christ.

~ Roberto

WALKING THE DOG

Every time I see someone walking their dog or dogs, I feel happy inside. Why? One or two more adults that have opted to have a pet rather than a child. Cheers! They'll love their little fuzzy four legged being they can hold, love and spoil rotten.

A little ball of loveable fuzz that will remain a controllable pet and never grow up to be a dysfunctional adult. Kid's need parenting, pets don't. Kids take a long haul commitment, pets don't. Kids need a mature family of two ... pets don't.

Most of us don't connect social problems, drugs, crime and killing ... with poor parenting of children who grow up to be problems ... almost as if they were two entirely different things. As adults today become more selfish and dysfunctional, I'm for them having more pets!

If a pet lover would rather pick up poop from their dog than change the pampers of a child ... so be it.

Buy a dog, man's best friend.

Pets are loyal and forgiving. They don't say "no!" nor do they sass you. Pets will never cause a scandal and they eat less food; pets medical services, though high, are nothing compared to a child's medical bills. It makes sense.

Coming from a lifetime working with boys here and in Mexico has convinced me that more adult couples should invest their love in pets rather then create babies they are unable or unwilling to parent properly.

Many making an eternal mistake!

It's easy to make a baby but it's quite another thing raising the child to become a healthy mature man or woman ... in Tijuana, I see more than my share of hungry unloved dogs running the streets, the heartbreak compounds when I also see hungry, unloved kids running those same streets.

Yesterday I asked a street boy about his mother ... he looked at me and said "I don't even remember her."

Bastards are the result of a man and woman simply breeding.

I used to think breeding was a term used for animals and limited to animals. The world in which I work has proven otherwise, breeding continues to grow and cause pain in the human race.

Suggestion, and I'm serious.

If you don't want to pay the price of being a good parent. Buy a doll, or get a pet, but, for the baby's sake, don't bring another human life, an eternal life, in this world unless you both know how to raise it right.

Tip! Good parenting is learned, not by books but by being successfully parented, if you don't know how to parent, in my opinion, don't try! We don't need another adult problem.

COMPASSION AND RESPONSIBILITY

There is an ongoing struggle in the true Christian's life between being "responsible" (The mind.) and showing compassion (The heart.)

Well, maybe I should say, there should be a struggle; in most cases there is no room for struggle in our formally educated minds ... reason and education trump compassion, as a deciding factor.

Compassion, mercy, grace ... not that important. You wouldn't want to base your life's decision on that weak trinity.

Being responsible is thinking wisely; making wise decisions. Compassion, on the other hand is but an emotion. A dangerous emotion, An uncomfortable emotion. Let's be responsible!

I've heard too much of this secular "responsible" babble.

At a prayer breakfast, I was talking about our ministry to the poor in Mexico with a Christian leader of my church. "Von, why do you go down and feed those people? They'll just multiply like rats." To this "man of god" ,I was wasting time and money ... I wasn't acting responsible.

I was visiting a missionary friend of mine in Bolivia working with a jungle tribe. This tribe was the last of it's kind. There were only seven people left. Through the years the rest of the tribe died off by warfare and disease. This missionary family was willing to invest ten or more years to learn the language and give these people the Gospel and a Bible and prepare them for the dominant society. When a Christian friend of mine listened to me talk of this man and his calling. He said, von, what a waste! Seven people? When he could stay here and preach to hundreds or thousands? My Christian brother saw this man as irresponsible in his decision.

We just can't conceive that God has a very different approach to reaching and converting man. He has a different scale and different increments. He has a different "method" ... His method is successful with permanent results. His way can't be improved.

I've heard all my life ... be responsible, make responsible decisions. Get your education first, be responsible. "Von, you're too big for your little church, move up, reach more people. ". .that would be seen as responsible Christian counsel

A missionary pastor in my church once said "von, we need to invest in church planters. Only missionaries that plant churches." What about missionaries who are called by almighty God to other missionary ministries? I.e. Sorry, God, we just don't see your Divine call as worthy of our support!

Let the man you called get his support somewhere else!

I see today's Christian's tending to make judgments based on secular judgments. Using secular increments. Being politically correct. That's today's 'responsible' way.

There is an apparent struggle with some, very few ... of us. A secular balance vs. a Divine balance ...

I note in the Gospels that Jesus seemed to be guided by love, mercy and compassion. He didn't seem to act responsibly. I see Him as not very efficient either, but always effective.

As I see it, Jesus acted on compassion.

My call, was a call of compassion! And that may not seem responsible to some, but so be it! My call is from God not man ... even well meaning "responsible" brothers.

If I am to err, and err I will, may it be on the side of Compassion and forgiveness.

DRIVING TIJUANA AT NIGHT

Every now and then there will be a mayhem Tijuana traffic knot. (A Mexican stand-off!) Night time vehicular mayhem formed by a sudden intersection created by two separate two lane roads (= four lanes) narrowing into two lanes.

It's tired time ... Night time; no signs, no lights, no love, no cops ... and no rules!

We all just want to get across the border and back home.

Yep! A "Mexican Standoff" where nice guys don't win.

Last night I had to drive into and thru one of those Tijuana Traffic Knots, and it wasn't pretty.

Four lanes of cars slowly and miraculously cramming into two lanes forming a constantly changing knot of eight or nine crafty and bullish drivers hitting at you from every side ... this forms the heart of the cram. Each determined driver is pushing the limit. Many of us actually working within a three or four inch margin.

We're all trying to gain and maintain a permanent place in line.

Cars with their side mirrors pulled in indicate an unusual determination.

A heavy old car and bluff is the name of the game. The stuff these winners are made of.

Add some alcohol and drugs and you can have a rather explosive traffic cocktail.

Timid losers finally pull off and go back thirty cars to start again, dreading the growing cram intersection ahead.

We could call this, automotive poker ... however there are no rules to this game.

An interesting point you learn fast, no eye contact with any other driver. You slowly follow, within inches, the vehicle in front of you ... letting no one even think of cutting in. All of us slowly and deliberately forging ahead.

I'll be honest, a nighttime challenge like this for an eighty year old can stress this old man out. Each Tijuana traffic jam knotted like this, leaves you sweating ... for there is no mercy!

SKATEBOARDS

America has had a ongoing thing about skateboards or skate carts for years. Today's skateboards are just that, a small board with four plastic wheels. In our day skateboards were just for kids. It's a little different now; today's skateboards are for kids forty and under.

Seems strange to me to see grown men zooming down the street on their skateboard. Whoopee!

What's so great about skateboards? Us old-timers invented them years ago.

All of us kids had 'em. We made our own ... a lot cheaper that way. Materials needed: One old fashioned metal clamp-on skate, a two and a half foot wooden 2X4, a small wooden fruit box ... some nails. And a lot of vision.

Our skateboards were rather simple to make. One half of a metal clamp-on skate with it's two metal wheels was nailed to the front of the board and the other two wheels were nailed to the back. On the front of our wooden skateboard we nailed the wooden box and on top of the box we nailed two handles. Stand with one foot on the board, lean over and take hold of the handles then scoot down the sidewalk with other foot. To steer we just leaned one way or the other.

Yeah, we were proud of our skateboards. I even had brakes on mine.

Of course our skateboards were different than today's slick agile and quiet boards, ours were more of a one-leg power vehicle built for our neighborhood sidewalk freeway system. They were loud and noisy ... just the way boys like them.

We shared our tools as money was tight.

We put everything we had into these skateboards; our money, our skill and even our reputation! Yep, we made it ourselves ... and you could be sure, it was made In The USA!

DIGNITY

Driving in Tijuana I slowed down in back of a line of slowing cars, then came to a stop. As I was waiting, a rather disheveled man approached me ... he was selling "chiclets" little boxes of gums.

I rolled down my window, grabbed a dollar from my sun visor and handed it to the man. Lots of beggars "selling" chiclets. This man appeared to me to be another beggar.

He took my dollar ... and offered me the gum.

I said "no thanks" and smiled. He said, "No, take it. It's yours." I replied, "No, I don't need any gum."

He said," Well, you bought it, it's yours." I smiled and said "thanks" and took the package of gums, "I'll give them to my kids."

He smiled, and went on to the next car to sell his gum.

I took this man to be just another beggar; he was really a salesman. When I realized I was wrong, I smiled and took the gums.

This man was poor indeed, but he was a salesman with his small micro-business. He had his dignity ... and who was I to strip him of that?