Smoke & Mirrors??

Oct. 14, 2008 Tues.



.......WHEN YOUR MONEY FAILS!



....THE ALMIGHTY USD USED TO BE THE GOLD STANDARD AS FAR AS WORLD MARKET CURRENCY WAS CONCERNED...



....IN FACT, HISTORICALLY, AND I BELIEVE EVEN LEGALLY, OUR MONEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACKED UP; PENNY FOR PENNY, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, WITH ACTUAL GOLD BOUILION, OR SILVER INGOTS.



....IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE PRINTED, OR COIN THAT WE MINTED, THE FEDERAL RESERVE...BY LAW,.. HAD TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME CORRESPONDING AMOUNT IN THOSE PRECIOUS METALS HELD IN A VAULT, ie: (FORT KNOX) OR SOME OTHER SECURE LOCATION???



.....OUR ECONOMY, AND OUR CURRENCY, WOULD FOREVER BE STABLE,.. AND OUR USD WOULD NEVER LOSE ITS VALUE ON THAT BASIS.



...MY FATHER IN LAW, SGT. CLYDE ENOS EDMONDS HAD A PHILOSOPHY, AND A RULE, THAT HE STEADFASTLY LIVED BY, AND I CAN ALREADY HEAR THE CACOPHONY OF ARGUMENTS SPEWING FORTH IN REGARDS TO,.. HOW IMPRACTICAL, AND EVEN DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE,.. IT WOULD BE FOR US TO OPERATE, CONDUCT BUSINESS, OR EVEN EXIST, BY HIS ECONOMICAL PHILOSOPHY & PRACTICE...



.....WHAT WAS HIS PHILOSOPHY???



.......HE BELIEVED IN PAYING CASH FOR THE THINGS HE BOUGHT! IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THE CASH FOR IT, HE DIDN'T BUY IT! ...PERIOD...!



NEITHER A BORROWER OR LENDER BE!



FOR 91 YEARS HE LIVED THAT WAY! EVERYTHING HE OWNED WAS BOUGHT WITH CASH IN HAND. "LITERALLY" HOUSE, CARS, TELEVISIONS, WASHERS, DRYERS, STOVES, REFRIGERATORS, ETC.......... IF THEY NEEDED SOMETHING AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR IT AT THE TIME, HE SAVED UP HIS MONEY UNTIL HE DID HAVE ENOUGH TO PAY FOR IT,... IN CASH.!!!

My Father-in-Law is my hero and has become my role model in many areas of my life...I never realized how significant his life and example would impact my way of thinking and develop my overall world view.

It's such a shame, that we rarely realize the value of a person's life untilo after their gone...Don't we often take for granted those things that are readily available to us on a daily basis, and are part of our everyday lives....and then suddenly,...they are gone, and we have forever lost that opportunity to tell them exactly how much they mean to us.

REGRET!

...."Oh, if I had only told him how much I love him, and how blessed & enriched my life is because he was a big part of it.

...HOW MUCH FURTHER AHEAD WOULD WE BE AS INDIVIDUALS IF WE HAD BEEN TAUGHT CULTURALLY,... TO BE EARNERS/SAVERS RATHER THAN BORROWERS AND CREDIT CONSUMERS?
... IT IS ACTUALLY BACKWARDS FROM WHAT IT SHOULD BE. AS CREDIT CONSUMERS WE BECAME SLAVES INSTEAD OF MASTERS.

OUR NUCLEAR FAMILY HAS BEEN THE LOSER IN THIS SCENARIO AS A CREDIT CONSUMING CULTURE...MOM & DAD BOTH HAVE TO SLAVE IN ORDER TO SERVICE OUR DEBT...
.... SOMETIMES, BOTH HOLDING DOWN MORE THAN ONE JOB, JUST TO SATISFY OUR MONTHLY BUDGET DEMANDS...

OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY IS BASED ON SMOKE AND MIRRORS...NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T...

IT IS MOSTLY BASED ON A LIE AND FUTURES....

WHAT FUTURE?
.....THE ONLY FUTURE THAT IS GUARANTEED TO US IS THE FUTURE THAT WE HAVE ONCE WE LEAVE THIS PLANET...

Remember Jesus' teachings on 'ECONOMICS"?
They are many...And they are incredibly wise, and relevant to this day!

...."Lay not up treasures for yourselves on Earth where moth and rust corrupt, and thieves break in and steal...
...But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,where moth and rust do not corrupt, and thieves do not break in and steal...
...For where your treasure is your heart will be also"...

.....HOW IS IT THAT WE AS CHILDREN OF THE KING HAVE ALLOWED OUR LIVES, OUR HAPPINESS, OUR PEACE OF MIND, OUR SENSE OF SECURITY, OUR SELF ESTEEM, SENSE OF SELF WORTH AND VALUE, OUR MEASURE OF SUCCESS AND A LIFE WELL LIVED...
... IS MOSTLY BASED, ON A BALANCE SHEET, PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT, THAT HELPS US TO ARRIVE AT THAT BOTTOM LINE...
... THAT DECLARES OUR NET WORTH TO BE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS....(I WISHED...LOL!)

...I can already hear all the arguments being proffered by the wisdom of this world....

....This guy is so naive, an idealist, impractical.

.......and the idea, that you either pay cash for your purchases, and I mean "YOUR CASH"...

... or you forego the purchase until you have earned and saved enough to make the purchase...

...Is absolutely impossible considering the present and modern realities...

....You cant rent a car, book a flight, reserve a room or reserve anything, etc. etc. etcetera, without a credit card???

...Does that at all sound vaguely familiar, in regards to receiving the "Mark of The Beast"...and not being able to buy and sell without the >MARK

.....SMOKE & MIRRORS....?

SATAN HIMSELF,...

... APPEARS AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT!..

...HE IS A LIAR!!!

.. AND THE FATHER OF ALL LIES!!!.

...

............{TO BE CONTINUED}.....

...AND WE WONDER WHY???

... THE MODERN FAMILY IS SO FRACTURED!!!

... FINANCIALLY & MORALLY BANKRUPT???

MY TESTIMONY- NEVER ENDING STORY CONTINUED!

.........."MY TESTIMONY"...........







There are many things that one can argue or challenge when it comes to sharing your beliefs in the CHRISTIAN FAITH....



....but there can be no argument or challenge to an account, or telling of our very own personal experiences!





...What I want to share with my readers, is a matter of history,...In my particular case it truly is a matter of ..."HIS-STORY!"





REV. 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,"...

....Let me see....where do we pick up where we left off many moons ago????

...The fact of the matter is, that in many ways, my life had alot of the normal, similiar experiences that most of the kids growing up in the "Baby Boomer Generation" Had.

....We were a poor family relying on the welfare benefits provided by the Great Welfare State of Michigan to get by. I had a younger sister and brother to look out for and for the most part I went to public school in the neighborhood...I always walked in the snow...Not barefoot though like we heard so much about our grandparents used to say, but it was a couple of mile walk to Northeastern Jr. High from where we lived on Phelps Ave., in Kalamazoo.

....I played sports, Little league Baseball, Wrestling...My Best Sport personally by the way...!!!

.....Freshman Football...I weighed 110lbs. soaking wet & was the starting outside linebacker. I told you earlier I had to become a tough streetwise kid...And I did develop a taste for hitting people and inflicting pain on them...

... I also grew up to the that popular T.V. Show with David Carradine, Kung Fu, and my Step Father's Dope Dealer / Family Friend, Greg Lopez was my Sensei, and taught me Karate and took me to tournaments to fight in... I was a Jock!

... So the physical contact sports were very much a part of my identity, and sense of self worth! Even necessary for my physical well being and survival growing up on some pretty mean streets...

....In many respects my life resembled and reflected a normal experience of growing up in america as a lower middle class or even a poor kid. Often times refered to as poor white trash!

...But normalcy is such an elusive concept...Especially for those growing up in my Baby Boomer Drug infested, long haired hippy, flower power, Sex Drugs Rock n Roll, Vietnam War, Political & Social Leaders Assasinated, Racial turmoil generation!

...Normalcy ended behind the closed doors and hidden darkside that many families try and keep from the outside world.

....That is the difference between the things of God, the children of Light, and the hidden things of darkness,... Satan's domain!

JOHN 3:19-21 SAYS,

19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

SHALOM

MICHAEL

"A FATHERS LOVE & CONCERN FOR HIS ADULT CHILDREN"

SUNDAY MORNING OCTOBER 5TH 2008


MY HEARTS CRY FOR MY ADULT CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES!

THIS IS A LETTER THAT GOD PUT ON MY HEART THIS MORNING BEFORE I LEFT FOR SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP.

.....IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT US MEN AS THE HUSBANDS AND FATHERS OF OUR FAMILIES WOULD FINALLY STEP UP AND ASSUME OUR GOD GIVEN, SPIRIT ANOINTED, ROLES THAT GOD HIMSELF IN HIS DIVINE WISDOM ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS THAT HE INTENDED FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME....

Dear Family,

I am truly blessed this Sunday morning as I am sitting here with my cup of coffee trying to wake up, I love watching Pastor Hagee from his Church in San Antonio Tx. on Sunday mornings....He has been preaching on this awesome series of sermons these past few months I believe its something like Voting the Bible and this morning he was preaching on the "Wild Horses Of Anger!" and it seems like every sunday at some point in his preaching The anointing becomes so strong that tears just begin to flow freely as God deals with my Heart....I am so THANKFUL that God has removed my heart of stone and restored a soft heart of flesh that is able to feel, see, and hear God's voice when he speaks to me each and everyday throughout my day....
......Its almost like that Christian song we used to listen too....Everywhere I go I see your face moving....
.....Do Y'all remember that song???

....Anyways, thats not the point, the point is THAT GOD IS WANTING TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO US DAILY IN REAL AND POWERFUL WAYS!!!!

...And we miss it when he reveals Himself and His will for our lives through every circumstance, I said, "EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE!!!!" that we encounter every day,

I don't know if Y'all have read Sheldon's book?... "IN HIS STEPS".... It's where they came up with the cute little ACROSTIC....WWJD.....That came out of Sheldon's book and the premise of the whole book is exactly that...
....In every circumstance, every decision, of every day of our lives....WHAT WOULD JESUS DO???

....HOW MUCH MORE WOULD OUR LIVES AND OUR DAYS BE FILLED WITH THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.....
......If we lived our lives according to that principal????

....Well that's my sermon for the day, and thats not going to cost you all anything, just food for thought!

...But I would like to put a little bug in your ears just in case you were thinking about or wondering what could we get Dad this year for his Birthday or for Christmas that he would enjoy and get the most use out of???

....Well, one of 2 things or both if Y'all are so inclined or able....

Pastor Hagee's series of sermons he's currently preaching on on CD or DVD, all you have to do is just watch his broadcast or I & your Mom have all the necessary info to contact them to order it....OR,,,,

.........A BRAND NEW NKJV GIANT PRINT STUDY BIBLE WITH MY NAME ENGRAVED ON THE FRONT COVER AND WHO IT IS FROM....

ANYWAYS...... Y'all know very well that you really don't need to get me anything...but I just thought I might put that out there just in case...LOL....

One other thing before I get up outta here and go to worship....PLEASE KNOW AND FEEL THIS...

...Y'ALL & ALL YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE IN MY THOUGHTS & PRAYERS EACH AND EVERY DAY AND I PRAY FOR YOU DAILY MANY TIMES A DAY SO PLEASE TRUST AND EXPECT THAT GOD IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN YOUR DAILY EXPERIENCES EACH AND EVERYDAY DEMONSTRATING HIS LOVE AND DESIRE TO GUIDE AND DIRECT YOUR PATHS!!!!

"LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT TRUST ME AND ACKNOWLEDGE ME IN ALL OF YOUR WAYS, AND I WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS!"

....Sometimes because of our stubborness and rebellion, God may direct our paths through "DISCIPLINE" Do not resist or despise this...as he speaks on this in the 12th chapter of Hebrews.

"DESPISE NOT THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD.............IF WE WERE WITHOUT DISCIPLINE THEN WE WOULD BE BASTARDS AND NOT SONS....Etc. etc. etc. Please read that chapter for yourself. Its one of the great chapters of the New Testament and one of my personal favorites.

.....Once again I love Y'all very much and miss you all terribly Daddy's praying for you always...be encouraged and comforted by that reality.

LOVE

DADDY


.........I BELIEVE THAT GOD MEANS FOR US TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE...SO THIS LETTER THAT YOU HAVE JUST READ IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW GOD WOULD HAVE US TO RELATE TO OUR ADULT CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES...

BE BLESSED IN THE BELOVED

BROTHER MICHAEL

......."NEVER AGAIN!!!!"

OCTOBER 04, 2008 FRIDAY AFTERNOON 3:30PM

ABSOLUTELY NO BAIL OUT OF THE CROOKED BANKERS WHO CRUELY GOBBLE UP OUR HOMES, AND OUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GOVERNOR SARAH PALEN SAID IT SO WELL THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN SHE DEBATED SENATOR JOE BIDEN...."NEVER AGAIN!" WILL WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ALLOW WALL STREETS GREED TO EXPLOIT THE HARDWORKING AMERICAN FAMILIES.

..........................................."NEVER AGAIN!"........................................

I find it very hard to have any sympathy towards the banks and investment companies that have been in the headlines in the last week, especially in regards to all the discussions of bailouts being funded by our government, ie: us the tax payers.

I and my family certainly did not have this option or opportunity presented to us when our hopes and american dreams were cruelly crushed by the banks, mortgage company and or investment banking institutions when my sub-prime mortgage was declared to be in default and my home/ranch in Shepherdsville, Kentucky was foreclosed on. We were forcibly evicted by agents of my mortgage carrier backed up by a sizable force of the Bullitt county Sherriff's Department.

This was an incredibly humiliating experience for me in the sight of all my neighbors and in front of my wife and three children and in the hearing of all my friends, extended family, clients,vendors, employees fellow church members etc. this was not a quiet private affair. It was done very publicly and was published abroad several times in the local media outlets as my property was placed on the auction block at the county court house with the public invited to take a stab at possibly profitting from my tragic misery.

I was present at the auction when my neighbor and the person counted to be my friend purchased my home and place of business for $75,000.00 less than what I owed on my Mortgage. My 5 acre 3800 sq.ft tri level brick home with 2 car attatched garage and 1000 sq.ft. metal pole barn/out building, 1 acre stocked fishing pond/swimming hole for my children that I personally dug out, and my vegetable garden, landscape nursery,corral and horse Paddock valued at over $300,000.00 was sold for $120,000.00

The value of this property, and what it meant to us as a family can not be measured in dollar amounts. This was not just a house. It was our home. Our Dream home. The home where my children were raised and grew up. The ranch where my Youngest Daughter April Kept and rode her Quarter Horse Bandit, that Horse also had to be sold. It was the fertile soil where we raised and grew our own food. It was the property where my Son Michael II shot His first White Tail Buck. It was the home where my Oldest Daughter Aimee graduated from Highview Baptist High School. It was the home Where all my family Fished and swam together in the Pond that we Built in the middle of the woods in the valley that ran through our Bottom land. It was the home where I had my shop and lawn care & landscape company, The company that served 3 counties, hundreds of satisfied clients, and employed dozens of people over the 10 12 years that we lived there.

We were the all american family of rugged individualists whose only son Michael II played all 3 sports, Football, Baseball, Basketball & was enlisted in ROTC training in high school, Aimee Beth, and April our 2 beautiful daughters were cheerleaders, on gymnastic teams, and both competed in beauty pagents at the county and state levels. My wife and I both held down Part Time jobs at UPS while I attended classes at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Pastored a local Baptist Church, and Owned & Operated a Landscape Contract company.
Bowling Enterprises, LawnCare & Landscape Specialties. A Sole Proprietor-ship

It would take too long to explain all the details of how we lost our home, business,and our Great American Dream,.. A seasonal business, 2 years of extreme heat and drought, refusing to hire cheap illegal labor are just a few of the difficulties that led to our demise...

But I will leave it to your imagination, how easy it is to fall prey, to a slick mortgage broker selling a fix all debt consolidation sub prime mortgage loan to a young struggling family.
I was attending seminary , raising 3 exceptionally bright and talented children, operating a business, Was Pastoring a church and my wife and I were also working part time jobs for the health insurance benefits.
The refinance to a sub prime mortgage seemed like a good idea at the time....Not!

So you will have to excuse me if I dont think that we ought to bail out Freddie Mack & Fannie Mae et al etc.

Life goes on, and you can either keep on keeping on at living or get busy dying.

We decided to move back to our home town in Kalamazoo, Michigan as the failure was too much to bear and try and continue in that community subjecting my children to the cruel ridicule they were enduring amongst their fellows and quite honestly my wife and I too.

It has been said that when a door closes in your life, God opens a window....Even though this traumatic event took place in 2002 and we have never recovered to the point of being in our own home.

We have managed to finish raising our 2 youngest and watch all of our children blossom into adulthood, starting families of their own. We have graduated from being parents to becoming grandparents, going from 0 to 5 beautiful grandbabies in 3 short years.

Our oldest daughter, Aimee remained In Louisville with her husband Joe, employed at G. E. Aimee has an entertainment talent search company that she is co-owner with a partner in Los Angeles. They have blessed us with 2 beautiful grandsons.

Michael II Graduated from Heritage Baptist Academy and Married Jessica, a local Michigan Girl. Michael is currently serving in Army Intelligence and has blessed us with a Grandson & Granddaughter.

Our Youngest April Married a Local Plainwell Michigan Guy Tyler Bowman blessing us Last November 2007 with a beautiful Granddaughter, Alexis. They live here in Michigan, close to us. They are struggling tremendously in this terrible economic climate, both holding down menial service jobs currently living with Tyler's Father.

As for Beth and I...????
We Still do not have a home of our own. Beth was forced out of her job at UPS Ground Here in Kalamazoo. She transferred from UPS Air In Louisville where she was a very highly valued productive skilled worker...But The UPS Ground shop HereDid their level best to get rid of her from the moment she arrived. They placed her in one of the most physically demanding jobs they had. Her Male supervisor told her that she may as well quit because he couldnt even keep up with the pace that her job demanded and even the young college students they typically hired for that job would typically fail. Because of her gender and age they should have and could have given her a much less demanding job but she was eventually forced out for medical reasons with no compensation or benefits whatsoever. I,m sure we had great grounds to bring a lawsuit but thats just not our way.
Anyways, Beth is My widowed mothers Home healthcare chore provider and receives a very small check from the state every month. $324.00.

We live in my mother,s HUD subsidized apartment providing 24 hour supervision so that she can live independantly . We took her out of the nursing home shortly after moving back to Michigan because of our belief that families need to care for their elder parents, rather than putting them away in what usually winds up being deplorable, shameful conditions that anyone thats visited the type of nursing homes that poor people are placed in knows exactly what I'm talking about.

As for Me....I recently closed an internet based trucking freight hauling business that my wife and I operated for the past 2 1/2 years. "Logistical Solutions" Found on USHIP.com , User Name Concreteangel959 could no longer operate at a profit with the high price of fuel and increase in overhead that was occurring as a result of increased costs across the board.

I currently volunteer as a Servant Minister at Alpha & Omega Ministries & Praise Baptist Church. I was the founder of this Church and Homeless Shelter/Crisis Intervention Ministry back in the early 80's. My duties now consist of supporting the current Pastor Al Dines and Director Shirley Dines as part of the overall Ministry Team. I am in charge of the Maintainence of the physical plant of our campus which consists of 6 Residential Type houses and 1 Commercial Store Front Type Building where we meet for worship.
I Mentor Several of the male residents at our ministry who are typically dealing with recovery from substance abuse issues. I'm very much like a Chaplain and I have the privelage of leading a couple Bible Studies every week.

I am also what I call an Urban Prospector. This is really just a polite name for a glorified Dumpster Diver. I take the cash out of the trash and sell scrap metal to local junk yards and scrap processors for cash. One could probably make a modest living with this kind of work if I had more time to devote to it but my committment to our Church and Its outreach Ministry demands the majority of my time and energy.

I'm not sure how much longer My Mother Shirley is going to be with us on this planet? She is 66 years young, but her health is failing despite our best efforts to allow her to live out her last days with a good quality of life and with dignity, surrounded by her family and loved ones.

It is mine and my wife's firm belief That God is watching and that he is the one that ultimately provides for our needs. We also believe and hope that sometime in the near future God will Bless us with a home of our own as his word promises us that "He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him."

Finally, in the midst of all this political rhetoric, and campaign spin doctoring monkey business...I wonder how the Obama/Biden and McCain/Palen Presidential Candidates would "Honestly" Propose to promise to do something tangible to positively impact mine and my families lives in order to persuade us that they would be worthy of earning our support and votes this November 2008

Respectfully Submitted
Rev. Michael D. Bowling Sr.
105 E. Walnut Apt 2313
Kalamazoo, Mi. 49007
269-344-4952

Look Up!!! "OUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH!"

FRI. MORNING OCTOBER 03, 2008 8:00am


MARANATHA = EVEN SO COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS!!!


....All we have to do is cross reference the book of Revelation with the daily news Headlines in the print media & the Television news...

....and it is abundantly clear... even to the most casual student of Biblical Prophecy, that The Eastern Sky could split, the sound of the trumpet will be heard, and the rider on the pale horse... appears in view of the entire planet...No !

.....Check that,...In view of the entire universe, all of creation!

....This is an incredible and exciting time to be alive,

....Is it Not???

...........If you are in right standing with the one and only True God!!! The Creator of all that is,...
... THE GREAT I AM,....JEHOVA,....YAHWEH,...JESUS!!!!

JOHN CHAPTER 1 Says;
....."IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD."
....."THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD."
............"ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; AND WITHOUT HIM WAS NOT ANYTHING MADE THAT WAS MADE."
..."IN HIM WAS LIFE; AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN."
........."AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER,) FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH."

....IT IS MY OPINION & MY BELIEF,... THE ONLY PROPHECY LEFT, THAT NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED, and COME TO PASS,..... IS THAT THE MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED,... THE LITERAL PERSON, THAT IS THE ANTICHRIST....I BELIEVE , HE IS ALREADY ALIVE AND WELL ON THIS PLANET TODAY!!!
... HE IS JUST WAITING TO BE REVEALED!

....Now I admit, that I am no Biblical Scholar, or expert on Eschatological events...
... Some would argue, The Jewish Temple, still needs to be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem,... And the Islamic Mosque "THE DOME OF THE ROCK" that currently occupies that site must be destroyed, yada yada yada, ...

...The truth of the matter is, "THAT NO MAN KNOWETH THE HOUR, SAVE BUT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!"...."BUT BE YE ALWAYS READY FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL RETURN IN AN HOUR THAT YOU THINKETH NOT!" (My Loose Paraphrase)

.....I do know, and realize though.... That for some of us, this is quite worrisome!
... We want our Kids & Grandkids to have a chance to grow up, and experience the joys of living. ............We also, as "Mere Mortals", have a hard time letting go of the only world we know!...

......But remember what Paul wrote to the Believers at the Corinthian Church, - He so beautifully states ;

..."EYE HATH NOT SEEN NOR EAR HEARD NOR HAS IT ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF A MAN THE GLORY THAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR THOSE THAT LOVE HIM."

"THAT'S WHY I ADHERE TO THE ONLY POSITION THAT ANYONE CAN SAY IS TRUE BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT!"...

...........................PAN-TRIBULATION!!!

.....I am not sure how it all is going to pan out??? I have no idea which position is the correct one in regards to when the Rapture is going to take place???

1. Pre-Tribulation???.

2. Mid-Tribulation???
OR
3. Post-Tribulation???

I just know that it will all Pan out in the end!

That is Why I call myself a Pan-Milleniust! LOL

The point is though, ... If we have been truly "BORN AGAIN" and we are in fact, a child of God in the new birth experience sense of the word, then by faith we believe that the Bible teaches us that when all is said and done......"WE WIN!"....

It's going to be all good in the new neighborhood that us and our young and innocent children live in....

...."There will be no more tears, no more pain, no crying because the former things will be passed away and this mortality will put on immortality...This corruptible, will have put on incorruption...Oh death where is thy sting?...Oh grave where is thy victory? ... But thanks be unto God through Jesus Christ the righteous, who hath delivered us from this vile body of death!"

Forever & Ever!

AMEN!!!!!!!

BE BLESSED & BE WELL!

BROTHER MICHAEL

Hello...I'm Back & I'm Blessed Beyond Belief

October 3,2008

...Thank God I didn't wake up dead this morning, although it wouldn't be a bad thing to be absent from the body, and to be in the presence of the Lord?

...It has been a long time since I was last able to access this Blog Site and "TESTIFY" to all of the great things that God has done in my life since April 2008......

.......Where do I start to catch Y'all up???

...Let me see....Oh Yeah, that epic battle that we were having with AT&T over them shutting off my internet service...

...As you can obviously see, we have resolved that issue, at least for the present moment. Pray God allows us to continue from now until Jesus returns. AMEN!!!

.......So much has happened in my life since we last shared 6 months ago.

...Shortly After my last post in mid April God spoke to my heart and I actually listened and obeyed.

... I went back to my old Home Church Where I was the founding Pastor, PRAISE BAPTIST CHURCH & ALPHA AND OMEGA MINISTRIES, and re-joined that local fellowship. I transfered my Church Letter from Little Flock Baptist Church near Louisville, Ky.

...I am just like any other typical church member there, and I am serving in a volunteer role as a Servant Minister at our outreach ministry Alpha & Omega Ministries.

...I serve under The current Pastor Rev. Al Dines and his wife Shirley Dines, The Director of A&O.

......My role there is best characterized as I serve very much like a chaplain as well as I am in charge of the carpentry & Maintainence needs of the physical plant of the campus. I also lead 2 Bible Studies during the week on Weds. AM & Thurs. PM. We are presently studying Paul's letters to the Corinthian Church

...I am currently Mentoring several of the adult male residents there.

......You can look up our Church & our outreach Ministry on the web at Praisebaptistchurch.org


....There is so much that I want to share in regards to what God is doing in mine and Beth's Lives as well as getting back to sharing about that never ending story...My Personal Testimony, but it is extremely late or very early in the morning at 1:45AM Fri. 10/03 or Thurs. 10/02 Late night...But I'll try and log back on some time tomorrow when I am of fresh mind and begin to catch up on everything and even discuss all the exciting things we are facing in the very near future...

Oh BTW How about That Vice Presidential Debate That just took place Between Sen. Joe Biden & Gov. Sarah Palen?

Isn't Gov. Palen So awesome??? I just love her to pieces and really wished that she was at the top of the Republican Ticket running for President. Don't get me wrong...I have alot of respect for John McCain but I really feel like Miss Sarah is just a breath of fresh air on the Political scene.

Anyways...Until Later.....

Be Well & Be Blessed

Brother Michael

P.S. I Cor. 15:58 Says,
"BE YE STEDFAST, IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD FOR AS MUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOR IN THE LORD IS NOT IN VAIN!"
....This is one of my favorite memory verses!...

Why was I Born? Never Ending Story Continued - My Testimony

April 18, 2008 - Friday evening - 9:30PM



Why was I born? What am I doing here? What is my purpose?

Romans 8:29 - 30...
..."For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

..."Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them he also glorified."

...Many of us at some point in our journey, arrive at that place... Where we ponder these age old questions!

...Some, more than others, ask ourselves, or ask someone, ...whom we think knows the answer;

... Why was I chosen to come to this planet?
....Why am I here at this time in history?

......Why was I born into this family???

...Why Me?

...Hopefully, one of the benefits that come with age, is, we gain a certain measure of wisdom along the way.

... Now wisdom, is somewhat of an elusive commodity...

..But apparently, it is something we should easily attain through a multitude of life's experiences,... as well as, the knowledge that one gains through education and study.

...Now the Bible is a book, oftentimes referred to as a book of wisdom.
.. There are also, many other books where wisdom can be gained,... but it is common knowledge, and almost always, universally recognized,... even amongst unbelievers, that The Bible contains much wisdom...

...Because I am a man of faith, and I have had my own, fair share of traumatic experiences in life,...
...Especially when I was just a wee lad.

.. The Bible, has been a great source of information...for the many questions, I have pondered, whilst on this planet.

...One of the things, I've come to believe Is,...
We were born for a purpose...

.... All of us have a destiny to fulfill...Now, whether we do this, or not, is mostly up to us!

...It depends largely upon the choices we make, especially since we are all free moral agents!..

... That is, God does not impose his will on us with force.

..Now there are many times, that certain choices are predictable...

...Largely in part, due to the environment we're in, or the circumstances that confront us,.. at any given point in time .

...Now, I know what you're thinking...Possibly thinking!

... That what I've said so far...is, just about, as clear as mud!

..OK?

...Let me try and explain, by using my own life to illustrate what I'm talking about...

...Most of my young life, I didn't have a whole lot of control over my circumstances.

.. Most of those circumstances, were determined by my parents, or other adults that had charge over me...

... for supervision and oversight over my young life.

Modern Psychiatry declares, that I mostly, am going to be a product of my environment...

...In looking back over my life, I have come to believe... .....God created me for a reason!

.. .I have a destiny to fulfill...And now, as a matter of wisdom, I can see how...quite possibly...and even highly probable,..

... God gave angels charge over me...In other words, I had a guardian angel, or maybe... even a whole army of them...

Especially when you take into consideration,.. the many dangers I faced because of my poor choices...

...Or the poor choices of those, that were supposedly... responsible for my well being.

...Amazing it is... how God brings to remembrance... some of those times in your life... when by His love, He was actively involved...

... In directing, and steering us towards, that destiny and purpose for which we were created!

..And yes...Even many times, He protects us, from being destroyed before our time...

... I feel very much, that this is true for me!

Especially, as I look back at all the perils I've faced.

...I have a couple of memories of 2 crucial events that took place when I was young that either I had forgotten up to this point or I just failed to realize their significance in my survival in this Dog Eat Dog world we live in...

...The first one Happened during that time We were living with Mamaw & Papaw Hudson after being abandoned by my mother for about 6 months...

...All of the details are not real clear, such as the names of the people involved, but the significance of what happened is crystal clear, now that I think about it...

...I was invited to church by someone that lived fairly close to my grandparents.
and I'm not even sure if they knew that I had gone to Church...

...But I'll get to that part in a minute...

....Anyways, I went to church with one of my friends, and I remember it now... as clear as day!

..There was an altar call given after the preacher got done, and for some inexplicable reason, I went forward at that altar call..

...I remember now, that I went.... entirely of my own volition, None of my buddies went with, nor any of their family members went forward

...I wasn't prompted... or pulled, or encouraged by anyone there, to do it, but in looking back???

...I was compelled somehow... to take that walk down that aisle...

...In a church, that I had never been in before...as a matter of fact, I don't hardly ever... remember even going to church much before that time...

...Anyways, with child like faith, I went forward at the altar call... and somebody there, maybe it was the preacher,

.. or maybe it was a lay person that had responsibility over the young children!

...I couldn't have been much older than 9 at the time, if my memories are correct...

...But I remember praying with someone... and asking Jesus to come into my heart,..

.. and I do remember, that whoever was ministering to me... ...Told me, that it was important... that I told God... that I was sorry for the bad things that I had done!

..And it was important, that I asked God to forgive me for my sins...

...The thing that really sticks out in my mind... is how all of a sudden.... I began to cry.... and I mean, I was bawling my eyes out!

..But the strange thing was, that all the time I was crying, ...it wasn't because I was sad, or scared,..

... It was because I was happy!...I remember how all of these people in the Church began to come up to me and hug me and shake my hand and just shower me with love!

...And all I could do, was cry,..
..... and at the same time, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted up off of me...

...Now I don't remember much else, about who the people were, or even if I ever again, had any contact with them after that day...

...But the weird thing was, how my Papaw reacted... when I told him what happened... at that Church service...

...What seems to be real weird to me now is... that in light of my Papaw being an Old Regular Baptist Preacher Himself, I didn't understand why His reaction to what had happened to me
was so negative and even hostile???

...I think that what prompted it... was that someone at the Church that day... told me, that I should be Baptised now!

...I had gotten Saved, and that's what people did after they got saved,... they got baptised...

...Now that I think about it?.. That was exactly what caused the crap to hit the fan at my grandparents house that day!

..And I was forbidden, to ever go back to that church, ever again...And I didn't..

...I don't remember anything else about it... and had really forgotten about IT... until the other day when I was thinking back to my childhood, and all of the different things that had happened to me.

...I had another experience...that has a few similarities, ...About a year after we moved to Michigan...I think I was around 11 or maybe 12 years old!

...And one of the things...I had to do, all of the time for my folks, was go to the little grocery store... about 4 blocks around the corner from our house.

... The Store was called Miller's Market...

...Anyways, I had been sent to the store... and it seems like I had a letter that my mom wanted mailed, so I was supposed to drop it in the big mailbox on the corner on my way to the store...

...The mailman was there with his little mail jeep picking up the mail, and he began to talk to me...The guy was real friendly and seemed like a nice guy, so we struck up a conversation and somehow or another, after what seemed like a lot of questions that he had asked me,...

...He began to tell me about God, and how Jesus was his Son, and about how much he loved me...

...He asked me if I wanted to come sit in the truck with him? and I did...

...He had these different Children's Bible Story books, and a Bible...The one thing that I remember most about it, he asked me, If I wanted to be saved?...

...I remember now, how I knelt down on my knees, and clasped my hands together, and that nice young mailman led me in a simple prayer; whereby I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me...Again I remember the tears that flowed from my eyes as I was praying, and again, they were tears of happiness, even though I didn't quite understand why I was crying so much from feeling happy...

...I do remember that before I left, he gave me some papers, some children's books, and a Bible... He asked me where I lived, my address, phone number, and then asked me...

...If he could write a letter to my parents so he could ask them about me going to church, and maybe being Baptised?

He said, I had been saved, and I needed to go and tell somebody right away, especially my Mom & Dad...

...Again, I got an unexpected reaction to the news when My Mother asked, What took me so long??...Of course I told her What happened, and that I had prayed with the mailman and gotten saved, and he wanted me to go to church and be baptised!...

...He was going to write them a letter, and explain it all to them...

...Again, they weren't very happy about what I thought was good news, and I don't have any other memories about anything else ever coming from the day that I prayed with the mailman in his little mail truck...

...In looking back now, as an adult...Trying to understand what is the significance of these 2 childhood experiences???

...I really believe now...that I understand exactly what happened, and God seen, and heard my childish prayers...

...He honored my childlike faith...I now also believe, That God saved and sealed my soul as a result of that boyhood experience...I now understand the negative reactions of the adults in my life at the time. You can read about a parallel experience in the Bible.

Matthew 19: 13 - 15...
..."Then were there brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them."
..."But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
..."And He laid is hands on them, and departed thence."

...As I reflect back on my childhood now, the answers to those age old questions are so apparent to me...Easily I can see, How God had a destiny planned out for my life...And even though our Adversary tried, time after time, to frustrate that plan, and destroy me...God was watching...

...Not only was God watching, but he was protecting me, time and time again, He sent people into my life, to demonstrate His remarkable love for me...Over and over again, God was revealing Himself and His love for me...

I suspect, those of you, that read these words that I write, ...If you would be honest, you would also come to see, and understand, how many times God has protected you from total destruction...

...And no matter how many times you failed to recognize the hand of God at work in your life, or, even outright rejected his overtures of care and love, you now have to admit...

...that God has been, and even now...still, is watching over you.

...Even, the very fact that you... are even reading this, has to say to you,..that God loves you, and you are important to Him!.. He has a worthwhile plan/destiny for your life...

...That is why you were born!...There are people in your life right now...and there will be others in your future,

...that only "YOU" can reach...And the sad part is...If you don't reach, or even attempt to reach out to them for God's sake...They may never ever be able to be reached at all...

...It is an awesome thing to lead someone to Christ...To win their souls...

"HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE!"

...It is also, an awesome responsibility, to consider that if you don't...then...Their eternal destination...could be determined one way or the other...

...They may happily go to Heaven...or...Tragically go to Hell...all because you did, or did not, fulfill your destiny...

...Here is another though for us to consider?

...The things that we do, or don't do, could have an impact on, not only that person...That God has placed directly in your life, or in your path...but just like the old "Back To The Future" movies...or...That new Disney cartoon..."The Robinson's"...

...Remember the story line? and the paradox caused by the time continuim theory?..

...Do you get it?

...Do You understand what is at stake here...???

...Our life, Right here...and...now!

...Is going to have an affect, on future generations of people!..

People not even born yet...

...Let me illustrate this for us, one last time...

...And then I'll let you off the hook...I said, I'll let you off the hook...

...That doesn't mean that God's going to let you off the hook!...No way!...

...Do you remember the story I told you about my Father-In-Law? Dad Edmonds???

...Do you remember how I told you about him being a war Hero in WWII?...

...He was a Combat Medic...He was responsible for saving the lives of God only Knows...How many people,he Provided emergency first aid treament for, on the battlefields he served on...

...How many people's live's were saved as a result of him risking his life...To go out, in the heat of the battle, in the midst of fierce combat...He dodged bullets and rocket, mortar fire, to save his fellow warriors lives...

...Now, Extrapolate those numbers out into the future, and try and figure out...How many generations of people are alive today...And some of them, even still yet, to be born in the future...as a result of Clyde Enos Edmonds...

... Rushing out onto a hot battlefield to save someones life... It really is... that paradoxical time line continuim...Just like the back to the future movies , we love so much...

...Do you get it now???

...Did you learn what the answer is?.. To the questions we asked earlier???

...Those same questions?... That mankind has been wrestling with for years?...

...Maybe even you?... Have pondered this for yourself?...

...What an awesome thing it is!.. Once you've wrapped your mind around the concept... That you!..

...Really do, make a difference!..

...If you, so choose, to do so...

...And even more importantly!

...What if you choose wrong...?

...LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THAT THOUGHT!!!

YOUR FELLOW TRAVELER

MICHAEL