When Soldiers Come Marching Home

The day he walked into the office he was excited. After all he was going to wear the uniform proudly. The recruiter spoke to him about all the advantages he would have, seeing the world, an education, representing his country; the soldier would even earn stripes and be able to go up in rank. At first he was leery of joining, after all, his mother was afraid of war and often talked to him against it, but now he was ready to take it on and he knew his father would be proud of him.  

What was missing from all of this wonderful information the recruiter gave him? Did he tell him everything?  He forgot to tell him what he might lose.

He may be away for a very long time, he may have to do more than one tour, he may have to see his friends gasping for life, he may see blood and guts, he may have to shoot someone, he may have to see  women and children laying in the street dead, he may be captured and held by the opposite side, he may get hit by friendly fire, he may go nights without sleep and hungry, he may be tortured or find himself torturing someone, he may see his friends rape women, he may come home without a limb, he may have to go through endless therapy, he may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, he may be forgotten by his friends and the very ones that encouraged him to go, or he may come back in a coffin.

War is not a pretty thing and for those that have gone and fought in different ones they know the devastation it causes. We know too many who are left widows and their children orphans; women go to combat and leave their small children behind.  Entire families and communities are torn apart because of war.

The reality is the more young people join the armed forces and sign those promising papers; they may in fact be signing a death sentence. It’s true, if it weren’t for those brave men and women who go to war and risk their life where would people’s freedom be?  But there’s also a very cold truth, freedom comes with a price, and all of us have seen millions die, trying to free others.  

When it comes to soldiers who go out to see the world, what are they really envisioning? Belonging to an elite team, the pride of a uniform, the feel of an AK47 or the reality that what they thought would be bliss and adventure turned out to be gruesome scenes when many were injured and died, the uniform didn’t mean anything when lives were lost, and an AK47 was a lethal weapon used for destruction.

A Friend for All Seasons

Today many people are facing situations they had never faced before and at times they don’t have anyone to turn to; when we’re ill, afraid, don’t know if we’re going to be able to pay our bills or make the mortgage, when we don’t have enough to pay our medicine or we have to forego it in order to feed our family. Those situations can either make us or break us and that’s what we’re facing, we wish it would change but when you watch the news and see the reality it can add to our anxiety and stress.

It’s wonderful to have a confidante or friend, someone who would give us the shirt off their back; a lot of us do have friends like that, however, unfortunately friends come and go and isn’t it true when you need them the most, they’re not there? I’m sure all of us have gone through that, or maybe you’re experiencing that right now.

What do we do? Where do we turn? I turn to God because I don’t have to make an appointment to pray. I pour my heart out and let him know what I’m going through, what I may be experiencing; sometimes the burden is great and I need his help because I can’t do it alone. I have the utmost faith he hears me and will help me. How do I know this? He’s never failed me. “Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please [him] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” Hebrews 11:6

I’ve noticed that people have faith in many things whether they realize it or not; if you buy something online and have it delivered, you have faith you will get it in 5-10 working days. A group of imperfect men and women will handle your request and you’re confident you will get what you ordered. Why would you doubt the Sovereign of the Universe if you petition him in prayer? After a close analysis, the latter speaks volumes.

We must always remember no matter the time of day or where you’re at, if you need to talk to someone and are in need, there’s a friend that’s never far away. “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways, take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3: 5-6

The Situation

I was listening to the radio this morning and as usual they were bashing Obama. I tried not to get irritated but unfortunately I did. Have people ever wondered that a lot of things they listen and see have an effect on them be it good or bad?

All of this bickering that goes on with politicians and party lines is terrible. If a person thinks they can do better after the record has shown every president has not been very successful, they’re sadly mistaken to put their hopes on someone else.

I don’t believe another person can fix the madness this world is in not even Obama, but I’m sure not going to credit someone else when history has proved the opposite; even though they may have good intentions the situation we’re in has compromised the best of their intention.

·         Foreclosures are high

·         Unemployment has skyrocketed

·         More people considered living on poverty level

·         Different diseases coming out on a daily basis

·         Uninsured people escalated

·         Crime taking over the streets

·         Debt is insane

·         Wars being fought and still no stability

·         Terrorism still a very real threat

I remember when there wasn’t a way to stop the petroleum spill many said, it would take God to intervene and bring relief.  The spill was supposedly stopped so I guess they didn’t need God but he wasn’t about to fix one thing and leave others as chaotic as they are, however, many still say they can see remnants of oil and I seriously doubt that after so much was spilled into the ocean they were able to clean everything up. Years after 9/11 more and more people have gotten sick because of the toxins their body took in and many have died and you’re telling me everything’s okay when it comes to the ocean? I’m not buying it.

Yesterday I saw a group of people rescue a man from under a car even though the situation was risky and the car could’ve blown up any minute, they knew someone was trapped there and they weren’t about to leave without trying to rescue him.

At first a group of women and men tried to lift the car and weren’t successful, when others saw what was going on they joined them and were able to lift the car and someone pull the man from under it. That kind of news deserves to be talked about because it shows the human spirit; there are still many people out there that are self-less showing they care about another.

Even though this world is in trouble for one brief moment they forgot what they may be going through to help someone who was in trouble; that took courage, love for another human being, strength and compassion; they thought about the person and the situation he was in, they wanted to help, that’s what was foremost in their mind and it moved them to action.

We may never know all their names unlike presidents, politicians, celebrities or reporters but ordinary people took an extraordinary moment and let the world see they were bonded by their love to help another and that kind of news we love to see, cheer and are moved by.

Remembrance – 9/11

On that bright sunny morning when things seemed to be normal for everyone, the day stood still and things have never been the same again. Those who made it to work knew they would probably never see their families again and many who were late and thought they would be reprimanded by their boss, were glad that being late meant saving their life.

I sat there that morning and tears came out of my eyes when I saw what was happening; the buildings coming down, the mayhem and utter horror that was seen in the streets of New York. What evil possessed them to hijack planes and kill so many people?

The same kind of evil that lets people commit murder and blow themselves up thinking nothing of it, the evil that walks the streets and injures another human being then goes on their business as if nothing happened, the evil that can see people burning to the ground and doesn’t faze them, and the evil of those who bask in victory knowing so many have died and left behind widows or children without a mother, father, or grandparent and parents who have lost their son or daughter.

Every anniversary of 9/11 you see the planes hitting the towers one after the other, the pentagon in flames and a brave group of people that refused to give in knowing they would probably die in the outcome, preventing another plane that was probably going to the Capitol or White House and be another victory for those who masterminded that event.

I don’t believe you get closer to God by committing such a heinous crime nor do I believe your reward will be in heaven if you play a part in ridding part of humanity of those you  think shouldn’t live.

After ten years many children who were once kids or babies and some who weren’t even borne have now grown up and they too have seen what happened on that fateful day. Many who were left with a spouse have remarried and are now living their life with their new mates. It’s too bad grown children have realized what man is capable of but that is a cold reality they’ve had to deal with.

The tenth anniversary is a reminder to all of us that the world in which we live has not grown safer; terrorists have been stopped many times before igniting their destruction, unfortunately other times acts have been committed.

Outside the United Nations building in New York there’s a statue with part of a scripture taken from the book of Isaiah. “And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2: 4

Why would this statue be there if they didn’t agree that what man has done is not acceptable in God’s eyes and sooner or later he will take action?

Do You Recognize The Signs?

I went to the store today and on my way back I ran into a friend. We started talking about world events and people’s behavior. I agreed with everything she said and as we talked I noticed that others were passing by in their cars driving furiously as if they were angry or those in front weren’t driving fast enough; what we were talking about was quite evident right before our eyes. 

Since the beginning of time man has often heard the story of Adam and Eve and because of their disobedience they lost the right to live in paradise, thus anyone born after them would be imperfect, but where does that leave us? 

In September 2000, members of the United Nations met and unanimously set a number of goals to reach by the year 2015. 

·         Reduce the amount of people that lived on less than a dollar a day as well as those who suffered from hunger

·         Ensure all children complete primary education

·         Eliminate gender inequality when it comes to education

·         Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate of children under 5

·         Reduce maternal rate by 75%

·         Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/Aids as well as other diseases

·         Reduce by 50% the amount of people who don’t have access to safe drinking water

Are those goals realistic when there’s slow progress with poverty, HIV/Aids are on the rise, children who could’ve been spared an early death die because of waterborne diseases, and hundreds of millions of people live in conditions that are deplorable associated with lack of clean drinking water and sanitation? If nothing seems to be changing what’s going on?

·         Warfare – Matthew 24: 7; Revelation 6: 4

·         Famine – Matthew 24: 7; Revelation 6: 5, 6, 8

·         Pestilences – Luke21: 11; Revelation 6: 8

·         Lawlessness – Matthew 24: 12

·         Ruining the earth – Revelation 11: 18

·         Earthquakes – Luke 21: 11

·         Critical times hard to deal with – 2 Timothy 3: 1

·         Disobedience to parents – 2 Timothy 3: 2

·         Lack of natural affection – 2 Timothy 3: 3

·         Loving pleasures rather than God – 2 Timothy 3: 4

·         Lack self-control – 2 Timothy 3: 3

·         Without love of goodness – 2 Timothy 3: 3

·         Taking no note of the impending danger– Matthew 24: 39

·        Ridiculers reject proof of last days – 2 Peter 3: 3-4

What we hear and see around us was described millions of years ago in the Bible. What you read is exactly what you’re seeing; we’re living in the last days. Things aren’t the same since time began like many have said; things are slowly but surely inching towards the finale. 

What You Can Do

When a person buys a smoke detector it’s to let them know in case a fire starts, when they get a vaccine it’s to help them fight a disease, when they heed the speed limit it’s to prevent an accident, reading and studying the Bible will safeguard your life if you act on it. 

The end of this system of things doesn’t mean the end of your life, it could be the beginning, but it’s all up to you. The Bible isn’t a fairy tale or “not real” like many think, these events are significant and they will happen affecting all.

“And in the days of those kings (man’s government) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom (God’s government) that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom (God’s government) itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms (man’s government), and it itself will stand to time indefinite” Daniel 2: 44

Be Careful What You Wish For

I was watching Obama’s speech about job creation and noticed some people were excited and some weren’t. If anyone took a look at those who were in attendance they seemed bored or as if they had heard that before. What many fail to realize is those who are elected were put in office by the same ones that now complain about them.

When will people get it; you may wonder get what: What people are supposed to get is that a very long time ago men requested a king to judge over them, someone they could actually see;  the same thing happened; what they were doing was something very serious. Instead of relying on Jehovah God who they couldn’t see but knew was there to help them, they thought that a visible king would be better.

 “In time all the older men of Israel collected themselves together and came to Samuel at Ra′mah and said to him: “Look! You yourself have grown old, but your own sons have not walked in your ways. Now do appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing was bad in the eyes of Samuel inasmuch as they had said: “Do give us a king to judge us,” and Samuel began to pray to Jehovah.  Then Jehovah said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people as respects all that they say to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected from being king over them.” 1 Samuel 8: 4-7

Samuel knew they wouldn’t fair well with a human king and the consequences would be grave but if that’s what they wanted, he would do as they said. When it comes to politicians and governments’ people are never satisfied nor are they happy with laws that are put in place; what may accommodate some does not accommodate all, but who elected those officials? People, and by the same token they have the right to make decisions like what happened in Samuel’s time.

 “And he proceeded to say: “This will become the rightful due of the king that will reign over YOU: YOUR sons he will take and put them as his in his chariots and among his horsemen and some will have to run before his chariots; And YOUR daughters he will take for ointment mixers and cooks and bakers.  And YOU will certainly cry out in that day by reason of YOUR king, whom YOU have chosen for yourselves, but Jehovah will not answer YOU in that day.” 1 Samuel 8: 11, 13, 18

As commander in chief the president has a right to send your sons and daughters to war and that’s what’s happened, he also has a right to make laws or veto what he doesn’t agree with; man wanted a visible king since long ago and for those who throw their vote today empty promises never materialize.

Man has rejected God preferring another human being who’s as imperfect as him or her, that’s the reason the situation is in dire straits because the government that many believe in is NOT supposed to bring the solution to problems that has plagued mankind for so long.

 Until people acknowledge and realize that Jehovah God’s kingdom will solve everyday problems and bring peace, things will continue to go from bad to worse.

Slapped With Reality

I just sat there watching the news, 14 million unemployed? Yes, and it keeps rising. What’s sad is those who don’t have a job look at others and it seems like they’re not affected; believe it or not, I’ve heard many say, “If I don’t have it, I don’t want anyone to have.” Pretty selfish if you ask me, but that’s what this world has turned into, selfish people.

For all the ones that are struggling, trying to survive, I guess the unemployment rate didn’t paint much of a happy picture, and when the stock market plummets off and on, I guess it also tells you things are going from bad to worse.

I know many say it fluctuates but is that really true? I think that’s a false sense of thinking because things have never really held on, and the only reason for that is it’s not supposed to. Huh? Was man really supposed to rule man? Has power, ambition and greed blinded him so much they’ve enslaved others to do what they say? I think that’s the answer.

When a person becomes so engrossed trying to get ahead regardless of whom he hurts, that’s a serious problem because the consequences will most definitely be catastrophic.

All of us have seen politicians go into office who once said they were for the people and all of a sudden they’ve been involved in scandals. We may wonder what happened but along the way they lost themselves especially if they were around others who were no good and fed them ideas they naively took in. Sometimes power can be corrupt because it changes a person and you really have to be careful how you use it.

You know who your friends are when you’re in the hospital or out of work and a lot of people have also realized that when they land in jail no one visits them with the exception of their mother; it’s time to do an inventory of what you do and who you hang around.

“I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking to direct his step.” Jeremiah 10:23

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

How many of us are guilty of arriving at a conclusion about a person by their appearance without even getting to know them? I’m sure all of us have done that at one time or another. Sometimes we size them up and down by their clothes and think they’re not worth the time of day. You’d be surprised if your decision is really a valid one.

Does Your Appearance Matter and to Whom?

Samuel was sent to Jesse the Bethlehemite to look for someone to anoint as future king. When Jesse started bringing all of his sons to Samuel, he kept passing them by saying they had been rejected by Jehovah God. Samuel asked if those were all the sons he had and Jesse told him the youngest who was David was tending the sheep; he was brought in.

In walked this Shepard boy, though he was good looking, no one would’ve thought the older brothers who were older and taller would be passed over from the youngest; after all don’t we envision a king or queen to be regal in their appearance? However, it does take a lot of humility to be out in the fields tending sheep accepting that responsibility.

“Do not look at his appearance and at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For not the way man sees [is the way God sees], because mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Get up, anoint him, for this is he! Accordingly Samuel took the horn!” Accordingly Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah began to be operative upon David from that day forward.” 1 Samuel 16:13-13

To everyone’s surprise, David was accepted and anointed to be the future king.

Why Did This Happen?

Jehovah knew David’s heart condition and what he would do for him. He didn’t take into account his youth or stature, unlike his older brothers. Maybe they didn’t have the same humility David had. After all, sometimes first born children lean towards prominence thinking that because they’re the first born, they have first rights and deserve it before anyone else; that’s not necessarily true like we saw in the case of David.

It’s extremely unfortunate that man is quick to judge a person’s outer appearance and their status; they want to know if you have a job, what kind of car you drive and if you have your own place. They also judge you on the clothes you wear and your social circle.  Isn’t it true that those that deem having social status get together and sometimes drink themselves into a stupor? They also engage in questionable behavior.

What Will You Do?

If Jehovah God were to judge each and every one of us according to what we own or look like, a lot of us probably wouldn’t pass the test.

He looks at your heart and what you have inside; what’s crucial is the love you have for him, your humility and how you treat others; after reflecting on something many probably don’t even think about, next time someone makes you feel bad about what you don’t have or starts throwing others in your face, remember what’s really important.