7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You. “
This verse is taken from Psalm 39. In a world where there is so much strife, it is comforting to know that hope is a Psalm away.
-CR
HOPE
June 4, 2011
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Posted by Chris
U.S. MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY TRUSTEES SHARE ECONOMIC FORECAST ON FRIDAY THE 13TH
May 14, 2011I would like to make it clear that I am not a superstitious person. No fear of walking under a ladder on Friday the 13th here. In fact, I didn’t realize that it was Friday the 13th yesterday until late in the afternoon.
Before the earthquake in Japan, I had watched little mainstream news for quite some time. Since that event, there is so much upheaval in the world that the continuing release of radioactivity in Japan is rarely mentioned. I have little confidence in the mainstream media, but I have been watching lately. Mainstream priorities are very poor but one gets a view of how the world sees things.
The bad news continues.
For the Christian, there is the great equalizer:
Jesus is our hope. (1 Tim. 1:1)
I was heading to bed last night and decided to turn the T.V. on and check out C-Span for a second. What I saw was a short, annual report by the Medicare and Social Security Trustees.
It doesn’t surprise me that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s report was not included on any of the mainstream news sources that I had seen earlier in the evening.
If I read C-Span correctly, the report was issued late last evening. If one has to issue a report and wants the fewest ears to hear it, a Friday evening is the best time. Weekend news is always very poorly done, so my guess is that this story will begin to get real notice next week if at all.
It is a beautiful morning in Arkansas. At the same time, the Mississippi River is out of control and so many are still picking up the pieces of the tornadoes that swept through the South.
I have been thinking quite a bit about the first verse of Revelation 21 lately.
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away…”
I believe in the prophecies in the Bible. I think the last two chapters are very clear if one takes Revelation as literally as I do. Actually, the last four chapters are pretty clear. I’ll admit that I’ve read many ideas about the “Babylon” of chapter 18 and don’t know what it is. After Mr. Geithner’s report last night, I don’t think the United States is as great a candidate as so many internet sites state.
Regardless of how one views prophecy, most Christians believe that Jesus is coming back. There are many scenarios about how this will happen. I think there will be a 7 year tribulation. I also believe in a “rapture.”
Jesus said, “Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.” (Matt. 24:40)
I don’t pretend to know when this rapture will happen.
My point: It is hard for me, as a Christian, to hear a 35 minute report by the Medicare and Social Security Trustees like the one last night and not relate it to the nearness of our coming Lord. (Of course, the fact that Israel is back in the land is a much more important sign than last night’s report.)
The monstrous debt that we have accrued has tied us to a world economy that puts us in financial situation that we used to fear militarily. At one time we were worried about the “domino effect” that might be caused by Russian Imperialism. Think of the repercussions if any or a few of the major nation economies collapse. Some would say it’s not a matter of “if” but “when.”
Our experts in finance have about as much ability to forecast the future as our meteorologists.
All one has to do is listen to the short report given last night to see that.
My question: How can God bless a nation, or a World for that matter, that has turned its back on Him?
Jesus is our hope. He is our only hope.
If you haven’t placed your hope and trust in Jesus, I would hope that you would do it today. He is coming soon.
Chris Reimers
Here’s the press release from C-Span:
Medicare and Social Security Trustees report says Social Security and Medicare will run out of money sooner than anticipated. The annual report, which provides an update on the solvency and cost of the two entitlement programs, blames the sluggish economy for the changes.
The Hospital Insurance fund, which pays for hospital stays of Medicare recipients, will run out in 2024, five years earlier than last year’s report estimate. The Social Security Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2036. When the trust fund runs dry, Social Security benefits do not stop but decrease by 22%
The entitlement programs, which cover one-third of the U.S. population, account for a growing piece of the budget. As Washington and the public express concern with the size of the deficit, this report by the Board of Trustees will influence how they fit into the budget debate.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Medicare reforms “will be needed.”
In his health care speech Thursday, potential presidential candidate Mitt Romney (R-MA) said making Medicare solvent should be a top priority but did not offer any specifics of how he would do it.
In 2009, nearly 57 million people received Social Security benefits and 46 million people received Medicare benefits.
Last year’s report found that long-term Social Security solvency was largely unchanged, but the 75-year outlook for Medicare improved “substantially” because of the passage of the health care law. Before the passage of health care, Medicare benefits were expected to decrease as early as 2016.
The Board of Trustees consists of six people, the Treasury Secretary, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor and the Social Security Commissioner. The final two members are public employees appointed by the President.
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Posted by Chris
MAPLE FLAVORED BACON
May 10, 2011Here’s something my friend Pearl told me that I had to see. After I saw it, I thought you should see it too.
Thanks Pearl. -CR
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A SAD DAY IN ARKANSAS
April 7, 2011FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Contact: Jerry Cox, 501-375-7000
Today, the Arkansas Supreme Court ignored the voice of 57% of the voters—nearly 580,000 people—and ruled in favor of a lower court’s opinion striking down Act One, the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act. This good law prevented unmarried, cohabiting couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents.
“This is a classic example of judicial tyranny,” said Family Council Action Committee President Jerry Cox. “We have said all along that Act One was about child welfare, and fifty-seven percent of the voters in 2008 agreed. They declared that the State of Arkansas has an obligation to adoptive and foster children to ensure that they are placed in the best possible homes. The Arkansas Supreme Court has chosen to run roughshod over the people’s will and refused to uphold a good law that protected the children in the state’s care.”
Cox said, “I’d like to personally thank the 75 county coordinators and 2,700 volunteers who helped gather signatures to get Act One on the ballot. They worked hard to gather over 100,000 signatures between January and August of 2008. It is because of their dedication that this good law made it on the ballot and passed in 73 counties. I will be forever grateful to everyone who put time and effort into this worthy initiative.
“Today’s ruling was anti-child,” said Cox. “The ACLU couldn’t defeat this good law in a fair election, so they used the court system against the people of Arkansas. This is the worst decision ever handed down by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Family Council Action Committee is a conservative 501(c)(4) organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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It is a very sad day in Arkansas. Ungodly laws continue to sweep across our nation, and this one is personal. I guess, if you are a Christian, they are all personal. Only bad can result from reckless abandon of the principles found in God’s Word.
I spent hours helping Jerry Cox get enough signatures to get this law before the people of Arkansas. It was important to me because children are important to me. Unfortuantely, many churches turned down my invitation to help get this initiative on the ballot. Fortunately, enough people signed petitions to get this on the ballot in 2008.
And now the unfortunate events described above have occured. If you want to see the news release issued above at the Arkansas Family Council’s website click here.
I would like to thank Jerry and, along with him, thank the many folks who tried.
Chris Reimers
Related story in the Christian Post here.
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THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING
March 7, 2011“I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” —Ezekiel 34:26
Here is sovereign mercy– “I will give them the shower in its season.” Is it not sovereign, divine mercy? –for who can say, “I will give them showers”, except God? There is only one voice which can speak to the clouds, and bid them beget the rain. Who sendeth down the rain upon the earth? Who scattereth the showers upon the green herb? Do not I, the Lord? So grace is the gift of God, and is not to be created by man. It is also needed grace. What would the ground do without showers? You may break the clods, you may sow your seeds, but what can you do without the rain? As absolutely needful is the divine blessing. In vain you labour, until God the plenteous shower bestows, and sends salvation down. Then, it is plenteous grace. “I will send them showers.” It does not say, “I will send them drops”, but “showers.” So it is with grace. If God gives a blessing, he usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. Plenteous grace! Ah! we want plenteous grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful, to make us holy; plenteous grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We cannot do without saturating showers of grace. Again, it is seasonable grace. “I will cause the shower to come down in his season.” What is thy season this morning? Is it the season of drought? Then that is the season for showers. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then that is the season for showers. “As thy days so shall thy strength be.” And here is a varied blessing. “I will give thee showers of blessing.” The word is in the plural. All kinds of blessings God will send. All God’s blessings go together, like links in a golden chain. If he gives converting grace, he will also give comforting grace. He will send “showers of blessing.” Look up today, O parched plant, and open thy leaves and flowers for a heavenly watering.
Charles Spurgeon
“As thy days so shall thy strength be.”
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THOU CONTENDEST WITH ME
February 19, 2011“Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.” —Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star–not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials? –for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?
Charles Spurgeon
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Posted by Chris
BEGINNING TO SINK
February 11, 2011I recently heard a wonderful message given by Mr. Alan Redpath. The title of this post is the title of his sermon. A friend of mine, Pearl, posted it on her blog, Be Thus Minded. Unfortunately, Pearl’s wonderful blog no longer exists but I was able to find this video on YouTube recently.
The message was a great encouragement to me. I hope you take a listen. I think it will have the same effect on you.
Chris Reimers
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Posted by Chris
THE LOVE OF THE LORD
February 6, 2011“The love of the Lord.” —Hosea 3:1
Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day–how he hath borne with thine ill manners–how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh pots of Egypt–how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles–how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins–how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ’s covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, “For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on “the love of the Lord”, our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.
Charles Spurgeon
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Posted by Chris
GOING ON WITH CHRIST IN 2011
February 3, 2011I went to Kari’s blog, “Let Him Hear,” yesterday and found that she had posted a sermon from one of my favorite sections of scripture. As I do so often, I got sidetracked.
I wanted to know about the preacher. His name is Rev. John Greer. I don’t remember how it happened but I stumbled on a list of his sermons, found that he is alive, and that he had given a sermon after the recent New Year entitled:
Even if you don’t read the following statements about Rev. Greer’s denomination from his church’s webpage, you really should hear this sermon. You can watch it by clicking here.
In an era when the majority of church websites say little about beliefs, I found this one refreshing. Here are a few samples of what can be found on a webpage from Rev. Greer’s church:
Contending that God’s people are “separated unto the gospel” of Christ (Romans 1:1), we are free from all association with liberalism or ecumenism. Specifically, we are separated from the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, and every other form of theological compromise that would undermine the truth of Scripture.
Fundamental in Doctrine, believing in the divine authority and verbal inspiration of the Bible and the great fundamental doctrines of grace it contains. The Scriptures alone are the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice.
Evangelical in Outreach, in obedience to the great commission of Christ to “go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel”. A virile program of Gospel preaching, missionary endeavour and radio ministry is actively pursued with the great objective of leading people of every class, colour and creed to an experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
Presbyterian in Government, being ruled by elders and deacons chosen from the people, by the people, to serve the people. The Free Presbyterian Church stands for a born-again membership and the ministers, elders and deacons are men genuinely born-again by the Spirit of God, and dedicated to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ.
Protestant in Conviction, gladly taking its stand alongside the great Christian leaders of the Protestant Reformation. The twin pillars of Protestantism, namely a positive witness for Christ, and a protest against error, are cherished and defended.
These folks seem serious about God’s Word.
It is a wonderful thing.
Chris Reimers
Here is the church webpage describing where it “stands.”
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Posted by Chris
Wings of the Wind 
COMFORT
August 24, 2011“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
My belief grows stronger with each passing day that it is possible that I will be alive when these 2000 year old words come true. In either case, whether alive or dead at the fulfillment of the prophecy, the words bring great comfort. I hope they have the same impact on you.
CR
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