Happy New Year!!

Howdy to y'all! It has been quite a while since my last posting so a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. It is hard to believe that we are almost finished with the month of January already! There is still time for a "new years resolution". If you need to "change" a few things in your life, NOW may be the time. The older I get the faster time seems to pass. The nice thing about growing older though is that I have lived long enough to know that EVERYTHING that happens, happens for a reason! It may take a long time for us to find out WHAT the reason is, but it sooner or later becomes apparent. But we may never really know until we come into the presents of the Lord. My favorite saying or phrase in the Bible is . . ."and it came to pass." The only thing that is really sure or constant in life is CHANGE! Nothing EVER stays the same. Every mountain top needs a valley. AND Every valley needs a mountain top. We can be sure that if we are going through a "rough patch" that sooner or later we will be back on top of things again and the rough patch will smooth out. I always say that "things will work out" or "it'll all be okay" I don't mean that everything that happens is "good" or "bad" or whatever, BUT it will always "work out". Bad things or "bad" days WILL END just as surely as the really "good" days will also end. Change in and of itself is neither "good" or "bad" it is inevitable! AND that my friends IS a sure thing and we can depend on it. We, as believers in God and Jesus Christ, can also be sure of one thing and that is that whether or not "good" or "bad" things are happening to us or to people we love it is that God, through His Son Jesus, IS ALWAYS with us! It is because of our FAITH in GOD that we can survive! We can thrive! Philippians 4:13 has been one of my favorite verses of new testament scripture. It states; "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengthenest me." Good, bad or whatever happens, Christ gives me the strength to bear it all, and to be able to move ahead in my life. I have also found out that I am nothing without HIM! It has been so long now that I have been a believer that it is hard for me to remember when I did NOT have Christ in my heart or my life. I do remember that without Christ I was NOT a very nice person. I was truly lost in sin! My life was "garbage" but I thought it was great. The trouble was that I was always filled with guilt and often depressed because of the evil things I was doing and had done. Illicit Sex, drugs and alcohol could NOT "fill me up". I was "empty" inside, lost and in pain 99% of the time. Tormented at times because of the things I had done. It was ONLY with Jesus in my life that I REALLY found true fulfillment and true happiness. I know some of the folks who might read this do not have Christ in their hearts and will probably think I am nuts, but remember I was where you all were at one time in my life and I would have, probably, have thought the same thing. Any of those who read this and already have Christ as their savior will know what I am writing here is TRUE! For those of you who are NOT believers and are feeling that "emptiness" that I wrote about above . . . PLEASE believe me, it does not have to be a permanent condition. You do not have to remain in that sinful state. How can it all change you ask. It is EASY to decide BUT is definitely the HARDEST choice you will ever make. All you have to do is to ADMIT you are a sinner! TRULY repent of those sins, and ASK Christ to come into your heart, forgive you and CHANGE your desire to sin! It is a simple prayer. Pray this way: Jesus, I am a sinner. I am truly sorry for committing those sins and I ask you to come into my heart now, fill me with your Holy Spirit and cleanse me. Thank you Jesus. Amen . . . If you have prayed that prayer and REALLY mean it, it is a "done deal". Then find your Bible and start reading it. Try Romans or Hebrews to begin with and move on to James or to a book that may come into your mind. Read it and believe it! It is God's word. The change you feel may be immediate or it may take time. For me it was like a strange heat that moved through my body and then an icy cold that flushed through me and I knew I would NEVER be the same! God can work miracles. He can change you and your desires IF you let Him do it. Study His word every day, ask questions of someone who you know to be a true believer if you don't understand something. OR you can email me at poppatom1948@yahoo.com if you like. I am NOT and expert or a theologian but I have been around the post a few times and I may be able to help, and if I cannot answer your questions I can put you in touch with someone who might be able to. God bless you, and keep you, and may His face shine upon you and give you peace. Yours in Christ; Poppa Tom

Merry Christmas!

Howdy y'all; I have been VERY busy since my last posting after Thanksgiving as we ALL are! It seems that this time of year, when we should remember God and his Gift to us of His Son Jesus the most, it is the most difficult time to do so. I have been so tangled up in the management of my websites that I don't have time for the things that matter the most! My generation was told over and over to "keep your nose to the grindstone" and to give your employer "more than his moneys worth" at work. Things along those lines anyway. I am sure it is because our parents (I'm a "boomer") came out of the depression and also had a post WW ll mind set. The American dream was a very real dream, and in many ways it still is, but the work place has changed! The time when you got a job with a good company and stuck with it and were loyal to that employer at all costs because they would "take care of you" when the time came is gone!! We have become a very mobile society and many companies, because of the economic times we are in, cannot afford (or so they say) to "take care of" its employees when the time comes for them to retire. The job market is such that there are five more people behind you with degrees that can "do the same job for less money", seniority is a joke in most companies now. Unless, of course, you are a CEO of one of the BIG companies and can qualify for the five million dollar "golden handshake". I do not travel in such lofty circles though I did have a friend at one time who's father owned a pretty big company and every year at around this time he would lay off or fire as many as half of his employees to reduce the Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year bonuses. See what I mean!! Unfortunately that same kind of mentality rules in much of the corporate world today. And now many of them want a "billion dollar bailout" for their stupidity and lack of management skills! Again I say unfortunately, too many people in this country would suffer if something is not done so we cannot tell them all to go pound sand! Well, enough of that! This is supposed to be a BLOG dedicated to the Lord and to prayer. It is most important, at this time of year, that we should be most grateful for all of the blessings that the Lord has showered down upon us! Jesus IS the reason for the season! I have been reflecting lately on the many blessings that the Lord has blessed me with. I have been blessed (finally, because I have made a few "blunders" in my romantic past) with a wife who REALLY loves me for who and what I am. I have been blessed with a good house and home, running hot and cold water, electricity, plenty of food, relatively good health, a family that has loved me and stood by me through thick and thin (though a few times there it was a bit rocky) and some really good, lasting friends. My wife and I are blessed with dependable transportation, and the money to keep them in gas and oil (though I was a bit worried when gas hit $4.00 per gallon!) and the ability to drive ourselves to where we have to go. WE as believers in God and Christ need to reach out to those who are NOT blessed with all of those "things", and not depend on the local, state and federal government to take care of all of those less fortunate than we. WE need to reach out to our family, friends and acquaintances who have needs. I pray every day for my family, my brothers and sisters their children and grandchildren, all of my nieces and nephews, my friends and their needs and family needs and even many of my acquaintances in need, I pray for them, and when I can, in what ever tangible way I can, I help out. Sometimes it is only a shoulder to lean on or to cry on. Sometimes it is a "few bucks" just to get over the rough patch. That, my dear ones, is what God and Christ wants us to do! Reach out a hand, bring a bag of groceries to a friend who just lost their job. Take them to lunch, send them a "few bucks" anonymously to put some gas in their car. Pick up the tab for a single mom or dad who has taken their children out to lunch with their last few dollars, again anonymously! Help out the person in line in front of you if they don't have enough cash and they might have to put back a few items that they really need. Yes, indeed , do pray . . . but "do" also, for faith without works is dead. Pray and pray hard, but give a friend a ride if their car broke down and they need to get to a Doctor's appointment or need to get to the market to pick up a few things. Work, and work hard for your employer, but take time to appreciate the many blessings that God has showered down upon you. God still loves you! Even the most vial of sinners is forgiven and saved if they truly repent and ask Jesus into their heart to dwell and repair all that is broken inside. Take time this season to reflect upon the wonders of God's creation. Take extra time to thank Him for all of your blessings. Take time to "pay it forward" as someone once said. Live so that when a non-believer sees you and who you are and what you are that they see Jesus in you! I try, I am imperfect, and I stumble and fall every now and then, but I try! Please, remember that Jesus IS the reason for the season. Pray without ceasing, as we are told to do in scripture. Remember to thank God for all of your blessings and also remember all of our service personnel who won't be home for the holidays and those who have come home wounded in body, mind and in spirit bless them all! Remember to stop and take time for Jesus! : MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAVE A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!
I pray for you all to be blessed and safely held in the palm of our creator's hand!
'

Thanksgiviing!

Howdy Y'all; I hope and pray that you all had your fill of turkey and all the trimmmings. At this time of year we must all be mindful of ALL of the things that make one thankful! I am so thankful for all of the Christian (and non-Christian) friends I have (new and old)and for all of the prayers they have lifted up for me and my family. I am so very thankful for each and every family member I have; brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, children (step children) and all of my grandchildren, people at my church home and churches I have visited over the years. All of the many blessings that God has showered down upon me and my wife. Healings I have seen and experienced in my life. And so-o-o-o much more. I have been praying for ALL of my friends and family and will continue to do so as this new year unfolds around us. God is so faithful, all the time, and so forgiving and awesome in all He does and through ALL He has created! I am not sure how anyone can open their eyes in the morning to the beauty of a new day and not be mindful of the God who created it all and gave to us so freely! I praise and magnify His holy name now and forever.Please remember ALL that God has given you, all that you have prayed for and ALL the prayers you have had answered this past year. God sent us His Son so that we might have everlasting life and a life of forgiveness and fullness far beyond anything we could imagine. Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the noon day sun and praise Him in the evening! Send along any prayer requests, Please. We have a new prayer group, The Prayer Warriors, that will be joining in prayer for these requests EVERY Saturday evening at 9 pm Central Time. If you want to join in please contact me via e-mail and let me know your e-mail so I can confirm the time with you and send you a copy of our prayer list. Thanks and God's blessings be upon you!To use the old blessing from the old testament : May the Lord bless you and keep you, May the Lord make His face shine upon you and grant you peace"! Poppa Tom

James 5: 13 - 16

In the New Testament of Christ's Gospel we find written in the book of James starting at verse 13: "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (14) Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (16)Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (NIV)

This direction from the Gospel is for all of us! I am not asking for anyone to confess their sins here but what I am offering, along with our prayer group, is a place where you can come to offer up prayers and to request prayers. I am not a theologian nor am I an "ordained" minister or pastor, BUT as a believer I have FAITH! Faith in God, faith that Jesus was God's only Son sent to earth to be born, live, die a horrible death and be raised again for our redemption. ALL of us, as believers, are sent to minister to others through prayer in the name of Jesus!