Tag: rioting (Page 3 of 5)

I Need to Check Out of This Evil Hotel Called Earth

October 5, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

What a fun time we are having right now. The Pandemic is not letting up. The rioting is still going on. The wild fires are wilder than ever.

It is almost like we are on spin cycle in our own washing machines!! It is crazy, and we are holding on for dear life.

That reminds me of a story about my mother.

When she was a teenager she was out riding her horse. The horse stepped in a yellow jackets nest and the horse got stung several times. The horse started running and was out of control. My mother just held on for dear lfe. The horse was running back to the farm. When they got there he calmed down.

Is your life on spin cycle? Are you out of control like my mother’s horse was?

This is the time we have to listen to God. He says, “Be still and know I am God.”

A good example of relying on God happened in the wild fires near me in Oregon.

A man was trapped, and the fires were burning all around him. He got a plastic chair and sat it in a river he was near and waited it out. He was saved by praying and God gave Him the answer.

I am sure that many of you are screaming, “Stop and let me out of this house. “(earth)

It can be very frustrating.

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With all of this going on we may be thinking, “Why am I here?”

Let me make this clear to you. God created you in His own image. Why would He do that? It is becasue He loves you and considers you His child. He has plans for you. He may have not showed you His plan yet, but be patient. God is on His own timing not yours.

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Here is a little side note that I thought of yesterday while I was watching the online broadcast of my church.

I would love to have been at the tomb when Jesus came out! Wouldn’t that Have been a glorious moment?

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

We Need to Pray About Our Fears to Stop Panic

September 29, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

WE NEED TO PRAY RIGHT NOW

Thre no way to avoid it, we are in troubling times right now. There is the pandemic, rioting, wild fires, etc. A bit overwhelming don’t you think?

I have made a prayer list for myself that I do every day before I lay my head down:

Pray for all leaders. From the president on down to our own local government.
Pray for those you have trouble with. Love you neighbor as yourself.
Pray for peace. There are many “hot posts,” in this world.
Pray that the gospel will reach out to many and they will be saved.
Pray for things that pleases God.
Pray for your family, and friends.

We have many fears:

Marriage-It is hard to have a good marriage if you don’t try hard to help it out.
Job-There is much turmoil in the world now. Many people laid off because of the pandemic.
Having enough money. Single moms wonder where the money will come for their rent.
People wonder if life has any meaning. Sharp increase in suicides since the pandemic started.
Many fear they are not accepted by God.
Some think they are a failure.
Others feel rejected.
The opposite of # 5. People are afraid they are too close to od.

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Jesus has got us covered my friends. He said it very clearly in:

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed.

There is also a verse that shares these thoughts:

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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So where are you in your faith right now? Do you wonder if you are safe from disaster? Would you rather stay in bed all day then face the wolrd?

BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

Jesus is beside you 24/7. He will not sway. He will protect you and love you. He faced many more horrible things many times, and He never wavered.

Show others why you are not afraid or full of fear. Tell who has your back and that they should too.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

There Are Benefits to Facing Trials

September 25, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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There are very trying times right now, with the pandemic, rioting, and wild fires. There are some things I have seen while facing trials:

We draw closer to God and others.
We see things more clearly.
We become more compassionate.

It happens time after time.

I am from Oregon and we have been devasted with wild fires. People have died and over 600 homes destroyed. This would normaly cause widespread depression, and panic.

It is not happening.

The people who lost their homes are out helping others to sift through the rubble to try to find some memories for them. People in my neighborhood have opened their doors for those displayed. People have volunteered to hand out water, food, and masks.

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People are very tired of the rioting, and have bonded together to confront the rioters. It is not pretty, but the rioters are gettng the message.

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Here are some more thoughts I love to share. You also seem to like them. (Let me know)

Forget what others think you are.
God is love, so we sshould love one another.
Perfect love casts out fear.
Praying is not just for praying. It is to speak to God.
Reading the Bible is not the goal. The goal is to grow spiritually while reading the Bible.
Only through death can we find life.
Every pain, every disappointment, is covered by Jesus’s love.
Live life like you are expecting Jesus to come.
Be joyful; be prayful, and be grateful. (Always without ceasing)
Through affliction, we know that God will do something greater.
We need to be more concerned about God’s glory.
We should obey God even if we are in pain.
If one suffers all of us suffer. If one is honored, all of us are glad.
Envy: Painful or resentful of some one’s possession. Leads to dissatisfacton, discontentment.
Always look at the cross. It reminds you to trust.
Are we just living, or are we living life well?
Are we trusting the Lord to lead us, or are we wanting the Lord to do things our way?
Are we mangaing our time to serve the Lord; our responsiblities, or our relationships?
Do we need to be desparate to read the Bible? Are we willing to let God give us the desire to do so?
You come to a crossroad. There only two directions to go. Left is wisdom, and the right is folly. Which way will you go?

I always suggest you go through those thoughts one at a time and ponder them. Much wisdom could come from them.

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What is your life like?

Are you happy? Do you think life is great, or are you depressed with what is going on around you? Never let the dark side overcome you!! Reach for the light. Yes, there are many painful things happening right now, but always remember God is in charge. Stay strong and alway lean on Him for His love.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unlloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!!

Thoughts to Help You Survive

September 24, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

Sorry I missed posting yesterday. Too may errands to do.

I have really enjoyed putting thoughts down for you to ponder.

I am going share some more today:

We need to find encouragement in discouraging times.
We will be given new bodies when we get to Heaven.
Jesus didn’t have a New Testament, He IS the new testament.
Selfish sin makes justice impossible.
Who can test my faith when there is an army of Angels on my side?
We spend way too much of our lives glued to the TV screen.
When is the last time we have reflected on what Jesus has done for us?
God’s plan is much better than anything we can expect.
Are we living for ourselves, or for God?
Some are always fighting not having enough, discontentment, discouragement, and bitterness.
We all face storms. It is what we do with them that defines our character.
If we think God has turned away from us, we lose all hope.
God doesn’t take us through the worst paths. He takes us through the best path possible for us.
Shame has no place to hide, because you are forgiven.
My fear doesn’t have a chance, because God is always near.
God knows what you want before you ask for it.
I think back to my days with boom boxes, 8 track tapes, and CD’s. I have to accept the new makes the old absolete.
I often hear God telling me, ” Now I am speaking to you, because you were not listening to me before.”
Backsliding: Not believing in that which you already know is true.
Forget what others think your are!

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I have been on complete lock down since early March.

That is seven months of self imprisioning. I only do dirve up for fast food, go to cardiac rehab, where there are several nurses, and a walk with my wife from time to time.

It is, of course, very hard on me. There only so many movies you can watch on TV. I am enjoying reading, and doing these blogs.

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The wild fires in Oregon have devastated many towns near me here.

Three towns were completely wipped out. The people there have bonded, and are helping each other with clean-up and support.

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It amazes me how people come together after they are faced with disaster.

It happens over and over again. This shows there is still love out there even though there is rioting everywhere.

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How are you doing?

Do you have some not so fun days? Have you been overwhelmed? BE STRONG! God is there with you. He will not forsake you. He made you in His image, and that makes you His child.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Bad Things Happen When you Least expect it.

September 19, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

Had a very intersting weekend. Went and stayed in Portland for my niece’s wedding. Yes, that is the Portland that has had 101 straight days of rioting. Well, we hit it lucky. The smoke from the wild fires in Oregon was so thick, the rioters were too much of cowards to come out and play. Of course they were back in full force today.

Ted Wheeler, (Weak Man) told the Portland Police they couldn’t use tear gas anymore because it was too harmful. So the Federal Agents protecting the Federal buildings used it instead. I love it!!

I know this all sounds harsh, but people have died; businesses have been destroyed, and many police were hurt.

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Let’s move on to happier moments.

Like I said, we were there for my niece’s wedding. It was a very beautiful wedding held in a very small church that is a histroical meusum. It had the old wooden pews with carvings on them. The walls were wooden, The platform was very small, but fit for this small wedding.

My grand Nephew carried the rings. He released the tension a little by dropping the rings not once but twice. His mom just laughed and kept doing her vows.

My wife lost one of her diamond ear rings, so there was some panic for a while. As I was out to the car checking there, I asked the lord to guide us to the ring.

When I got back one of the attendies found it outside in the rain. My wife was overwhelmed with joy. Thank you Lord.

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Then we went to the reception

It was held at the top steak place in town called, The Morton’s. There was much relaxing, and laughing during this time. People who didn’t know each other mingled, and we all were one by the time it was over.

There were some interesting things that happened during the gathering. I was the center of two of them. About half way through the toasting I knocked over my champaigne glass, and it went all over my shirt and suit pants. That was extremenly imbrassing, but my wife was very kind and consoled me.

Then a few mintues later, I knocked over my water glass. It spilled all over where the wine had spilled. I joked, ” I did that on purpose to wash out the chanpaigne!” I was very silent much of the rest of the time, because I felt so badly about what I had done.

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We eat the wedding cake, said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel.

I was beyond exhausted at that time, and got ready for bed immediatley. My wife was busy getting cloths back to her sister we had stored for them.

Finally got into bed and concked out fast. Half way through the night I fell out of bed and hit my head on the end table by the bad. Got a bump on my head, but I am OK now, because I am back in my lovely home resting up.

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Have you been through sudden stress like I went through heavy stress three times in one day?

Have you wondered why me? I did. I kept asking the Lord to help me through everything, and he did. Everytime I had a crises someone came to me to give me encouragement. When I fell out of my bed, Charlotte was right there helping me.

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We all face stress.

There will be stormy days where it seems nothing is going right. You may even feel like you should have stayed in bed on those days.

God is always there for you.

He never leaves you. He is just a prayer away. Don’t be discouraged. God will not let you go through anything He feels you can not handle.

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Be strong. Do not let the dark side overcome you. Seek the light at all times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

There Needs to be a Change in what we Think About

September 16, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I am very tired of reporting post after post, about rioting, looting, the Pandemic, shootings, wild fires, etc. It is hard, at best, to dicuss them.

What I want to do today is just give each of us hope and contentment. So if all of this is going on, how am I going to be able to do that??

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I have a huge amount of notes from church and books I have read. I am going to share some of them and let you decipher what they mean to you:

If you still struggle with sin after you are saved, you are still saved. No one can take that away from you.
C.S. Lewis once said, “We have to be against the world FOR the world.”
We must rejoice no matter what we face.
God rules! He is control of your destiny.
Pray for the well being of those who have no thought of following the Lord.
We are wine to God, and God breaking new ground in us. He is making new wine.
Am I really comitted to God? Am I a true light that shines so others can see it?
Our fear doesn’t stand a chance when we stand in God’s love.
Wise in your own eyes, is worse than a fool. (proverbs)
You come to a crossroad, one way is wisdom and the other is folly, which way would you choose?
Like a river wash me over, and fill me to overflow with your love.
Do not judge others. That is God’s job to do.
During this awful time, think of those who have what they need.
Break the walls around your heart.
Jesus said, “Fear not!“
I will trust only you God.
Am I just living, or am I living well?
Am I trusting the Lord to lead me, or am I wanting to do it my way?
Are you desparete to read Gods word? If not, why Not?
Anger comes from envy.
If I fall I am going to need all of you around me.
In this world, some are rich, some are poor, some struggle with health, others are healthy. Some are sad, some are happy.
We need to come together as one to reach out to others.
If one of us suffers, we all suffer. If one is honored, we are all glad.
The weight is not on you to prove you are worthy.

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I hope these notes and thoughts helped you in some way. Think about each statement and how it pertains to you.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Stress is a Huge Part of Life These Days

September 15, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

It has been very stressful the last six months. Where I live we add the wild fires to our stress. Hundreds of homes are gone. Millions of acres burnt. People have died.

We just got some news that arsonists started two of the deadly fires. Two people have been arrtested, and will face a long time in prison if anyone is killed.

The question is how will we be able to handle all of this. Besides the wild fires, there is the Pademic, rioting, looting, shootings, beatings, etc. Pretty overwhelming for a every day Joe like me.

I was watching my church online yesterday, and our Pastor spoke to this very concern.

When a virus hits that attacks the vulnerable, isolates individuals, and shuts down the economy and schools. We can say, the harder it gets the better I live.

When protests stop being peaceful, when elections become polarizing, when families, friends, communities, and churches become divided. We say the harder it gets the better I live.

When everything you own is burned to ash, when families flee for their lives, when the smoke makes the day night. We can say “the harder it gets the better I live.

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Let me explain what he means.

His theme was God knows what to give us.

He is saying that God knows what is going on. He knows the dangers we are all facing. He knows what to give each of us ACCORDING TO OUR NEEDS.

Every person has different fears. Each person faces storms every day.

God doesn’t want us to compromise so He knows what to give us to help us face those who try to sway us.

What the thoughts are from the pastor is, we should know that the harder it gets the better we live. We are sons and daughters of God. He will not gives us more than we can handle.

He may give some peace. He may give others courage. He may give some knowedge to help others.

When it comes to your daily life; choose your battles carefully. Choose your friends wisely. Choose your solutions intentionally. Do not waver God has given you a path to take. Stay the course.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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There is Fear Because of Wild Fires, Riots, and the Pandemic

September 11, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

The wild fires are out of control. Two big fires are about to merge here, and then that area will be an inferno. I pray that you are not affected by the fires. We are on a stage one here right now. The fires are about 15-20 miles away. That is pretty close.

So may people are under tremendous stress right now. There are the wild fires, rioting in the big cities, looting and arson, plus the pandemic. It is pretty overwhelming for the average Joe like me.

This is suicide prevention month. I fear that many people are thinking there is no more hope and are considering this. Do not let the dark side overcome you! Go to the light of Jesus. He is your fortress, your comfort, and your savior. Pray to him for your families and your safety.

If you are at the end of your rope and can’t go on, there is a toll free number to call for help. There are highly qualified counsleors there to help you. They will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255

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When I think of all of this turmoil, I think of Paul, who was shipwrecked, beaten, put in jail, bitten by a snake, and disliked by many people.

Yet, this man fought hard for the Lord. He loved the people. He reached out to them, and gave them comfort.

This was a man that was killing Jews, and dispised by his fellow people. He had his awaking on the road to Damascus. Jesus wondered why he was so against Him. Paul fell down and was blinded for a while. That woke him up big time.

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Where are you at today? Do you dispise the way God is running the show? Do you wish He would end all of the tragic happens? I am with you there. I so would like all this pain to go away, but we have to always remember, GOD IS IN CHARGE!

He knows what is happening, and there is a reason for His approach.

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We, as Christians have to be strong to show those who do not believe how we react, and then they will say, “I want to be like them.”

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If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

It is Pretty Depressing to be in This World Right now

September 4, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

It has been hard times here in Salem, Oregon. I live very close to Portland, Oregon, and it is breaking my heart to see all the violence and looting going on there. Another person has been shot and killed.

We are living in very different times. In Portland, there was a time when they closed the streets to go to church. Now they close the streets to rioting.

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We need to look beyond the struggle. We need to seek what ahead of us.

I was fearing for our country, and yet my fear doesn’t stand a chance when I stand with God’s love. It seems we are all broken at this point. We need healing.

Every night before I go to sleep I pray the following prayers:

I pray for the leaders of our country.

I pray for the local leaders of Oregon.

I pray for my children and their spouses.

I pray for my grandchildren.

I pray for my wife.

I pray for all my relatives.

I fall asleep in the hope of the Lord.

We need to have important people in our lives to also give us hope. This is needed in case we fall. We are better together. We can not take on this world on our own.

There are some who are happy, some are sad. Some are healthy, and some are ill. There are many who are poor and others who are rich. This is the main reason we need to come together as one. Reaching out to each other. Giving support to those who need it.

Does it seem too hard in our world today? We need to get back to when it wasn’t hard.

Do I love the rioters? Am I really concerned about their well being? If I truly follow Jesus, I do love them and are concerned for them. If we don’t have God as our center piece we will fail.

We need to find encouragement in discouraging times. It is hard, I know. We need to seek it, and we can find it in the Bible. It has a complete guide for encouragement.

I thought about all of this and it honestly sounded pretty depressing. Again I remembered that God doesn’t purposely take us down the worst path, He takes us through the best path possible for us.

He knows there are good things coming. He knows that we will be freed from our burdens. We can’t think that God has turned away from us, we will lose all hope. He is there with you each and every day.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

Our Hope is Not Found in a Political Party

September 3, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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It is getting to that time of the year. I have been hearing so much back and forth attacks from the two political parties saying they are the best people to run our government, and help the people.

Let me make something very clear. Our hope is not found in a political party!

I have seen so much turmoil the last six months that it is hard to think positive. Rioting in the big cities. People killed there. The pandemic is taking many lives. Anarchy is rampant in our country.

How can we depend on a political party to “save us?” We can’t. We need God in our lives to withstand all of this. We need to let people know HE is in charge, not any political party.

I live near Portland, Oregon. The rioting there has gone on for 90+ days. Has the political party there been able to stop it? No, it has actually gotten worse. A young man was shot and killed last night. It used to be that they closed down the streets of Portland so they could go to church. Now they close down the streets to let rioting happen.

My heart is aching for all the people who are being terrorized. They hide in their homes and hope the rioters do not come near them.

People do not seem to be fed enough.

I tell a story about when I went to a restaurant to eat. When they brought out our portions of food, I thought my portion was too small, and it was, because I was still hungry after I was done. Well with God you get a full portion of love. You will not be hungry anymore.

We have to face trials during the pandemic and rioting. We have really learned what trials are. Then, I think of Paul. He had more trials than most people could handle. He was ship wrecked. He was bitten by a snake. He was beaten in prison.

Could you think you could have comfort and peace if all that happened to you? Well Paul did. He rejoiced with his followers when he got out of prison, thanking God for all the afflictions he had received. Why on earth is that?? It is because all of the afflictions were because he loved the Lord and told many people about Him.

So we can’t find hope from a government to help us and protect us.

We have to rely on God to give us hope. We need Him to protect us.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Tag: rioting (Page 3 of 5)

We Need to Pray About Our Fears to Stop Panic

There Are Benefits to Facing Trials

Bad Things Happen When you Least expect it.

There Needs to be a Change in what we Think About

Stress is a Huge Part of Life These Days

There is Fear Because of Wild Fires, Riots, and the Pandemic

It is Pretty Depressing to be in This World Right now

Our Hope is Not Found in a Political Party

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