Where do I go from here?  part 1

As I sit here this morning the title I have put above, at the age of 78, I have been serving the Lord ever since I came back from Korea and found my old Church in Boonville, MO and met the pastor. His name was Glen Irons and I thought because I had gone to Church as a boy in Blackwater MO, with my Granddad that I was a Christian. With the things that had happened to me in Korea, I knew that God had a plan for my life.  But what was it?  That was my question and I was looking for the answer.

 Some might say, well were you not a Christian when you were washed over the side of your ship in the Formosan Straights? My answer would be I thought I was, and evidently God loved me enough, even though He was the only one to answer that question.  I certainly did not behave like a Christian.  He still loved me enough to bring me home to the Baptist Church in Boonville; and then something very large happened to me.  Pastor Irons led me in a salvation prayer and I truly did find Christ and from that time on I knew without a doubt I was a child of God and yes, He has protected me and brought me through many hairy moments in my walk with Him, and during the time I was in Korea.  No one in my family accepted the fact that I had given my life to Christ because I really was a hell raiser and a trouble maker.

The next thing I found myself doing was going to Bible College………….then pastoring two small Baptist Churches, one every other weekend.  The journey started there, and now at the age of 78, I am wondering if God can still use me?  To go back a bit, in 1957, I met Bobbie and we were married, and she is the second love of my life, (the first being Jesus), and I know she loves me exactly the same, as she has stuck by me through all the ups and downs of the years.  I am at a point in my life now that health is a very trying issue.  After 3 strokes in 1999, and a series of health issues since then, I retired from being an active pastor of a church.  However, looking back over the long, long trail, I have to say that there were many days that we wondered if God had truly picked the right ones in us to do His bidding?  So now I still ask every day, “Where do I go now Lord?”  I am leaving that answer to God.  He is able to work everything in our lives out, most of the time without our input or opinion.  There will always be many who will wonder how God ever got anything done with John Irvin?  God brought me the very best partner for the work, but the greatest part of the adventure is still ahead of us, and God knows where and how it will turn out.

Every morning I like to watch something on TV from my favorites, like Wagon Train or Gun Smoke.  Then I get up and try to find things that I am still able to do, and have recently discovered I like to write.  A friend came over and helped me with what is called a blog; and now I have a place to express  myself with my thoughts.  I post things saved in my sermon files that I will from time to time put on my blog.  As for Bobbie and myself:  We are still the very best friends and still love each other, but at our ages we love differently and deeper than we did when first married.  Many times now we finish each other’s sentences, and she tries to proof read everything before I send it out, because I can’t spell worth beans.

So for now the question is:  Where do I, ( or I should say we), go from here?  Stand by for the rest of the story next week.                                                                  

11/20/2011 started yesterday and finished tonight after a day at the VA.

      

              Who Packed Your Parachute??

 I think it would be nice if our leaders in Washington knew who packed the parachute for them and America.

One group gave us the (Bill of Right’s), I suggest that they read them.

Another group gave us (the Constitution), obviously they have not read that either.

God gave us his Holy Word, (THE

 BIBLE) and again if they have read it they have not taken Jesus as there Savior or they would be thanking the Lord for packing their parachutes.

Back when we were fighting a war in Vietnam, on an air craft carrier a young pilot was flying off the deck going on his 76^th mission. He had already flown 75 before that day and came back every time.  This time, on his 76^th mission; he was shot down and captured by the Vietnamese and for the next 6 years he was a prisoner of war living at their POW facility in North Viet Nam, and then he was released and went home to his family. A few months went by and then one day he and his family were at a restaurant having dinner when a young man got up and came to his table and asked, “ sir, are you, (and I will not use his name because I can’t remember it), But he asked him if he was the one that was shot down on his 76^th mission and he looked up at the young man and said that he was. At that point the young man said, I packed your chute that day..

 This is why I think our leaders in Washington should take a look at who has packed Americas chute…. And regardless of whom they are or what they try to do to this country…they should know (GOD PACKED OUR CHUTE) and we will make it all the way. IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US) Boys, read the book we win!!!  The lord bless and keep us all…Amen

Like a Good Shipm (USS MISSOURI)

11/15/2011

Like a good ship, a good gospel will always float

When I was pastoring I was on several radio stations, Two 15 minute broadcasts every Morning,

The newspaper in our town of apx 65,000 people

Asked me to summit a sermon article every month.

This is one of those. (It was called clergy corner)

Back in the early 50 s, when I was in the Navy, I was stationed aboard the Battleship USS Missouri in Korea. She was a magnificent ship—massive—impressive—able to get the job done. My wife and I traveled down to San Francisco in July of 1998 when she was docked there and went back aboard after 45 years. Because I was very proud that I had served aboard her and wanted to share some of my younger past as a younger man, I decided to buy my grandson Peter a model of this grand old ship the U.S.S. Missouri. When I came back home I gave it to him and he and his Dad put it together. When they finished it and I looked at it I realized it was a very cheap reproduction of a Great War ship. I began to think about this in relationship to the true gospel of Jesus Christ and it brought to mind that we are seeing so many cheap reproductions of the true gospel.

 If I am going to entrust my life—I want to entrust it to something that will take me through the storms.  I don’t want to get on a ship or a cheap model that will be destroyed by the first wave that hits it and causes it to go down.  Likewise, the gospel of Jesus Christ is like the USS Missouri in that it is a massive, strong, well-built, safe gospel that will take you through the storms.  It’s not a cheap reproduced model.

         An awful lot of what we are hearing today from a lot of pulpits, denominations, and TV ministries is a watered-down cheap reproduction of the gospel of Jesus Christ that has been created by man.  Jesus said that if you follow me you will pick up the cross daily.  I think that many today are trying to lessen the importance of the cross of Christ.  If we are going to put our lives on the line, doesn’t it make sense to entrust our lives to the real thing and not to a cheap reproduced model?  Why would we accept a modified gospel?  Why are we so willing to be blinded and have our ears filled with half-truths?  Paul said that in the last days there would be those with “itching ears” who would hear what they wanted to hear – not necessarily what is truly right and wrong.  Why are we so willing to accept a gospel that says you can do just about anything you want to do as long as you ask forgiveness?  This has caused a lot of Christians to become “pre-meditated sinners.”  They know that the lifestyle they are living is against the word of God, but they plan around it and use a modified washed-down version of the gospel to approve of their sin.

         The gospel of Jesus Christ is based upon the planting and sowing of seed.  Some of the teachings today are like green seed.  A seed must first die and then it must fall on good ground before it will reproduce.  Think of the green seeds being spread from many pulpits today to bad ground.  Neither one are wiling or ready to accept or plant the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  But, if you take a seed that has died, (Paul says we must die to our sins), and put it in the good ground, God will resurrect it and it will produce fruit.

         When we’ve learned this principal – that we can’t plant with green seeds nor can we trust our lives or families to cheap models of the gospel of Jesus Christ – then we’ll start getting back to the truths of the Bible.  I believe it’s time we started getting serious about who God is.  If the rapture were to take place Saturday night, sadly enough, there would still be preachers and people in church Sunday morning because they have trusted their lives to cheap reproduced models.  And who reproduces a cheap model?  Not God!  It’s man!

         In this hour we are living in – the hour of grace just before the rapture of the church – my warning to you is to test the word that is being taught to you with the Word of God.  If it doesn’t line up with the Word of God then you’d better find out what kind of a model you’re being asked to follow.  Take heed to I John 4:1 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

         Sorry, this has taken up so much room, but I must work with a program called Zoom Text that magnifies everything for me, and I type in an 18 font.  The article was written in a 6 font, 2 x 11 inches, and I was going word by word with a magnifying glass.  Old folks have old ways.  I hope if you are able to read this all the way through, that it will be a blessing to you.

Retired and tired Pastor John

Have you tasted and of your fruit lately???

Have you tasted any of your fruit lately?

If not, believe me those around you have

John 15:5-8

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

 When we first started our Church in California we used the YMCA in our town, and we were like a small few flies in a big dish pan and one of my first sermons was “Branch Out and make good fruit.”

 John 15:5-8 was the text I used and over the years I have used  the same scripture from The Book of John.

I  Would say that almost anyone could preach a good message from there, why? All of us need to have this scripture brought to our remembrance, so we will take a look around us and see if anyone is picking our fruit, and if you are truthful with yourself and let the Lord tell you, you will know soon.

And you would say to me, “How?”

Look at what John 15: 5-8 says, I want to bear much fruit in you.  Then ask your self can He?

And I would let the Lord speak to you and ask about the many times you had a chance to tell them about Him, but did not.

Why?—Bad Fruit.

You see no one will pick the ugly, bad tasting rotten fruit, would you?

You see fruit trees need to be pruned one a year to cut off the bad growth. And then the new growth can grow on and make good fruit, the same with us, you grade yourself. Bad language, dirty stories, comments you make about your fellow friends, gossip, tong flapping and this can go on and on and on.  There is nothing that will turn someone off if you say you are a Christian and do these things, It leaves a dirty taste in their mouth, not leading any one to Christ, or to Church. Maybe its because they see no difference in you than those in the bars. (Bad )

But you can change this quickly, by listening to what comes out of your mouth..

Does it glorify the Lord?

By looking at those  things that stay in you when you are telling a nasty joke, Christians will walk away, those that stay are more likely not saved, (are you?)

Friend you need to take inventory of your life and  get rid of the bad branches  you  have on your fruit tree, and begin letting Jesus grow in you and then before you use bad language or wag your tongue or tell a dirty story, stop and ask yourself, would Jesus do what I am doing?

God Bless Pastor John Irvin.

Great music and video......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgiqePAKn7o&feature=player_detailpage#t=29s

LETS ALL HELP RESTORE OUR CONSTITUTION ARTICLE FRON CANIDAN FREE PRESS

Restoring the Constitutional Republic Rally in DC

- Judi McLeod Friday, November 11, 2011 (24) Comments | Print friendly | Email Us 53

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Washington,DC- Cold bitter winds blowing through Washington, DC today didn’t stop patriots from coming from as far away as Hawaii, Kentucky, South Carolina and Michigan to the Washington Monument to take stand for the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence at the Restoring the Constitutional Republic 11.11.11 rally.
US Patriots Union founder, columnist JB Williams and Veterans Defenders of America leader Col. Harry Riley, who organized the rally knew in the planning stage that no matter how many the rally gathered, the snub of the mainstream media would be the same.
Along with JB, CFP columnists Navy SEAL Jim O’Neill and Dr. Ileana Johnson were there.
CFP editor Judi McLeod felt honoured to be asked by JB and Riley to address the gathering.
The following are some of the remarks from her address:
“Few eras in American and world history are more critical than the one we are all living right now.
“For this is the dark chapter when an undocumented ‘president’ works round-the-clock to deliver to global elitist power brokers his promised Fundamental Transformation of America.
“But as I stand right here with you at the cherished Washington Monument and see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears, your passion and unbridled patriotism, I take heart.
“For the presence of every single one of you here today tells not only me—but freedom and liberty lovers everywhere that American patriots will NEVER let the Obama-vowed Fundamental Transformation of America go down in history!!
The motto of my newspaper Canada Free Press states outright on its banner; ‘BECAUSE WITHOUT AMERICA THERE IS NO FREE WORLD” That’s the motto that should be on the New York Times the Washington Post and on all American newspapers who are in business only because of their readers and advertisers!
“BECAUSE WITHOUT AMERICA THERE IS NO FREE WORLD” should be the one chant shouted from every rooftop because it is the one chant that is the truth!
“The sun came up on a beautiful day at the Monument and CFP’s Brian Thompson, sussing out the site for Occupy Wall Street activists, said that the sun rising over the Washington Monument was an image that would live in his heart forever. And, like every other day just before sunrise, the Creator’s Orchestra of trilling, chirping birds warned of the dawn of another God’s day.
“The Occupy Wall Street crowd, incidentally, were still asleep in their tents or at home sleeping….They work in shifts and only appear mid-mornings.
“The sun, at least figuratively speaking, would not rise in Athens, Paris or Rome without America. America, no matter how politicians portray it, is the leader of the STILL-FREE West. America earned that place as world defender of democracy and it was paid for in the sacrifice of human life in wars whose ultimate goal was to keep the Free World Free.
“There would be no rising sun for many average little people raising families in far-flung corners of the world without America, whose ingenuity, courage and outstanding generosity have kept freedom alive in the West and abroad.
“All of us here know it has been a long three years, with an almost every Friday night shock thrown at the American people from politicians using the evil Marxist Saul Alinsky ‘Demoralize-the-Masses’ Rule Book.
“We all know that we are on the Last Mile and that the Last Mile—marked between right now and the November 6, 2012 Election will be the longest last mile of our lives.
“Think about it. Next Veterans Day, exactly one year from today will be AFTER the 2012 presidential election.
“Yesterday while driving through beautiful Pennsylvania to get here, I couldn’t get over the houses tucked in the deep valleys and up the majestic mountains, many likely there through long generations.
“Are these the ‘rich’ the Obama administration and their Occupy Wall Street friends squatting in the parks want to wipe out? Ordinary, industrious, hard-working Americans?
“That very memory of driving through Pennsylvania brings me to a specific message in my address to you today.
“For three years Barack Obama has travelled the world complaining about America and Americans. We know this to be true, but in order to win the fight against his fundamental transformation we must look into the reason why he constantly puts down an America that afforded he and his wife a life of privilege, including his election to the Oval Office.
“Obama needs to destroy American exceptionalism and to destroy forever the American ideal.
“The reason for that is Obama wants to hand America over to greedy and corrupt power brokers who see people as serfs—their serfs. In other words, Obama is doing nothing less than selling America out!
“No matter what happens on the Last Mile, those here today will look back to today. They will remember how the US Patriot Union and the Veteran Defenders of America told you here that today was not the end—but only the beginning of the battle ahead to Restore the Constitution and the American Declaration of Independence.
“It starts with the full confidence of knowing that Obama cannot take America—when Americans won’t give it away to him or any other politician.
“Everything is worth fighting for if there is to be any kind of legacy of freedom for our children and grandchildren.
“Obama and the power brokers whose employee he is never counted on the fire of patriotism imbued in the hearts of American patriots that has never died out since the day of the Founding Fathers…the day when men were statesmen and not career politicians. We the People never forgot it, only the politicians trying to cling to power did. But politicians like Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are no different than other politicians, who like the leaves of autumn, are here today…and mercifully gone with the wind tomorrow.
“The things that matter most to a free people who come from a glorious history as Americans do are NEVER forgotten or let go.
“So besides saying God Bless America, God bless each and every one of you, I will end this the way I left the South East Michigan 9/12 Project when I spoke to them two years ago this June.
“As I was leaving the podium, I shouted out the one slogan heard and cheered by freedom lovers all over the world: That is: “USA!” “USA!”
“When Michiganian Cathy Tyler shouted my name followed by “USA!” “USA!”
“Cathy: Are you there?”
P.S: Note to the never-say-die Patriot JB Williams: You do America proud.
PPS: During the rally, incredibly, the chopper known as Marine 1, now empty having done its part to shuttle Obama on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson for today’s Michigan State and North Carolina Basketball Game, flew over patriots at the Washington Monument.

Judi McLeod Most recent columns Copyright © Canada Free Press Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, and Glenn Beck. Judi can be emailed at: judi@canadafreepress.com Older articles by Judi McLeod