HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 2024

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

This is how I feel this year. In spite of health issues and other challenges, God has been good, God is good, and God will always be good. We can count on His continued help and blessings!

A few things I’m thankful for: a loving wife; a wonderful family; good friends; life and health; the comfort of God’s Word; soothing Christian music.

Wait, there’s more: heat in the cold weather; healthy food for energy; a nice house for shelter; a reliable car to drive, a comfortable bed.

Also: excellent restaurants in which to dine; dependable doctors when treatments are needed; drugstores nearby for medications; meds themselves – some lifesaving; a hospital right here in town.

In addition: paved roads; natural gas; electricity; fresh running water; city sanitary service; street lights; friendly neighbors.

Plus: a Bible teaching church; a men’s Bible study; an unending supply of Spiritual teachers on the internet; enlightening books galore; uplifting symphonies.

Furthermore: computers; cell phones; televisions; airplanes; trains; stoves, refrigerators; lights; clothing; shoes.

Additionally: a beautiful world – just a glimpse of Heaven; the perfect atmosphere; the water cycle – including snow; the colorful flowers; the variety of animals; the seasons; the days and nights.

Most important: the gift of Everlasting Life through faith in Christ; the promise of an eternal home; the joy and peace of being in God’s presence; the reunion with those who have gone on before – and being with them forever!

ELECTORAL COLLEGE BENEFITS

The 2024 Presidential Election brought attention once again to the Electoral College. The losing party often berates it as unfair, but it was actually a fantastic idea by the founding fathers. The Heritage Foundation explains it far better than this author can. The following is from Heritage.org:

When the Framers drafted the Constitution in 1787, they could not have predicted the many changes and advances that our society has undergone since the 18th Century. However, through their genius and foresight, they designed an electoral system that has the ability to adapt to modern-day America and work even better than they could have anticipated. Below are some of the many benefits of the Electoral College.

PRESERVES FEDERALISM. The Electoral College preserves the principles of federalism that are essential to our constitutional republic. The U.S. is a large country made up of people from very different regions and cultures, and federalism is an important way of preserving the differences that make us unique while uniting us behind one common federal government.

ENCOURAGES BROAD COALITION BUILDING AND MODERATION. The Electoral College prevents presidential candidates from winning an election by focusing solely on high-population urban centers and dense media markets, forcing them to seek the support of a larger cross-section of the American electorate. This addresses the Founders’ fears of a “tyranny of the majority,” which has the potential to marginalize sizeable portions of the population, particularly in rural and more remote areas of the country.

PROMOTES LEGITIMACY OF ELECTION OUTCOMES. The Electoral College increases the legitimacy and certainty of elections by magnifying the margin of victory, thereby diminishing the value of contentious recounts and providing a demonstrable election outcome and a mandate to govern. Since 1900, 17 out of 29 presidential elections have been decided by 200 or more electoral votes.

A MECHANISM FOR STABLE ELECTIONS. The Electoral College makes elections more stable, and less likely to trigger contentious recounts. Every state has different procedural rules for the administration of elections, including how recounts are triggered and conducted and how provisional ballots are counted.

DISCOURAGES VOTER FRAUD. While no system can completely eliminate the risk of individuals trying to cheat the system, the Electoral College minimizes the incentives for voter fraud because the system isolates the impact of stolen votes. Under the current system, stolen votes only affect the outcome of one state rather than the national outcome. 

Let us pray that the Constitution and the Electoral College stay intact in every future election for many more generations.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN by Pastor Rick Sams

I found a post that is worth reposting.

Fear is one of our most basic and prevalent emotions. We don’t usually think that silence is something to be afraid of.

But in Minneapolis there is a room that absorbs 99.9% of any sound in that room. It’s the world famous echo free chamber of the Orfield Laboratories. It’s: “The quietest place on earth.” Total silence can warp a person’s spatial orientation so the only safe posture in said room is sitting because one’s balance goes out of whack.

But it’s not falling that people fear, it’s the deadly total silence. NO ONE has been able to stay in that room for more than 45 minutes. So what are we afraid of? Being alone with our thoughts? Having to face ourselves instead of all the other distractions? Realizing we don’t make very good company?

I don’t have the answer why we seem to fear silence, and neither has anyone else offered an explanation that I know of - except God.

It’s in the silence we best hear His voice, and that scares a lot of people. I know many make noises about wanting to hear God speak to them, specifically to know His will for their lives. But though they hear, they don’t listen; meaning obey.

In I Kings 19:1-13 the unparalleled prophet had just come through an amazing victory. Now he’s on the run…defeated. He’s fled to the wilderness to escape an evil queen that had put out a contract on his life. It was in a cave Elijah expected to hear God’s voice amidst all kinds of noise—a mountain shattering wind, an earthquake, a raging fire. But God wasn’t to be heard in those sounds of nature raging. His voice came in the silence. There he received a fresh calling from God. 

It was in the barren wilderness where Jesus clarified his history changing calling. He spent an entire night alone listening for THE Voice. Only then did he choose the 12 men who would change the world: His disciples. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

On the backside of a desert Moses was sent back to the place he ran from 40 years earlier to now lead God’s people, Israel, out of slavery and into the freedom of the Promised Land.

So what are you afraid of? There are 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible. The most common follow up promise is: “For I will be with you!”

Go seek a quiet time alone with the One who promised he would never leave us, a place to hear from the One who most often speaks in the silence. Even if you can’t stand the silence for more than 45 minutes what you hear from Him will be worth the discomfort.

THE 2024 ELECTION

I haven’t written about politics since 2019, but with another national election coming soon in the USA, it’s time. Though I write with much trepidation, I’ll try to be professional. [But since I don’t get paid, professionalism is a moot point.]

Some presidential elections are such that either candidate could win and very little change would be recognized in the next four years. This one is not even close to that idealism. In fact, it’s been a long time.

My biggest concern about current elections is the dishonesty and outright lies that are stated about a candidate from the opposing party. This happens sometimes from the person running and other times from supporters, and frequently from news agencies.

The beauty of the Internet is that previous statements of politicians are recorded for posterity, and anybody is able to fact check any prior policy announcements that have been made. And in this election, we have a former President who has a successful four-year public record available for review, and a Vice President who also has several public office records for evaluation.

In light of this, there is no excuse for an uninformed electorate. Pay attention to political speeches with a grain of salt, and weigh the history of everyone running for office at every level, but especially those running for President. Listen to those who have a similar philosophy to your own, but also hear what others are saying.

Most importantly, we can pray for wisdom for ourselves and for the candidates, as well as for those already in office. God will answer that prayer and give us clarity of thought, and provide direction for our votes.

When this election is over, the United States will either correct its course, or continue on in the questionable direction it is now headed.

COPYRIGHT 2024 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

CLIMATE CHANGE "WHAT IFS"

 

There seems to be a lot of “What if?” questions about climate change. The latest one I read was “What if all the ice caps melted?” The author went on to say that if Greenland’s ice cap and Antarctica’s ice cap both melted, then all the major coastal cities would be flooded. He then stressed the urgency of eliminating fossil fuel consumption. It’s pretty scary stuff.

Another “What if?” asks, “What if there is too much CO2 in the atmosphere?” The greenhouse effect would raise global temperatures by several degrees. The same would happen with an excess of Methane. The fear is that too much heat would ruin life as we know it. It’s pretty scary stuff.

There have been movies made about “What if?” this or that happens. What if the Atlantic current cools down and causes another ice age? What if an asteroid crashes into the earth? What if the Earth’s core stops spinning? And the scariest of all: what if aliens from another part of the Universe try to conquer and destroy humans? It’s pretty scary stuff.

I have my own set of “What if” questions.  What if the ice caps melt a bit and then freeze over again, as has happened in the past? What if a warmer atmosphere increases food production and feeds more people until it cools down again? What if fossil fuel consumption has very little negative effect on human life, but rather improves it drastically. What if there is no life in any other part of the universe and there are physical limitations of extraterrestrial travel anyway. What if there is nothing above or anywhere to be scared of? It’s not scary after all.

Finally, what if God is correct when He said Genesis 8:22 (NKJV) "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease"? Remember, Jesus said many times, “Fear not. Don’t be afraid.”

There’s no need to be scared.

            COPYRIGHT 2024 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

OUR FANTASTIC WORLD

Each morning as I look out our kitchen window, I’m reminded of the beauty of our world and of all its remarkable components. I see and ponder the atmosphere, the flora and fauna, the sun, the ground, water, the microbes and we humans.

The air we breathe with the Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide and other essential elements and compounds is exactly what we need for life. The cycling of the Carbon and Oxygen by plants and animals maintains a healthy level of both.

The colors of flowers and trees and other plants is a wonder to behold. The bright blooms attract bees and birds for pollination and enhance our appreciation of their great varieties.

The great array of animal life, from large to small, is enjoyable to observe. Whether it is deer grazing in the yard or squirrels playing around, or pretty birds flying and fluttering, or even insects, we are amazed that they are all full of life, and born to live.

And we see and feel the blessing of our sun, providing heat and light and energy for all the life on Earth. Combined with the moon and stars, the heavenly hosts all contribute to the stability of the Globe as it travels through space.

We walk on the ground that supports our weight and the dirt in which plants flourish, and we ponder the unseen gravitational forces that hold our planet together and the topsoil which provides the nutrients that support the growth of vegetation and our growth in turn.

We drink some water and realize its unequalled value in all of its forms: liquid, vapor, and ice. The water cycle is an awesome gift from God our Creator.

We can’t see the microbes because they are too small, but they are no less important. They are as alive as the visible creatures and have a huge role in life on earth.

In all its marvelous wonder, our Earth is not going to last forever. Only God is eternal, and He offers to us humans the gift of eternity. We need only to accept it, as His word, the Holy Bible has revealed it to us.

“And God created man in His own image, and breathed into man the Breath of Life, and man became a living soul.” We humans are the epitome of life, and our living souls will continue to live forever - somewhere.

Copyright 2024 by Carl E Gustafson

HOW DOES ONE GET INTO HEAVEN?

Some have said, when asked if they were going to Heaven, “I have done enough good deeds to balance my bad deeds and sins.” But the Bible is clear that no amount of good deeds will be enough to balance out our bad deeds and sins and get us into Heaven. As the last verse below states, if you commit one sin, it’s as though you’re guilty of all. So it’s only through faith in Christ that we can know that our sins are forgiven and we have Eternal Life in Heaven.

Galatians 2:16 (NKJV) “A man is not justified by the works of the [nor good deeds] but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law [nor good deeds]; for by the works of the law [or good deeds] no flesh shall be justified.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works [nor good deeds], lest anyone should boast.”

2 Timothy 1:8-9 (NKJV) “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works [or good deeds] but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

Titus 3:4-7 (NKJV) “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness [nor good deeds] which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

James 2:10-11 (NKJV) “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.”

MY FAVORITE BIBLE VERSES ABOUT BEING AN OLD MAN

I am now 75 years of age. In other words, I’m old. I like what some Bible verses say about being aged. Sadly, these don’t apply to every man, but I do hope I am included in the following descriptions; at least I try to be.

1.  We have wisdom and understanding.

 Job 12:12 (NKJV) “Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.”

2. We are righteous and flourishing; bearing spiritual fruit; declaring God’s nature and love.

Psalm 92:12-15 (NKJV) “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

 3. We are found following God’s way. Even if we have little or no hair instead of silver hair.

Proverbs 16:31 (NKJV) “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness. “

 4.  God is with us until our dying day, and then He will deliver us to our mansion in Glory.

Isaiah 46:4 (NKJV) “Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

 5.   We can also be responsible and be an example in both word and deed to Glorify Christ.

Titus 2:1-2 (NKJV) “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience.”

If you’re still younger, this is what you can look forward to when you reach a ripe old age.

 

COPYRIGHT 2024 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

GOD IN GOVERNMENT, NATURE, AND FINANCE

 

Theocracy, Theocology, and Theoconomy described 

Many people these days are concerned about three important areas of life, namely, politics, global warming, and money.  Those who do not know God are especially worried, in light of all the negative input seen and heard in the media. 

            But sadly, even some who believe are not aware of God’s hand in all three things.  Therefore, the purpose of this article is to make everyone aware of how God is still active in the world today, as He has been throughout history. 

            Theocracy – God in government.  Was it an accident that the current President was elected the way he was?  No.  Not any more than was the prior presidency a surprise to God.  “God raises up rulers and brings them down,” it says in the Book of Daniel.  And He knows who will win the next election – at every level.  (Sometimes it’s the candidate that campaigns the hardest.) 

            Theocology – God in nature and in the environment.  The best verse that describes God’s hand in this area is found in Genesis, following the global flood, where God promised Noah that “summer and winter and springtime and harvest” will continue as long as the Earth exists.  We will always have the four seasons, even though temperatures may fluctuate a few degrees. 

            Theoconomy – God in wealth and finance.  There are more verses in the Bible regarding money, than the other two topics of this article.  God “blesses” some people with wealth, and others have contentment without wealth.  It’s been said that the poorest in the United States are richer than anywhere else in the world. 

            In addition to these three, God is involved in every area of life in general and our lives in particular. As our loving Heavenly Father provides for the birds that never reap nor sow, He cares for each of us.

THE 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

It is a rarity in the parts of the USA that will witness this year’s total solar eclipse, but according to ASTROMONY.COM there is such an eclipse somewhere on earth every 18 months. This has been occurring since God created the Sun and the Moon and the Earth. He placed them in such a harmonious relationship that the timing of eclipses has been predicted for the next thousand years by NASA.

One of the oldest records of solar eclipses was recorded on a clay tablet found at Ugarit, in modern Syria in 1375 BC. Many other ancient texts and petroglyphs also describe solar eclipses. The first one predicted was in 585 BC by the philosopher Thales, but it has not been determined how he was able to do this.

The first scientific prediction was by Edmund Halley In 1715. He used Newton’s theory of universal gravitation to map its path through England. London and other cities in its path were prepared to experience the astronomical event. By the way, he also discovered Halley’s Comet. There is no shortage of information on the Web for those interested in further study.

There is also a mystical spin about solar eclipses. Is it a sign of God’s judgement? Is it a good or bad omen? Does it give new beginnings? Can it bring about healing and transformation? Is it a sacred time? These are all ideas men have had, but the solar eclipse is simply a heavenly event that occurs in a mathematical, predictable time frame.

I’m reminded of David’s praise in Psalm 8:

O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

ALL THE ELEMENTS

With a degree in Chemistry, I observed the periodic table too many times to count. But, I did count 92 natural elements, which are the ones God created. Man has found a few more that were developed as the result of nuclear activity or in the laboratory.

And the elements can be categorized several ways: metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases, which are further divided into seven families and eighteen groups. They are also classified into four types of blocks that are: s- block, p- block, d- block and f- block, based on the valence electron in which the shell is located.

There’s more, but the beauty of the elements is their logical, unique qualities that have enabled men to organize and better understand both the elements themselves, and the resulting compounds both in nature and in the laboratory. Thus, all the chemicals and pharmaceuticals that have been developed, along with everything in nature, are a result of God’s creative, chemical wisdom. After all, everything is a chemical composition.

From where else could chemicals have arisen? Hydrogen is the simplest element. Did all the others evolve from it? There is no process that could have provided this. True, some elements degrade over time and can actually change into another. For example, Radiometric Dating compares amount of Uranium to Lead, or Potassium to Argon in order to determine the age of a compound. The shortcoming of this method is due to the unknown amount of the original element in the material being tested.

The above mentioned elements never degrade into a more reactive one, but only to a less reactive one, just like mutations in living things always lose properties from its parent organism, and don’t gain any.  The logical conclusion is that God created each element after its own kind, just as He created each animal after its own kind. Just as a dog has always been a dog, with a variety of breeds, so Carbon has always been Carbon, with a variety of isotopes.

The great thing about this is that we are alive because of all the elements and their resultant compounds that God has provided!

COPYRIGHT 2024 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE

 

When historians look back at the USA, as we do at the Roman Empire, what will be the reasons they cite for its demise? Not that it will fall, but should it fail, what could be the cause or causes?

Due to the influx of foreign immigrants in the last three years, this may be a reason. Not the law abiding individuals who were truly seeking freedom from tyranny and looking for a better life, but the criminal element that has already caused death and pain and suffering to innocent Americans. In addition to gang members, there have been agents of our enemies who are here to set up terror cells to cause much destruction.

What about our national sins. The Bible is clear that judgment will come upon nations that ignore God’s laws. Of course “national sins” are simply personal sins committed by a large enough number of people to infect the entire country.

Hate itself is a sin, not just a crime. To hate those who look different than us, or those that believe differently, or those who vote differently – it’s all hate, which is revealed in a cancel culture mentality. Hate ultimately demands the death of the hated; but it also causes the death of the hater. God’s way is love – to treat others as we would want to be treated. Jesus said we can love even our enemies.

And there is the mistreatment of unborn babies and children. It says in Luke 17:2 “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” Abortion, gender surgeries on minors, transgender behavior, and robbing girls of female only sports – the list goes on and on.

But the fall is not inevitable. The Bible also tells us the when its citizens repent and turn back to God; He will forgive and restore that nation to its former glory. The USA was a glorious, wonderful place to live and raise a family. Let us pray that it’s not too late!

CAR MODELS IN HISTORY

With the help of MARINERS on a MARATHON sea excursion, the Pilgrims landed on PLYMOUTH Rock after they made the ESCAPE from CONTINENTAL tyranny of the MONARCH. Over 300 years ago, their EXPEDITION had just begun in the New World as they began to FORD rivers and streams. They were concerned about SPIDERS, HORNETS and WILDCATS as well as other natural dangers. Overhead EAGLES and FALCONS circled. But the GALANT VOYAGERS had found a home in the New World. 

The VILLAGER would settle down in the small METRO area, usually around a fenced fortress. And the MOUNTAINEER would eventually move west over the Appalachians, but never without his COMPASS. He was always on the lookout for a VIPER or BOBCAT. This was a PRELUDE of the later western expansion. Later on these LAND ROVERS would encounter a COUGAR or wild MUSTANG. The PONY was introduced to America by the Spaniards. 

Meanwhile the settlers in both TOWN AND COUNTRY were establishing CIVIC and legal ACCORDS for civilized life. Each town had its own CUSTOM. The local STATESMAN would FOCUS on his LEGACY, while becoming an AMBASSADOR to neighboring settlements. Even though the TEMPO of life was relatively slow, the settlers had to be both FIT and SWIFT to stay safe. Women were RELIANT on an ESCORT sometimes armed with a CUTLASS if they needed to walk through the woods. This provided protection from a MARAUDER or PUMA. 

Home life was nothing like our SUBURBAN communities today. Often a RENEGADE PROWLER would attempt to break in or steal, which was not a MINOR problem. This OUTLANDER would face the FURY of the citizens. With God’s help the Pilgrims survived the challenges of the New World, and eventually moved clear past the ALPINE peaks of the Rocky Mountains. 

Later, a MARQUIS decided to move west.  Not worried about the CHEROKEE he mounted his BRONCO and rode on. He met up with another LAND CRUISER like himself and as CAVALIER as ever, they continued the trek. He had lived in NEWPORT, but it became too crowded. They feared getting lost when they came upon a RANGER, who helped them avoid the JAGUAR and trap the SABLE for fur. 

They traveled on to the southwest and thought they heard the sound of a CORONET. Indeed, it was the horn being played in a FIESTA. But the party was cut short when a CYCLONE was spotted. The next day they stumbled upon a WRANGLER breaking a COLT. One fellow asked the other if they should try to find an AZTEC community, but he simply replied, “No. YUGO.” 

They finally got to the SIERRA range, but it was winter and there was not a LEAF on the trees. After settling in California, they decided to stop traveling and build a GOLF course. They cleared out the BEETLE population and were very successful.

FOREFATHERS MONUMENT

I was not aware of the Forefathers Monument in Plymouth MA, until my friend Nick Montagner told us about it in Bible Study one Friday morning. It’s also been called the “Pilgrim Monument” and the “Faith Monument” and it stands 81feet tall, which makes it the largest free-standing granite structure in the country, and the 3^rd tallest statue.

It was designed by Hammall Billings, who proposed it to the Pilgrim Society in the early 1850’s. He agreed to help raise the funds, and by 1859 there was enough money to lay the cornerstone. However, it was not finished and dedicated until 1889. Cash was hard to come by during the war and, sadly, Billings died in 1874. Thankfully others continued building the structure. Interestingly, Abraham Lincoln donated $10 to the project in 1861.

Our Pilgrim forefathers certainly deserve this honor. Without their courage and faith and wisdom we would not have the USA as we know it today. The plans they had for the New World were laid out in 1620 on the Mayflower Compact, signed by both the Saints and the Strangers on the ship. These forty-one men “joined themselves together as a community of equals for the purpose of self-government in the new world.”

“The pilgrims believed that lawful government was established by God to restrain evil and to advance good on the earth.” This was further clarified in the 1636 “Pilgrim Code of Law” wherein “all its existing laws were compiled into a single volume for greater clarity.” The Pilgrims are best described in a speech by Daniel Webster in 1820.

“We look around us, and behold the hills and promontories where the anxious eyes of our fathers first saw the places of habitation and of rest. We feel the cold which benumbed, and listen to the winds which pierced them. Beneath us is the Rock, on which New England received the feet of the Pilgrims. We seem even to behold them, as they struggle with the elements, and, with toilsome efforts, gain the shore.

 “We listen to the chiefs in council; we see the mild dignity of Carver and of Bradford; the decisive and soldier like air and manner of Standish; the devout Brewster; the enterprising Allerton; the general firmness and thoughtfulness of the whole band; their conscious joy for dangers escaped; their deep solicitude about danger to come; their trust in Heaven; their high religious faith, full of confidence and anticipation; all of these seem to belong to this place, and to be present upon this occasion, to fill us with reverence and admiration.”

All quotations are from the FOREFATHERS MONUMENT GUIDEBOOK.

 COPYRIGHT 2024 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON