I Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Very often on New Year’s people make a resolution to read the Bible completely through. There are many programs and computer apps to help with this. Most often I just start at the beginning and read straight through. But here are some thoughts on the annual reading. First you really don’t have a grasp of the Bible as a whole until about the fourth or fifth time of reading the entirety. Also with this much practice Bible reading gets easier. The next time you may want to concentrate on Biblical divisions, also called Dispensations. After that you may wish to read it devotionally. The next time look for doctrines or a particular doctrine. Don’t forget to look and see if your beliefs are at variance with the Scripture and repent of wrong belief and have a correctable spirit. Another time you may search for just how great God is. You may take a year in which you read the Bible as quickly and as many times as you can. You may miss some by swift reading but it can also help to bring things together. If something strikes you in particular on your next reading look where the Scripture deals with this through the whole Bible. You would do well to look at how the church practice actually lines up with God’s commands and how we can get closer to the New Testament model. Look for material that can help those in need of comfort and encouragement. How about how the news is reading just like a book of prophecy. Keep an eye out for Scripture that refutes false doctrine. Look for how God deals with men, women and races. Read from the stand point of a personal love letter from God to you. Do character studies. Look for good verses to memorize. How about practical matters like finance, agriculture or even war tactics. By using variation you can have a more interesting, useful, and profitable time of reading and sweeter fellowship with the Almighty. I hope this is a blessing and help to you.

I noticed recently that the statue of Stonewall Jackson was removed from VMI and the statue of General Robert E Lee was removed from the Rotunda. Both of these dastardly deeds were done in the dark of night. Well the Bible says men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. These were two of the most noble men to walk the face of the Earth. Both were great Christians and men who kept their word and refused to stoop to unchivalrious actions even to an enemy that was attacking defenseless women and children. Don’t forget that Mr. Lincoln advocated total war and wanted to ship all people of African descent to another country. Read the Douglas Lincoln debates and see what Mr. Lincoln really thought about the black race. Stonewall Jackson taught a Sunday school class of black students and regularly sent money from the front to see that the class was funded. General Lee admitted that he was just a poor sinner in need of God’s mercy. Their tactics are still studied today and these men are well worth remembering today.

I Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. I Peter 2: 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King. I Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. I Corinthians 13:4-5 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.

We live in a day and age when many put aside good manners. You used to see books on etiquette​ and Miss Manners as a regular column in the newspaper. People were instructed on proper behavior and taught by example as well. But as anyone of grey hair can tell you, those days are gone and well mannered children are the exception rather than the rule. As you can see from the first verse evil speech brings evil manners. I am appalled daily at the foul speech of our political leaders. They don’t even try to hide it anymore. But Jesus said by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Also in the context notice that corrupt doctrine is corrupt speech. So be careful how you speak before your children for little pitchers have big ears. Next love and honor your wife. Boys in particular need to see this. Open the door for her rise when she enters the room, seat her at the table and compliment her. A wife will forgive many short comings if she is simply noticed and given attention. Next reverence and obey your husband. If the child is to obey the command to honor his father he needs your example. Next honor all men. This includes the politician you hate most and​ an unbelievably rude person on the internet. If more people spoke face to face and had to answer for it (the Bible says A fools mouth calleth for strokes) this nation would have more civility. The Bible says to be courteous. Note that the word begins with court. So you should have behavior befitting a king’s court. And remember that children need to see you, for T. V. teaches atrocious manners. And most manners are learned at the good old fashioned supper table. Most importantly is the last verses, to have charity. If you have love and compassion and respect and charity most manners will come naturally. I hope this is a help and blessing to you all. Remember those special words that unlock doors: sir, ma’am, please, thank you, excuse me, may I.

This is a much debated question. You may say why is this important? Bring up the subject of hair length and watch the fireworks! Now as to the argument that Jesus had long hair I am amazed at the shallowness of the arguments. Call yourself a Doctor of Divinity and you can make the most outrageous statements and have people just nod their heads and accept it as truth. Jesus was a Nazarite. No he was a Nazarene. They didn’t have anything to cut hair with in those days. Then how did they shear their sheep? Remember that barbers are mentioned in the Bible, one even cutting Samson’s hair. The razor is also mentioned​. Look at Roman statues, the men have short hair. Now the Israelites did not leave images of themselves and over the thousands of years of history hairstyles​ change and the Jew, like all mankind, did not always obey God in this matter. So let’s go to the Scripture and see what it says. Leviticus 19:26-28 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood​: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. Some use this to prove the Jews were required to have long hair but the context says otherwise. It is to forbid pagan practice that these commands are given. One such practice is the tonsure, another is certain shavings of the beard. Note also about cutting and tattoos, which are so popular now. But this passage is not explicit so we need more light. Leviticus 21:5 They​shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of the their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. This shows a shaving of patterns, not trimming of hair. But more clarification is found in Ezekiel 44:20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. The poll is the top part and back of the head so this is a standard male haircut. Now let’s look at I Corinthians 11:13-16 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame for him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given to her for a covering. But if any man seem contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. So yes men are to have short hair, women long hair, a man should remove his hat in church and a woman should have a hat or other covering in church. If you don’t like it don’t do it but don’t think that it pleases God. Just like a son of age may visit his Dad with long hair but he knows Dad is still displeased. Still not convinced? Look at Revelation 9:7-8 And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. A hippie! Bearded faces and long hair! In Deuteronomy 22:5 God doesn’t even want men and women to wear the same kind of clothes! Vive la difference! And as to the Nazarite commands, that is a topic for another study.

Psalm 71:18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to everyone that is to come. I took this week off because of my 60th birthday and made plans to go to an intersection where school traffic passes and stand with a fabric sandwich sign made by preachers gear. You can find them on the web, they have great stuff. I am a Navy veteran and one of the duties of the U.S. Navy, along with protecting the sea lanes and engaging in war with the enemy, is to show the flag and remind the world that we are a force to be reckoned with. I have simply been standing on the corner with my scripture signs and holding up a Bible for all to see. I see drivers very happy to see me there who wave, smile and give me a thumbs up. I am out there for them. I see others who express disapproval and outright anger. I am out there for them. I see the curious glance. I am out there for them. But most of all I am out there for the youth. Adults generally avoid eye contact with me but children are full of curiosity and desire to explore and learn. Since they are not driving they can take the time to read the signs. They look and smile and wave (unless they are still half asleep!). They turn to their parents and say” Look at that” or “What is he doing”. Even in this short time some children on the buses are begining to look forward to seeing me. Recently during street preaching on the square, which I preceed with singing, several children came up to talk to me (their parents were in eyesight). We had a blessed time discussing the Lord. I am out there for them. All of this is little, but I believe that it pleases the Lord Jesus who hung on a cross for me. And I am out there, showing the flag, for Him.

Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth.

In the years prior to WWII famous auto maker Henry Ford had a newspaper that he sent to all customers who had bought a Ford. He came across a book called”The Protocols of the Elders of Zion​” and published it in series form along with warnings about the”international Jew”. Adolf Hitler had these articles translated to German and gave a Third Riche decoration to Mr. Ford. Yet this was propaganda and helped further the Holocaust, and slowed America’s entry to the war. With no documentation or fact many were convinced of a Jewish plot to overthrow the world. And today we see another race under attack with the same kind of reasoning and historical revision. The movement gets help from the phenomenon of white self loathing. Basically if you are white you are bad. If you are a white male you are worse. If you are a white male and straight you are even worse. You are at the bottom of the heap if you are a white male straight Bible Christian! When a white man gets arrested he is getting what he has coming to him. But a black criminal does not. The anti-white racist so want a white supremacist violent event that they grasp at any straw to horrify and shock. But fair is fair and truth is truth. God made the three main races through the three sons of Noah and he expects brothers to get along. Often in a sibling argument one tattles falsely about another to get his brother in trouble. This may work with mankind but it will not work with God. In Proverbs 6:6-19 the Bible says God hates”he that soweth discord among brethren.”. Man is made in the likeness of God and should be treated with respect unless he proves himself unworthy of it. Where I work there are white, Hispanic and black employees​and customers and we all call each other sir and ma’me from the boss on down. So don’t be driven into a frenzy by American hating socialist anti-Christian abortionists.

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torment. Luke 16:23 One of the most dangerous places to muddy the waters of truth with the Greek and Hebrew is on the subject of hell. I spoke to a Jehovah Witness some years back and she gave me some of her materials to read which I took on the condition that she read mine. And between the unscholarly treatment of the Greek and the convoluted twisting of the Scripture to make it say something it did not say was amazing. If you take the Bible at face value and see the context around it and throw out human reasoning you must come to this simple conclusion which I often preach on the street: Hell is hot hell is real and hell is eternal. This true story ( for our Saviour did not make up fairy tales) says a man died and went to hell and was tormented in the flame. Jesus originated the phrase hell fire. Jesus warned about hell. Jesus died on the cross to save mankind from going to hell. And God is reasonable for making hell. Spend some time studying the law and sin and let the Holy Spirit speak to your conscience. Then admit God is right and you are wrong and plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin. You will love God as never before.

Ecclesiastes​ 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. I read recently that the head of the FBI said that Antifa is not an organization but a movement.It is incredible that the news can find the organizational links and funders but the FBI cannot. But then again the media found Osama bin Laden when the intelligence agencies could not. But as the wise saying goes those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it’s mistakes. Americans in particular are not interested in the past. Often people that speak tomy children say they must be home schooled because they know some history. I think the public school system picks the very worst teachers (with a few exceptions) to teach history. If Americans knew history the 1619 push would be laughed to scorn. Well what of the FBI? Remember J. Edger Hoover? Although he did a fine job of fighting crime across the United States he constantly denied the existence of the Mafia, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Every kid and business man in New York City knew there was a Mafia. President Kennedy appointed his brother to prosecute the crime families as attorney general, because Jimmy Hoffa had beaten him publicly in an arm wrestling match. Now the FBI is embarrassed at it’s misdirection of resources in not tracking down real domestic terrorists​ and denies the real ones exist! Marxist and Islamic terrorists are the ones to watch regardless of what politically correct socialists would have you to believe. These are Judas goats leading our country to destruction. Even so come Lord Jesus!

This is a story about a young black man that worked his way up from the poverty of the Great Depression to a hero of America. He broke racial barriers without one riot or the destruction of anyone’s property. He did use violence but it was always in the ring. He was the great boxer Joe Lewis. He always behaved himself as a gentleman both in and out of the ring to make it easier for the next man of his race. He avoided photos that would have him pictured with a white woman and volunteered for the Army during World War II. His most famous fight was with Max Schmelling the champion of Germany. Although not a member nor a sympathizer of the Nazi party politics stuck it’s ugly nose into the sports world and this fight was viewed as a fight between freedom and facism. Max won the first fight but Joe won the second. The war came and both men served their countries. But the war ended and the men who were enemies in the ring and in war became close friends. Joe Lewis came on hard times because of the twin evils of ex-wives and unjust taxation. Added to that over generosity and some bad personal choices he was in a hard way financially. But Max became a successful business man and from time to time sent him aid. When Mr. Lewis died Max helped pay for his funeral and served as a pallbearer. These two men show the world what can be done when by respect, hard work, and common sense, men rise from humble beginnings​and earn a place in history. Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

I Timothy 4:1-5 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. There is a connection between vegetarianism and spirituality. It opens up the soul to receiving unclean spirits. Now sometimes for health reasons or budget or availability or to prevent offence one may not eat meat but when it is forbidden or chosen for spiritual reasons that is a different story. Nowadays many youngsters don’t know about Hitler. For that matter many college students don’t know that the United States fought Great Britian for our Independence. But two significant items about this man and the Nazi movement where it’s connection to the swastika and his vegetarianism. The swastika is a religious symbol from the Hindu and New Age movement. The Hindu of course do not eat meat. This symbol (with the arms facing an opposite direction from the Nazis) is also found in Buddhist and Native Americans worship. Look up the Swastika hotel in New Mexico. But symbols have spiritual power as do diets. Hitler, who treated Jews, Gypsies, and Slavs as less than human was campaigning to end animal slaughter and scientific experimentation. Presently in the United States many people fear eating our plentiful, affordable, and good quality and safe meats. A WTA&M professor said in a newspaper article that many Americans are suffering from malnutrition as a result of refusing to eat meat. The human body must have animal protein! Yet with all the emphasis on animal rights and treating them HUMANLY more and more cruelty, including abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia of the elderly, is becoming more common place in our world. While eating meat won’t make you a Christian, forbidding meat goes opposite of God’s commands, purposes, and plans. A weak brother may eat herbs and is to be received if to no disputation. But God has given you the liberty and defense to eat flesh.