Flower Beds and Dream-weavers We are born to a life of choices. Every day we make multiple decisions – we choose – and always our choices effect our day and perhaps our days to come, perhaps even the lives of those we love. The decision to linger a single second longer can end a life on this earth when a car crashes through a leisurely stroll. The split-second stroke of the pen in the voting booth chooses a leader of the people – good or bad. And the every-day decisions in the family compound are endless, sometimes joyous, sometimes troubling, but always to the credit or blame of the decision maker… Bonnie Payne and I have been on vacation for the past few weeks, visiting members of my family scattered throughout Florida. While we were there we largely ignored the liberal TV media and the presidential campaigns. We chose to enjoy the warm sunshine, and the seasonal chores of establishing flower beds instead, the formal request of my daughter. It was the main reason for our going, and it was a most welcome change... When we returned to Virginia, just in time for the Pennsylvania Primary, we were not surprised to hear Barack Obama still pounding the podium of "Change" for the country. It amazes me that he is yet able to persuade the hearts and minds of a great people without being specific. He basically is a dream-weaver who promises that his solutions will bring the changes that are necessary while he continues to be vague about those solutions and changes. Still, one can listen to him, and believe with all their heart that he is addressing their specific problem – a fallacious way with words that is usually performed by con artists and snake charmers… Changes are always welcome when they revive basic goodness and restore real hope in a people. But, they are worthless promises made in the dark unless they are specific and practiced by the leaders of the people. Any politician that promises solutions in general is aware that he is not obligated to make distinct changes once he is elected to office. He has merely promised changes and because these changes are vague and non-committal, they are indeed worthless. In today’s presidential race, one has to wonder if even the politician of change knows what changes he will make. I shudder to think of the impact of some of those changes (bringing the troops home from Iraq), and I shiver when I realize the devastation one wrong move by a first-term, inexperienced green-eyed Bush-bashing Senator can spark in the heat of political stubbornness and pride… In such a setting as this, we can be thankful for the one thing left in this world that never changes. It is the only constant we have, and it holds the only promise we can be sure of. And, the “changes” it brings to our lives were never promised in the dark nor are they hidden. Nor are they streams of vanity, spoken for favor but are yea and A-men to those that believe. I speak of the infallible Word of God… The Bible is an open book. There is not a single word to be found in its sixty-six books of Divine inspiration that is empty or impossible. Every Word is alive with streams of living waters that pour forth to cleanse and to save from a world that has always sought to destroy it. In a time such as this, we can find solace, comfort, strength and truth flowing from its many pages. It is a little like building a flower bed. One stirs up the soil and allows it to bask in the warm sun (Son) for awhile before sowing the seeds and planting the seedlings. If the soil has been adequately loosened and prepared, the flower bed will feed and thrive. And the beauty that it can produce cannot be contained within the boundaries of the flower bed when it grows and spreads its arms toward the four corners of Heaven. If, on the other hand, the seeds are planted in rocky ground (stubbornness, pride) the roots will choke in the shallow (lukewarm) dryness of the rocky soil and the plant (of faith) will die. The secret is in the care-giving…after the planting has been done…Nevertheless… I would rather build a flower bed in the midst of a drought than build on the emptiness of the dream-weaver’s spin. A flower bed will come to life when the heavens are opened and it finally rains, but an empty dream - a dream without any real substance - can never sprout, let alone flourish. It is easy to talk “change” – it is easy to talk of many things people long to hear – but one had better be the humble King Solomon, the warrior King David, and quite possibly the stout and Godly Ronald Reagan if he plans to apply action to his change in today’s world of uncertainties… While we watch the end-time prophecies unfold one by one, while we see with our own eyes the dividing of the world into ten sections by the Club of Rome – including the first section that will include America, Canada and Mexico, we are guaranteed only this – Jesus is coming – and so is the tribulation hour, and the Second Appearing of the Lord of Hosts to judge the nations and rule the earth for a thousand years. When Jesus comes as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the earthly harvest of the lost will be gathered with a heavenly sickle and cast into the fire. There is still time to run from the world and into the arms of Jesus – there is still time to reject and repent of all that shackles you to sin and choose life that will begin in the very moment you bow the knee… Don’t listen to men of vacant dreams – don’t listen to women with empty promises that never worked and will never work. Listen to Jesus Christ, listen to the Words of the Holy Spirit as found in the Holy Bible. Listen to wisdom and prophecy and the promises that can never fail because they are holy, and righteous, and true… God is not a man that He should lie…God IS truth and His vision and His dream for every soul is salvation through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Beloved Son, the Bridegroom who loves and desires His devoted Bride… He is coming soon…prepare for His coming…dare to dream and pray for revival for the lost and for the rebirth of America, the rebirth of Israel, and the igniting of a fire of glory to encircle the globe just before hell is loosed in its fury… The priorities of a man are the reflection of his character. The priorities of a woman are the reflection of her practical knowledge. The priorities of children are the reflection of what they hear and see in the man and the woman… When we hear vague and open-faced promises touted as priorities of would-be presidents, we can be sure it is not a good priority. Priorities of national significance should be slid into comfortably like an old bathrobe, it should smell clean, and feel warm, it should not be binding or skimpy, it should not be demanded or promised as every tyrant in history has done, especially those emperors of Ancient Rome – revived and, this time, at work in the affairs of America and American Presidents… It is a wonderful time to be living. It is a terrifying time to be living. It is a time of change in this old world, with or without the dreams of presidents, and presidential hopefuls. The changes will increase, we will be astounded before long at the changes God is bringing to this tired old earth and its wicked generation of mockers and scorners of His Grace. We look into those things the prophets longed to see, and we see many things we do not yet understand but accept because God never makes a mistake. Next week I want to share with you the things God has been showing me these last few weeks. I don’t know all the answers – no man or woman does – but we share what is given and we know it is of Him when the scriptures confirm it. Is it a dream? No…but it is a promise that cannot fail, it is a legal issue, it is a spiritual issue, it is a mortal issue, and it is a permanent issue. You will enlarge your own garden of faith when you hear it and the blossoms of thanksgiving and praise will stream from your lips forever… Joan Krempel
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