Everyday with Jesus is a Good Day.

I have a friend, 82 or 83, going on 100, who repeats wise sayings ad infinitum. His favorite is, "Everyday with Jesus is a good day." Yes sir, that's how I feel, too. The world seems to be falling apart very quickly, but I don't care. Jesus says there is a time when God's people will be so full of God's Spirit that the whole world will be enlightened with the glory of His Character. Rev. 18:1. It's hard to believe that that can happen at a time when the world seems to be disintegrating, but it will happen. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Hab. 2:14. (See also Isa. 60: 1-5 and Rev. 18:1.)

Life goes on at Eden Valley. My wife came from Africa thinking to find some peace and rest. It wasn't to be. We dumbed a huge burden on her shoulders--the measure of our confidence in her. She reluctantly accepted challenge, but it has sometimes left her so stressed-out that she can't sleep. In the end, however, she is doing a great job. Things are coming together wonderfully. It never would have happened had she not been here to take the lead. (Amazing isn't it? As far as leadership is concerned, I've always gotten the title, but she is the one that gets things done. Powerful.) It's no wonder God chose her to build an institution in Africa. He knew the material He had to work with. I'm proud of her.

Our children are all like her--can-do people. Jason was elected Director of Kibidula Farm Inst. in Tanzania. It's a huge responsibility with all kinds of potential for heartache and headache. Nevertheless, I believe in him. He'll do fine if he leans heavy on the Lord. The first year will not be a honeymoon. If he can organize himself a staff that harmonizes with each other and with the Lord, he'll be alright. If his staff resist everything he tries to do, or, if the staff are at each other's throats, it will be very difficult to succeed.

The Lord is giving me some good sermons on R. by F. in relation to the Third Angel's Message. I am encouraged. I was suppose to speak today, but our Pastor, Paul Eagan, offered to address the staff. I have a sermon ready for Sabbath in the Estes Park Church.

OCI asked me to do a seminar on topics I know little about at the OCI Retreat in Romania. Because I hate to say no for fear of denying the Lord, I will do it. Lord help me. I have too many requests to preach around the world. This week, Mount Akagi in Japan asked if I would do some meetings in June, so did Miracle Meadows in Virginia and a doctor in Kentucky. All that is added to Ukraine twice, Romania, and Germany. I keep saying I'm going to say no, but I'm too soft. On the other hand, EVI can't sustain an absentee President for very long.

Sylvan Dale, a dude ranch over the mountain, is asking if they can pasture their 120 animals on our upper meadow. The folks who run a rock quarry close to us want to negotiate over our granite. Janet needs their help to load her container on a semi, when it is ready and Leasa wants a big flat rock from them to make a really nice sign for the entrance of our property.

I was talking to Gail Clark of Miracle Meadows this morning. She wants me to do some revival meetings for her staff. I asked about her husband. He's had cancer, Leukemia, forever. Yet, he lives on. She says Green Tea Extract is really helping him a lot. He seems to be recovering. He also does a fever therapy treatment daily.

I've been looking to trade my car in. Ugh! It's a love/hate feeling in my soul. Nothing is more fun than shopping for a newer car, but if I am perfectly honest, I know that my old car might last another year. It has 165,000 miles on it. My wife, always the practical one, says it may last a year, but it will lose its trade-in value in the process. Maybe. Maybe not. They are offering me $1,000 for it now. I found a VW Passat with only 64,000 miles on it, and wonder of wonders, it's a standard shift. (I won't have anything other than stick shift.) So, I am tempted, but oh, to empty my account for a car, yuk! Is that God's will? I'm praying.

Blessings to all,

The Preacher

Notice

I reposted the one I had lost. It is below the one I posted yesterday. It is the same as yesterday's, except in other words.

I've Found a Key.

Frustration. I just wrote a whole blog just to delete the thing by mistake. How many times I am reminded that the Devil really does exist. this wouldn't have happened except that today I wrote on a spiritual topic. So, because I thought to do it today, he thought to oppose it. I will not be foiled, however. I will be patient and I will try to repeat what I had previously written. Yuk! I don't feel like spending another half hour at this dumb computer, but here goes.

(Do you mind if I abbreviate a little?)

The weather is great. It will be in the 70's Fahrenheit this week. Spring is in the air.

I preached at Copper Mountain on Sabbath. Eldon and Marilene Stevenson came with us. (Friends from Australia.) We went from Copper to DayStar that same day. We arrived in Moab, Utah, just on time to take in a concert by a young Philippino lady called Mary Grace. She plays the piano with her left hand and a right stump for an arm. Absolutely amazing.

We went to DayStar to attend a MPI board meeting. Mission Projects, Inc. support my wife's project with two Bible workers. They wanted a report. She did a great job. I had the privilege of doing a report for Riverside Farms Pioneers. I enjoyed that a lot, even though I left RFI thirteen years ago. We got home at 11:30 pm Sunday night and I had to preach at 7:00 am Monday morning.

I've got two more calls to preach this year. One to Japan and one to Kentucky. Dr. Naren and Hannah James are here from Kentucky. He was a patient here four years ago. They are the ones who want me to do a revival meeting in their church before their planned evangelistic series.

My Secretary, Frances Martin, retired this week. She's been faithful for 86 years. We really appreciate her and we intend to keep her at EVI so long as she can care for herself.

My wife is shopping for tickets to Africa. Caleb 11, Christina 13, and Deniece will be going with her in May. The adventure is about to begin. I sincerely wish I was going with them, but I really can't. There is so much to do around EVI.

So there! That is the short version of the news for today. Now, what was I saying about righteousness by faith?

I think it was something about the relation of R by F to the third angel's message. A sermon by Dave Fiedler gave me a clue this week. The issue has to do with authority. The great controversy is between man-made religion and God's way to salvation. Cain invented his own religion in opposition to God's. He tried to coerce Abel to join him in rebellion, but Abel would not put Cain in the place of God. He lost his life for it. The Pharisees were bent on controlling the consciences of the masses, Jesus included, thereby placing themselves where God belonged. There is a name for that--Anti-Christ. The Popes waxed violent in their efforts to rule the people's consciences. George I Butler marshaled his pastors against Jones, Waggoner and White. "Stand by the old landmarks," was his battle cry. The implication was that Jones and Waggoner were going to destroy the church with their heresies. The pastors followed their boss like sheep to the shearing. They put Butler where only God should be.

Finally, the third angel's message points to a Beast determined to control the consciences of the whole world. The issue will be righteousness by faith in the works of men vs. righteousness by faith in the gift of God's salvation. Like Abel, many will lose their lives for the faith. Many more who expect others to think and to decide for them will follow the Beast to perdition. Solemn thought, isn't it?

Do you live by faith in God's love for you, or do you live by faith in yourself. We are already deciding how we will vote in the day of reckoning .

So says the Preacher to his Tribe.

Re-take

After the last post, three people, everyone a child of mine, told me what to do to retrieve the lost blog. So, here it is. It's a repeat of yesterday's offering.

It feels like spring. I swear this is the shortest winter in my memory. When I was young, it seemed winter never relaxed its grip. (Of course, we were living in Northern Ontario. The other factor is my age. Everything is going by in a blur these days.) Nevertheless, I can smell spring in the air. Its suppose to be 70 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow.

On the weekend, my Lover and I, with another couple, the Stevensons from Australia, went to Copper Mountain to church and then proceeded to go to DayStar Academy in Utah. We arrived on time for a concert by Marie Grace. This young Philippino lady has only one hand and a stub of an arm on the right. She plays the piano like a concert pianist. Absolutely amazing.

The next day, Mission Projects, Inc. (MPI) had a board meeting. That is the reason we went to DayStar. These people support my wife's project in Africa by paying for two Bible Workers. My wife gave a great report and I had the privilege of doing a report for Riverside Farms Pioneers. I actually enjoyed that even though I've been away from RFI for 13 years. We got home at 11:30 PM that night.

Today I rec'd two calls to preach. One from Japan and one from Kentucky. The folks from Kentucky, Dr. Naren James and Hannah and Chantie, are staying at EVI for a couple of weeks. He was a Lifestyle guest four years ago. They've come back for more treatments and a vacation of sorts. In any case, they'd like me to do some revival meetings at their church before the evangelistic series they are planning. Mount Akagi in Japan want me for five days. I'll have to run this by my Executive Committee.

My Secretary, Frances Martin, retired this week. She is 86 years young. We will keep her at EVI as long as she is able to care for herself, which I believe will be a long time. Praise God.

My wife is buying tickets to return to Africa. Four tickets, Caleb 11, Christian 13, Deniece and Janet. The adventure is about to begin. Hope our dear kids don't get homesick.

The central theme of the Bible

"Cease ye from man whose breadth is in his mouth." Isa. 2:22. "Cursed is the man that trusts in man . . . Blessed is the man who trusts the Lord." Jer. 17:5-7.

I've finally figured out that this is the connection between righteousness by faith and the third angel's message of Rev. 14. Throughout the Bible there is a great controversy between man made religion and God's church, between righteousness by faith in man's works and righteousness by faith in God's gift. Authority is the issue. Cain wanted to be conscience for Abel, but Abel would not be controlled by a mere man. His allegiance was to God and God's ways alone. The Pharisees were bent on being authority and conscience for all, including Jesus. The Popes ruled with extreme violence the consciences of the populace of Europe during the Dark Ages. During the 1888 Minneapolis, George I Butler determined to command all his pastors to rule against Jones and Waggoner, and they followed. Instead of thinking objectively; instead of thinking for themselves, they placed Butler where God should have been.

And there will come a time when the mark of Cain (of the Beast) will be placed on the foreheads or on the hands of those who put their trust in men. "Cease ye from man whose breadth is in his nostrils." Isa 2:22

So says the Preacher to his Tribe.

Toothache

We are home after a two-week vacation. It was a blast visiting with Angie and Steve and their five children. Not all children however. Vanessa is 17 and going to college. Brianna is 16 and well on the way to outworking all of us. Christina is 13 going on 24, for hight anyway.

The second week was hardly a vacation. I preached 10 times--sermons I had only ever preached once. It'a a lot of work to wrap my head around half familiar yet unrefined material. Not all the sermons were winners, as far as I am concerned. But everyone was gracious.

I had a toothache for the better part of one week. Actually, I think I've had a toothache for the better part of ten years, but I've learned to keep my teeth from aching by rinsing my mouth with hydrogen peroxide once of twice a day. My understanding is that hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria and bacteria is responsible for much of the pain. However, after ten years of dodging the bullet, there was no more I could do. Dr. Richard Mehrer did me the honor of pulling my tooth. It was cracked from top to bottom. The man is the best dentist in the business. No pain, no problems.

We are back in Eden Valley. Today we have four bosses from Maranatha looking our place over to ascertain the extent of the construction they face. So, excuse me, I have to go.