Fifty Years Later

-Bill Petite 

So, it only took 50 years for this country to begin to seriously recognize the Vietnam Vet. That war (conflict) ended in 1975 but for me it didn’t end until December 1984. That’s when Jesus saved me, pulled me out of that miry pit and gave me a new life. Up until that time, it was like a monkey on my back which I couldn’t shake. When I came home in June of 1970, I just wanted to forget everything about it. I wanted to start my life over and get on with the rest of my life. But after about a month of being home and putting it behind me, I got a letter from a friend still there telling me a close friend had been killed. Then it hit me, that war had followed me home and I hated it. If someone asked me questions about my time there, I answered. It seemed better for me to talk about it then to keep it bottled up inside. So, I would talk about it but then I was told not to talk about by those who were asking the questions. When asked about my thoughts on the My Lai massacre, I was told by one man that I had read too many comic books. (I was not part of that or even in the Army) I was enraged and ready to attack but my brother-in-law was close by and calmed me down.

My mother and father had both died before I was 18 and I was living with my oldest sister and her husband but I couldn’t stay there long since they couldn’t afford the extra mouth to feed so I enlisted in the Marines. My other choice was to live with my brother and work for the railroad. But that would leave me as draft bait soon after my 18^th birthday. Young men were getting drafted before the ink on their draft registration was dry. I had no desire to be in the Army so I made up my mind to enlist in the Marines by my choice. It was the right decision as far as I’m concerned. It was a time when this nation was dominated by protests against the war which eventually turned against those returning home. The treatment by those who threw rocks, spit at and name called was discouraging to the Vietnam Vet. We were called baby killers, women killers and many other colorful names by people who knew absolutely nothing about what was really happening over there. And it wasn’t just spoiled college students; I was asked by adults more than once to leave an establishment as soon as I walked in. This was when I recently returned home with my Marine regulation haircut. It was obvious that I was former military and it didn’t matter whether I was in Vietnam or not. The general public hated the military.

All those guys who were coming home who were treated like criminals and cast offs, couldn’t get a job since no one wanted a Viet Vet working for them. The VA was a lost cause who didn’t help at all. When I got home, they gave me $75 for my time there and that was it. (I think it was $75) My home state of PA at least gave me $300 and wished me well and good luck. Well, that was nice but $375 wouldn’t ease the emotional trauma some of us would endure over the next many years. I suffered from PTSD until I was saved and never even realized it until years later. The VA refused to acknowledge it even was a thing. The general public wouldn’t acknowledge it and simply considered all of us as mentally ill and dangerous. Even Hollywood got into the act. Every bad guy on a TV drama was a Vietnam Vet. I heard another Viet Vet say that the only people you can talk to about it is another Viet Vet because they are the only ones who understand what we went through while we were there. 

How do you describe or explain the experience of having motors falling  around you? Or RPG rockets landing close by? How can someone who wasn’t there understand what being shot at with AK-47s or 12.7 machine guns is like? They can never understand what it’s like when a chi-com grenade goes off and hits you with the shrapnel. Vets from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars might be the only ones who can relate to a booby trap exploding and taking off the man’s legs in front of you in the column as you patrol. The people back home thought we were killing women and kids while they were every bit as dangerous as an NVA soldier. Women who were VC sympathizers would frag you when you turned your back and even send a child in your direction with a grenade on him. And we were the ones being called murderers! The general public, even Vets from previous wars, rejected us. It was very hard to adjust to a civil society when we returned home only to be treated like the bad guy and mentally corrupted. And while many continue to suffer today from their experiences and can’t get them out of their head, the only answer I have for them is Jesus. He took all of that hatred and emotional agony away. Yes, 55 years later I still have a dream here and there but it is only a dream and I know that. When I first came back I had them all the time and I hated it. I was right back there in the middle of that mess. But now, it’s just a dream.

One last thing I want to say about that war, or conflict, is American young men should have never been there. It was an over reaction on the part of McNamara and Johnson and others I’m sure. Eisenhour had advisors there in the early 1950s and into the 60s under Kennedy but that is all that should have ever been there. They feared the spread of communism would run wild and overtake South Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. But all the North wanted was the South and a united Vietnam. I used to wonder what they wanted with the South. North of Saigon, the country was a mess and what I saw was a hundred years behind the time. But I must say the North has made much progress in the South and brought it back into the current time. (But many did suffer in reeducation camps)

I have never viewed my time there as fighting to keep this country free of communism. That would have never happened. Every man I served with there had one goal; get home safe and in one piece. The goal wasn’t to save the U.S. from communism but to get home. I simply considered myself as a U.S. government mercenary. I was trained by the USMC and sent off to fight a war which was no threat to this country. The Vietnamese people didn’t really want our support and only wanted what they could get from the U.S. They didn’t like the fact that American soldiers and Marines were covering their countryside with bombs, grenades and artillery. They never wanted us patrolling through their villages and rice paddies. They just didn’t want us there. So, why were we there? Politics is the answer and those political decisions got over 58,000 military killed. Marines I knew and were friends with were killed over those political decisions.

Now, don’t get me wrong; I’m proud of my service and my time in The Marines and Vietnam. I was decorated by the Marines for my service and accomplishments while there. But I just have to be truthful and serious about what really happened and also give my opinion of that whole mess. In remembering those Marines I knew who were good men and not just numbers, I have cried over their deaths. When you see a good man, a Marine, die, it’s too hard to process at the time and then when it sinks in and hits you, it can be devastating and extremely emotional. When I received that later about the death of my close friend, my eyes were watering with tears and I was all choked up and on the verge of crying my eyes out. It had an extreme emotional effect on me.

And now, 55 years later for me, the people of this country want to thank us and pat us on the back. I’m not bitter about this; but it’s a different generation and many weren’t even born yet when I returned. And for those who were protesting and spitting at us and calling us names, how many still feel the same way? Or have they softened in time and are among those who are now welcoming us home? It’s just a curious question and I’m not concerned with an answer. I was there and I was just one of many who endured for at least one year of their life while serving there. Many of those I served with there are now gone. For those who have never had to endure time in combat, they will never know the closeness of a friend in combat. That is a closeness which knows your friend has your back all of the time and he knows you have his. It’s a life or death closeness and there is no other closeness like it. And we should never forget the over 58,000 lives lost due to bad political decisions.

I’m sure I can get differing opinions about my thoughts recorded here. There would probably be an argument or strong debate concerning what I have written and that’s OK. But just remember, if you weren’t there, you personally, you have no position to argue from. I am also sure that many will scoff at my testimony concerning Jesus saving me from all of this nagging experience and nightmares. That’s also Ok and it's

their right but I know what He has done for me and if you’re one who scoffs and is still struggling with you experience from that time, why not call out to Jesus and get the monkey off of your back.

It's Not a Fairytale, It's Real

-Bill Petite

 

We are into the holiest of weeks on the Christian Calendar. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and goes right up to Resurrection Sunday, or, Easter as the world knows it. I remember my first Holy week as a Christian. One of the TV networks was showing a miniseries called, A.D. I was glued to the TV every evening throughout that week. For me, a new Christian, I was excited reading the Bible and then watching that miniseries; even though it didn’t exactly follow the Bible to the letter. But it was close enough for me and covered the most important points. That was over forty years ago and things have really changed. Christianity has been degraded and even labeled as a hate movement because of the way some have intertwined it with politics and other reasons.

With everything which has happened and come to the surface within this culture and society in which we live, unsaved people and atheists consider Christians as people who worship a nonexistent god. But the truth is that the God of Christianity does exist and He is all powerful and rules from His throne in heaven with His Son Jesus at His right hand. If you’re unfamiliar with the way this world speaks of the Christian God, just read the comments which follow a post about Christianity on a secular web site. Christians are referred to as fools for worshipping an invisible nothing god who doesn’t really exist. Others refer to Him as a fantasy god or hypocritical god who claims to love everyone but hates Gays and sends people to hell. If you read these comments, don’t get angry; we should have compassion for these people. If they are not saved and continue to believe this nonsense right up to the day they die, they are going to hell. But it is not God who is sending them there, it is they themselves because they refused to accept Jesus and be saved.

If we talk to an unsaved person who believes this way, we don’t argue the point, we explain the truth of the gospel in hope that the Holy Spirit will stir and warm their heart and they will be saved. We can’t argue anyone into heaven. Only Jesus can save them. Our job is to tell them and then it’s up to them to allow Jesus in or not. Now, it is important to know that some will never be saved. It doesn’t matter how many times they hear the gospel. Actually, the more they reject Jesus the harder their heart gets. God knows who will be saved and who won’t be saved. Allow me to provide scripture reference for this.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.  For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.    JN 6:37-39

When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.   Acts 13:48

 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.    Eph  1:4-5

Now, many Christians refuse to accept this truth but the Bible is clear on this and none of these verses are taken out of context. Many will say that the reference from Acts 13:48 is a single scripture out of context but read the passage and see that it is not. God knows who will be saved because He chose them before He did one little thing concerning creation. God did not look down through time and see who would be saved. The Bible doesn’t teach that anywhere. Do the research for yourself and don’t just take someone’s opinion or teaching as truth. God does not exist in time or on a timeline. His existence is now; it is never past, present or future.

In our world and culture today, those who refuse to accept Jesus can be strongly opposed to the gospel and Christianity. Some of them have very strong and nasty opinions concerning Jesus and Christianity. They have not been enlightened and just don’t know the truth. This is due to one reason or another and we don’t know who God has called to salvation or not. We are not able to justly judge the hearts of those who oppose us and those who are saved. So, we should never attempt to do that. For the unsaved person, we tell them about Jesus and pray for them. Then we leave it in the hands of God.

But for those who believe Christianity is just another cult or a fairytale story and an invisible sugar daddy in the sky who doesn’t really exist, there will be a day of dread for them in the future. For those who have been or will be saved, our names are already written in the book of life. For those who will continue to reject Jesus or those who have died without Jesus, it is an eternity of suffering and torment. Hell was created for Satan and the fallen angels who have decided to follow him. God did not create hell for people and has never sent anyone there. But He cannot have sin stand in His presence and that was every one of us at birth. We are all born with a sin nature which desires nothing but sin and a life of sin. But when Jesus went to the cross and died on that cross for us, He paid the debt required by the Father to cover that sin. When we are saved, that sin is washed away and never again remembered by God.  When God sees us, He sees Jesus and not us. Without Jesus as our savior, He would see nothing but sin.

But because Jesus put Himself on that cross and died in our place, we can have an eternity with Him in heaven. And because He rose from the grave and defeated death, we can have that eternal life with Him. That’s the Easter story; that’s what Resurrection Sunday is all about. We were all born with the sin nature and we all deserved hell because sin cannot stand in the presence of God. But because Jesus paid the debt we couldn’t pay, we have redemption and salvation from sin and the coming wrath of God. And that is what we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday. We should be thanking Jesus every day of our Christian lives for what He has done for us.

And for those who continue to scoff and mock God, He simply laughs at them. They have no power over Him. They cannot make Him go away.

When they claim He doesn’t exist, He doesn’t go hide and fret because they don’t believe in Him. They are enemies of God and have no idea who He really is or the almighty power He has. And, as they mock Him and degrade Him, His response will be as it was when Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, attempted to conquer Judah.

“The virgin daughter of Zion
    despises you and laughs at you.
The daughter of Jerusalem
    shakes her head in derision as you flee.

 “Whom have you been defying and ridiculing?
    Against whom did you raise your voice?
At whom did you look with such haughty eyes?
    It was the Holy One of Israel!

2 Kgs 19:21-22

 

And again, in Psalms 2, God responds to those who think they are greater than Him.

 

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
 Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.

Ps 2:1-5

 

God had a plan to provide a source and means of salvation for His creation. He would send His one and only Son to die on a cross and then rise from the dead to provide salvation from sin and also eternal life for those who will ask Jesus to forgive them and know Him as their Lord and savior. Jesus must be the Lord of your life and not just the savior. He paid the price for your sin debt and to be able to have eternal life with Him in heaven. If you haven’t done this yet, do it now. Allow Jesus to wipe you clean from your sin and give you eternal life in heaven. It’s not a fairytale; it is real and true.

 

 

 

The Times Have Changed

This morning, I read through the transcript of the first debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy in 1960. I'm not into the extreme following of the political agendas of candidates but I do enjoy researching history. The comparison from just over 60 years ago and today is crazy. The calmness and polite approach by each candidate and the respect shown for each other is astounding in comparison to today. Nixon and Kennedy agreed on some points and confessed that they did. But they would point out why they disagreed with other points and did it without name calling, mudslinging and raising their voices.

They showed respect for each other. The two candidates today are a 180 degree turn from that. It's plain to see how far this nation has fallen and to what it has become. None of Nixon's or Kennedy's points or policies included killing babies in the womb, rights of same sex couples, immigration or anything which is of importance today. Of course, people will say times have changed and that’s exactly my point. Oh, how they have changed.

Romans 1 paints a distinct picture of this fallen world. This culture has turned its back on God and as explained in Romans 1, He has given them over to their evil desires.
If you have ever read and studied Israel's path in the Old Testament, they were rescued by God and brought out of slavery from Egypt. They were given a land which they did nothing to earn. They were led into that land by God Himself. But it only took one generation to pass before they began to defy Him and live only for their own agendas. The Bible records their downward spiral right up to their exile.
Now, this nation hasn’t experienced the same thing as what Israel did but they did flee from England for the purpose of their freedom. And through the decades and centuries, God blessed this country and prospered it. But this nation, like Israel, has turned its back on God. This is not a Christian nation and I won't say it ever was, but in just the last 60+ years, we can see how far it has fallen.

Again, I'm not a rah, rah, political person. I won't wrap my Christian around a political candidate or party. But I will point out how far this nation has moved away from God. And, I will say that politics will never save this nation, nor will any political candidate or politician.
The only hope for any part of this nation and its evil culture is prayer. Only God can save this nation and I don't know that's in His plan. I can't imagine how much farther this country will move away from God and I'm glad to be in the latter stages of my life and possibly won't be around to see how much worse it can get.
You can search all through the Bible but will never find this nation mentioned. This is not God's chosen nation, that is Israel. As a Christian, don't get sucked into believing that lie.
I'm not anti-American; I'm a Christian who is a citizen of this country; I fought under the flag of this country and was proud to do so, even though I was spit at and called names when I returned. But I'm a Christian first and my first allegiance is to God, not a politician or this nation. I’m not in rebellion against this nation. The Bible tells us to obey His appointed leaders (Rom 13) and to pray for those leaders (1Tim 2). But it doesn’t tell us to worship those people or to give them more attention than to God. Israel is still God’s chosen nation; it’s the only nation he recognizes as His own. And it will be the last nation standing when He returns for His Church. Zechariah 14 records and tells us all of this. Now, if you’re not a Christian, I wouldn’t expect you to believe any of this. For you, it’s simply progress. We’ve come out of a dark age of dullness and bigotry and into the 21^st century of love for everyone and freedom to do as one pleases. That reminds me of a line from the book of Judges.  In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25

We don’t have a king because we don’t have that type of government but the leadership in this country has been lacking for years. There is no obedience to God and the people have done whatever they wanted and seemed right to them. Remember, the answer is prayer, not people.

-Bill Petite

Domestic Missions

 

In my early years as a Christian, when the topic of missions came up, it was always international missions. It was about the need for the nations in Africa, South America, Asia and others. I would have opted for a nice South Pacific Island where the temps are in the 70s and 80s year-round. But that’s the selfish me trying to find a cushy comfortable spot. But the Lord never called me to international missions, nor did I ever have a true desire to be involved in that type of ministry. My calling was always for domestic ministry or ministry here at home. I knew the Lord had called me to church ministry here in my homeland and so I followed His lead and gave my time and effort to those needs. He moved me around this country from west to east and back and finally to retirement in East Texas.

But in between, I had the opportunity to see those who were in need of not just the Lord but in some cases, the basics to survive. On a trip to Eastern KY, I witnessed some extremely needy people. Some who knew Jesus and some who didn’t. The ones who knew Jesus were thankful for what they had and never complained and the ones who didn’t know Jesus gave us the opportunity to tell them and encourage them. A lot of these people in areas such as this have been forgotten. Big corporations come in and employ people for a few years and after the big corporation has made their money, they pull out leaving those people high and dry and in need. The needs I saw just for descent living conditions were awful and heartbreaking.

But the Lord had and has sent His people there on a permanent basis to help physically and spiritually as they can. Volunteers from churches in that part of the country come to help with repairs and ministry. They purchase the needed materials and make the repairs. Most stay for a week and accomplish a great deal of work both physically and spiritually in that time. I witnessed homes without water hook ups, electric or gas was not available, homes in need of much repair. I was only there for two days; my mission was to set things up for the team which would follow for a week-long stay. They would accomplish needed home repairs and ministry needs and the people there were more than receptive. They were happy to know someone cared about them and their needs.

But when you go into many churches, you will rarely hear about the needs of the people in that part of the country. You will always hear about the needs in African nations, Arab nations, the Dominican Republic and Haiti and other places around the world. I’m not saying those places don’t need to hear the gospel because they do. But there are places and areas in this country, the U.S., that also need to hear it. It’s just my opinion, but I think too many Christians and churches in this country believe that this is an established Christian nation and there is no need for domestic mission ministry. But here’s a cold hard item; other countries are sending missionaries to this country. Many refuse to belief that but they are here. Many Christians, not missionaries, have come here to be free of the oppression in their home countries. But when they attend churches here, they discover they are no where close to what they had at home. Then they return to their oppressed home just so they can worship in a church which is committed and serious about Jesus.

And then there are the local churches who do send people on domestic missions. They go to the reservations of Native Americans and repair buildings and dig ditches and never mention Jesus. That’s not a Christian missions, that free labor. These are vacations for youth groups with adult supervision. In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells us to take His message to all the nations, but it starts first at home.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

It starts at home. That can mean in your own home, and it should, and also in the home area where you live. He told them to tell the people in Jerusalem, their home area, then Judea or maybe the state where you live. Then to Samaria, or the region or country and then to the world or foreign missions. But too many churches and Christians think they need to be sending missionaries to a foreign nation. Maybe it seems fashionable or just the thing to do because the church down the street does it and they can’t allow that church to make them look bad or lazy. I don’t know what the real reasons are and maybe I shouldn’t speculate. I do know that there is serious Christian work being done by American missionaries around the world. That’s not the issue. When a person gets saved and knows that he/she has been called to that ministry, then they should answer that call. But when churches drum up business, so to speak, by convincing in house Christians to make a mission trip because it is the thing to do, that’s wrong.

I have friends who served for fifteen years in foreign missions. The organization they were with provided needed medical services and the gospel. It’s how Jesus served people. Provide for their need and tell them about Jesus. There will always be a need for foreign missions and missionaries but not at the expense of the homeland needs. Evangelism is a dying ministry. I’m not referring to the guy who travels around from church to church preaching the gospel. I’m referring to the individual Christian telling his friends, family and co-workers about Jesus. I’m referring to outreach ministries in churches. They have service maybe one to three times a week but never take the gospel outside of the church to the community. These are domestic missions also.

The Church in this nation has become a mixture of entertainment, feel good lectures, health and wealth centers and non-Biblical sermonettes. Some are nothing more than a gathering to hear about the secular social problems in this country and how to fix them. The gospel is never heard and that’s the only real fix for those issues. Evangelism is taking its dying breathes and is in need of real gospel life support. And yes, there is a huge need for more domestic mission work and evangelism in the country. Stop the political talk and the bickering back and forth about it. Stop placing faith in the politician instead of Jesus. There is a serious need for a purging in the Church and it needs to start yesterday.

There are so many places in this nation which need to hear the gospel from the inner cities to the hollers in the Appalachians. Don’t forget about your own backyard while planning a mission to an international site. Listen to the calling the Lord has given you and don’t try to convince yourself it’s foreign missions when He wants you to stay home and do that work. There is a dire need for domestic missionaries.

-Bill Petite

Fear of the Dark?

 In this world we live in, there is a dark side and there is a side of light. Most Christians understand this and know what to expect from the dark side of this world. It consists of hate, antisemitism, evil activity, false faith movements such as cults, demented thinking, abortion and so many other evils. A Christian doesn’t have to look very far to see or even experience the dark side of this world. As a matter of fact, before we were saved, we were all living on the dark side in our sin. At that time, we didn’t even realize there was a dark side or that we were living in the dark.

But as John 1:4-5 tells us, Jesus brought light into the world and a light which the dark cannot overcome.

The Word gave life to everything that was created
    and his life brought light to everyone.

 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Jesus is that light and He came to allow that light to shine into our lives. He came to bring salvation to us and has given us a way to escape the dark. For those of us who are saved, we look back, or should look back on occasion, and see the dark we lived in and thank Jesus for saving us out of that darkness. The light in the life of a Christian can never be put out. I know there is a teaching which says it can but when a Christian is truly saved, that salvation is eternal. Don’t be fooled into believing that lie. Jesus tells us in John 6:37-40,

 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

These are the words of Jesus and Jesus doesn’t lie. He is not in the business of repossessing salvation and a sinner who is truly saved cannot give it back nor would he/she ever want to. Jesus doesn’t bring anyone into the light and then change His mind and then send them back into the dark.

Sometimes the dark comes knocking at your door; I literally mean physically knocking at your door. This happens in the form of Jehovah’s Witness, Mormons or maybe some other cult. They live in a works-based salvation darkness. Simply put, the more doors they knock on and spread their lies, the more points they score on their way to heaven (their idea of heaven which is another lie). Now, that’s not exactly how it works but that’s in the ballpark of the works-based salvation system for them. So, how do you react when you are face to face with one of these cult members? It will almost always be at a time when you least expect it or are prepared for it. So, are you afraid to talk with them? Are you afraid you don’t know enough about them to talk to them? Maybe you’re afraid you don’t know the Bible well enough to counter their lies. Do you clam up and say nothing or maybe you sic the dog on them. This is the dark and are you afraid of the dark?

Maybe you’re at work and your co-workers are not saved and they are always talking trash or telling dirty stories and jokes or maybe they simply enjoy picking on the Christian. How do you respond? You have to realize you are right in the middle of the dark but how do you respond to the dark? Do you panic? Do you allow them to continue to mock you and Jesus? Are you afraid of the dark? You are right among the enemy and they are on the attack. They are shooting round after round at you or around you. How prepared are you to seek the help of the Holy Spirit in this battle? Or, are you not prepared at all? Of course, the first thing you do is pray and ask for help. If you are aware enough to simply do that, you already have an advantage. John 4:4 tells us this:

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 

It's like a person who is a bully. He/she thrives on controlling other’s emotions and fear. But when he is smacked in the mouth (metaphorically of course), he’s not in control any longer and the bully backs off and knows he/she has lost that control. It’s the same for the Christian who has a fear of the darkness of this world and those who are enslaved by the dark. If the Christian doesn’t pray and seek the Lord’s help, he or she will continue to be under the control of the dark until they ask for that help. Remember, the darkness cannot extinguish the light. Jesus is the light and He cannot be overcome by the darkness of this world. For the Christian, it should be automatic to seek the Lord immediately and get His help. I’m not talking about the big brother beating up the bully. I’m talking about the big brother teaching you how to fight those battles.

When I was in Vietnam, I saw some guys do some things without thinking when it came to responding to an attack or ambush. I witnessed a fellow Marine give his own life to take out a machine gun to save the rest of us. He didn’t stop to think for a second; he simply went on the offensive. I often wondered how he could have done that. Then I had one of those experiences one night. We were expecting to be hit, or attacked, and we were on 50% watch, two men on watch at all times, and sure enough, we got hit. There were three other Marines about fifteen yards behind us sleeping in a small makeshift tent of sorts and when those bullets started flying, I was out of the hole and running back to get these guys up and to the fighting position. I never stopped to realize what I was doing, I just did it.

It was later when everything was calmed down that I had time to think how I had put myself in danger to save those guys. I’m not telling this story for likes or pats on the back. It’s a good personal example of how we should react when the darkness of this world goes on the attack. We, as Christians, shouldn’t slip down into the foxhole and hope the enemy just goes away. We have God’s word as a weapon and the Holy Spirit leading us. What more do we need? Is the darkness of this world greater than the Holy Spirit? No, it is not.

 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.   John 14:1

I have only given a few verses in this writing from the Bible which should encourage those who might fear the dark. There are many more encouraging verses and passages that are also encouraging and should build your faith in God’s almighty power over the darkness of this world. And one day that darkness will be defeated for good. Jesus has already won the war at the cross. Satan’s biggest tool when it comes to fear is death. But Jesus defeated that when He rose from the tomb. Christians should never fear death. When a Christian dies physically and is removed from this life, he/she is immediately ushered into the presence of God. So, what is there to fear concerning death? The answer is nothing. We have everything to hope for at physical death and nothing to fear. Those who are still living in darkness have everything to fear concerning physical death. They are then facing eternal death and condemnation while severely suffering in hell. And yes, hell does exist. Jesus has much to say about hell in His word, the Bible.

So, as a Christian, are you afraid of the dark? You have no need to be since the Holy Spirit lives inside of you and He is more powerful than anything the dark can manifest or bring into your life. I realize that newer Christians might not have matured to this point yet but keep reading the word and keep praying. God will continue to grow you closer to Him and teach you how to lean on Him in the battles with the dark.

Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.
Terror will grip them,
    for God is with those who obey him.

 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
    but the Lord will protect his people.

Psalm 14:4-6

 

Bill Petite

 

 

Bible study and Politics??

 Jon had accepted a job offer in another state which presented him with the opportunity for advancement and a better income. He was torn between staying where he was and taking advantage of the terrific offer before him. He was an elder in his home church and had been deeply involved in the church’s Bible teaching ministries and other activities. He was content with his job and then the offer came from a man he had went to college with. He told Jon he was familiar with his work and really wanted him to come and work with him. Jon prayed hard about this move and spent time praying with his wife and discussing it with her. Jon had two children in middle school, and this would be a big move for them. Finally, Jon believed it was the Lord’s will for him to take advantage of this opportunity and make the move. He trusted this was the right move for his family’s future. He knew it would be a big adjustment for them but in the long run, it would be a big advantage.

He had video calls with his old friend and as they talked, Jon discovered that his old friend and new boss, Jim, was a Christian. This seemed to confirm that the Lord was definitely in this move. And so, off they went. It was a bit of an inconvenient move as most are, but they managed. Jim had set Jon up with a real estate agent and Jon and his wife had found and purchased a home prior to the move. This actually made the move that much easier. It took a couple of weeks of settling in and getting the children enrolled in school. Jon’s wife asked him, “What about a church? We have been here over two weeks and haven’t thought of or even discussed church.” Jon told her, “You know you are right. Jim mentioned something about the church he attends but at the time I didn’t give it much thought. We were still trying to get settled and I simply forgot. But now we should be looking and finding a church we can attend. A good Bible teaching church.”

Monday morning Jon talked to Jim about the church he attended, and Jim told him it was a good church with a good pastor. It was a little bigger than the church Jon and his family had attended back home. He trusted Jim’s information, so he took his family there the following Sunday. It was a nondenominational church and that is the kind of church they had attended back home. The pastor was a good Bible teacher, and the music was the contemporary style and the service in all was similar to their home church. They seemed to be very satisfied with it and decided they would make this their new home church.

On Monday morning, Jim asked Jon what he thought of the church and Jim told him his family really enjoyed it and they would be back. Then, Jim invited Jon to the Men’s Bible study on Saturday mornings. It would start at 8 AM and the assistant pastor was the teacher. So, the following Saturday morning, Jon showed up for the Bible study where there were about thirty guys standing around some tables and talking about various topics, but none seemed to be about the Bible, the Lord or anything church related. The topic he heard the most was politics. It was a big election year and that seemed to be of most interest to these guys.

 Finally, the assistant pastor got them all seated around the tables. He opened in prayer and within his pray, he seemed to spend a great deal of time asking God for special favor for specific political candidates and ballot measures. Jon was becoming uncomfortable with this but decided he would not judge the man on his prayer since it was the first time he had heard anything from him.

But he still was uneasy with the political rant within the prayer. They were in the book of Romans in chapter 13. The pastor read through the first five verses and then stopped and began to explain what Paul was actually saying. ‘What Paul was actually saying’ stood out to Jon like no turkey at a Thanksgiving Day meal. He thought, “What does he mean what Paul is actually saying?” That was the first red flag. But when this pastor said they needed to vote for a certain candidate to ensure that God’s will would place the right man, their candidate, into office, Jon knew he was at the wrong Bible study. This man actually believed that voting for their chosen candidate was God’s way of using them to make sure His person of authority was in office. Or, in other words, they had to vote for their chosen candidate so God would have the right person in office. So, it was up to them to make sure God got it right.

Jon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. A discussion on this began and it was close to being a heated discussion at times. This pastor had totally twisted God’s word into saying He needed people to accomplish His will. Jon wanted to get up and leave but thought better of it and decided to stay and hear how much crazier this Bible study turned political convention would get. So, Jon sat quietly and listened and at one point almost laughed out loud at the ridiculous rhetoric being spread. Jim looked over at him and seemed embarrassed by all of this.

Then, the pastor looked at Jon and asked, “Jon, right, your name is Jon? You haven’t said anything. Do you have any input?” Jon was quiet for a few seconds while he asked God for guidance in what he was about to say and then spoke. “First, I have never been to this Bible study before. I am new in this community and my family and I were looking for a church to attend and I thought we had found one here. I also thought I was coming to a Bible study this morning, but it appears I was wrong. In the church I attended back home, I was an elder and we had a standing policy there. There would be no political discussion taking place in a church service or Bible study. That time was for God’s people to hear from Him and His word, not the world and its issues. We weren’t against one-on-one political discussions but not like this. Not what I’m hearing this morning. These are my convictions and I’m not here to attempt to criticize or judge anyone. I was invited to attend so I came. But now, I’m going to politely get up and leave.” “Just wait a minute!” This came from a man across the tables from Jon. Jon was getting up but stopped and asked, “Yes? What do you want?”

The man was older, maybe in his 60s and he said, “Who do you think you are coming in here and saying that? We are Christians just like you. Why do you think you’re better or smarter than us?” Jon sighed and replied, “I don’t consider myself a better or smarter person than anyone in this room. I simply don’t believe in discussing politics on God’s time. I feel the same way about sports or any other worldly topic being discussed on God’s time when we should be hearing His word being discussed. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go.”  

This is a fictional account of what happens in churches all across this nation. And it doesn’t just happen in a Bible study, it happens on Sunday mornings in the pulpit. Political candidates are invited to come in and speak on Sunday mornings from the pulpit and these people are not talking about Jesus. They are talking politics from the pulpit. Do any of the leaders and pastors in these churches ever stop and consider what God thinks about this? If those in attendance are Christians, why do they want to come to church on Sunday morning and listen to this rhetoric?

Well, Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

While Paul is telling Timothy that these people will be chasing after false teachings, religions and myths, this is what politics and issues have become in our time and culture. Climate change has become a religion as well as a political issue. The same is true with abortion and other political issues. So, why would people want to go to church on Sunday and listen to someone talk about climate change? Because it is what their itching ears want to hear.

Our God doesn’t want us putting anything in His place. He doesn’t want us giving our allegiance to anyone else but Him. He doesn’t want us having any idols in our lives is want I’m saying. He is a jealous God.

You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods     Ex, 20:4-5a

Some might say they are not worshipping false or other Gods when they discuss politics and that can be true for many Christians. But when they place a politician or candidate on a pedestal and march around and protest and scream and shout at others in support of the person, it has become an idol. I only have one question for them, “Would you do this for Jesus in a public gathering?” Jesus never protested against any government. He never protested against the Roman rulers. The closest He came to any political discussion was in MT 22:15-22 when He answered a question concerning if it was right to pay taxes to Ceasar or not. His answer was simple.

 ….he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

He didn’t begin a debate over why they should or shouldn’t pay taxes to the Romans. Jesus didn’t come to debate or discuss the politics of that time or the abuse of the Roman rule. He came to tell as many as he could about the kingdom of heaven and why He was there. So, think about this; the Christian who spends hours watching cable news or listening to political talk radio or engaging in political discussions, do they spend an equal amount of time in God’s word or telling others about Jesus?

My main point in this post is there is no problem with Christians being aware of current news events or what’s happening in the realm of politics, but it has its place in our Christian lives in the same way sports and other worldly activities do. But they are never to supersede our time with God or take His place at any time. It’s just my opinion but politics should never be heard in a Bible study or church service.

That’s a time for God’s word to be heard and bringing in a guest speaker on a Sunday morning to step into the pulpit and talk about anything but God’s word is wrong. That person who comes in and talks about political policies or a political agenda is cheating those in attendance out of the opportunity to hear God’s word. And no one ever was saved listening to a political lecture, that I’m aware of. When you just stop and think about it, what is gained by a political discussion in a Bible study? Is there any spiritual growth as a result? Does it bring you any closer to the Lord in your relationship with Him? Have you gained any spiritual insight at all? The answer to all these questions is no. When we meet together and study and discuss God’s word, we grow closer to Jesus. We mature in our walk with Jesus. Anything else which might be discussed is simply wasted time and adds no value to our Christian lives.

Churches, on Sunday mornings, are setting up voter registration tables along the way from the parking lot to the building. They have political ministries established within the church and a spokesperson who will travel around the country giving lectures to churches telling them how they too can start these political ministries in their churches. And it is all to ensure they get their candidate elected. It seems to me they have lost sight of the sovereignty of God. He is the one, the only one, who has the power and ability to place a person in the position of authority. (Rom 13) Wouldn't this time be better spent telling people about Jesus instead of how to start a political ministry?

Politics has created the largest divide this nation has known since the Civil War. And for Christians to jump onto this worldly bandwagon on either side, is a waste of time in their walk with the Lord. His concern for it is far less than His concern for your spiritual wellbeing and your walk with Him. Remember, He is a jealous God and wants you to worship only Him. When I saw all those flags and banners with the name of Jesus on them before the mob stormed the capitol, I just cringed. Jesus would never bless that activity and He really didn’t want His name associated with it.

As a Christian, having a political discussion with a family member, friend or neighbor is not a bad thing (unless, of course, it turns ugly). But when it becomes a major part of the Christian’s life, it is a problem. There is more, much more, benefit in reading and studying God’s word than discussing politics or anything in the realm of politics. Just know and understand where the line to cross is located and then don’t cross it. Life will be so much happier and more blessed.

-Bill Petite

 

Narrowminded Christians

 I recently read about a First Baptist Church in the state of Indiana who had invited two men from a creation ministry to come into their church and give a presentation on the fallacies of evolution. The article, or post, didn’t say if the presentation concerning evolution was good or bad but it could be because the pastor of this church made it a point to apologize to his church and those visitors who were in attendance for the appearance of the two men. What this article did, regardless if it was intended or not, was display the narrowminded Christians in this church.

First the pastor apologized for one of the men because he had long hair. How long was his hair? The post didn’t say but evidently it was longer than acceptable by the people of this church. (He has since cut his hair so as not to offend anyone else where he might be invited to speak) The apology also included a statement which said that one of the men used an NIV (New International Version) Bible translation. Oh my, what’s this faith coming to? Of course, it is apparent that this Baptist church probably uses only the KJV (King James Version) and I’m sure they are of the KJV only crowd. (All scripture was quoted from the KJV) Now, I don’t use the NIV but I did years ago. Actually, the NIV is a very popular version among many pastors in this country. And, as far as the KJV is concerned, it’s not even the most accurate version in use. Christians who insist it is the only Bible that is trustworthy need to get a parallel Bible which has the original language in the center with the literal English beneath each verse. I have one which displays the original Greek in the center and the NIV on the left and the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) on the right. Beneath each Greek verse is the literal English translation. It is my opinion that the NRSV is the closest to the original languages. The NRSV is not my commonly used Bible, but I do refer to it frequently. That is a good practice for Christians who spend time studying the Bible. Use different versions, reliable versions, and the original languages to help get a good understanding of what the passages are saying.

This church openly criticized these two men for their choice of Bible version and for the long hair. Of course, the scripture they called out against the long hair was 1 Corinthians 11:14.

   Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him…

This is from the NRSV and is almost word for word how it is stated in the Greek. There is no command here from God or even Paul, the writer, to not wear long hair. It was thought to give the image that a man was effeminate or womanish and that was a dishonor to the man. But there is no direct command from God to not wear long hair. The Law says men should not dress like women and women should not dress like men, but it says nothing about the length of hair. Even so, the Nazarites wore long hair because they were not allowed to cut it. Does God have double standards? No, He doesn’t. This is what I refer to as Red Neck Christianity. And, in the case of this seminar or conference on evolution, these people couldn’t see the forest for the trees. In other words, the long hair and the NIV use totally distracted them from the facts being presented.

The narrowmindedness of the choice of Bible and thinking the KJV is the only reliable version shows their lack of knowledge concerning the reliability of other versions on the market which are fundamentally sound in their translation.

This comes from listening to and accepting the lie that the KJV is the only version. They have been taught this since they were saved, if they are saved. They were harsh in their criticism of these two men.

Another pastor in attendance also chimed in with harsh criticism and accused the two of directly disobeying the word of God. This was pertaining to the long hair and the misquoting of 1 Cor 11:14. Being critical of another person for doing or being something which they believe is right, but you disagree with is portraying yourself as a bigot. It’s no different than a person of one race blasting another person because of that person’s race. It's referred to as being a bigot. Now, I don’t use that word lightly and very seldom every use it but, in this case, this church has displayed themselves as bigots. But what’s worse is basing their reasons for this criticism on misquoting the Bible and accusing a proper and correct version of God’s word as being basically blasphemous. They are narrowminded, bigoted Christians. They are Red Necked Baptists who have been misled to believe there is only one correct version of the Bible. They believe in a misunderstood interpretation of a verse in the Bible and have used it to extremely criticize another Christian. This sure sounds like Alabama in the 1950s and it’s sad that there are still people like this claiming to be God’s people.

Nowhere else in God’s word does it say men will not have long hair. There is no command from God saying men cannot have long hair. It is widely believed by scholars that this was a cultural way of thinking just as this church in Indiana has made this a cultural doctrine. In a lot of cases, and especially today with the man bun being a popular item among some men, a man does not look right with long and fluffed hair or a man bun. (I personally don't have a problem with a man having long hair) It reminds me of a quote from Adam Clarke concerning this issue.

Perhaps there is not a sight more ridiculous in the eye of common sense than a high-dressed, curled, cued, and powdered head, with which the operator must have taken considerable pains, and the silly patient lost much time and comfort in submitting to what all but senseless custom must call an indignity and degradation. Hear nature, common sense, and reason, and they will inform you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him.

Now, remember that Adam Clarke probably wrote this in the late 1700s to the early 1800s. He was an English Methodist pastor so his perspective on long hair on men might be, and probably was, much different than ours today. But I did find this quote humorous.

 It’s sad to know there are still people like this calling themselves Christians but acting like the racist bullies of the South in the 1950s and 60s. Christians, the Bible teaches us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. It doesn’t teach us to think differently of other Christians who attend different meetings which are centered on Jesus. If the message is centered on the gospel and Jesus and is of sound Bible teaching, what is it any of our business if a person is using an NIV or a KJV? Both are sound and acceptable translations of God’s word. Don’t be a narrowminded Christian.

One last thing, I have nothing against the Baptist Church unless they are teaching a wrong and false doctrine. This specific church does border on false teaching by stating the KJV is the only version. Well, this was inferred by their criticism of the use of the NIV. Their misuse of scripture pertaining the length of men’s hair also is on shaky ground. If you personally don’t like long hair on a man, keep it to yourself and don’t criticize the person openly. There’s probably something about you that people don’t like. And finally, these two men were also criticized of where they attended church. Actually, they were criticized for the denominational church they attended. I would only ask, “Was the material they presented sound and truthful? Did they present any information that was incorrect or misleading? If the answer to these questions are first, yes and then no, then why be concerned with where they attend church? There are plenty of narrowminded bigots outside of the Church so we don’t need any on the inside.

-Bill Petite