There is No Sin Bigger Than Jesus

 

--Bill Petite

It was a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon. We were in a city park which just happened to be located next to the county prison. I thought it was a great setting for a public outreach to share the gospel of Jesus. I didn’t set up the location but whoever did must have felt the same as me. We were set up right in front of a large pavilion and we used free food and drinks as the attraction. Jim, the senior pastor, had been a professional musician in New York City before he was saved so he decided to set up the music team next the pavilion and play some Christian songs. We were in the city of Lancaster PA and the church was Calvary Chapel of Lancaster. I had arranged these types of outreaches when I was with a Calvary Chapel in Southern California.

We always had a great turnout and had about three or four Christian bands playing throughout the afternoon. It was similar to this outing with free food and drinks and curious people stopping to see what was going on. It gave us the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. This Sunday afternoon was very similar except we didn’t have all those bands playing. It was just Jim with the musicians from the church. I had also decided to use what is known as the wordless gospel. I used it in the form of a key chain; it is five different colored beads and each color explains the parts of the gospel. I would simply hand it to the people stopping by for the free food and ask if they would like for me to explain the meaning of the different colors. Most would say yes and I would explain the gold as the streets of gold in heaven and how everyone wants to go there when they die but….there’s a black bead which represents the sin in our lives and on and on and on I would go explaining what was needed to be done in order to reach heaven.

I had positioned myself at the end of the food line and would dangle the key chain and ask if the people wanted one when these two men approached me and asked what the key chain was all about. It was just as if Jesus had said, "Here are these two men and they need to know about me." So, I took them through the wordless gospel and explained the colors of the beads and they both appeared to be extremely interested. They explained that they had each just been released from the prison next to where we were and were living in a halfway house. I asked them to step up into the pavilion so we would be out of the sun and could talk. The taller of the two men told me his friend really needed help because he had been abused and molested by the foster family who had raised him. The poor man had the look of someone who had absolutely no hope and was about to take his last breath. It had the look of depression. I again talked to them about Jesus and how He could change their lives and asked if I could pray for them. The taller man asked me if Jesus could forgive him for everything and I assured him He could. But just as I was getting ready to pray, the man stopped me and again asked if Jesus would forgive him for everything and every sin. Again, I told him Jesus would forgive him for every sin he had ever committed.

He seemed to be content with that answer and I prayed. I prayed they would both ask Jesus to forgive them and invite Him into their lives as Lord and savior. When I finished, I looked at the man who had been abused and his face was shining. His entire appearance had changed and he told me he felt like someone had taken a fifty-pound bag of trash off of his shoulders.

That man was saved that day; Jesus had saved him and had given him a new life and had freed him from the memories of the abuse he had suffered growing up. Then, I turned my attention to the taller man and before I could say anything, he asked me again, “Jesus has forgiven me for every sin? Everything?” Now, this was getting kind of silly and I firmly told him, “Everything!” I reassured him that when we are saved, Jesus cleans the slate. He forgives us of all of our sin; from the time we were born and right up to that moment of salvation and beyond. It was already paid for at the cross when He sacrificed Himself to pay the debt for that sin. I assured him all he had to do was ask Jesus to forgive him. He told me he had done that as I prayed. Then, he seemed to be more relaxed and content with what I had told him. He and his friend found a seat and sat down to eat their food.

Jeanne, my wife, was sitting at one end of the pavilion and it was getting late so I asked her if she was ready to go. Her back had been giving her some pain and we decided to go. But just as I was turning to go, I heard a voice calling me and it was the man who kept questioning the forgiveness of Jesus. He waved me over to him and as I approached him and stopped where he was seated, he again asked me, “Everything?” And again, I assured him Jesus forgives us for all of our sins and not just some. That’s when he looked at me and said, “I think I might be wanted for murder.” Then it all made sense to me as why he kept asking me if Jesus would forgive him for everything. For the final time, I told him yes, even murder. I also told him I could only be his spiritual counselor and he had to hire an attorney for his legal counsel. I had to tell him that because he began to ask some legal questions. As a precaution, before I left, I told Jim about this man and how it might be wise to keep an eye on him. I also explained he had accepted Jesus and had been very calm. Jim acknowledged and we went home.

That was the only time I had ever met someone with that repeated question. Of course, I am sure he had to ask under the circumstances. But what has to be known is when Jesus died on that cross, He died for all of our sins and not just the little ones. Actually, there are no little ones. There is no difference in any sin; sin is sin and without Jesus’ forgiveness, it will send people to hell. Oh, there’s that word that no one wants to hear. They ask, “Is that place real? Does it really exist? Isn’t that just a scare tactic Christians use just to get people to believe their drivel and invisible God?”  The answer to those questions is, NO. It does exist and anyone who dies and has not accepted Jesus as Lord and savior will find it as their final destination.

Heaven is also a real place and those who have trusted in Jesus as their Lord and savior will be there for eternity. Those of us who have been saved and know Jesus as our Lord and savior know and realize that any sin is simply sin; regardless if it is living a good and honest life and dying without Jesus or being a serial killer, their unforgiven sin will send them to hell. There is no sin that is too big for Jesus to forgive. When He sent Himself to the cross to die in our place, He paid the price for every sin a person will or has ever committed. It doesn’t matter how many or how terrible the sin, He has forgiven it for whoever has come to Him asking forgiveness. Also, remember this; the only sin which will keep a person out of heaven is the sin of rejecting Jesus and dying without Him as Lord and savior.

 Tex Watson was Charlie Manson’s right-hand man and was involved in all of those murders way back in 1969. He was given a life sentence for his part in that awful mess. I don’t have all the details of his actions or involvement but even if it was just one senseless murder, it was enough. He was saved years ago and is similar to an in-prison pastor. He runs Abounding Love Ministries from prison. This man was involved with what might be the evilest predator of the mid-20^th century and Jesus forgave him of those evil and senseless activities. So, yes, there is never any sin that is too big for Jesus to forgive. Now, after saying all of this, it doesn’t give us a license to sin.

Jesus forgives and gives us a new life (2 Cor 5:17). If you talk to anyone about Jesus and they question His ability to forgive them, just tell them Jesus is bigger than any sin that anyone can commit. He is God and He is all powerful and He cannot be defeated by anyone or anything and that includes any sin.

 

Study the Bible, Know the Bible

-Bill Petite

It’s just my opinion and it might be correct but, I think there are far too many Christians in this country, the USA, who don’t spend any great amount of time reading the Bible. Christians fill up seats in churches all across this country on Sunday mornings and if they hear anything from the Bible while they are there, that is all the Bible they will get all week, all month and for many months. For many reasons, Christians just don’t make time or take time to read their Bibles at all.

These numbers are from Lifeway Research.

Among people who attend church at least monthly:

·        61% read the Bible regularly

·        Breakdown:

o   31% daily

o   30% a few times a week

o   14% weekly

o   11% a few times a month

o   5% monthly

o   9% rarely or never

The most accurate summary is: About 1 in 3 Christians read the Bible daily, about 2 in 5 read it weekly, and engagement is rising again after a long decline.

From the stats above, if 31% of Christians are reading the Bible daily, that means 69% are not. Some might see 31% and think that is good but the 69% not reading daily is the real important number. Now go to the 9% number; That’s the number of church attenders who read the Bible rarely or never. This is the number church leaders and pastors should be concerned with. If that number is the result of 100% of church attenders, and I’m not say it is in this case, there is a serious problem. That would mean that 91% of those attending churches rarely or never read the Bible. Their entire Christian life is based on what they hear on a Sunday morning unless they are attending more than one service a week. But then the only Bible they know about is what they hear in a church service and that’s if the pastor is teaching anything from the Bible and not a sermon based on a few verses.

There are many reasons why Christians don’t read the Bible. Many will say they don’t have time to read it. Okay, so what is filling their time which doesn’t allow them any time to read the Bible? Most will say their job, their children’s activities, their own activities, can’t get up early enough in the morning and too tired at night. There are many other excuses or reasons but the bottom line is this: How does a Christian’s relationship with Jesus survive if they don’t know anything about Him? Also, how can they tell anyone anything about Jesus if they don’t read the Bible and learn all about Him? But I think the biggest reason these Christians don’t read the Bible is because their interests are focused more on this world and its activities than on God’s word. They have no desire to read the Bible and it has taken a backseat in their lives.

They have been saved and are satisfied believing they have their fire insurance, or are safe from not going to hell, and they are happy with that. If they are reading the Bible all the time, their unsaved friends are going to think they are religious fanatics or Jesus freaks. Well, guess what? If you’re a Christian, you should be a Jesus freak. And also, Jesus paid a serious price for your salvation and eternal life with Him. When these people were saved, they should have had a mentor who would have helped them understand the importance of God’s word, a healthy prayer life and fellowship with other Christians. They should have learned the importance of church attendance at a solid Bible teaching church and Bible study throughout the week. Then as they matured in their Christian faith, Bible reading and study would have become a natural activity for them.

Another reason many say is that they don’t understand or can’t comprehend what they are reading. First, the Christian must have a Bible version they can easily read and understand. Now, I’m not referring to some paraphrase Bible; that’s not a version or accurate translation.  Some of the more accurate and reliable translations or versions are the New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard Version (NASV), The English Standard Version (ESV), the New International Version (NIV) and the New Living Translation (NLT). The NLT should not be confused with the Living Bible which is not a word for word translation but is a paraphrase Bible. There are some other versions but the ones listed here are the most commonly used versions or translations.  

For those Christians who say they have a difficult time comprehending what they are reading, there are many different Bible helps available. A good Bible commentary can help with explaining those difficult passages and verses. Also, a good Bible dictionary is helpful. But if a Christian purchases a really good study Bible, it will be loaded with helps. I have recently noticed several ads attempting to sell material to help Bible readers understand and know what they are reading. Some of these will sell for $35-$60 but if you have one of those good study Bibles, all of that information is placed right before each book in the Bible. So, don’t spend money for something which you already have. Allow me to give an example.

I have a Life Application Bible that I will use in this case in order to prove you don’t need to buy information which you already have in your study Bible. Let’s look at the book of Romans which might be the greatest theological writing ever. First, in this Bible, there is an overview of the book. It is like a mini commentary which presents what the book is about. Before you even begin to read chapter 1 of this book, you will already have an idea of what Paul is writing about. Next, you have the purpose for the writing, the author, who the audience is, the date it was written, the setting, the key verse, key people, key place, special features. There is also a blue print which includes verses pertaining to what to believe and how to behave and finally there are megathemes which pertain to the book. That’s a format used by The Life Application Bible. Other study Bibles might have similar information but with a different format but it’s everything you would be getting from one of those booklets you would pay for. You don’t need one of them since you already have it in your study Bible.

These study Bibles also have reading plans which guide you through a daily reading plan or reading the Bible in a year. There are other study helps in these study Bibles which are really a big help. That’s why they are referred to as a study Bible. So, don’t waste your money on material you already have in your study Bible.

I use a very simple reading plan for reading the Bible in a year. I read three chapters a day on each week day and four chapters a day on each weekend day. That’s 23 chapters a week and will take you through the Bible in a year. Regardless of how you read the Bible in a year, it is a great familiarization tool. You will become very familiar with the whole Bible as you read it through year after year. And, this is simply a read through plan and not a study plan. If you are reading through and something really catches your attention, jot it down and come back to it later and dig in. Do your study on what it was that got your attention earlier.

Studying the Bible is a process you as an individual must find out what works for you. What I mean is you will have to develop a process that allows you to dig into scripture using a variety of study tools such as commentaries, dictionaries, original language dictionaries and word studies and even a Bible atlas if it helps. If using a computer or a similar device, there are apps which can be downloaded. Just be careful with what is included and how reliable it might be. Whatever works just do it; read and study the Bible and put yourself in a position to be ready when someone asks you why you believe what you believe. Be ready when you are asked about a certain verse or passage in the Bible. You don’t have to be a pastor or seminary grad to know the Bible and be able to tell others all about it when they ask. How can you defend your faith in Jesus and His word if you know nothing about it? If you are in the 69% who is not reading daily, make time right now and begin to read it. Start with a daily plan whether it’s a plan included in your Bible or the one I am using. If you miss a day don’t try to make it up just keep moving forward. Remember, it’s a read through, not a study.

The worst thing you can do is to sit down and just open your Bible randomly. That’s not a reading plan, that’s confusion. However you decide to read and study the Bible, the most important thing to remember is, just keep doing it. And talk with other mature Christians who have been reading and studying the Bible and share your findings and the stuff which has you stumped. It’s a great source of fellowship and learning. Read the Bible and know the Bible.

A Nation of Hate

--Bill Petite

In the book of Numbers, chapter 16, in the Bible, we read the account of Korah and his friends and relatives rebelling against God. They thought they were actually challenging Moses and Aaron concerning why they were the chosen leaders. Eventually, you will have this type of resistance in a movement. These people didn’t realize they were actually challenging God. He was the one who called Moses and selected him for this job. Moses resisted but finally gave in. It was evident that God didn’t like this rebellion against Him and in verses 28-33, we read that the ground opened up and swallowed them all.

Does this type of rebellion happen today? Yes. Have you seen or heard about the ground opening and swallowing anyone lately? No. (Well, maybe a sink hole here or there) Does that mean God is over His tantrum and won’t do that again? First, God wasn’t having a tantrum. He was showing His ultimate authority and making sure Israel knew who was in charge and Moses was His man. Did it stop the Israelites from whining and complaining? No. If you watch any news channel or local news, you will fully understand and know that yes, people still whine and complain about their leadership. But it’s not just complaining, it’s hate. Politics has driven a deep wedge in this nation and the ‘us versus them’ hatred is far worse than ever. For those who believe this country was founded on Christian principles and it still is a Christian nation, think again. I won’t argue the Christian founding but this nation right now is as far from being a Christian nation as a snow storm in 90-degree temperatures.

Paul tells us this in Romans Chapter 12:

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.     Romans 12:17-18

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the LORD.
Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.     Romans 12:19-21

 

Some Christians struggle with these words. They have been caught up in this hateful division and just have to strike back.

Some will spend their time searching through the internet and social media just looking for an argument. There is something known as righteous anger; that was Jesus when He went into the Temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and threw them out. They didn’t belong there and Jesus made sure they got the message. We, as Christians can exercise righteous anger. When you know something is in opposition to God’s word or His commandments, we can exercise it. For example, you take your child to school only to find out that Drag Queens will be coming in to read to them. I know, that’s a horse well beaten but it is a good example. Would you be showing righteous anger when you discover this? You display this anger by approaching school authorities that same day and telling them why you don’t like this and you are taking your child home. You have explained your reasons why and your position but you don’t go on a rampage, call them all names and make stupid threats. They got your message; there is no need to act like the unsaved world before you leave.

The hate in this nation is so strong and so intense. If a person playing a professional sport refuses to wear anything which is part of the uniform and reflects the celebration of Gay people, that person is immediately labeled a homophobe. The person doesn’t agree with that lifestyle and doesn’t want to promote something he/she disagrees with. And that makes them, automatically, a homophobe. That word actually means fear of homo. The Gay community likes to use it to say the player is in fear of the Gay lifestyle and a bigot or racist. But there is no fear; they simply disagree with it. Why does such a small percentage of people in a lifestyle get to demand everyone else must agree with their unnatural lifestyle. Why do they insist on everyone agreeing with the Gay lifestyle. I don’t agree with people living together in a sexual relationship before marriage but I don’t fear it and I don’t hate them. Yet, some Gays demand everyone agree with their sinful lifestyle. I don’t agree with it but I don’t hate them. They are people like all of us and really should not be put into a separate category of human beings even though some of them seem to want that status. I can love them and still strongly disagree with their choice of a sinful lifestyle.

In my opinion, I believe the worst case which displays the hatred and demented mindset are the protestors who cram into streets and open lots demanding the right to kill unborn babies. Think about it; women holding up protest signs demanding the right to kill their unborn children. How sick is this? Well, if you’re not a Christian, you might not have a problem with this and think we Christians are wanting to deprive them of some right to kill the unborn child. And yes, it is an unborn human being. But these people try to polish it up by calling it women’s health. That’s ridicules. Then there is always the claim that rape victims and incest victims are being denied the right to abort these unwanted babies. Do the research on this; the percentage is extremely small. But some conservative states do have special allowances for this. But put those categories aside and think about all the others. Women and men who are not responsible in their sex lives and the woman is with an unwanted child and demands to be able to kill it and be free of the baby who will ruin her life. It’s an act of irresponsibility and then on top of that an act of selfishness by killing off the child. That probably all sounds kind of harsh and it is meant to be.

I think seeing these people protesting, men and women, for the right to kill unborn children is the lowest of the low when it comes to anyone’s mindset, morals and an extreme lack of values.

The hate runs so deep in this country that when one person disagrees with another’s ideology, ideas, or any comment, they simply shoot them to death. Charlie Kirk comes to mind. I never spent any time listening to him but in this country, we do have a right of free speech. But there were those who strongly disagreed with what Charlie was saying so the simple thing to do was to kill him. Just shoot him and shut him up and they did. But the voice of Charlie Kirk will live on through others who agreed with his message and the hate will become stronger.

Again, the hate is so strong within this nation that it bleeds into every part of life. If I read the comments following a sports story, I will eventually, about three comments in, see one bringing politics into the discussion. What does politics have to do with a story concerning an NFL team or MLB game? But there they are forcing their political opinions into the comments on the sports page.

And here is the sad part; God has blessed this nation down through the hundreds of years.  But I think those blessings have run out. How can the God of the Bible bless a nation who kills babies, kills the messenger they hate, approves of Gay marriage and the lifestyle and is always attempting to kill the person He has placed in authority. It’s alright not to like the person God has placed in that office but when you try to kill them, you are opposing God and trust me that’s not a good position to be in.

So, what’s the answer? It’s what Paul said in Romans 12:18: Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  But I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I remember telling a friend back in the 1980s that the freedom we have in this country will be what brings it down. I think we are seeing that now. And for those Christians who believe this is God’s country, you’re wrong. He has, in the past, blessed and used this nation for His purposes but I think that time is over. One last thought; I just cringe when someone quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14 in reference to this country,

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.      2 Chronicles 7:14

This is an answer to Solomon’s prayer. It has nothing to do with the United States and it only is meant for Israel. It sounds good when applied to our nation but it is not a statement by God to this country but to Israel. And look closely at the section of the verse which says…my people who are called by my name. Not everyone in this country is a Christian and are not God’s people. And, the United States is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible let alone as His people or nation. Having said all of that, we do need to pray for this nation and I mean pray hard. This nation has wondered so far from God’s blessings and grace that it is scary. So, keep this nation in your prayers and ask the Lord to bless it once again. And, ask God to remove the hate from your heart if you are one caught up in the hateful divide.

 

My Sister Myra

                                                                                    -Bill Petite

 My sister, Myra Jean Brink, died yesterday, Monday May 18. Myra and I were always close and really so when we were growing up. She was always there to support and help me even when she shouldn’t have. But I was a younger brother and she couldn’t help herself when I was there with my hand out. As children, when I was about 4 years old, and I don’t know why, but I had a strong dislike for her. I do recall hitting her on the head with a hammer but I don’t remember why. Let’s just say that didn’t turn out so good for me. My mother settled that dispute.

When I was about 12 years old and Myra was about 16, she would drag me into the family room in our home, put records on the record player (yes this was a long time ago) and make me dance with her. It was all the fast dance stuff but she did teach me how to slow dance. This happened a lot and I became pretty good at dancing but that wasn’t what boys were supposed to be good at back then. If my friends had ever found out that I was good dancer, I would have been harassed forever. Fortunately, that didn’t happen until one Friday night at an after the game dance at the school. She was on the dance floor dancing by herself and, of course, I was attempting to keep my distance. But before I knew it, she had grabbed me and dragged me out there and made me dance with her. A few minutes later, some guy jumped in and pushed me aside. Myra didn’t hesitate; she pushed him aside and told him, “Get lost.” That was even more embarrassing on my part; my older sister was fighting my battles for me. Hey, I was happy he jumped in and I could get off of that dance floor. But Myra was tough and she didn’t allow anyone to take advantage of her or me. But my secret was out and everyone there knew I was a dancer. That’s not what I wanted to be known for being good at. I was a good baseball player and that’s what I wanted everyone to know and not being a good dancer.

When my brother Tom and I were young boys, Myra always tried to put us in dresses and have tea parties. But Tom and I were too quick for her and always got away. She would be upset and soon got over it but it didn’t stop her from trying it again. She never did get me and Tom in a dress.

Tom and I were playing near the barn one day when the neighbor man who farmed the property and his son were doing some work nearby. The boy, who was about the same age as Myra began to make some very rude and vulgar comments about Myra.

Myra was a very attractive young lady and that’s where his remarks were aimed at. I went to the house and told Myra what he said. She didn’t hesitate and went over there and read him the riot act. When she was finished, his face was red and hanging low. She had torn him up. That was my sister.

Myra was the one I could always go to when I had done something I probably shouldn’t have done. I could always talk to her before anyone else. But she never left me off of the hook. If my mother needed to know, Myra would tell her. As a teen, and after our dad died, I was in and out of a variety of mischief and Myra was there to help me out of it.

When I returned from Vietnam, I couldn’t expect my family to understand what I was struggling with or why. I was suffering from PTSD and I didn’t even know it. But Myra, even though she didn’t understand what it was that was causing me to drink excessively or act the way I did, had an idea of why. I spent all my savings on my dream car when I got home and a few months later totaled it while being intoxicated. Myra had me stay with her and Russ, her husband, for a week. After that week with Myra, I felt rejuvenated and just better about myself. Now, I was still a mess and would be until Jesus saved me but Myra just had a way of talking to me and with me. She was so much like our mom and maybe that was it but she knew me and was able to course correct me.

Myra was what a big sister is supposed to be. She was always there for me and she also set me straight, or tried to when I needed it. When Jeanne and I would relocate for my job, she and Russ were there to help with the move. When we were separated by miles, we always talked on the phone. We tried to stay in contact as much as possible. I will always remember the day she called me and told me she had stage four cancer in her throat, her lungs and her liver. She told me the doctor had given her six months to live. But my sister was stubborn and tough and she lived about three months longer than expected. She was a great sister and I will miss her dearly.

But Myra wasn’t just my sister by birth, she was also my sister in Jesus. Myra had made a mistake when she was a teen and thought Jesus would never forgive her for that mistake. But Jesus, Himself, had her and I enter into a conversation one day concerning her doubts about not being good enough to be saved. (None of us are)

As the Lord guided my conversation with her, He gave me the words to tell her she could be saved and she was. I get no credit for that; it was all Jesus and He is the only one who can save. He simply allowed me to be used by Him to share the gospel truth with her so she could come to Him for His forgiving and saving grace. I know my sister Myra is with Jesus right now and at peace. There is no more suffering from cancer and anything else this sin plagued world attacks us with. Some people will say she is with her husband Russ now or maybe her mother or her brother Tom. Yes, she is but most importantly, she is with Jesus. I am so happy for my sister and her release from her suffering and is now at peace for eternity and with the Lord. There is nothing better than that.

 

 

Are We There Yet

-Bill Petite

Some of us adults may have had our children ask this question as we traveled to a certain destination. Maybe, when we were kids, we asked this same question while traveling with our parents. At times. It just seemed like such a long ride and we, as well as our kids, were getting a little tired of the ride. Maybe it’s the same for some Christians as we live through the decades of life. Jesus did promise He would return for us and He would prepare a place for us before His return. Some Christians yearn for His return and just can’t seem to wait any longer. They have had a difficult time in this life and know they are destined to go to heaven either at death or when Jesus returns.

Who can blame them for being impatient and wanting to go home and be with the Lord. Maybe they live in a country that is always persecuting Christians, burning church buildings and brutalizing pastors and Christian leaders. Or, maybe they are suffering with illness and pain; can we blame those in these situations for wanting to depart this world and be in the comfort of the Lord in heaven? As a Christian, we should all look forward to eternal life with Jesus in the new heavens and earth. I believe heaven is just a staging area where we will be until God creates the new heaven and earth where we will reside with Jesus for eternity. To me, that sounds more exciting than just heaven. But we don’t even know what heaven is really like although we will be with Jesus and that can never be disappointing.

Jesus told His disciples that no one knows when His return will happen except the Father. Again, it’s just my opinion but, I believe Jesus does know now. He and the Father are one and what the Father knows, Jesus also knows. In Matthew 24, He gives signs to look for which will signal His return is near. He tells His disciples there will be wars and rumors of wars, many will come in His name saying they are Him but are not and there will be famines and earthquakes. There will be many false prophets and nations will rise in opposition to each other with the threat of war. All of these signs are visible today and we can point to many of these occurrences and declare that Jesus’ coming is right around the corner. But we don’t know that for sure and we might be selling short His description of these signs. Things can get worse; ask an elderly Christian what signs they thought were the sure thing fifty or sixty years ago and even farther back. I remember as a young boy when John Kennedy was shot and killed and people were saying he was the antichrist. They were trying to use the passage from Revelation 13:3 where the beast was healed of a fatal head wound and rumors that Kennedy was still alive and in hiding began to circulate.

Kennedy was dead and he was not miraculously healed. There are always those who will go out of their way to try to fit Bible passages or prophecy into something that has happened and known to the world. Ever since sin entered the world, people were born with a sin nature and sin has been running wild in this world. But, God’s Holy Spirit has it somewhat restrained and if He didn’t, we would think what we see today is heaven compared with what it could be. And, the worst is yet to come.

Okay, I don’t want to get into an end time senecio; but we are getting closer to the return of Christ and the signs are there. No, I’m not going to make a prediction on when. I think that is absolutely ridiculous and how can anyone other than God know when that time is.

His word tells us that so, anytime I hear of someone giving a date when the rapture is going to happen or the return of Christ, I just cringe and pray that Christians won’t fall for that lie. There have been many people left with nothing after being told to sell off everything because Jesus is coming on this day. And then they give a date; how many have been left spiritually devoid and with questions unanswered and left without any hope at all? The answer is simply too many.

But we can take comfort in knowing that every day is one day closer to His return. And we can look around and see events which can be signs which he warned us about in Matthew 24. There are wars happening around this world and some we don’t even know about. Just look at our own nation and the unrest which happens every day. And it doesn’t take much of an event to get people in the streets protesting over something. Regardless if it’s what they believe is an illegal offense by law enforcement or a court ruling which they disagree with. Christianity is the butt of jokes by TV celebrities and comedians and others in a public eye. Social media is an open platform for those who oppose the Christian faith and hate Christianity. They call Jesus/God just a fairy tale or illusion for Christians. He can’t be seen so He can’t be real and Christians are fools for believing in an invisible God who is not even real. But the Bible tells us the exact opposite. Only a fool says there is no God or something very close to that in Ps 14:1. The word fool in the Greek means empty headed. So, if you are one of those who say there is no God, remember the meaning of the word fool is empty headed. Is that you? Are you empty headed? In Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament, the word fool caries meanings such as, to be insane or to be silly or stupid. So, take your pick; do you want to be insane or just silly and stupid when you say you believe there is no God?

Jesus is real and was a real person who walked this earth for 30+ years before being hung on a cross to die for our sin. He’s alive and seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. The tomb is empty because He rose from that grave and defeated death which means there is no eternal death for those who trust Him as their Lord and savior. But for those who insist He’s a fake and a fraud, well there is eternal death waiting for them. An eternity of suffering with no relief and a memory of all the times they heard the gospel and rejected it.

So Christian, look around at the chaos we see today and know that Jesus foretold all of this when He spoke to His disciples. God knew all this before He created the universe and everything in it. And know the time for His return gets closer every day regardless of what is happening around you. Dan 12:4 gives us another sign and if we take the time to stop and look around, we will see it is true.

But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”

We live in a time when people do rush here and there. Look at an airport during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Look at a video of any major city in this country; if you’re not paying attention, you could get ran over by someone in a hurry to get somewhere. Knowledge has definitely increased in this day and age. For someone in my age bracket, we can remember no cable TV, rotary telephones on a landline, a party line, no social media or computer or smart phone. In the past 60 years, technology has increased at lightening speed. I remember when color TV was new and we thought that was amazing. You can laugh now.

Yes, we are living in a time which Daniel was told about. And, if you can tolerate it, just watch a nightly newscast or a cable news channel and see that all of this is what the Bible points to in end times. And, as a reminder, the end times started when Jesus ascended back to heaven. Now, I don’t watch any cable news channels and only watch about 15 minutes of local news. Depending on your worldview, you have to pick the news channel which satisfies your ideology, morals and values.

So, to answer that question, no, we are not there yet but we are awfully close. Now, don’t stick you head in the sand and just wait. Go to a good Bible teaching church, read and study your Bible and pray. Stay in prayer every day. Paul tells the Thessalonians in 1Thess 5:17 to never stop praying. Stay in fellowship with other believers and regardless of what you hear concerning God’s word, you check it out in the Bible and be sure it is there. Jesus is coming and we as Christians, need to be ready. I know there are going to be many Christians surprised and caught off guard, as the saying goes. They will be surprised because they were not watching as Paul tells us in 1 Thess 5:4-6.

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

Be alert and on guard but don’t spend all of your time dwelling on this one topic. Be an active Christian busy in your church, in your family and at work and anywhere else. Live the Christian life and stay in prayer and all the while keep alert and be ready when the time comes; if it comes in your life time.

Losing My Wife to Heaven

It was on a Thursday morning when I discovered that my wife had left this world and went to be with Jesus in heaven. I know, people say that all the time when a loved one dies. Things like, “Oh well, she’s/he’s in a better place now.” Or maybe, “We’re sending our thoughts and prayers to you and your family.” What thoughts? And just what does a thought do to make you feel better about losing someone you have spent the majority of your life with? Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not bitter; I’m over joyed that my wife is in heaven with Jesus. Her presence there is better than at any time in her physical life. How could I be bitter about that? I simply wanted to say how silly those responses sound on the receiving end. What about the person who wasn’t saved and didn’t know Jesus? Are they really in a better place now? I can say with certainty they are not.

This is why it is so important to me that people know Jesus as their Lord and savior. Listen to the person who is telling you about Jesus. He, Jesus, is the hope of this world; He is the savior for us and paid the price on the cross for our sin. Everyone born into this life is born with original sin. It’s not some scare tactic fairytale. God’s not in the business of scaring people into heaven or into a relationship with Him. His love for us is so great that He sent His only Son to die on a cross in a most humiliating manner. His death on that cross paid the debt owed to God the Father for the sin we were born with. His rising from the grave three days latter defeated death and gave us eternal life with Him when we accept Him as Lord and savior of our life. And, I’m sure most nonbelievers have heard or believe themselves that this is all a bunch of bogus nonsense. But I myself and millions of others around this world are walking and talking proof that it is not. You can be sure death is final and there are no second chances. There is no salvation after your physical death. And, following death is judgement as Hebrews 9:27-28 tells us,

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people.

My wife, Jeanne, knew this; she had been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and His paid debt on that cross and His resurrection from the grave. She is with Jesus right now and would have absolutely no desire to return to this life if it was offered. Jeanne always put others ahead of her when it came to anything. She always made sure others were taken care of before she was. She was always there when I needed her and she always took good care of me when I was ill or not feeling well. She was my in home nurse and there to help me recover. She stayed home and raised three children with me while I worked long hours and pinched pennies to make the ends meet. Of course, things weren’t always peaches and cream and we certainly had our differences. But, with Jesus at the center of our marriage, we always made things right.

The first twelve years of our marriage were really bad. I was struggling with PTSD following my time in Vietnam with the Marines and didn’t realize it or wouldn’t come to grips with it. I drank alcohol all the time and those early years were terrible for her but she stayed with me. She never considered leaving when her and my family encouraged her to leave me. We had three young children and they also suffered along with her and she did everything she could to make life bearable for her and the children.

It was the mid-1970s and the recession in the country was crazy deep. There were no jobs to be found and my unemployment compensation was running out. The State enrolled me in a mechanical/architecture drawing class that lasted about seven months and it was supposed to provide jobs for us but that never happened. I decided to rejoin the military and Jeanne said if that’s what we had to do to survive, then she was with me. Well, that was a good financial decision but a bad one for my drinking problem. That atmosphere just added to my desire to drink. Those four years were horror for her and I was oblivious to her pain. By the time I left we had three children and she did more than most wives and mothers had to do to keep things together.

Four years later on a Sunday morning following an all day drunk, I heard Jesus ask me if I was ready to allow Him to deal with my alcohol problem and I said yes, Lord. It was done; I never had a desire to drink any form of alcohol again. In her own words, I had put her through twelve years of hell. But she never caved and thought about walking away. Her only issue with my salvation was she always wanted to be the one to change me. I never knew that until she mentioned it in a group Bible study one evening. But she understood that isn’t how it works and God had His own plan.

Her final few months were hard as she began to develop dementia and wasn’t really herself. We had to place her in a nursing home so she would receive the care she needed. I spent as much time with her as possible and many times she would be sleeping but I would sit next to her bed and watch the TV and thought I would be there if she woke up. Sometimes she did and other times she didn’t. My children spent as much time with her as they could as well as the grandchildren. We knew the end was coming and we were just trying to put it off as long as possible but Jesus knows the exact time of our death and there’s nothing we can do to change that or extend our time here. But again, if we knew here what lies ahead for us, why would we ever want to stay here.

I simply told her on those final days that Jesus was waiting for her with arms wide open. She knew that and I’m sure deep inside her she was ready. She finally slipped away early on Thursday morning August 7^th, 2025. The hardest thing I had to do following that was make the phone calls to my three children. It was my son’s birthday and he took it extra hard because of that. But, with the grace of God and all His goodness, He is walking us through this each and every day. I thank God that my wife has been rescued from this sometime cruel life and is now at home with Him in heaven. I’ve been a Christian for over forty years and I am sure and without any doubt that a Christian at death is ushered right into the presence of Jesus in heaven. But, when you lose someone this close to you, it brings about a whole new concept of heaven and its reality. We had 53 years together and I don’t regret any of them. Even those early years because of how she managed those terrible years. She died two days after our 53^rd anniversary.

I could not have asked for a better partner for this life. Trust me, God knows exactly what he is doing. Jeanne is missed tremendously by all of us but the peace we all have is knowing that we simply lost her to heaven and Jesus.

 -Bill Petite

  

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.