A lot of people had come from a lot of places, but to each one his home was the end of a trail that started somewhere afar off.”
              –Louis L’Amour (Passin’ Through)

    “But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
              –Hebrews 11:16 (NLT)
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Annie’s and my journey actually started out at the Evangel University (it was College back then) library.  I took a deep breath, gathered up my courage and asked her out.  From that point we have not been apart.  We started out in Missouri, and our lives have led us to many places.  Except for the years in the military, we figured that each one of the homes was the end of the trail, but nope, we would pack up and move.  The longest we stayed any one place was in San Antonio.  We were there for 22 years, and now have spent a year living with Kimberly.  In the past week we have finally moved to our new house in Coldspring, TX.  A home–not yet.  It takes the touch of a woman to make a house a home, but I am confident that it will soon be a home.
    I have heard and read where people have said that it isn’t the destination, but the journey along the way that counts.  That is only partly true.  The journey gives us experience, help develops our character, and challenges us to see if the destination is worth it.  Some will falter along the way, but once starting out on the trek, don’t stop–the eternal city of Heaven will be worth the journey, and it the thing that counts.
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    I went to the Marine Museum when it first opened and one of the first sights you see upon entering the display area is a man upon the ramparts fighting.  He was a small man in stature, 5’6″, 135# but was a fighting man, touch, determined, and disciplined–Dan Daly.  In his military career he earned two Medals of Honor.
    While at the American Embassy, in what was then Peking, Daly was holding the fort while others went to gather supplies.  It was then that the Boxers decided to attack.  Daly was the only one between the attackers and the American diplomats.  He quickly went into action and when his squad returned they saw the carnage that Daly wrought upon the enemy with 200 dead Boxers.
    A decade-plus later, serving in Haiti; his platoon was on a reconnaissance patrol.  As his platoon was crossing a river 400 Haitian Caco rebels opened fire.  The Marines managed to cross and set up defensive positions, but during the attack in the river their heavy machine gun fell into the river.  That night Daly went to the river and dove in, found the gun, and carried it back to his platoon.  The next morning the Marines completely annihilated the rebel units.
    During World War I, Daly saw action in several campaigns.  He won three more combat medals and was wounded three times.  At Belleau Wood, German forces were slaughtering Americans as they attempted to cross an open field to get to the woods.  Daly, frustrated, shouted, “Come on…do you want to live forever?” and he charged out to meet the enemy.  He was nominated for a third Medal of Honor, but even the Marines decided that would be one too many.
    It is a shame that there is not much information on his career.  If I am not mistaken, he retired from the Marine Corps, and became a doorman at either an apartment building or hotel.  That makes me think of those in Hebrews 11, where their name is not mentioned.  We know little about them, except the few whose exploits are mentioned.
    Dan Daly did not desire fame; he was simply a man who did his duty.  A man who put his life on the line for his country.  Yet, we have the cry-babies, the snowflakes out there who whimper that life is just too tough.  They need safe zones.  Think of men like Dan Daly when you see someone kneel while the National Anthem is played.

Art comes from the man, not the material.  The man of mystery, of genius, not only meets but exceeds the standards of excellence; he sets higher standards, opens new ground, and that man is an artist be he writer, painter, grave digger, bullfighter or bronc rider.”
              –William Crawford  (The Bronc Rider)

    “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
              –Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
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I thought I would pass on some of the inspired words of Lois B. Cheney from her devotional, God Is No Fool.

         “One morning I awoke with a desire I wanted to fulfill.  It concerned a way I wanted to be.
          This was a matter to lay before God.  This was a matter for prayer.  The desire was for a power and goodness, and I wanted the prayer to be right.  I would preface my request with an acknowledgement of my unworthiness.  This wasn’t false; I knew it, and God would accept it.
          All day phrases and words came to me.  My special prayer took shape.  I would set aside a time.  I would approach him in truth.
          In the evening I closed myself away from others.  I read from his word.  I reviewed the phrases and words of my very special prayer.
          Before I got really settled down, I was flooded with the answer, and I was the way I wanted to be.
          But I felt cheated…I had wanted that moment of communication with God.  Then I thought I heard something.
                   ‘I heard you this morning.’
          I think I have a lot to learn about prayer.”

There are some people who have the knack of deep-felt prayer.  Their words can astound men and if they are from the heart they will get to the throne of God.  Read some of the prayers of Joseph Parker–they are amazing.  However, we need to be mindful of the Pharisee who went to prayer and before God, and man, he proclaimed he was so fair and wondrous.  Next to him, in humbleness stood one who prayed from the heart, “Forgive me, for I am a sinner.”  Hmmm, out of the mouth the heart speaks.

         “Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
                  –James 4:3 (KJV)

It made him feel small and frightened, knowing that God’s power was infinite and beautiful, that He was truly working to provide for all of his creatures.”
–Bobby Cavazos (The Cowboy From the Wild Horse Desert)

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
–Matthew 6:26 (KJV)
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These are indeed perilous times. Don’t kid yourself by thinking things have always been this way. They haven’t. Sure, there have been terror and wars, but a person could walk down the street in this country in relative safety. Schools? Who would ever dare think someone would go into a school and start shooting children? These are perilous times!
Let’s look again at the first few characteristics of Paul’s description of “perilous times.”

“But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.”
–2 Timothy 3:1-2 (AMPC)

Now add verse 3: “[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.”

The characteristics of the time will show that there is a lack of devotion to their family; a lack of commitment. People may reside in the same house together, but they don’t share life together; there is an uncaring family environment. You want to know why there is so much shooting, killing, taking of drugs, and chaos in life then look to the family. Want to know why there is so much child rebellion and attention disorders then look to the family. Listen! It is imperative that we build our families to resist the spiritual storms that are characteristic of this age and the coming years!
Relentless or trucebreakers, false accusers, troublemakers are characteristic of the times. It is interesting that the Greek for “false accusers” is “diabolos” the same is often translated as “devil.” The are people who will go to court and argue to get material gain.
Look at the phrase “uncontrolled and fierce”. Who would that describe? A Hitler, Stalin? Add Idi Amin, Pol Pot, and Mao Zedong to those names and they don’t come close to being as savage, vicious, ferocious and inhumane, as the phrase actually means. The worst kind of savagery is the killing of an unborn infant in the womb. There have been more killed through abortion than all the evil of those mentioned above put together.
One more phrase, “haters of good.” This again goes to leadership. The courts are intended to protect the rights of those that are good, but now they protect the offenders. Abortion is one case in which the courts uphold those supposed rights. Criminals are now aggressively protected. Surely these are perilous times for these are days in which society is morally confused. It cannot be a confused, mentally unstable society that sets our moral agenda. We must! It is vital that we stand upon the Word of God in these perilous times.

A family is a place where a body can share the no-account things, can talk of the little matters important only to ourselves, where we can laugh and cry and tell of the day-to-day happenings and then forget them.”
              –Louis L’Amour (The Cherokee Trail)

    “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.”
              –Proverbs 5:18 (NLT)
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If God is in charge of our lives then we should be a person, a son/daughter of obedience.  Last Monday, we looked at some facts of obedience.  Look at what we read last week to review.
         1)  Obedience is not an option.
         2)  When we obey God, He gives guidance.
         3)  God does not want to make us miserable when we obey.
Let’s look at a few other facts about obedience.
         4)  Obedience makes us free.
                  People clamor for freedom, but they don’t really know what that means.  It is when we abide in God’s Word that we truly become free.  Bonhoeffer put it this way, “If you set out to seek freedom, then learn above all things to govern your soul and your senses… .  Only through discipline may a man learn to be free.”  Hmmm, look at those on the streets protesting–do they know how to “govern their souls and senses”?
         5)  Obedience is not only done out of duty.
                  “For the love of Christ controls us….(2 Corinthians 5:14, ESV)  What is it that controls you?  It is a fact that people usually do, either consciously or unconsciously, what they want to do.  Love changes our wants.
         6)  We have a Helper in our obedience.
                  Listen, we are not called to obedience by ourselves.  When you walk down the road of obedience you don’t walk it by yourself, but the Holy Spirit is there by your side.  God is sovereign, and we cannot be obedient except through the power of the Holy Spirit.  F.W. Faber said the following:  “We must wait for God, long, meekly, in the wind and wet, in the thunder and lightning, in the cold and dark.  Wait, and He will come.  He never comes to those who do not wait… .  When He comes, go with Him, but go slowly, fall a little behind, when He quickens His pace, be sure of it before you quicken yours.  But when He slackens, slacken at once and do not be slow only, but silent, very silent, for He is God.”
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    “Who can find a virtuous wife?  For her worth is far above rubies.”
              –Proverbs 31:10

Well, this ol’ fellow found one 47 years ago.  Yep, it has been 47 years since we got ourselves hitched.  I remember, Pappy, Annie’s Dad, offered me $20 and a ladder to elope, but we decided on having him walk her down the aisle and give her to me.  
    It has been a grand journey, that’s for sure.  We’ve covered a few miles together, and drank more than a few cups of coffee on our way.  What a gal–she stuck with me through thick and thin and there ain’t nobody around can match her when it comes to making a pie.
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The Echoes may be a little sporadic.  We have just moved into our new house, but don’t have internet yet.  Using Annie’s phone until that happens.