“I must set my mind to knowing some men in the west are not of God’s people.  They are from Satan.”
–Paul L. Thompson  (When Preaching Is Hell!)

“What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?”
–2 Corinthians 6:15 (NLT)
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Has the world gone crazy?  And listen, for sure it is not going to get any better.  I saw where the first baby born without gender identity took place.  Yep, that’s right.  The parents (and the state) agree that “assigning gender at birth is a human rights violation.”  Crazy!
Years ago I said that there would be a greater and greater attack on the roles of men and women in society.  Clamoring for equal rights they now have want to be able to exchanges genders, and therefore, exchange roles.  What ever happened to the days “when men were men, and women were glad of it”?  Women don’t want men today, why should they when they can become one either physically, emotionally, or willfully?  And men wanting to become women?  Crazy!
Lord, help us through the jungles.  We are lost and the vines and vipers are threatening to destroy us.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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“He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.  He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”
–Proverbs 15:31-32

The natural person puts up a wall around himself that regrets godly reproof.  Over and over again in the past few years I have heard students and adults say, “That’s only your opinion,” in regard to the Scripture.  No, it’s God’s opinion; it’s right here:  book, chapter, verse.  But again they exclaim, “That’s only your opinion.”  They completely disregard God’s Word, and it will be to their detriment.
People today much prefer words of flattery or encouragement, and there is a time for that, but only when it is due.  When a person is in error they need to be rebuked and reproofed.  People need to hear truth, instead of “fake news” about themselves.  Every issue of our lives should be examined against the backdrop of God’s righteousness and His Word. 
Fluff and flattery that isn’t worth a nickel should be put aside.  Someone has said “The rebuke from God’s Word is not nearly so painful as the rebuke of actual experience.”  Good, biblical advice is not to be scorned.

I’ll let the future take care of itself. Whatever falls, I’ll be ready.”
–Zane Grey (Riders of the Purple Sage)

“For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel.”
–Isaiah 46:13 (NLT)
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“We, mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
–Declaration of Independence (last phrase)

Our country is in a mess, plain and simple. Stupidity and chaos are becoming the norm. This talk of impeachment because the President is incapable is getting headlines from the strange source–the media. If they really want to impeach someone because they are mentally impaired looked to Schumer, Warren, and especially Pelosi.
What has happened to “our sacred honor”? It has surely disappeared from many, especially those in the halls of power. Stupidity and arrogance are beginning to reign and who suffers? The people. And what is worse is the agenda of the media. I always believed that it would be the media that would help usher in the Antichrist. They call it fake news today, but in reality it is lies and who is the “father of lies”? Satan! I’m not a conspiracist by any means of the word, but there is a conspiracy from the pit of hell to prepare the way of the “lawless one.”
Honor is now a joke. Show me a honorable person and I will show you one who is mocked, ridiculed, and scorned. Many years ago aim was taken at our leadership. The idea was to show them as “real people” and to magnify their faults rather than emphasize their honor and achievements. Now look at the situation. Look at the “protestors”; they cover their faces for they do not want to be seen; where is the honor in that?
America! Wake up before it’s too late! I look at Texas and people are flooding in here from California, businesses and individuals. They want to get away from the political stupidity that is taking place there. However, when they get here they want and will vote in the very same things they are trying to get away from.
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“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
–John 8:31-32 (NASB)

From the sermon I heard yesterday I jotted down some questions and notes. The pastor started the sermon out with this question, and it is vital and pertinent. “What will you do with your freedom?” Look at our society. People have freedom, but have forsaken its very important twin–responsibility. People are now using their freedom to destroy freedom.
When I was teaching the unit on the American Revolution I would give a paper titled, “Liberty vs Security.” We would go over the Declaration of Independence and Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty” speech. This was given every year for almost 30 years and in that time those who said Liberty was more important moved from the vast majority to the now minority. People just do not understand that to be truly safe and secure there must first be liberty. The danger comes when people misuse their liberty.
One other question posed by the pastor was this, “What prison are you in?” When true freedom is gone, there is nothing left but a prison of some sort. Take away liberty and the state has you bound. Take away the truth of Jesus Christ and there is nothing left but prisons. There are all kinds of prisons. They key is that the truth will set you free, and the condition is that you must continue in His Word.

Time was like a handful of water; no matter how tight you hold your fingers together, it soon slipped through and left you dry.”
–Mike Roarke (Silent Drums)

“The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.”
–Psalm 138:8 (NLT)
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     “I’m going to leave San Antonio
      It’s time for me to pack and go
      I’ll say goodbye to the Alamo
      And bid farewell to friend and foe.

      I’ll take my horse and I’ll take my rope
      I’ll hit the trail upon a lope
      I’ll bid adios to the Alamo
      I’ll turn my face to the Piney Woods.

      I’ll make my home on the wide, wide range
      The people there are not so strange!
      The hard, hard ground will be my bed
      And the saddle seat will hold my head.

      And when I waken from my dreams
      I’ll eat my bread and my pinto beans
      And when my ride on Earth is done
      I’ll take my chances with the holy one.”

The composer is unknown for this old cowboy song, and I made a few adaptations of my own.  Yep, my friends, this is it.  I spent my last night in San Antonio.  It has been a profitable 22 years, but now to move on to a new range.  I’ll try not to waste my time ’cause I sure don’t know how much more of it the Lord has for me.  Whatever I have I need to be growing and learning and doing things for Him.
I want to thank you all for your prayers, but don’t stop now.  Keep them coming.  Never you fear either, for my friends, I’ll be sure and check my cinch before moving out.  The next time you hear from this ol’ fence post it will be from the woods of East Texas.

A person was what they were; and many a man at forty was sixty in his ways, and many another was twenty and would never grow past it.”
–Louis L’Amour (Ride the Dark Trail)

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
–Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
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Thank you very much Mr. Chad Prather.  Your little comment just confirmed what I’ve been telling folks.  I like my felt hat, and I much prefer it over my straw one.  Both Kim and Shauna keep saying that I should be wearing my straw hat.  So thanks again Chad, I’m from Texas and can wear the one I want.
Let me add to that with the wisdom and words of Mario Martinez that he gave to me last night at supper.  At our mature age of life, not only in years but in action, very few folk can tell us what to do.  So with the go ahead from Prather and the wisdom of Mario I can wear my felt hat.
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Folks sure have been good to us as we make this move along life’s journey.  Now, I’m hoping it’s because we’re friends and wanted to say their just goodbyes instead of a way of saying “rid of him at last.”  Annie and I have lived in San Antonio for 22 years and it has been a wonderful place to live.  Tomorrow we close on our house, Lord willing, in which we lived for 20 years.  A person, if not careful, can become too attached to a place, but never to friends.  A friend is a friend no matter the years, the place, or the distance.
But, especially in the last five years, I’ve noticed a great change in this once slow-paced city of the Alamo.  With the Alamo, and its tremendous history, the missions that are here, it seems that people want to hang on to only the fiesta part and move into this modern, enlightened era.  People, once so courteous, now seem angry, or at least anxious.  The politics of the city has gone berserk.  There are yuppies moving in with their lifestyle–are they trying to make San Antonio to be like “New York City”?
Yep, at this point in my life, it is time to follow the leading of the Lord and move to a quieter place.  Get back to the calmness of nature.  Get back into the Word, and do some more writing.  This is definitely a Lord move.  I remember Abraham being told to leave Ur and go to a place the Lord would show him.  Then I recall that Abraham got up and moved from the land to Egypt.  If you read the passage, there was nothing said about the Lord directing him to Egypt.  Abraham made a mess of things there.  But, also notice, God was still with him.  Annie’s Dad once told me that even in bad decisions that the Lord is still with us.
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One more little thought.  For all of you folks that are of proper age–start acting like it!  Go back and read Paul’s writing to Timothy, and especially Titus.  A second childhood is nothing but fantasy and not following the direction of God.  Throw out that Peter Pan Syndrome and start acting and being the person that God has called you to be instead of following selfish desires.