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In Love with Jesus Christ - by Roger Harris

 
This blog aims to reach more people with the gospel message through interesting stories. I am a member of BlogTopList. Religion Feel free to vote for my blog by clicking the link here: Top Blogs
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Can a Gay Man Enter Heaven?

July 1st 2010 05:31
This is a hard article to write. Consider how to tell a gay man, who has all the elements of a loving Christian, that he cannot get into what many other men are striving for? It is much easier to tell a crippled youngster that the crippling illness are only temporary. That is easier. To tell a dying old man that Jesus still can save him. That is easier than to tell a dearly beloved saint that he cannot inherit Heaven. Tell the crippled missionary that he made a mistake and accidently shot his own friend. The missionary will agree that Jesus knows of our mistakes and will kindly honor our missionary service. But, to tell the man who is gay that he has no chance of getting to Heaven, no matter what. Still, I want to help the gay man or woman in their lifetime goal of inheriting Heaven.



I am Steve. You do not need to know my last name. The picture of me above shows only my back side so you can’t tell it is me. I am Steve, and I fell in love with Jesus during my latest years as a Christian teenager. I did not fall in love with the ideas of Christianity. Instead, I learned about Jesus in Sunday School. I learned that He loves mankind, and in particular He loves me.

As a twenty-one year old male, I of course, like other people. I believe that other people like me as well. Of course, being in a rather strict church helps me to keep my strictest principles to myself. Of course, my parents and friends do not know that I am not as other people in some ways, important ways. By reading and by listening to what other people say, I found that I am gay. I don’t have all the same measurements inside me as many of my friends have inside them. I have done some reading inside the library and found that I am a gay man. I also have found many ideas about gay men that helped me to see that I am helpless. I have read a few accounts of gay men who said they gave up their gayness, but I do not believe them usually. Some scientiest tell me that we were born to be gay, and we really cannot to anything about it. So you now know that Steve is a twenty-one year old gay man, one who is in love with Jesus.


Maxine, my mother, has said that women should wear dresses and that men should not wear them. Of course, I have done lots of search on this subject as well as other subjects that my parents have stressed. I have found that this subject as well as many other subjects are not found in the Bible. That is where I try to get my religious beliefs. In the time of Jesus, all men and women wore a type of dress, no pants allowed back then.

As I let myself wander through people who are positive, I come across many whom I suspect may be as gay as I am but who seem to have a positive views among the church leaders. For one, my cousin is a fairly active in the church where he goes. I don’t think people think of him as gay. Still, I have strong feelings that he is gay and maybe what they call fresh on men and women. A couple who visits our church are also gayish in their ways. It is woman and her female friend. They live together and go to church together. Their ways tend to make me wonder. Oh well, my article is not about the other people in church lives. It is about my and my life with Jesus.


I told you before that I and Jesus the Christ fell in love a few years ago. As I have already said, I fell for Him and how He loves people. He is God, the Son of the Heavenly Father, yet he is lowly as any human. He told me, as well as His followers, to come unto Him. That is what I did. The times between us has been so good. We have times when the time slips away and we just spend time together. As the song says, “He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me that I am His own. And the joys we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.” I dearly love this Savior of mine.

I know that most reverential preachers take a stand against my type although they do not know that I am the type their stand a stand against. I have never been able to tell anyone about my inside thoughts. Of course, some of the writers of the Old Testament and in the New Testament also stand against gay men.

What I wonder is whether Jesus took a stand. As I read the New Testament, I have found nothing in which Jesus said anything about us gay men or women. He took a stand in the favor of marriage. He also took a standard about how men and women will react in Heaven. He said that we will be as angels and have no sexual yearnings in Heaven. He said to “Come unto me.” What He said about the gays is not included in Scripture.

What about me, Steve _______? Where do I stand in the sight of the words of Jesus? Do You have some words to this young man who loves You so much?

Is there something in the Word to tell me the very words of Jesus? Do you have something to say to a young guy who has most of his life ahead? Do you have something to say to the man who has some of the same thoughts in his head that others have, but whose thoughts are toward people of the same sex? It there something that I must give up in order to make living a satisfactory life, one that pleases you, Jesus. Do I have to give up having a loving person to nurture me and keep me in the life of the Christian man? Must I become like the nuns or priests of the Catholic religion? I doubt I could do that. I love Jesus too much to become a slave to that religion.

No, I am not ready to ever have to say to Mom and Dad that their son will never bring home their grandchildren? I don’t really to want to have to take a wife, just so the neighbors will think I want a wife and kids. I really want to somehow find a Christian man who will love me and take me for who I am. But, how to do it. An even stronger ‘but’ is Will Jesus Love Me Enough to Let Me into Heaven.
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Blind Songwriter of 8000 Hymns—Fanny Crosby

February 8th 2010 06:15
Fanny Crosby
As one of music greatest hit writers, Fanny Jane Crosby should have complained because of her tragedies. However, she rejoiced in the blindness she had from her early childhood.

Born on March 24, 1820, she had a long and happy life. She lived to nearly ninety-four years for her Savior. She became blind when a doctor was not available when she was six-weeks of age. A quack was advised, and he recommended a mustard plaster, the cause of her blindness. About a year later, her father died. Thus, Fanny was raised by her mother and grandmother and spent a lot of time in the Protestant movement. This was where she became acquainted with the Bible and memorized portions of the Holy Word.

During her teen years, she enrolled in the New York Institute for the Blind. This was where Fanny began singing, playing the guitar and piano. Her music was one of her interests although she had been writing poetry from about age eight years. Fanny realized that her blindness made her better. She wrote one of her earlier poems from eight years of age.

“Oh what a happy soul I am,
Although I cannot see;
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy,
That other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't."

For Fanny, marriage was also available. She married a fellow teacher, a man who was also blind, in 1858. They had one daughter who died very early in life. The husband, Alexander Van Alstyne, insisted that she continue to write using her maiden name rather than to write using his name. However, she also used many pseudonyms for her writing. As to Fanny’s marriage, it ended in 1902 when Alexander died.

Fanny said that if God would give her back her sight, she would not accept it since her blindness helped her to see spiritual insights that she maybe would not have seen if she had been sighted.

Although considered feeble by many people, Fanny was very outstanding in other realms besides her religious beliefs. Dignitaries, presidents, and military generals all knew her. She also played the hymn, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”, at the funeral of President Grant in1885. She became a popular public speaker during her later years.

She was not only a gifted speaker, but she also was a gifted hearer of the many speakers around her. She attended many public religious gatherings to hear others. She was often at God’s Bible School in Cincinnati during their camp meetings.

This article has provided her outward life to a great degree. However, Frances Crosby (Alstyne) was most in love with Jesus, her Savior. Her thousands of poems and songs reveal that Jesus Christ was her major lover. She was quoted as saying, “When I get to Heaven, the first face that shall gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.” Her poems, which became songs, were in her mind until she could have someone record them. She is said to have up to twelve hymns or poems in her mind at once.

The well-known hymn writers of her day used her poems in the songs that have been credited to her. William B. Bradbury, Robert Lowery, Ira D. Sankey, Philip P. Bliss and many others of her time used Fanny’s poems. She wrote nearly 8000 poems which became hymns. It has been reported that many publishers of hymn books decided to not record many of her writings since they may be accused of writing about her poems too much.

Although she could not remember ever having eyesight, so many of Fanny’s poems have incidents of “seeing” in them. “Blessed Assurance” has “visions of rapture” in the second verse. The third verse has “watching and waiting, looking above” in the song.

“My Savior First of All” has so many visionary areas in it. “When I view His blessed face” and “robes of spotless white” are all visionary messages from this blind saint of God.

So many songs from this blinded songwriter have helped us to see what her blindness was able to see. Just to name of few of her anointed songs, let’s take a quite look into most of the Protestant hymnals of the last 130 years. Fanny Crosby’s name is attached to so many of our greatest songs of triumph.

To God Be the Glory
Draw Me Nearer
Tell Me the Story of Jesus
Savior, More Than Life to Me
Rescue the Perishing
Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
I Am Thine, O Lord
Praise Him, Praise Him

It is said that soldiers around 1900 were very much aware of the writings of this brave woman of God, the story is told.

“During the re¬cent war in the Trans¬vaal when the sol¬diers go¬ing to the front were pass¬ing ano¬ther bo¬dy of sol¬diers whom they re¬cog¬nized, their greet¬ings used to be, ‘Four-nine-four, boys; four-nine-four’ and the sa¬lute would in¬var¬i¬a¬bly be an¬swered with ‘Six fur¬ther on, boys; six fur¬ther on.’ The sig¬nif¬i¬cance of this was that, in ‘Sac¬red Songs and So¬los,’ a num¬ber of co¬pies of the small edi¬tion of which had been sent to the front, num¬ber 494 was ‘God Be With You Until We Meet Again’ and six fur¬ther on than 494, or num¬ber 500, was ‘Bless¬ed As¬sur¬ance, Je¬sus is mine.’”

How little is our sight when compared to this blind saint of God. We remember you Fanny Crosby for helping us to see our Savior.

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My new blog for your convenience

January 31st 2010 11:15
Hi there.

I am beginning a new blog now. It contains all of the stories that were on this blog as well as new ones I will be writing.

I will be stressing the new blog more now. For one thing, it has no other information than what I have to put on it. That is newer than the Orble blog.

Write the NEW URL for your convenience.

It is Really Long Link

Thanks Roger.
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Abraham, the Friend of God

January 8th 2010 03:13

Although it seems wrong for a wife to scold her husband, at least in the eyes of a Middle Eastern value system. Still, Sarah tried to confront her husband, Abraham.

They had only the one son, and of course, he was born quite late according to the Scriptures. His mother was around ninety years old when he was born. He was quite extraordinary in terms of his birth. His father may have been astounded when God told him that he would father a son to his aged wife. Still, God’s relation to Abraham was rather astounding anyhow.

This was before the days of the Ten Commandments. People lived largely by the laws that were written on their own consciences. Abraham tried to live as God had commanded him. Abraham was obviously a man who endeavored to be as Godly as he could be.

Anyhow, Sarah tried to persuade Abraham against his intended goal. That goal was to take his son, Isaac, to the area around Mount Moriah and offer to sacrifice the boy to God. As mentioned above, there were no Ten Commandments yet at that time so the idea of killing was written only in the hearts of humans, not on a carved out piece of granite.

Abraham, though, was adamant to do what he felt God intended for him. Somehow, he knew that God had an answer, even if Abraham actually did put a knife though his son’s heart. Abraham was not a madman according to the Scriptures. Instead, he was a godly man. His motives were to please the God whom he had worshipped and tried to love. This plan that God had placed in the mind of Abraham was clearly rational to God although it did not make sense to the godly human who was to initiate the plan.

In Abraham’s own mind was the fear that Sarah his wife had been cautioning him about. Still, when God asks us to do something, it is reasonable to God. The man may not see anything reasonable about God’s treasure.

Even the son was not sure how the plan would work. He mentioned to Abraham that they had the knife and wood and rope, but there was no sacrifice among their possessions as they headed toward Mount Moriah. No lamb and not even a few turtledoves to sacrifice. God used the father’s words to help the youngster understand. “God will provide the sacrifice,” said the father to Isaac.

As they began the journey, Abraham took Isaac and two other men on the three day trip to Mount Moriah. Actually, the place was historic from that day to today. Mount Moriah is the place where Jerusalem would one day stand.

Undoubtedly, Abraham had tremendous fears about this project. He had solitary pain in his heart at the thought of Isaac being bound on the wooden altar and being ready for Abraham to put a knife through his son’s heart. How could he face his wife after being guilty of killing his son. He may have even wondered if the two servants he had with him would kill him for his ungodly act. How could Abraham even think of releasing himself for what he was about to do? Surely, Abraham’s fear was very agonizing on this trip to the mountain.

Regardless of the fears he had, Abraham bound his son with the rope and placed his body on the altar. The boy’s alarms and cries should have caused Abraham to begin to realize the hopelessness of his act.

Knowing that God had positioned him to this point, Abraham raised his hands very high and held the blade in such a way as to hit Isaac’s heart. Just at that minute, an angel of God raised his voice. “Abraham, Abraham,” called the angel and got Abraham’s attention.

A voice from the Heavens called out to Abraham. “Do not harm the boy. I know that you fear God and would even give the life of your son.”

A ram was heard in the thicket beyond Abraham. The boy was soon untied and helped to lay the ram on the altar. The sacrifice went on and Isaac lived to tell the story.

The story is one of the Patriarch’s tales to this day. The Jews still tell the story and many Christians also relate the story.

Among the features in the story is the idea that Abraham, although he had never heard of Jesus who would be born much later, was a type of God and Isaac was a type of Jesus. God gave his only Son. Just as Abraham was ready to do with Isaac, God’s Son died to save the people who would believe in Him. Of course, the terrifying story of Abraham and Isaac is so little in comparison to God giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us.

In the book of Genesis, Abraham is called as the Friend of God. I wonder how many of us Christians would give as much as Abraham offered to God.

I recall a missionary in South America. He was found dead after the people whom he loved killed him. In his Bible is a quote that has meant so much to me. “No man is a fool who gives something that he cannot keep to gain something that he cannot lose.”


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Three Siblings Who Loved Jesus

May 2nd 2009 05:49
“Mary, would you stop singing and help me with the cleaning.” It was Martha speaking to her younger sister.

“All right, Sis,” chimed the cheerful sister. She was three years younger than Martha, which entitled Martha to ownership of the humble house after their father had died. I am well able to work and sing at the same time, though.” She picked up a cloth for dusting the sand and dust from some shelves in the house as she more quietly went over the words in Psalm 75. Sometimes, as she was doing now, she changed some words in the Psalms to make it more personal. “Unto thee do I give thanks,” she began.

Martha, a slight scowl on her face, reprimanded her sister. “Martha, you should not desecrate the Scriptures by changing the words.”

“I’m not desecrating the Psalm. I’m making it my own testimony by saying ‘I’ instead of ‘we’”, Mary responded.

Shaking her head in mild disgust, Martha seemed intent on having a neat and clean abode in which to receive guests. While Mary did some dusting inside the house, Martha went to the flat-topped roof to put it in order.

Although Mary and Martha appeared to be in their late thirties, their brother, Lazarus, had the appearance of a physically weak man in his mid twenties. Lazarus was born sometime after the death of his father, whom he never got to see. Their mother died during the birth of Lazarus. The baby was a weakling from the beginning of his life and often had to choose begging on the street for enough income.

The family had never been wealthy. In fact, most of the neighboring families tended to look down on them. Their parents had managed to put together the house they now lived in. It was given to the oldest child, which was Martha, as soon as their father died a few months before Lazarus’ birth. Since the mother had experienced several problems with the pregnancy, hardly anyone had expected the baby to be born alive.

The house in Bethany, on the slopes of Mount Olivet, was the only home the three siblings had ever known. Being somewhat near to Jerusalem, they often had guests drop in. Thus, Martha wanted the house to always be as clean as conditions allowed. Martha was always telling Lazarus and Mary that the house reflected on all three of them, even though it was her house legally.

“You should always expect visitors to drop in,” Martha repeated again today. “Maybe even Jesus will come to see us again.”

“Not very probably,” Mary countered. “Nazareth is several days’ journey from here, you know.”

“But He travels all over our country,” Martha reprimanded. “He does not always warn us before He comes south to Jerusalem and our little town. His birthplace is not so far from Bethany. He may visit there again.”

“All right, Sis, I get the point,” said Mary with a smile. “We will work and sing and worship, all at the same time.”

“You talk like a ten-year old girl rather than the thirty year old maiden lady that you are,” Martha scolded.

That was when their younger brother came home.

Martha showed concern for Lazarus since he always seemed sickly. “Are you hungry, Lazarus?” she asked. “I have been stewing some mutton. It is probably tender by now. I’ll dish some up for you.”

“No need to, Martha,” said Lazarus as he pleasantly rubbed his stomach. “I already ate.”

Martha’s expression became motherly toward her brother. “I’ve told you to not buy food with the money you beg. Bring it home so we all three can enjoy meat and fruit instead of only you.”

“No, I didn’t buy anything. Here is the money I collected so far today,” said the young man offering a few coins to Martha.

“Then, tell me why you are not hungry, young man,” ordered Martha in her most motherly fashion.

Noticing the expression on her brother’s face, Mary guessed, “Jesus is here again, right?”

“You always seem to read my thoughts, Mary,” he answered.

“Is he in Bethany now?” Martha asked, looking around the house as if inspecting for any undone condition.

“He was here for a while, but He moved on,” Lazarus told them. “However, I suspect He will be back soon. I talked with Him and some disciples. They said He had recently provided food for more than 5000 people when he was up north.”

“That sounds like His nature,” Mary offered.

Lazarus continued, “There were not that many here today, but after a long talk to the crowd, He asked for fish and bread. Then, He prayed and began dividing the food. It seemed to become much more than He had started with.”

Martha guessed the truth. “So you ate with that crowd?”

A gleeful smile on his face and his patting of his stomach satisfied his sister’s curiosity.

As her siblings expected, Martha announced that they needed to work to be ready if Jesus should come to their house. “He seems to enjoy spending time with the three of us,” Martha said with a smile.

Soon, the three were visited by the guest. He came with a few of his disciples although most of them went elsewhere, leaving Jesus in the home of His three friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary had gone out to meet the group as Martha stayed busy at home.

Mary sat near Jesus while Martha worked on the mutton she had been stewing. A scolding look on her face showed that she had hoped that her sister would at least lend a hand. Finally, Martha suggested, “Jesus, don’t you think that my sister should help me with the dinner rather than make me do it alone?”

With little displeasure evident toward anyone in the house, Jesus replied, “Martha, you tend to be a careful person about many good things. However, your sister here has chosen something better.”

Martha accepted the Lord’s words and thought on them as she finished getting the meal on the table for the four of them.

Later, when Jesus had gone away, Mary tried to be helpful to her sister although she did not apologize for having given Jesus so much attention while He was with them.

A few weeks later, Jesus and His disciples were interrupted in their walking from one place to another. A messenger approached with news for Jesus. He told Jesus that one of His very dear friends from Bethany was quite sick. Although his followers wondered about it, Jesus spent two days in the same area before beginning his journey toward Bethany. At the time, many suspected that Jesus did not immediately go to Bethany because He had been threatened with a stoning if He came around.

As Jesus began walking toward Bethany, he told those who were with him that Lazarus was sleeping. When He suggested the word, they tended to feel that Lazarus would perhaps be better off since sleep would be good for him. Jesus felt the need to tell them that He meant to say that Lazarus had died.

“I am pleased that I was not there in time to keep him from dying,” Jesus told them. “This will be another opportunity for you all to believe in Me.”

One of the more negative of Jesus’ disciples named Thomas said, “I guess we will go and die with Him.”

As they approached Bethany, it was Martha who left the house to meet Jesus while Mary stayed in the house. Martha became bold enough to tell Jesus that if He had been there, Lazarus would still be alive.

“Still,” she said, “I feel sure that if You were to ask God for a miracle, God would give it.”

Bluntly, Jesus remarked, “Your brother will rise again.”

“Of course he will,” she agreed. “I’m not a Sadducee. In the resurrection, Lazarus will live again. That is many years into the future.”

“I am the resurrection, and I am the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even if he appears to be dead,” Jesus told Martha.

“I believe You, Lord,” she said. She asked someone to go tell Mary that Jesus was there, that He had arrived.

When Mary heard the news, she went to meet Martha and Jesus. Several mourners also followed her and witnessed the upcoming events. Mary bowed at the feet of Jesus when she saw Him and repeated the message of Martha, her sister, “If you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.”

Jesus seemed upset and asked where the tomb was. Jesus cried as He walked toward where His friend had been laid to rest. His tears could have been for Lazarus; they could have been for Mary and Martha; He could have been crying for the unbelieving people around the burial site. The Son of God cried.

People around remarked at the tears on the face of Jesus. “He must have loved Lazarus very much,” someone remarked.

A more skeptical person suggested that the healing power of Jesus, which they had seen several times, should have kept Lazarus alive.

A small argument broke out between Jesus and Martha when Jesus asked them to remove the stone which covered the opening of the tomb.

“He’s been dead for four days, Jesus,” objected Martha. “He will be smelling quite bad by now.”

“Did I not tell you to believe?” Jesus responded. “If you believe, you will see God’s glory in all of this.”

After some men finally got the stone moved out of the way, Jesus prayed to His Father in Heaven. He thanked God that God always hears His prayers. Then, in a loud voice, Jesus commanded, “Lazarus, come forth.”

And, it happened.

Lazarus came forth the best he could since he was wrapped in grave clothing. They removed those death rags and rejoiced in the resurrection of the frail young man who had lived longer than most people had expected him to live.

The skeptic who had complained that Jesus had not kept Lazarus from dying was among those who became believers.
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An Infertile Black Man Learns to Love Jesus

December 22nd 2008 10:16
I do not know his name. The Holy Bible does not tell me. I only know that he was a servant of Candace, who was the queen of the people of Ethiopia in those days. He was a castrated man as was the custom as a protection of important women from being violated by a man who was not a husband. There would be nothing good about a queen having an illegitimate child from being raped. Anyhow, this man from Ethiopia was a man with a lot of authority in the Queen’s business. In fact, the Bible tells us that he was in charge of all her valuables.

According to Scriptural testimony in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, one of the deacons in the early Christian church was advised by one of God’s messengers to go to a remote place. This deacon (which means his major duty was to serve tables and see to the material needs of Christians) was named Philip. The Scriptural testimony says that an angel (or a messenger of God) told Philip to start a journey toward Gaza.

In spite of a revival type of atmosphere at Jerusalem, Philip took off in the direction of Gaza. I have no reason to believe that Philip questioned God about this order to leave the place where so much was taking place and to go to a nearly deserted place. No records in the Book of the Acts indicate any frustration on the part of Philip. No doubt, he had seen enough in the past several days to know that it is not wise to have any rebellious notions about doing what God wants done. He had likely seen a couple of people die on the spot when they showed dishonesty in their dealings with God. He probably witnessed the death of another of the deacons, the first Christian martyr. If he witnessed that, he also saw how God welcomes His children into Heavenly courts.

Philip is reported to have come upon this black eunuch from Candace’s court. He felt that God wanted him to get close to the man’s chariot so he could hear what the man was saying.

The eunuch was reading from Old Testament Scripture since the New Testament had not yet been written. The man was reading aloud so Philip could hear his words. It became evident that he was reading from the book of Isaiah, a part of the book which prophesied about the coming of a Messiah.

Of course, several questions could come to mind as we consider this account. For one thing, we may wonder why this man from North Africa was in the Promised Land. He was not a Jew, or so it seemed to Philip. Still, if we consider the history of Israel in earlier times, we may recall that the Queen of Sheba (in Ethiopia) visited Solomon and was quite impressed. She may have taken many of the Israelite stories back with her. In fact, she may have even taken some Israelite people back to Ethiopia; we do not know for certain about that. Anyhow, the Ethiopians have had an earlier history with the Israelites from the days of King Solomon.

Perhaps this eunuch was partly Jewish, especially if the Queen of Sheba did indeed take some Israelites back to Ethiopia with her. If so, he may have decided to do some investigating about the past of his ancestors on the Jewish side of his family.

We are sure that the eunuch was not a part of any Jewish religious activities in Jerusalem since he was altered in his private parts. The Old Testament forbids such men from being allowed to enter the sanctuary of God, according to Deuteronomy chapter 23, one of the books of Moses.

He was surely a highly educated man since his native language was not Greek or Aramaic, the languages most used in Israel at the time. He was reading from Isaiah, probably either a Hebrew version or a translation into Greek or Aramaic or even Latin.

Back to the account, Philip approached the eunuch as he read. Apparently, the rest of the group from Ethiopia were busy so the eunuch was alone as he read from Isaiah. The beginning of the conversation was probably somewhat like this.

“Hello, Sir. I am named Philip. I see you are reading from scrolls. Do you understand what you are reading?” asked Philip.

“Oh, hello, Philip,” the eunuch responded. “Yes, I am reading from Jewish scrolls, but no, I don’t actually understand everything that I read here.”

“Would it be all right with you if we look at the message together?” asked Philip.

“Of course, I really need someone who understands this language and may have read these same words before. I need someone to explain it,” the eunuch responded eagerly.

Philip sat next to his new friend and looked at the scroll with him.

The eunuch asked, “Is the writer talking about himself or someone else?”

Philip read the words aloud, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb, was dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the Earth.”

“Dear Sir,” began Philip. “He was talking about another Person, One whom I represent for Whom I am living my life.”

Philip went on to explain how Isaiah was talking about the coming of Jesus, the Christ. He explained the life of Jesus and how His death and resurrection made eternal life a possibility for everyone who believed in him. No doubt, he explained the ordinance of water baptism as a sign of being a believer in Jesus.

The eunuch was engrossed in the message that Philip was presenting simply. The message of salvation is a simple message of the God Who loves mankind deeply and has done everything He can to redeem men from the results of living a life of rebellion. The message of God is the message of Jesus Who said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

With the eunuch’s permission, Philip travelled with him for a distance. After a time, they came upon a body of water. The eunuch said, “Here is water. What would hinder me from being baptized?”

Philip responded wisely, “If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptized.”

The eunuch testified, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He ordered the chariot to stop so he and Philip could go down into the water.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles does not tell me this part of the story, however. I think that there was a great uproar in Heaven when this Ethiopian eunuch gave his heart to Jesus and began living a Christ-centered life.

Think about it. The country of Ethiopia has a very long history of Christianity for centuries. No doubt, this important but humble man returned with a testimony that helped to change his whole country.

This unnamed eunuch fell in love with Jesus, the Christ, and helped thousands of his countrymen to hear the same gospel which changed his life so significantly.



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Obituary of a Cousin

October 1st 2008 01:34

By ROI ALLEN, Staff writer

Jerusalem-- Juan Bautista, known in English as John the Baptist, died today at the age of only thirty-two years. He is survived by his mother, Elizabeth, his father, Zacharias and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Born in the hill country in a city of Juda, John was not a typical child. He eschewed the higher standard of living of most of his neighbors and childhood friends. He became a social outcast to some degree although he seemed happy with his simple life style.

According to urban legends, or perhaps they were not actually legends at all, before John was born, his Aunt Mary visited his mother to announce the coming birth of her first child. She was not yet aware that John had also been conceived a few months earlier. When Mary spoke to Elizabeth, the unborn baby John was so blessed that he leapt within his mother’s womb. Although John has never claimed to have remembered this pre-natal event, he did talk of it and how his mother often remarked that John and his cousin had unusual futures ahead of them.

Other events were recounted by John during his short life. He claimed that his Aunt Mary had conceived his cousin without being married. In fact, he claimed that her pregnancy was supernatural, that she was a virgin until the baby was born. Because the story sounds so preposterous, few people tended to believe it. Still, John said that he definitely believed that his cousin was born of a virgin.

There were odd circumstances concerning the birth of both John and his cousin. In John’s case, Zacharias, his father, lost his ability to speak before John was born. When it came time to announce the name of the baby, everyone expected him to be named Zacharias after his father, but Elizabeth did not approve. She said to call him John. Neighbors asked Zacharias about the boy’s name. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote that his son was to be named John. Then, Zacharias’ tongue was loosed, enabling him to talk and especially to praise God. It seems that the neighborhood had awesome feelings about that family from that time forward.

Although the people around John’s home town are generally not well-off financially, the young people, in particular, tried to be as presentable as possible, taking regular baths and keeping their hair and bodies neat. John, however, was not as vain as others his age. His hair usually needed to be trimmed and combed, but he neglected doing those vain activities.

As John got older, he was possessed of the notion that he was designated by God to be a prophet. In fact, he claimed that God was going to use him as the proverbial ‘voice in the wilderness’ that many Jews expected to witness in their lifetimes. That may be why John did not take more interest in his own appearance or his own comforts.

He chose unusual wearing apparel. Leather clothing made of camel’s hide and a girdle of leather around his waist made John seem odd in appearance. His victuals, too, were simple. He ate insects and honey from wild bee nests.

John began a religious ministry, which did not surprise his family or neighbors. His message was a warning of the need for people to repent and clean up their lives. He claimed that God’s Kingdom was becoming very near and that people should begin living according to God’s written word. He spoke against corruption among the people and in the government. He spoke out against selfish motives. At one time, he even told the soldiers to ‘be content with your wages’ rather than asking for more income so often. John seemed to be an evangelist preaching on the theme of repentance.

This writer was present to witness when John met his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus came to John to be baptized in the Jordan River. It was customary at the time for people to declare themselves to be on God’s side by having John the Baptist go through the ceremony of water baptism. I, myself, watched when Jesus approached John, his cousin. He said he wanted to be baptized, but John refused by saying that he should be baptized by Jesus instead of being the one who baptised the Son of God. John did accept his duty to baptize Jesus, however.

I shall never forget that event. They entered the river, John baptized Jesus by immersion, and the supernatural happened. It felt like the heavens, maybe Heaven itself, opened up. A strange Spirit came out of the heavens and sat upon Jesus. It was so unforgettable! Then, to add to the royal atmosphere around us, a booming voice came from Heaven saying, “This is my Son in Whom I am well-pleased.” There is no way that this writer can ever forget this happening! This marked the beginning of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

When Jesus began His ministry, the miracles and the teaching which He did brought great crowds of people. Some of the followers of John decided that Jesus and His followers were encroaching upon their duties. John, however, declared that he, himself, must decrease in popularity while Jesus must increase. He referred to Jesus as the Messiah and as the Lamb of God, One Who must die for the sins of others.

Shortly after the baptism of Jesus, John was put in prison because of speaking out about an incestuous relationship between Herod Antipas, the tetrarch in Galilee, and a female named Herodias. While in prison, John began wondering if Jesus was actually the One whom he had expected. He sent messengers to Jesus to ask if He was actually the Messiah. His momentary doubting seems encouraging to this writer; it seems that the enemy of our souls wants us to doubt Jesus.

Jesus claimed that John’s appearance on the scene related to the return of the prophet Elijah, one of the two men listed in the Scriptures who did not die.

However, John did die. The event seems to revolve around a very erotic dance done by Salome. This dance appealed to Herod Antipas so much that he promised the girl anything she would ask for. She asked for the head of John the Baptist. It was delivered.

John the Baptist was undoubtedly the last of the Old Testament prophets. Most of John’s followers became followers of Jesus since John felt that his duty was to witness to Jesus’ role as the Messiah, the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.

Although this writer knew both John and Jesus, he chooses to keep each in his own place in Christianity. John was a forerunner. He was a witness, just as I am. Jesus was and is the only Savior of whosoever will come to Him.



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Human Songbird of Israel

August 12th 2008 01:58

He was very human.

I doubt that he had heard of Jesus, the Christ. Still, somehow he knew of Him and loved Him. How do I know? When I study the life of David, I see the love he had for God and for the Son of God, Whom he referred to in his own writings.

Was David a superman, someone who could not do wrong? Of course, we all know better than that. Some of his errors, faults, even downright sins reveal that he not only could do wrong, but he did wrong things, had wrong thoughts and made wrong choices. No, David was not a superman but a real, live human, just as the rest of us.

Davy was a very human kid.

The writer of this article easily identifies with David in his childhood. He was raised in a farming family, just as I was. He learned a lot about animals by working with them, just as I did. His mind was busy as he watched his animals. He began to think about eternal-type thoughts as a young child. He rationalized that, just as his flock of sheep needed a shepherd, he as a human needed Someone to watch over him though his life.

Davy’s thoughts led him to write a song about sheep, a song in which he compares his own existence with the existence of sheep, his own weaknesses and need of an Overseer with the weaknesses of sheep. He realized that sheep are not the most intelligent animals on the planet. He also realized that he, as a human shepherd boy, was not big enough or wise enough to be the master of his own fate. He wrote the shepherd’s psalm, a song about sheep and their relationship with the shepherd and compared his own existence with theirs. An English translation of the song is below.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He (the Lord) makes me to lie
down in green pastures: He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His
Name’s sake.

Yes, although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and staff bring comfort to me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies (such as
snakes and eagles); You anoint my head with oil (of gladness), making
my cup to run over.

Undoubtedly, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

That simple song, penned by a boy in Israel many centuries ago has become one of the favorites in the Holy Bible. Such a simple message of comparison of sheep and boys who trust in God.


Davy was a human teenager.

He did not see himself as a superhuman adolescent. He was a simple and obedient son with several older brothers. The fact that his older brothers had to go to war and leave him with the humdrum life of caring for those boring sheep was something that he accepted. It was a fact of life for a kid in his circumstance.

Then, when his father wanted him to take some food to his brothers in the army, Davy did it. While there, he witnessed the gigantic Goliath defying not only the armies of Israel but the God of Israel. David loved the God of Israel so much that he took personal offense at this ungodly man’s challenge to God. We all know the story about the shepherd boy who took five smooth stones and a slingshot instead of the armor that was offered to him. He had already had experience with protecting his father’s sheep as a younger kid so he knew well how to use the sling. In spite of mocking from his brothers and in spite of the size of the man who was mocking God and the armies of Israel, he went to meet the enemy.

Of course, Davy was apprehensive. He had killed large animals before but never a man. He took five stones, possibly thinking he may need all five of them to rid Israel of the giant who was mocking God. He was intelligent enough to realise that the first stone he slung may not be effective; he was prepared. Undoubtedly, he remembered the line he had written earlier, “yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil because You are with me’.

We realize the victory of Davy and his first stone, how he toppled the giant and used the giant’s own sword to decapitate him.

Davy, the teen boy, was quite human.


David was a very human grownup.

As teenagers do, Davy grew into a man, married and had a family. The fact that he became a military leader and king notwithstanding, he became a family man, a quite human father and husband.

He had always been inclined to be religious. His religion tended to sometimes cause him to do things which others saw as exaggerations. He was scolded for dancing before God. His own wife, as wives sometimes tend to do, told him he was foolish for his outlandish actions. Still, David loved God and his emotions were used to express that love.

He had family problems, unruly children. Although it hurt him, one of his sons rebelled to the point of wanting to kill his own father. The son died on one of his escapades against David.

He had temptations as we all do. Although he knew that resisting temptation would help to lessen its effect, David sometimes yielded to temptation. It caused him great problems, even leading him to order the murder of a man. Maybe David again recalled a line from his shepherd’s psalm, “You restore my soul”.


David walked with the Lord all the days of his life.

Many songs (psalms) in the Holy Bible were written by David. Many of them reveal his love for God, for the Lord (Whom he had not seen), for God’s house and for the need to praise God. Some of the psalms make reference to Jesus, Who had not yet come to Earth as a human.

Among the many psalms which reveal David’s love for God, one of this author’s favorite is the one which begins:

“As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after thee, O
God.” Psalm 42


David loved God’s Word also. In fact, Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, has reference to God’s word in every verse.

David loved God’s house of worship. He declared that he would build a house for God, so that worship would no longer be in a rag top tent.

Whether we like it or not, David is declared to be a ‘man after God’s own heart’.

David’s long life ended, as human lives nearly always do, with death. His son took the throne that King David had used for such a long time.

I doubt that any eulogy for David included his temptations, his yielding to temptations, his sins against his family and against his soldiers or the times he did things within the tabernacle or temple which were illegal. The eulogizing was undoubtedly about his victory over the Philistine giant, his times of winning battles and his building of the temple in which they worshipped.

David’s sins included rape of a woman who was married to one of David’s military leaders, the murder of the military leader, eating of showbread which was not supposed to be used for food for him, having several wives, and a number of other miscreant activities.

Why would God call David a “man after my own heart”? God does not commit sins. God does not condone sins. In fact, He condemns sin.

Perhaps it is because David dealt with the sin in his life appropriately. In one of the psalms (Psalm 51), David repents and writes of his heartfelt inner pain for having sinned against the Lord he loved.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my
transgressions. Wash me completely from my iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin. I acknowledge my sin.”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”


David realized that he was very human and that God was very God.

A man is made of the dust of the Earth. He is no stronger than the elements which make up his being.

David seemed to realize that the gap between God and fallen man is too great to cross by ourselves. He wrote in Psalm 2 about the coming Lord Jesus, not by name but by His virtues. This psalm tells of some of the results of the coming of Jesus, including the redemption of all willing people, even us who are not Israelites by blood. This psalm instructs us to rejoice in the prospect of being redeemed but to be fearful of insulting the God who paid such a price for our salvation.

David, the former shepherd boy, did not dream that two triangles would form a six-sided ‘star’ which would be called the “Star of David” or that the Jesus Whom he had predicted would be born in the “City of David”. David simply lived a lifetime of loving the God of deliverance and enjoying as many of the blessings as God sent to him.

In Psalm 108, David wrote, “O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory….I will praise Thee, O God, among the people, and I will sing praises unto Thee among the nations.”

This very human David did just that and is still doing it.
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Slain Missionary's Mother

June 21st 2008 04:07
Fun Missionary Photo


As I studied material about the death of Bill McChesney in the Belgian Congo in 1964, I was anticipating an interview with Aldine McChesney, Bill’s mother. She had written a book entitled Through Congo Shadows, Story of the Life and Martyrdom of Bill McChesney in the Congo. My job as a writer for a local Phoenix newspaper was to get human interest material for our newspaper’s readers.

Since Bill was from a local family, many people were well aware of his death. However, many had not read Aldine’s book so they did not know many details of the family. His death had been about four years earlier than the publishing of Aldine’s book.

I arrived at the place for the interview since Aldine did not want to come to the newspaper office for the interview. I noticed that Aldine was already seated in the room where we would talk. She seemed comfortable enough sipping on a cup of coffee that one of the assistants had brought to her. As I entered the room, an assistant introduced me. Although Aldine was somewhat older than I am, she stood to welcome me. She seemed to be a very warm person.

After a little small talk, Aldine McChesney let me know that she was ready to give an interview, but the subjects would be less about her son and more about his love for the Lord Jesus. Not realizing exactly what all of that entailed, I agreed. I desperately wanted the interview for my story. My story had been forming in my mind as entitled something such as A Dead Missionary and His Mother. Perhaps Aldine would insist on a different type of title.

Let me express in question and answer form the things I learned from the interview with this mother of a saint.

Q. Can you give us some information about your son and the rest of the family, please?

A. Of course, My husband and I had two sons. Bill was the oldest one. He became a Christian when he was in his middle teen years. His younger brother was saved only after Bill went Home to be with the Lord.

Q. Why did Bill choose to go as a missionary and under which mission board did he go?

A. He began to talk about his obligation to Jesus Christ very soon after his conversion. He did not exactly choose to be a missionary at first; he simply had his heart open for whatever God would choose for him. He investigated several mission boards as well as other Christian service opportunities before he finally applied to WEC. WEC is Worldwide Evangelical Crusade. I think the first two words in their name were important to Bill. We have always been involved in evangelical church groups. Bill was open for anywhere in the world.

Q. If there were other countries to go to, why did he choose the Congo? Did he know other missionaries there? Maybe he had a girlfriend there?

A. Bill did not seem to know much about the place before he went. He went because there was an open door and because he was accepted to work there. He did not know anyone there before he went to the Congo. And no, he did not have a girlfriend going there and persuading him to go there.

(Mrs. McChesney seemed a bit uncomfortable with my questions and with her need to respond to such personal information about her late son. If my interview was to succeed, I needed to use caution lest I upset her too much.)

Q. Excuse me if I become too personal, Mrs. McChesney.

A. All right. I may decide to not respond if some dig too deeply into our lives. Also, please call me Aldine.

Q. I have heard that Bill did a little writing before he went away. Is that correct? And did he ever publish any writing?

A. He spent a lot of time alone at times. I think those times were his times of expressing himself in writing. I have not seen anything that he published although one of his poems has been published but not by Bill himself.

Q. I think I am aware of that poem, Aldine.

A. Here, I have a copy of it. You can publish it in your newspaper if you wish.

(Aldine handed me a paper on which a poem was written, a poem by her dead missionary son. The poem appears here and will be a part of the article I write.)

My Choice (By Bill McChesney)


I want my breakfast served at “eight”, with ham and eggs upon the plate;
A well-broiled steak I’ll eat at “one”; and dine again when day is done.

I want an ultramodern home, and in each room a telephone;
Soft carpets, too, upon the floors, and pretty drapes to grace the doors.

A cosy place of lovely things, like easy chairs and innersprings,
And then I’ll get a small TV - of course, “I’m careful what I see.”

I want my wardrobe, too, to be of neatest, finest quality.
With latest style of suit and vest, why shouldn’t Christians have the best?

But then the Master I can hear, in no uncertain voice, so clear,
“I bid you come and follow Me, the lonely Man of Galilee.”

“Birds of the air have made their nest, and foxes in their holes find rest;
But I can offer you no bed; no place have I to lay My head.”

In shame I hung my head and cried. How could I spurn the Crucified?
Could I forget the way He went, the sleepless nights in prayer He spent?

For forty days without a bit, alone He fasted day and night;
Despised, rejected - on he went, and did not stop till veil He rent.

A man of sorrows and of grief, no earthly friend to bring relief -
“Smitten of God,” the prophet said - Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.

If He be God and died for me, no sacrifice too great can be
For me, a mortal man, to make; I’ll do it all for Jesus’ sake.

Yes, I will tread the path He trod. No other way will please my God;
So, henceforth, this my choice shall be, my choice for all eternity.


(I took time to read the poem to myself again. Looking into Aldine’s eyes, I could see that she was content with what life had offered her.)

Q. Aldine, may I ask some rather pointed questions? You may choose to not answer any of them which do not seem appropriate.

A. With those conditions, it is all right to ask.

Q. Did Bill die for his church?

A. No. He did not.

Q. Did he die for his religion, then?

A. That would be a poor reason to give one’s life. Religions are everywhere, and a great number of them are false hopes to desperate people. Bill McChesney did not die for any religion.

Q. Do you feel Bill died for a cause other than his church or his religion?

A. Not exactly. I would not say that, actually. He died for his God and Savior.

Q. Those Simba rebels who killed Bill were not much interested in his Savior or his God. Do you think…

A. Let me interrupt you, Miss. So many of the others who were with Bill when he was killed were religious people. Some Roman Catholic nuns were there and gave their interpretations of his death. Even though Bill did not wear any clothing to reveal his Christianity, those Simbas were aware that he was a Chrisian.

Q. Thank you, Aldine. If I accept that many of the people who were killed or misused by the Simbas were religious, even Christians, do you think they were killed because of their religious beliefs?

A. He was not murdered for being a Christian exactly. He was picked out because he was a US citizen. One of the questions the Simbas asked concerned nationality. He was in the Congo to do God’s work although that is not why he was killed.

Q. If I may…

A. Please allow another interruption. Consider this, please. Many young people are willing to die for their country whether the country is right or wrong. Most of us think of them as heroic. Bill died for a better place than his country. His goals were to help other people find peace in their hearts and lives such as he had found. He wanted to point people to Jesus, Who gives eternal life. How can we think that is so strange?

Q. So I feel sure that you do not think that Bill had any reason to want to die. He did not choose a dangerous place in hopes of escaping something negative in his life.

A. Now, you are asking silly questions. Bill was one of the happiest young men I have ever known. People often called him “Smiling Bill”. Sunshine seemed to radiate from his face and personality. He had things to live for and hopes for the future. He was well aware that it was dangerous in the Congo. He sent me a photo once in which he was in a very large cooking pot. He was smiling since the picture was a joke about being cooked and eaten by African natives. He had a girlfriend after he arrived in Stanleyville. One of the women missionaries took is eye. No doubt, he would have considered marrying her if he had lived long enough.

Q. I apologize for even suggesting that you son could have had a desire to die. Forgive me, please.

A. Surely. You are simply wanting all the facts you can get.

Q. I think I should get some information about you, Bill’s mother. Is that all right with you?

A. You can give it a try. I will answer questions that I feel are acceptable.

Q. Given the very negative situation, why did you write a book about Bill?

A. I did not write a book about Bill. I wrote a book about his martyrdom and his love for the Lord Jesus. I also included the martyrdom and love of others at the same time and in the same place as Bill.

Q. I am sure that it was difficult for you to accept Bill’s death when he was trying to do good for other people.

A. Did you read my book? If you did read it, you would see that Bill understood that God does not deliver everyone who is facing death. Some of the people with Bill testified during a get-together that God had told them they would escape death. However, Bill testified to the effect that not everyone is destined to live through the coming events. He would not testify that God had promised to deliver his mortal body. He seemed to accept that God could be ready to take him to his Heavenly home.

Q. You wrote about others in the same situation, including Jim Rodgers, a British citizen who died immediately after Bills’ death.

A. Yes. The Simbas were out to get Americans. When they learned for sure that Bill was American, they put him to death. Bill had been very sick for some time with Malaria. He was hardly able to climb onto a truck as they demanded. Jim Rodgers carried Bill onto the truck and went with him. After a long and unpleasant night, the Simbas beat Bill and took his life. Jim had made a promise to Bill, “If you must die, Brother, I will die with you.” After Bill was killed, Jim gently lowered his body to the floor. Then, the Simbas attacked and killed Jim, too.

Q. It had to be hard for you, living in the USA, to accept that your son had been so mercilessly killed in Africa.

A. I struggled for some time. People visited me in my home to bring me some comfort. They tried to make me feel better.

(A long pause, during which Aldine dried her moistened eyes, was followed by one of the best questions I have ever heard.)

A. Sorry to be a bit emotional. You know, his death was a few years ago so some of the healing of my emotions has taken place. Still, my tears just now result from an event with one of my church friends.


Q. Take your time, Aldine.

A. My friend came to my home, knowing that it had been so hard to accept my son’s death. I mean, one expects that the parents should die before their children. That is not what happened in our situation. My son died before my death.

Anyhow, my friend came to help me through the grief. My friend asked me the right question, prompting me to give the right answer. Then, my Lord Jesus came and blessed me with spiritual and emotional healing immediately.

Q. May I ask what was the right question and the response you gave?

A. She asked me, point blank, “Isn’t it a privilege to give a son to God?”

When I said, “Yes”, my healing began. Jesus has been so close to me through this, especially after I consented to His will for Bill.

Q. Do you have anything more to add to our interview, Aldine?

A. Yes, I learned that when you grasp, you lose, but when you give to God, you gain. It took a while for me to give my son to God, but when I did, I gained so much.

Just think, I am absolutely sure that my son made it to Heaven. Many parents do not have any reason to think the same thing about their own children. What more could I want than to be sure of the eternal life of my children?



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Myrtle Waves Good-bye

May 27th 2008 01:44
I remember so much about her. Her name was Myrtle, but many people called her Mame. I didn’t, though. I had done some gardening work for her and some lawn mowing in my teen years and respected her enough to call her by her given name. Of course, that was over forty-five years ago.

She attended the little conservative Christian church in our small Wells County, Indiana, town of less than 300 population. She had always attended there, it seems.

It was in that little church that I bowed at the altar on March 8, 1959, and gave myself back to the One Who created me. It was the last Sunday that the pastor was serving. He would move on and let another pastor take the church from the next week. I remember it so very well in spite of the many years that have gone by between then and now.

Back to Myrtle, although she was old enough to be my grandmother, I felt close to her as a fellow Christian. She spent her days sitting in the little house on the gravel road, crocheting and entertaining any visitors who happened to come to see her. She was fairly heavy so she did not want to stand on her feet much. Her long hair, kept in a bun on the back of her head, surrounded a fat and wrinkled face with a big smile in the center of it.

The house where she lived actually belonged to her son, Charles. He usually lived there with her although there were times when he was elsewhere. I never asked where he was as it was none of my business. I guess her husband had died many years before I became acquainted with Myrtle. As to her son, he was well-known as one of the town drunks in the larger town about 3 miles away.

Myrtle was a quiet Christian. However, her Christian principles and values were clear to everyone in the area. I remember when the story spread about Charles bringing in a six-pack of beer and put it in her refrigerator, which was actually his refrigerator. He had brought it in during the late night hours when his mother was sleeping. In the morning, Myrtle found the beer, took it outside and put an axe through each of the cans. Later in the day, when Charles woke up, he quietly accepted the fact that he had done what he knew was unacceptable to his mother. Regardless of Charles' own life style, he had great respect for his mother and her religious outlook.

After I became a Christian in 1959, Charles showed the same degree of respect toward me whenever I would come over to mow Myrtle’s lawn or work in her garden. To the best of my knowledge, Charles never did decide to follow his mother’s example and ask Jesus to change his life. In fact, he later married Ruby, a woman he found at The Hoosier Bar in the next town. She, too, showed great respect for Myrtle as well as to me.

I really liked Charles and Ruby, maybe because of their relationship to Myrtle, my Christian good friend and mentor.

To the gist of my story now, Myrtle was faithful to the services at the church. She was always there on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights and Thursday evening prayer meetings. She never missed a night at any of the revival meetings which were usually held once per year for around two weeks.

One Sunday morning when Myrtle came into the church house, she had one eye closed. I and some others joked about her ‘winking’ at everyone, not realizing that she had experienced a stroke which caused her eyelid to not stay open. Being around twenty years old, I did not think of how my joking and the joking of others may make her uncomfortable. When we realized the reason for her ‘winking’, the joking stopped, and praying for her became a more common practice.

The eye problem persisted. Then, her speech became less clear after a few weeks. She sometimes talked about her time to leave Earth to go to Heaven. None of us really liked to think about that event which seemed more and more likely for our dear, saintly Myrtle.

As months came and went, Myrtle confided in close friends as well as her sister, Ione, that maybe she would not be able to talk when she would be on her deathbed. She told people that, if she could not talk at the time, she would try to wave good-bye whenever she saw Jesus coming to take her home.

Myrtle’s attendance at church became less regular. Her health kept her home, often in her bed in the little house that she shared with Charles and Ruby. Her bedroom was downstairs. Charles and Ruby slept in an upstairs bedroom.

I was not there when Myrtle’s homecoming day arrived. Ione and others who were with Mame (Myrtle) told me about it. She was on her bed, not really able to communicate much. Of course, her eyes were closed. A slight smile formed on her withered old face. Her arms were at her side with the palms of her hands facing upward. In a while, the fingers of one hand began to move. It was obviously her agreed-upon sign that Jesus had come for her.

Through tears, the bystanders witnessed the homegoing of one of God’s saints. They cried at the loss of a dear Christian friend, but some of their tears may have been at the victory that Myrtle had won. She had made it into Heaven.

Before the funeral, Myrtle’s sister Ione penned a poem which was read at the funeral service. Although Myrtle had been waving good-bye, it appeared to Ione that the moving fingers were also beckoning people to “come”. The open palms facing upward had changed the ‘good-bye’ into an invitation to ‘come’.

I think of Myrtle from time to time. Her Christian testimony to family and friends included me. She really loved Jesus Christ because He had loved her first. She loved people, too, her son and his wife, Ruby. She loved me, a gangly teen boy who was learning to become a strong Christian and using her life as one of his examples.

This is an absolutely true story. No names have been changed. All of the named people in the story have died now. Some have gone on to meet Myrtle, just as I plan to do.
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Roger Harris's Blogs

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