"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."
St. Francis of Assisi
Michael thinks of the many facets of love. There is intimate love, friendship love, and then the agape love. From the talks with Mom and Dad about love, the family had concluded that if agape love is present, all the other kinds of love are included. It was the way Jesus told the follower that asked what did he need to do to gain salvation. It was to love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength. The second was to love others as you loved yourself.
It seems that the love of God is all inclusive. Michael liked the use of graphics to present some ideas. On a wipe board, the agape would be a big circle and all of the other loves are little circles inside the big agape circle. Intimate love was created by God for a husband and a wife.
Friendship love was created by God to help a husband, wife and family to work together. It's like the three musketeers, all for one and one for all. Then Michael's ideas flow to the false ideas that try to take the place of God's ideas. What about dating versus courtship? Brad had talked to Michael very much about that debate. Michael read a book about it: I Kissed Dating Goodbye.
“Pamela, have you dated much?” asked Michael.
“No. Because we homeschooled, we were never exposed to other people in such a situation. We had some friends through our 4H group, but the 4H group was almost all homeschool families, so we never dated. We would go out with friends together, but it was never in a oneonone, boy/girl situation. I had some friends that did public school, and they dated and it was a situation I never want to be in. It' like: build up a romantic situation and then break it to break your heart.”
“Nice. I never did any dating either. We started homeschooling when I was in sixth grade. I liked some girls at school, but we were not old enough to do any dating. No kissey/kissey/hug stuff. Nowadays dating goes even further than the kiss/hug situation. The media and television seems to force it upon kids to go kiss, hug, sex, abortion. Not a nice situation at all” said Michael. “Exactly. Governments are no longer 'user friendly.' Public schools, run by the left leaning, NEA, National Education Association, works against most parents, in handing out condoms to elementary kids, almost teaching them to have 'casual sex' without telling parents anything.”
“Yes,” as Michael looks into Pamela's eyes, “what is your feelings about courtship?” As Pamela looks into Michael's eyes, “courtship with who?”
“Me” Michael says as he seems to get an 'AFFIRMATIVE' look in Pamela's eyes. There is a definite sparkle in Pamela's eyes and a facial body language saying 'TAKE ME, I'M YOURS.'
“I read that as a 'yes?'”
“Correct” said Pamela.
Michael checked his watch to see that it is close to a quarter to five.
"Pamela, my stomach and my watch tell me that it is getting close to supper time. Lets order another meal and wrap up our talk."
Pamela looks to Michael's eyes and says "Sounds good, and I need to start and finish some homework."
Michael and Pamela order a meal, talk until close to 6:30 pm, say goodbye, depart to their homes and have a night of rest to attack the next day. Michael was completing his last term very well. His thesis came together pretty well, and writing his paper was practically done. As he sat at his desk, and listening to the Cheyenne country station, a message from Pamela came on the screen:
'I have been meeting with Diane Renta that I met in the Java class, to help her on her chemistry. She had some exposure to Jesus in her past with summer Bible school, we've talked at little about it, but now it seems Jesus is far away in her mind. I mentioned that we are in courtship now, and she wants to talk to you. Can we come over to your office about 2:30?'
Michael thought of his schedule today, and busily typed in an answer to Pamela: 'Yes, 1430 is okay. Any hint of a subject?'
'It's probably about courtship I think, Michael.'
'Okay, I'll be here' Michael replies.
Pamela was working with Diane on Diane's organic chemistry homework in the student union. Pamela had just gone over the basics of the problems that were story problems on organic alcohols, starting at methanol, ethanol, propanol, on up to long polymer alcohols.
“Okay Pamela, that does it for my problems, and it is about 2:15 right now, we can go over to Michael's office, okay?”
“Yes, lets pack up an leave right now”said Pamela.
Pamela packed up her laptop and started to walk over to Michael's office with Diane.
They arrived at Michael's office, Michael greeted them, pulled up another chair for Diane and said “Greetings Diane, has Pamela been able to help with your chemistry?”
“Oh yes, very much. She's able to take the material explained by my professor and translate it into something that I can understand” said Diane.
“Very good. And is there something that I can help you with?”
“Yes. Pamela mentioned that you and Pamela are in courtship. My understanding on courtship, is that it is an archaic procedure done centuries ago. How can you do it now?”exclaimed Diane.
“Oh, hmmm, where do you hear it's an archaic thing?”
“In television and school.”
“I see. So you have never had a chance to talk to anyone that was in a courtship?”
“No. I read some stories from the Revolutionary War where some of the people were in courtship. But I never had a friend in courtship before.” Michael looked up at his book shelf. There it was, the book that he likes to scan through occasionally, and thought it may be nice to have in the school office 'just in case' someone needed to have it loaned. Michael grabbed the I Kissed Dating Goodbye book and handed it to Diane. “It's a nice book I've read through a few times. You can take it as a 'loaner' until you finish it.”
“Wow! Huh, Multnomah Books put it out. I guess it's not archaic at all. So, Mr. Stay, can you tell me the main point in a paragraph or less?”
“Sure. The main point of the book, is to use and define a Biblical version of love. Not to use America's social version of love, or rather how America defines 'lust' as 'love.' Love is a multifaceted, word. When I first met Pamela, from her introduction, I knew that there was a deep person to get to know. I could spend many more pages of description of Pamela, and you want a paragraph or less, so I'll go to the number one facet of true love. In order to be able to really love another person, you need to have your being 'right with God.' And to get right with God, you need to be right with His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no way around it. In John 14:6, 'Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.'”
“I heard that back in my days in VacationBibleSchool. But my parents broke up and I never went back after age eight. Mom never took up to church at all; we have Grandma's old Bible, but Mom never read it. I looked at it a few times, but the pages were all worn and Grandma wrote on all the pages, and I didn't want to tear it apart, so I put it back in the bookshelf.” Michael pulled out his Bible from across his desk, “Diane, can I go over a verse with you right now and give you a Bible?”
“Yes, please do.”
“It's in John 3:16 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. And whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.' So Diane, if you admit that you are a sinner and accept Jesus as you Savior, and take this Bible to read and study, you are a Saved Christian.” Michael digs into his middle desk drawer to get a paperback New King James Version and hands it to Diane.
“Mr. Stay, is it that easy?”
“Yes it is that easy to start. You need to be sure and read your Bible until it becomes 'the Word of God' in your heart. Public school, the media, television and Hollywood would lead you to believe that the Bible is a fairytale book of fables. But they are teaching their own religion. Scientists don't always keep rules of science, they seem to bend the rules a little. They wouldn't admit that. For some more information about science, look at the AnswersInGenesis.org Web pages. Or look at the videos by Kent Hovind. Kent was a past public school science teacher that after many years of teaching, felt a call from God to do an Evolution/Creation/Dinosaur ministry. Diane, it is a lifestyle like a friend I had while on a summer job. My friend had a hat with the words: 'Born to Worship!' It's not something you do just once a week. You read and live the Word of God everyday.”
“A reading I like a lot, is to read though the proverbs. There is one chapter per day on a thirty one day month. You live every day with Jesus in your heart. And Pastor Rodgers on his radio show made a very interesting comment about understanding the Bible. He said the best way to gain an understanding of parts of the Bible you don't understand, is to live by the words you DO UNDERSTAND!” said Michael.
“But Mr. Stay, do I have to be good,” Diane emphasizes the word 'good' with her voice, “in order to be a Christian?”
Michael looks into Diane's eyes, “You cannot be 'saved' by being good. That's why the word 'grace' is so important; salvation is God's gift to mankind. All a person needs to do, is accept the gift from Jesus. A Christian is not good to BE saved, a Christian is good BECAUSE they are saved!”
Diane looks back at Mr. Stay and sees sincerity in his eyes. “But Mr. Stay, it seems so simple. And how much of the Bible can I believe? The first few chapters have been proven wrong by science. So I can't believe the whole book can I?”
Michael looks intently into Diane's eyes again, “Diane, it's like I mentioned before, scientists sometime bend the rules. For example they say we 'evolved' from the apes. But the idea has not been recreated to prove it as a 'scientific fact.' That is: a process is observed, tested and reproduced. Ha! Evolution flunks the from the start. No human being has observed an ape transform into a human being. Secular scientists have observed apes and human beings. They don't want to believe the Christian concept of creation by God, so they try to connect the dots between an ape and a human being and say human beings came from apes.”
“But Mr. Stay, what about the fossils?” asks Diane.
“Do you mean 'Lucy' the monkey that secular scientists say is a missing link to human being evolution?” states Michael.
“I guess so.”
“Lucy is not all they say she is. The answersingenesis.org pages can explain the situation. For example, some of the bones used in the claim were a quarter mile apart!”
“Oh.” sighs Diane.
“You can trust the Bible from the start to the end.” emphasizes Michael.
“Diane, let me use the studies we do in this department at CSU, java code. I will spend a few years to write at least 15,000 lines of code to reach my doctorate. The java I write takes some thought, it doesn't happen by itself. Diane, does that seem to be a reasonable idea?”
“Well yes, of course.” said Diane.
“But Diane, the evolutionists, the NEA and most public schools in America propose an idea using erroneous logic, that we, human beings and all the universe, happened by chance!” Michael pauses to look into Diane's eyes. “I always wanted a Cadillac; why don't I go to a junk yard with some dynamite to make my Cadillac? Huh?”
“Mr. Stay, I see your point. I attended public school for all of my education to high school graduation. And that is what was taught. Mr. Stay, you have opened my eyes to listen to words told me in my 'education.'” Diane 'setapart' the word education in her words.
“Thank you very much for listening to me Diane. And I want you to be sure that I did not 'force' these ideas upon you. I want to emphasize that you need to go to some other sources of information, don't go to the opposition immediately, but check out some other 'creation' sites, and take in the ideas, digest them and reach some conclusions for yourself.”
“Thank you Mr. Stay,”said Diane, “I need to get to my next class now.” Diane put the New King James Version Bible in her shoulder class bag and walked out of Michael's office.
Pamela stood as Diane walked out, and Michael and Pamela's hands met and their hands clasped tightly. The hands seemed to have a high current go from both hands up their arms to their backs. They felt good. Michael turned to Pamela, looked to her eyes, and she to his. Michael didn't believe in any extrasensoryperception (ESP), but it seemed from Pamela's eyes he saw endless knowledge, Jesus was there, and he felt fulfilled. 'Fulfilled' was a misnomer, it was more like 'complete,' 'done,' 'it's just right' and a little 'forever is ahead for you two.'
“How would you like to go out to 'CrackerBarrel' tonight” asked Michael. “My class ends about 4:50. Can I meet you at your locker at 5?”
“Yes. That would be fine. I'll see you then. Byebye” said Pamela as she grabbed her shoulder pack and stepped out of Michael's office.
“Bye” said Michael.
At 'CrackerBarrel' both are sitting enjoying some hot coffee, and Michael asks Pamela if she was ready to go through the Left Behind story or not. Pamela mentions, “I always had doubts about the whole idea of Christians stepping out of the picture in that manner. And Michael, I liked your 'short and simple' mode of operation in your class. I once had a Pastor that kept his sermons like that. He could cover the whole subject, give examples and be done in twenty five minutes! And he emphasized 'quality' over 'quantity. I've been to other places where the Pastor would spend 45 minutes to say nothing of importance!”
Michael replied with a Pastor story too. “A Pastor spoke at a Campmeeting who used high quality words. Some Pastors speak and two days later, I can't even remember the subject! But the Campmeeting sermon was great: Life is not fair, but God is just!”
“Okay Pamela, Jesus said it was to be like Noah's flood. Right? In Matthew 24:39 and on it says: 'until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.'
See, the people that are 'left' is Noah and his family. Those 'taken' were the people out of the ark. They were taken by the flood! So in the time when Jesus returns, I definitely want to be LEFT BEHIND! Christ appears in ALL HIS GLORY! If Jesus is not in your heart, in that you rejected the Gospel message before hand, you are toasted real quick! As it says in 1st Peter: 'elements shall melt with fervent heat?'
What did God say to Moses on Mount Sinai? Turn your back, you can't withstand My glory! So unless there is special protection, either outside protection or some sort of inside protection, for people on the earth when Jesus returns, they melt as people in Japan did when the nuclear bombs were dropped!
It is my subjective ideas that youngsters, or people who never heard the Gospel message, will be protected from Jesus' glory, and have a chance to accept or reject the Gospel message” said Michael.
“Wow, I never looked at it that way before! I read it, read it and read the Gospels hundreds of times but I never read it the way it's written! I have been seeing the Bible through filtered glasses. It seems it is Mainstream Sunday Christian glasses, that slant all the words 'their' way! Amazing!
And the Sabbath is the same way. The wording is seen through Roman calendar eyes. The 'dawn of the first day of the week' is Sunday morning, right? WRONG! Understanding Jewish viewpoints, I see a Saturday night easily. And then the 'three days and three nights' from Matthew 12:40 doesn't measure correctly. And then even if the resurrection WAS on Sunday morning, God did not change the worship day commandments!” said Pamela.
“Good. So Pamela, you see with different eyes now?" Michael asks as Pamela nods.
"Very good. So we agree on the Left Behind situation, and the Sabbath, and dating, and cheap grace. Oh, on cheap grace, like I said to Diane, one of my pastor's wife stated the 'keeping commandment' thing with these words: 'I don't keep the commandment TO be saved, but I keep the commandments
BECAUSE I'm saved!'”
“That's a very nice contrast. A kind of a diametrically opposing ideas” said Pamela.
Michael pondered more of the results of believing the Left Behind story. “Pamela, what do you see as the results of believing the Left Behind books to the mainstream Christians?”
Pamela thinks of some quick answers to the question. “When combined with the cheapgrace idea, the Christian lifestyle is no different than the atheists and other pagans!”
“Correct! And some of the polls and surveys find that in America now, it makes no difference if the survey parties are nonChristian or Christian when it comes to some of the major problems here. That is adultery, lying, and stealing.
It's all that's in Deuteronomy 6:4,” as Michael gets out his pocket Bible, and quickly turns in the First Testament to Deuteronomy, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
“And Pamela, notice, I want to emphasize that what mainstream churches call the Old Testament, I call the First Testament! The God in Genesis is the same God of Revelation!
Compare Deuteronomy 6:5 and 6 with the words of Jesus in John 14:15 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' And on the subject of cheap grace, I always like to hear the Apostle Paul in Romans 6 starting in verse one, Paul asks, after he explained about the gift of grace, 'What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?'”
Pamela shows in her facial body language, with raised eyebrows and a nod that she agrees with Michael. “I have read that many times, but never contrasted it so much with our American society as much. Our Sunday Pastor went the route that Jesus did away with the Law, and never used much scripture from the Old, I mean the First Testament. But I see in Deuteronomy 6:6 how God wants us to keep His commandments in your heart. And in Matthew 5: 17 Jesus said that he came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it! The Ten Commandments say to not commit adultery, but in Matthew 5: 28, Jesus gets even tougher. If you even look to lust after someone, you've committed adultery!”
Pamela then mentioned the primary goal of some of the popular models that have their picture in magazines, is to CAUSE lust and drooling mouths in boys and men readers. “And what about most of the risky movies' target is to show fornication and adultery with some minimal plot that isn't worth the ink the manuscript is printed on. The moral standards of America are not much higher than the rest of the world; American Christianity can have intense influence on some people, but collectively, American society shows no Christianity. Years ago, the standards were a lot higher. About television, grandpa tells me that, when television just came out, the FCC enforced a rule that, while on a bed, a man and woman cannot take their feet off the floor, let alone take off their clothes!”