Lyle's Blog

Years ago my wife had the privilege of working for Ron and Georgia Lee Puryear, a couple who achieved huge success in the Amway business. We attended functions Worldwide Dream Builders put on and heard many motivational speakers. We learned much but it was by the preaching of Ron on Sunday mornings that I came to understand who this couple was; they were followers of Jesus Christ. This was reflected in the generous way they lived their lives and for that, we are forever grateful.

I could recount several events or things we know about them but I’ll leave that to others save for one thing and that is their sincere, unabashed, unashamed love for Jesus Christ. Like I mentioned Ron would preach Sunday mornings at various events. His introductory remark was this: now this is the real reason you’re here. The reason you were in the audience was to hear that you needed Jesus Christ. He and Georgia Lee would give their testimony of their personal coming to faith in Christ. Whether you joined Amway or not was almost immaterial it seemed because the only important decision of your life was simply this: what are you going to do with this person we call Jesus Christ.

After all your success or lack thereof in life, what are you going to do with Jesus Christ? If you’re not a believer then I encourage you to seek God with all your heart. There is absolutely nothing more important than the redemption of your soul. If you are a believer the question becomes what are you doing for Christ. Is He your portion, your only hope? I pray that is the case.

Time is short. Seek redemption while there is life left to live and then help others find their way to Christ. Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow. Believe today, commit totally today so your tomorrow is secure in Jesus Christ. After all is said and done, remember Ron’s words: “now here is the real reason you’re here”

I thank God I have the privilege of living in America. I’ve been blessed to live without real persecution for what I believe, enjoy the fruits of my labor and freely worship God. That’s what the founders wanted. Men should be free to pursue happiness. Happiness isn’t a bad thing like many today would have us believe. There’s some kind of bar they’ve erected that determines if you’re successful and happy. Books are written by the score with instructions for achieving success. I wonder how these people have so much time to share the secrets they’ve learned. Some money is made from books but not much. If one can get into the newsletter business, some serious cash can be had. And appearing in front of an audience enhances your own success and stature.

I believe real success and happiness is contentment with how God made you, your circumstances, family, skills or lack thereof. God knows who you are. He knows how many hairs are on your head. Some of us were made for “greatness” and some of us were made for simple labor. Many of us fall somewhere between those two extremes. But God created us. It is humbling to me that the God who knows billions of stars by name shaped me and created me just for His pleasure. David said we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I’m satisfied and happy with that. So happiness isn’t some secret learned from a mortal man; happiness is God finding you pleasurable to be with.

Thank you Lord for creating me and through Jesus Christ the opportunity to become your son.

The religions of the world are all about peace.   However, history is littered with religious violence in the name of God no matter which religion one could name.  This very fact is the bedrock for many to reject God.  Atheists with good reason are repulsed by the violence of a god.  What atheists do not understand is all violence stems from unrepentant mankind.

I come from a Christian background.  I can only speak of the Bible as I haven’t had exposure or desire to read other books from other religions.  I believe peace is the desire of everyone.  Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. all want peace.  How do we get there?

When Christ was born the angels declared “peace on earth and goodwill toward men”.  To me, this implies there wasn’t real peace before.  God had to make a way for mankind to have peace with Him; that is why Christ came, to be the mediator between Him and mankind.

Men are prone to violence; 14,000 wars have proven that.  We don’t need religion to start a war but is a handy reason if we can find no other.  So what is it that makes war so attractive?  We fight over possessions.  I have no idea what the ten commandments are of other religions but the ten delivered by Moses tell the story of man.  Men are envious, greedy, revengeful, and selfish.  Possessions or power over others seems to be the over-riding reason we do anything and we are willing to kill to get our way.

If we are to live in peace, the question becomes how do we do it?  The truth is we have to put in the discipline to humble ourselves.  War comes about from the need to humble other people and not ourselves.  Mathew 5:9 says “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God”.  We must become children of God if we are to live in peace.  Exodus 12:4 says that the Lord will fight for you, you’re to hold your peace.  God himself is the chief judge.  He will settle the “books” because all sin is against God.  It is He that has our life in His hands.  Who are we to fight for Him the maker of the universe we live in?

Maybe it’s time to learn what Christ taught, to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.  We don’t have to fight anymore.  The battles have been won.  Humble yourself, pick up your cross and follow the road to peace.

The advantage of being older is the ability to remember how things “used to be”.  Many elections have been borderline 50/50 for some time which makes the losers tend to want to contest the results.  In the Gore/Bush election it was hanging chads in Florida.  Today it’s provisional ballots and boxes of ballots “found” in the trunk of cars in where else, Florida.

The left is desperate to get control so it’s time for them to pull out all the stops and get those dead, illegal, and other votes counted.  The Democrats gained the house but lost the Senate which translates to losing the Courts.  They might be able to impeach Trump but without the Senate, a conviction is impossible.  Their only source of power is the snowflake generation which has to be convinced to overthrow the present government and install a wonderful socialist regime.

The left own academia, the media, comedy central, Hollywood, and a host of government employees that have a hard time accepting the truth: they lost an election to someone that has the guts to stand up to them all.  The audacity of Donald Trump spitting in their hateful faces drives them nuts.  It must be asked why Donald Trump would put up with all this hatred from so many.  Does he have plans to benefit from under-the-radar deals like the Clintons?  Will he benefit from all those New York lawyers going after his business with the sole goal of destroying him?  Think about it.

Could it just be that Donald Trump loves this country and doesn’t want his children, everything he’s worked for to be for nothing?  Could it just be that freedom to thrive is worth putting up with being the most hated person on the planet?  I think that’s just the case and if the rest of us deplorables don’t do the same then the whole experiment in free men ruling themselves  will pass away.

The polls tell us of a possible blue wave that’s going to sweep into leftist bliss. The “resistance” to be sure are very excited about winning the House and Senate. If they do it’s impeachment for that nasty rich businessman Donald Trump. I’m not sure what they’d do about Mike Pence but the Clintons do have powerful connections.

If there is a blue wave then we will accelerate our descent into depravity. A red wave would signal that, at least for a while, people would be distracted with good times and not so concerned about the immediate need to approve the role of the depraved.

Our schools have taught our children to hate America, its founders, capitalism, whites, and individual freedom so it would seem that a blue wave would be in order. However, most people vote their pocketbooks and it wouldn’t surprise me if all the hype and exuberance is just that, hype an exuberance.

I don’t encourage anyone to vote. People have just enough information to be dangerous and to think of them voting is unsettling. My hope is they like money more than they hate Donald Trump.