| 25 YEARS IS NOT A LONG TIME |
| by Charlie Grier |
| To some, writing an article for the paper every week for twenty-five years might seem like a gigantic task, and a long time! That might be especially true for one who didn't start writing until two years after retirement. I suppose if I had been compelled to sign a 25-year contract in advance, I possibly would not have tackled the job. Writing, however, is like everything else in life, one week at a time -- one day at a time -- one hour at a time -- one moment at a time. The reason some people break under the strain is that they are trying to carry tomorrow=s burdens as well, as the present load. |
| "Attach therefore no thought for the morrow: For the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matt. 6:34). |
| I was recently asked, "Do you plan to keep on writing, now that you have written for 25 years, and you are past 95 years of age? That question put me on the spot. I gave a quick answer, but it set me to thinking. So far its been pretty much my choice, but that may change. The Bible says, |
| "Far the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (II Tim. 4:3,4). |
| I have been aware through the years that some of my statements would not add to my popularity. Sin must be exposed, at times, in order to warn the careless, and to enable God's people to pray in a more effective manner. In my very first article, 25 years ago, I came down rather strong concerning the evils of television. I will now quote two paragraphs from that first article: |
| Donald T. Lunde quotes two Standford psychologists as reporting that, ‘Violence shown on television or in the movies demonstrably increases aggressive behavior in children exposed to it...not only is general aggressiveness effected, but in some instances young people have actively imitated specific crimes seen on TV.’ Some years ago a New York psychologist warned: ‘If television continues to teach violence and aggression, our children will grow up into brutal, aggressive, and violent adults.’" |
| -unquote |
| Now we have something worse even than television --the Internet. Every kind of sin known to man is encouraged by this modern source of evil. And, if that were not enough, we have politicians demanding that every trace of moral conduct or spiritual life be abolished and removed from the American way of life. |
| Neither television nor Internet is all bad. God uses both to share the Gospel worldwide. But anything God uses, Satan attempts to monopolize. Consequently, our little kids today are exposed to every type of sin and vice by these two easily accessible sources of evil. I like a recent statement put out by Concerned Women Of America, which reads as follows: |
| Concerned Women Of America will support legislation that restricts the ability of pornographers to destroy the lives of innocent children through obscenity that is now accessible over the Internet, on television, and in printed form. |
| -- unquote |
| During the past 25 years I have endeavored to share a simple, illustrated message each week that would encourage believers of all denominations to take their stand for Bible truth and live dedicated lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to this I have constantly petitioned our lawmakers in D,C. to vote only for those issues that would encourage and enable our beloved American people to be the kind of Christian citizens our forefathers visualized when they framed our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. |
| Last week I found myself in an embarrassing situation. I dumped a cart load of groceries on the counter and was startled to find I had used all of my checks the day before. Without hesitation the check-out lady wrote out her own check to pay for my groceries, saying I could reimburse her next time I came to the store. Can you imagine that? Such a deed of kindness would probably never happen anywhere else in the world! In some countries when people are no longer productive and beneficial to the State, they are simply done away with. They call it Euthanasia In America everything possible is done to enrich the lives of our senior citizens. Why? Because, at least until now, America has been a CHRISTIAN NATION. Praise God! |
| I love my Nation! |
| I love my State! |
| I love my hometown of Deer River! |
| I also love the Christ who died for me on Calvary's Rugged Cross! I appreciate the fact that Western Itasca Review has permitted me to write a weekly message in their paper these past 25 years that, hopefully, has honored the TRIUNE GOD. |
| After all, 25 years is not a long time in the light of an eternity that never ends! By God's grace I will continue to write as long as God enables me to do so. |
| THANK YOU! |