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THE WAR REPORT

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THE WAR REPORT on ALS #2
By Ken Blue

“There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.” Ecclesiastes 8:8

Yesterday, June 10th, Joyce and I spend over four hours at Virginia Mason Hospital with the ALS doctors for my sixth month evaluation. Test revealed that the disease continues to attack the voluntary muscles in my body. The marked weakness is in the diaphragm below the lungs. This muscle contracts and flattens to force air in and out of the lungs. The two tests showed that the muscle strength was down 11 and 17 points from six months ago. This weakness also evidences itself when I attempt to cough.

One of the doctors said she had to ask me a question; it was, “how would you rate your quality of life?” I gave it some thought, and then I told her it was “great”! God gave Joyce and me some wonderful opportunities to explain to different doctors how God’s loving grace is at work in all this. I believe the Holy Spirit was speaking to them. Pray for them that they will come to know the Lord Jesus. Wouldn’t that be great?

As I grow weaker day by day, my confidence in His love and care increases. Thank you for your prayers for us. I know this is the key. I have two invitations to preach in the next few weeks. Please pray for me that I will be a blessing and encouragement these churches. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16.

LIFE PASSED ME BY

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LIFE PASSED ME BY
By Ken Blue

We were in love, my wife and I;
We talked of the future and planned.
There would be children and a white fence,
We’d laugh and skip and hold hands.

The laughter has stopped; the children are gone;
We no longer dance or hold hands.
There’s no fence around our dreams.
What happened to all those plans?

I think I know, as I sit and muse,
On a vision that’s faded and died,
While building my impressive dreams,
Life passed me by.

A little girl was the light of my life;
There would be sateen and lace.
The sun was eclipsed, morning and night,
By the brightness from her face.

“Fix this daddy, tie my shoe”,
She giggled and bounced on my knee.
She would have all that money could buy;
I vowed that’s how it would be.

She got those things, I desperately sought.
But the radiance is gone from my sky.
I missed the whole point with my little girl,
As life passed me by.

I played at religion from time to time;
While shaking the Reverends hand.
I carefully explained my absent to him,
Confident he’d understand.

I deprived my soul of Bible and prayer;
Convinceing myself of my lie.
I said to others, “Everything’s ok”,
As life passed me by.

I no longer have the love of my life,
Nor a house with a fence of white.
Tormenting memories plague my mind,
As I sink in the despair of night.

It’s not the white fence, nor a big house,
Sitting on a hill, up high.
It’s about love and it’s about time…
As life passes you by.

REMOVING THE ORNAMENTS

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THE ORNAMENTS OF OUR INNER MAN

OrnamentsBy Ken Blue

“And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.” Exodus 33:6.

Over the years Christmas has been a wonderful time of reunion with our children and grandchildren. Joyce and I would locate a tree, perfect in shape and height for the occasion. We brought it in and position it in its assigned place. It stood for a few hours or days, without any ornaments or decoration. It was free of the trappings that were about to use to transform its exterior.

The ornaments were brought out of storage, and the process began. Little by little and one by one, the accessories were added. In time, the tree took on a different appearance. That which was common and natural was now masqueraded to represent that for which it was never intended.

Israel spent four hundred years in Egypt. They had adopted their culture, their dress, their gods and their morals. God brought them out of Egypt to Sinai in order to transform them into a holy nation. Not only did they need re-educating, they also needed to strip themselves of all Egypt’s external ornaments in order to worship God in Spirit and truth.

We must ask ourselves; what ornaments do we need to get rid of before coming to worship God? Many of the ornaments are toward the bottom of the tree and inward. These are anger, wrath, strife, lust and adultery. Further up the tree, you will find pride, haughtiness, arrogance, conceit, and self-centeredness. May God help us to remove all these distractions from our inner man and serve Him with a pure heart.

JESUS WEPT

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JESUS WEPT
By Ken Blue
(Here is a poem I wrote several years ago right after my mothers death)

I preached a funeral sometime ago for someone unknown to me.
I chose a text, found a poem and rehearsed the eulogy.

I preached a funeral sometime ago for someone unknown to me.
The mourners sat behind the veil, their faces I could not see.

I preached a funeral sometime ago for someone unknown to me.
I expounded my text, quoted a poem and read the eulogy.

I preached a funeral sometime ago for someone unknown to me.
The mourners wept, I excused myself to collect my clergy fee.

I attended a funeral the other day of someone beloved to me
A text was read, a poem said, then the eulogy.

I sat behind the misty veil where many a mourner had sat
I needed a friend to hold my hand, but no comfort did I get.

I stood beside the casket numbed, my loved one’s face to see
This mourner lingered, the Reverend left to collect his clergy fee.

He had no time for a tender smile nor extends a compassionate hand.
I went my way that lonely day a wiser, better man.

I thought of a funeral of a former day in the town of Bethany
Veils could not hide the pain inside from the Lord of Eternity

Beneath the stone a loved one lay, in swaddling clothes he slept.
It was not for him, but for them our dear Master wept.

Jesus wept when He saw their sorrow, He groaned when He saw their pain
His love to all was evident, His compassion He could not refrain

“Dear Lord may I through compassionate eyes see the others’ needs
May my heart do its part as my lips do their deeds”

I preached a funeral the other day for someone unknown to me
I choose a text, selected a poem and did it prayerfully

I preached a funeral the other day; mourners’ faces from view were kept
But Jesus knew and He saw through the veil and so we wept.

By Ken Blue 8/5/00

OUR BEST ≤ 0

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OUR BEST ≤ 0
By Ken Blue
“Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.” Psalms 39:5.

It is difficult, if not impossible for us to accept that there is nothing good in any of us. We believe there must be something deep inside that is noble and acceptable, at least, some of the time. But, the writers of the Scriptures contradict those self-righteous thoughts, and your own experience will confirm this truth when you are brought face to face with God and self.

The best example of this truth is Job. Humanly speaking, Job was better than the best. Even God attested to his character. But, the issue before God was not how He saw Job, but how Job saw himself. It is one thing to give mental assent to the indictment, but quite another to experience and feel the weight of the truth. Have you come to the place where you know that your best is corrupt? If not, you do not understand God or yourself.

Job said, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5-6. There is a world of difference between hearing and seeing. We have heard, but do we see? Peter confessed this when he said, “When… he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8. Paul acknowledged the same truth. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…” Romans 7:18.

Blessed is the believer who has been enabled by God’s Spirit to experience this truth. The process is painful and fearful, but the realization is liberating and wonderful. The outcome is one that casts the believer wholly on the mercy and love of God. So, accept the fact that your best is less than vanity and allow it to teach you God’s wonderful love and grace.