Trent Ruble's Blog: The Other Way It Is , page 6

What Will Be Will Be

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Romans 8:29-30, NIV 1984)

Free will is a strange concept. It seems simple enough, but have you ever noticed that, when you try to predict what someone will do at a specific moment, they almost always let you down. You may know their character, as well as what they've done in the past, but when you decide to predict their next move, they won't do it. That's free will. However, if you try and predict how many of a group will do a certain thing, you will always be very close if you base your prediction on past statistics. When you study statistics of this nature, it will make you believe that we operate of one mind.

God tells us through numerous authors of the Bible that we have free will (Psalm 110:3, Luke 13:3) but also tells us that we are predestined (Romans 8:29-30). That seems strangely contradictory and only God knows exactly what that means. But, He also knows that, even when some are called, they won't necessarily follow Him. And, because He is omniscient (Jeremiah 1:5, 29:11), He knows who will follow and who won't. Since our free will makes us susceptible to the power of suggestion, I suggest we follow Him because He is God and He is the only way. The payoff is big (John 3:16).

Believe It or Not!

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29, NIV 1984)



We struggle with all kinds of sin in our lives, which very nearly equates to selfishness. But, the most common sin among believers is... unbelief! If we really believed our lost friends and family were going to suffer for eternity, separated from God, would we let them pass on without doing everything in our power to guide them toward the Truth? Yet many times we do nothing. And, have you ever wondered why we don't see miracles performed like were performed by the disciples? I'm convinced it is because of our unbelief.

If you don't think you're one who suffers from unbelief, then consider the sin in your life. The one sin with which you struggle most should come to mind immediately. Whatever it is, would you do it if Jesus were standing in front of you? Of course we would make every effort to be on our best behavior. But, Jesus is standing in front of you all the time. If we truly believed it, we would refrain from our favorite sin.

Jesus knew this was going to be problem. He advised us against our unbelief when he said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Luke 18:17, NIV 1984) Those of us who are parents know full well that our young children can be completely convinced of their beliefs without the slightest evidence. This is the kind of blind faith necessary for salvation and, to make it easier for us "adults," God gives us loads of evidence upon which to base it (Romans 1:20).

I often think of how great it would be to have been in the presence of Jesus during his ministry on Earth. It would have been so easy to have that child-like faith if we'd heard him teach and seen him perform the miracles. Well, that didn't seem to be the case for the disciples. Jesus had to ask them more than once, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40, NIV 1984) It seems that the disciples, even though they witnessed Jesus performing miracles, could only perform miracles themselves after they were filled by the Holy Spirit. It was then that their lives changed and they became bold evangelists. We have the Holy Spirit, but not the faith.

So, do we have any hope? I think we do. As any parent knows, even children who blindly believe in Jesus, continue to sin.

California Dreamin'

Just as the world once looked to our great nation and longed for The American Dream, America was California Dreamin'. The beautiful west coast state has everything anyone could want; great beaches, fertile farmland, majestic mountains, deserts, and forests, as well as "gold in them thar hills." Beyond these natural attributes, California is the capital of the world in areas such as information technology and the television and film industry. And, as the capital of the entertainment industry, California lured us with its self portrayal. We saw the beautiful tree-lined neighborhoods in "The Brady Bunch" and "E.T." We heard of the wonderful beaches from the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. Even the deceptive portrayal of effective government in "Adam 12" and "Emergency" made us want to come to the Golden State. All these wonderful features drew millions making California the most populous state in the nation. But, it could soon become our first failed state.



So, what went wrong? Why are more people moving out of California than moving in (NBC Los Angeles)? It isn't just because of California's reputation as the land of Granola (fruits, nuts and flakes). It's been that way since the 1960s. It's obvious that the state's big government is a big part of the problem. The government tries to do too much, some of it unwanted, and then increases taxes to pay for it. In fact, many of those in the mass exodus are the wealthy, such as Tiger Woods, who publicly stated that he moved from California to Florida in order to avoid the super high income tax (breitbart.com). The federal government is complicit as it failed to regard public will when the court overturned Proposition 8 (The Hollywood Reporter), thus allowing gay marriage, and continues to fail as it refuses to secure the southern border.

But, even as California slips from the pedestal upon which we placed it, it remains the trendsetter as America is following the same path. Instead, we should be looking at the example and making adjustments so we don't suffer the same fate, if it's not too late.

Gambling with Poverty

I know there are many who struggle with a gambling addiction, but I'm not one of them. I have other vices. For some reason, the allure of gambling never gets to me. Instead, I can clearly see that organized gambling is designed to profit the organizer (many times a criminal organization) and it would be extremely unlikely that I would gain anything from it.



A friend of mine went to Las Vegas a few years ago and won $12,000. I told him that he should never go back because the likelihood of winning again was very small. He went anyway and lost. I guess he doesn't think of it the same way I do. I see the same mentality at the convenience store near the university where I work. There I see a constant flow of people buying lottery tickets. I can tell by their appearance that most of them cannot afford the few dollars they spend on the them. Occasionally there is a winner that comes in to collect, but almost invariably uses the winnings to buy more tickets then leaves with nothing.

States have found that lotteries provide an easy source of revenue that can be used to fund important projects like schools and can provide relief to taxpayers. It amounts to a voluntary tax paid by the ones least able to afford it. I, for one, pay enough taxes. And, I am not convinced that the groups receiving the money aren't wasting it. While I'm not going to suggest the end to lotteries or gambling in general, I would suggest that those involved look at the big picture before deciding to risk their hard-earned money on such long odds.

The Wages of Sin

In my former position as a police detective, I had many unfortunate opportunities to be in the presence of someone recently deceased. Thankfully, many people find death fascinating. They're the ones who become forensic pathologists, coroners or morticians. Without their services we'd have a rather terrible problem. But, I find death unnerving.



Death is a consuming thing. When I would be at the scene of a recent death, I found that my focus would be riveted on the deceased, with death's presence filling the room like a fog. It was overpowering. And, even in the absence of violence, it was ugly. The most beautiful woman, who may have been God's greatest artwork, is ugly in death. Her skin will be gray and her blood pooled around points where her body rests. Her eyes, once beautiful windows to her soul, will be cloudy and lifeless. And, depending on how long she's been dead, she can be bloated beyond recognition, emitting a foul odor you'll never forget. I'm already embarrassed about how I will look when someone finds my dead body someday. I don't think Mom's advice about always wearing clean underwear is going to help much.

In addition to the physical attributes of the dead, I am keenly aware of the value of life and how the deceased will live no longer. They will not laugh, love or learn. There are no more aspirations. The totality of their knowledge is gone. Everything they ever saw, heard, touched, smelled or tasted was recorded in their brain, but is now gone. The loss is devastating, especially for their family and friends.






Death is difficult to reconcile. I've given a lot of thought to the idea, even using it as the basis for my first book, Harrison Davis: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. But, although death is difficult to understand, I believe I know why myself and many others are so averse to it. I think it's because we were never intended to die. When God created Adam and Eve, he intended for them to live forever. Death was a consequence of their sin and continues to be a consequence of our sins. So, even though it is a natural occurrence that we all must face, it isn't really natural at all.

But, we are not without hope. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV 1984) This will not be a physical life as we know it, but a spiritual life after death. It's a free gift but, in order to benefit from this promise, we must consciously accept the gift. It is my hope that you will join with me in the knowledge that we will never die, but live eternally in the presence of God.

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To (and it's a good thing!)

I crashed my first car 35 years ago this week, totaling it and my boss' son's car at the same time. If that wasn't bad enough, the police officer at the scene told my dad I'd been traveling at least 65 mph on the city street, which could have been an underestimate. I guess I was lucky in that I wasn't injured and I didn't hit the house, although it was so close that I couldn't fit my finger between my bumper and the garage. A few years after the accident I became a coworker of the same officer and learned that he was not an accident reconstructionist, which means my original claim that the accident was caused by mechanical failure is still a possibility.

(1970 Chevrolet Impala)

That first car of mine was the green 1970 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe pictured above. It was eight years old at the time of the crash and had about 90,000 miles on the odometer. It also had rust holes in the front fenders right behind the wheel wells. I'd owned it for about six months. It would seem that a car of that age and mileage should be able to survive my slamming on the brakes when a car got between me and my friend, whom I was trying to catch. But, instead, the A-frame broke leaving me unable to steer as it slid off the street and onto my boss' property and into his son's car. The shiny one he spent hours washing, waxing and vacuuming.

(1992 Chevrolet Lumina)

In those days, 100,000 miles was considered to be about the end of an automobile's life. The quality of cars made a few years later, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was even worse as automobile manufacturers struggled to meet government fuel economy guidelines. But, cars made since the 1980s routinely last into the 120,000 mile range. Three of my cars lasted beyond 130,000 miles, including the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina pictured above that I sold at 177,000.

The cars of today are not only made to last longer, they are more powerful and more fuel efficient, too. For example, my first Corvette, a 1977 model, produced only 165 hp. Compare that to my mini-van, a 2007 Dodge Caravan, which is rated at 215. I think my first Impala used a gallon of gasoline every 10 or 15 miles as opposed to my current Impala (I've had four), which is 38 years newer and averages about 22 mpg, even with its more powerful V8 engine. I just wish the newer cars had more style, such as the 1961 Impala seen below. Even "retro" models like the new Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers lack the style of the 1960s.

(1961 Chevrolet Impala)

But, even with all these improvements, I am suspicious of the giant automobile companies in that I believe the cars can be made of even higher quality. Automobile companies certainly profit when we must replace our cars, but they also profit from repairs and replacement parts thus reducing their incentive to improve their product. Our only hope is in their adversary; competition.

What Comes After

My international friends may not want to admit it, but it's true; the United States of America is and has been for many years the greatest nation in the history of the world. But, things are changing and, just as Egypt, Greece, Rome, Britain, and Spain are no longer the dominant forces they once were, so it will be for America someday. I used to believe that day was in the far off future, but now I can see the beginning of the end (see America the Once Great, Part 1, November 14, 2011, and Part 2, November 22, 2011). And, after watching congress this week, I'm more certain now than ever.



So, then what? What will become of us once the interest on our debt completely consumes our Gross National Product? How will we manage when our infrastructure fails because we can't afford to maintain it? When that day comes we will most likely sink toward third-world status. But, maybe, there's another way.

Maybe we should liquidate the federal government (which has served us so poorly as of late), except for the assets of the Department of Defense, pay off our debt and then divide what's left among the states. Of course, there may not be anything left after paying off the debt. The states would then be free to become independent or join with other states to form new nations. But, free-spending, big government states like New York and Massachusetts should go their way while conservative states like Texas and Arizona go theirs. Otherwise, we'll end up in the same position again.

The only remnants of the former United States we would need would be an alliance solely for the mutual defense of the new nations and for the settlement of disputes between them. This alliance should be governed by a council made up of representatives of each of the states.

I know this sounds like crazy-talk and I don't want it to happen any more than any of you. I just can't see how our nation can survive this path of destruction and I think we should start thinking about what comes next. Hopefully, we'll never live to see it. I think that's wishful thinking.

The Ever Expanding Family

Family is one of the greatest gifts God gave us. I love my family and I love when it gets bigger, which makes next year extra special. We're getting a new grandson and a new daughter-in-law.



Our son, Taylor, proposed to his girlfriend, Kara, last month and will be married in May. Kara is a very nice girl whom he met while away at college. She's so nice, in fact, that we might have chosen her for him ourselves if we'd had the chance. We're blessed in that we feel the same way about our son-in-law, Todd, who became part of the family seven years ago when he married Ashley, our oldest.

I've enjoyed listening as Taylor and Kara make their plans for the wedding and for their lives. I don't know if they appreciated it or not, but my wife and I took the opportunity to talk them about their upcoming marriage, as most parents do. They listened respectfully as we stressed the value of marriage and its permanence, as well as the amount of dedication required for it to succeed (see Until Death, April 01, 2012). Their marriage would most likely succeed even without our advice because, like Todd and Ashley, they are both very intelligent, strong Christian people. But, like most parents, we can't help but to pass along to our children the life lessons we've learned. I hope they do the same for their own children someday.

We look forward to adding two more wonderful souls to our family next year, as well as the future spouses and children of our two youngest, Aaron and Roselyn, in the not-so-distant future. However, with marriages come the blessings of even more grandchildren. We may have to rent a reception hall just to celebrate Christmas! It's a wonderful problem to have.

These 52 United States

Everybody, with the possible exception of President Obama, knows that there are 50 states in this union. And, with these 50 states comes complete gridlock as it seems the country is split nearly evenly between conservatives and liberals (see The Polar Nightmare, December 24, 2011). That's bad enough. What would be worse would be a split leaving liberals as the overwhelming majority and that's what's about to happen.

(52 star flag)

On November 6th, 2012, 61% of voters in somewhat liberal Puerto Rico voted in favor of statehood. On December 8th, 2012, Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut introduced a bill providing for the overwhelmingly left-leaning District of Columbia to be admitted to the union as a state. Though the population of these two areas is low, the new states would each have two senators, just like all others. Here's an illustration of how unfair this would be: The population of the two potential states is 4.3 million. Together they would be represented by four, likely democratic, senators. Meanwhile, conservative Texas' 25.6 million residents are represented by only two senators.

Speaking of Texas, 119,000 of its residents recently petitioned the White House requesting that they be allowed to secede from the union even as DC and Puerto Rico propose to be admitted. While it's easy to see the frustration Texas residents have felt since the recent election, their succession would be devastating. If Texas were to leave, our ship would list permanently to the left, disfiguring our nation beyond recognition.

Allowing that Texas will probably not secede, a possible solution would be to admit Puerto Rico as a state and make DC a part of already liberal Maryland. This would provide all the benefits of citizenship to residents of those areas without completely destroying the fragile balance.

Unspeakable

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, NIV 1984)

It seems that every week there's another school or mall shooting and we don't know if we can take it anymore. The innocent victims are generally the most defenseless among us but represent the most potential. I grieve with all of you at their loss. The shooters are almost always captured and convicted or killed at the scene. What more can we do? First we must realize that we cannot stop evil so long as we live in this fallen world. Even so, we can fight it. As individuals and churches we must pray for God's wisdom and protection. Meanwhile our public safety authorities must look at the commonalities involved in order to best defend our people.

So, why are there so many of these mass killings? Why is it that our Western society seems so especially susceptible? And, why is it that these shootings were rare forty years ago? I'm not a psychologist so anything I say carries little weight. But, I think it's obvious that part of the problem lies in the killers' infamy perpetuated by the media. Underlying that is the godlessness that is most definitely the root of it. But, it's the desensitization caused by years of watching violent movies, television shows and, especially, video games that enables them to commit such horrific acts. What are not causing these shootings are guns, as some would want us to believe. As we all know, guns can't pull their own triggers. In fact, if more teachers carried guns, these shootings would result in far less injury and death. Many don't want to hear that.



Our children are a target rich environment to which violent TV shows and video games are directed, just as schools and malls are target rich environments for killers wishing to inflict the most damage. In addition to all the other problems caused by these shows and games (learning disabilities, ADD, etc...), the intense, realistic violence to which our kids are exposed comes when their developing brains are most vulnerable. Couple that violent imagery with someone, especially a male, who has other mental issues, and it makes for a very dangerous situation.

Everyone would recognize the danger of a person taking a drug, such as PCP, and then wandering into society. We must now recognize the danger of a godless loner absorbing years of violent imagery who continues living among us. It's time, for the sake of everyone, to make these shows and games unavailable.

Eventually the shootings will cease as all other suffering will. Peter told us that "the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:10-11, NIV 1984)