Author: Rev. Charles Pugh

We are approaching 08-08-08 and many are planning to be married on this day of “new beginnings.”  While that is not what I am talking about in this blog entitled love life, it is an interesting parallel thought.  🙂

When Tragedy comes into your life, you naturally begin to focus on the circumstances of what happened.  If your focus remains on the bad circumstances, you will begin to lose sight of the bigger picture (c.f. my 04-26-08 Blog “PERSPECTIVE”) and the good that can come.  Focusing on the tragedy alone will also lead to negative thinking of what could happen in the future (worry).  If you LOVE LIFE, you will learn to accept the good and the bad, awaiting the day when only the good will prevail…

The Bible book of First Peter talks about this.  I Peter 3:10 says, “For he who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.”  The greater context is very appropriate too.  Loving life means that you do not allow your tongue to talk about (nor your mind to dwell on) the negative things.  There is a problem with life as we know it (c.f. my recent 07-12-08 Blog, “Paradise Lost”).

There is a day coming when faith will become sight and we must love life and the Creator of life to be prepared for that Day!  Jesus did say, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

You will either live your life by Fear or FAITH–which is in essence Feeling, or else you will live by Sight, which is limited and often controlled by feeling.  Why is this my blog emphasis today?  What does this have to do with prevailing through the VT Tragedy and all the tragedies of life?  It is illustrated perfectly through the tragedy in my life (stemming from the VT Tragedy) that will come to a court trial at the end of this month.

It is especially important that you think about these things so that you can best prevail through tragedies or the unexpected problems in life.  You live your life through what you see happening and how you feel about these things.  When you look to make decisions about direction, either FEAR or FAITH will characterize and guide your actions (or inaction).  It is like a two sided coin (fear being the down side and faith being the up side).

When you focus on the negative or what MIGHT happen that you do not like, then your decisions will be based on fear.  When you focus on the positive and what good could happen, then your decisions will be based on faith.  The Bible says that those who are “just” will “live by faith” (Romans 1:17).  It also says that those who know God “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Has tragedy brought fear into your life?  You should let it bring FAITH!  If you see the Creation as reflective of the Creator, you will come to KNOW this Creator, Who is the LORD JESUS CHRIST (THE WORD of John 1) through HIS special Revelation—the Bible.  If you have questions there, please contact me (info. Below) or check out this website further or even link to the Answers In Genesis site (see the block question on the right).  If you wonder about how things are changing around you, maybe you should look at my 06-13-08 Blog “Fear and Change.”  Regardless, you should learn to walk by faith until faith becomes sight, hope is realized, and love is the only thing left (c.f. 1 Corinthians 13: 13).

The news of the fires in Paradise, California show the devastation that “natural disasters” can bring.  It brings my mind to think about the root of why the Virginia Tech Tragedy occurred.  It makes me wonder if GOD is not trying to get the attention of one of our States because of the recent ground breaking judicial activist decision.  It reminds me of why evil is so rampant in many parts of the world and even why there are also devastating disasters in nature.  It is because Paradise was lost….

I mentioned in a previous blog (April 22nd, “Mother Nature vs. Father Creator”) that something happened to seriously impact the “very good” universe that GOD Created.  Through the disobedience of one free moral agent (Lucifer) sin entered into this universe.  Through the delusion of this one the mother of all living (Eve) was deceived.  Through the misguided love of this woman, man (Adam) brought sin into this world (c.f. Romans 5:12).  Separation (death) occurred at each level and brought GOD’S Just judgment.

In GOD’S Mercy, HE made a way for death to be conquered.  GOD’S way for mankind’s fall into sin to be bridged was to make a bridge of Himself.  JESUS CHRIST was born into this world and was crucified by His own people.  His crucifixion allowed for the bridge to be built and it was fortified and proven true when His Body was buried and then sprang forth from the power of physical death.  The imagery here to all in life is fascinating to those who think about it.

I see the news of Paradise burning and it reminds me of the true Paradise that was lost (at least lost to us here and now).  (See also the most recent poem “To Be FREE” that I wrote for July 4th [and all] linked under the Poems tab above).  This Paradise is not lost forever, but is soon coming back to the earth again when JESUS CHRIST will reign!  Where will you be then; where will I?  The answers can be known now!  It need not be a mystery.  Check out the other items on this site to learn more.

As noted in my 05-30-08 Blog, (“Inform, Communicate and Act”) communication is at the core between information and action.  If the proper information is not there it cannot be communicated.  If the right action does not follow, then there must be something blocking proper communication.  Proper Communication is the key to proper action, even as evidenced where I worked today.  If you doubt what I am saying here, just test it and see if it is not reality.

GOD has COMMUNICATED to us in many ways, yet we often are too blind to see it.  We miss SO MUCH!  MUCH was missed leading up to the VT Tragedy, as has been noted and recorded in the Special Commission Report Virginia Governor Kaine appointed to investigate (found on his website (http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TempContent/techpanelreport.cfm ).  MUCH was missed leading up to my own personal tragedy and has been all along the way.  We had best do more to consider what all we might be missing, especially things that we cannot physically see.

From GOD’S General Communication (Creation) came HIS Written Communication (the Bible) and then HIS PERSONAL COMMUNICATION (The Person of JESUS CHRIST).  We would do well to consider these three, if we hope to receive further Communication from HIM!  When we use these keys, GOD will open the door of fellowship and blessings to us (c.f. Rev. 3:20) and accomplish GREAT THINGS in and through us!

Have you ever thought about what psychology is? Many I have known or talked with are studying this field of knowledge. There is even a psychology of pets (c.f. my 06-17-08 blog, “Intelligence and Ignorance”). The problem is that there are hundreds of opinions in the field of psychology. I have been involuntarily evaluated by several of these theories and found to be “psychotic, delusional, incapable of making an informed decision,” etc. (incidentally, what is still keeping my family apart and continuing the Tragedy in my own life). I was held against my will (even in America) and forcibly medicated. GOD is teaching me lessons (c.f. all on this site) and I hope I can help teach you some of these too—to prevail through your own journey of tragedies in life!

I have had enough of the dominance of psychological nonsense! Some will fight against me (as they have) and seek to expel me (as has happened) as they will any who glorify man’s opinions. Our society and even our churches, including many of our leaders, have even become “psyched out.” Seung Hui-Cho was judged psychotic (and had real problems), but was not properly helped. He needed SPIRITUAL HELP (c.f. the GOSPEL tab above. I have been judged “psychotic” too (because of my pure faith).

I am a minister of the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST and all of HIS Truth. I challenge you to investigate this, both in history and even the reality in my own life (as demonstrated on this site and to all around me). I am willing to speak or preach about these lessons I am learning for any group or church. See my contact info. below. BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY is FAR SUPERIOR to any philosophical system in life! I am proving the reality of that in my life, as you can too, unless modern psychological theory has you “psyched out.”

Please seek to be mentally stable by being spiritually stable. It will have tremendous effects on your physical body too! HAVE THE MIND OF JESUS CHRIST–c.f. Phil. 2:1-8.