Grandpa Myers was "The Man"

On this day, back in 1931, my grandfather, Harold Edward Myers, was born.  It has been 21  years since he departed into the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ, but I still remember him well and love him, and look forward to seeing him again someday!  

You could say that Grandpa Myers was "the man":

- The man who taught me to see the Creator's handiwork in a tulip, a trout, the woods, and so on.  I recall the sound of his voice called me to watch the timed release of a lily opening that he had caught on his big camcorder, and gush over each movement at the intricacy of the Great Engineer.

- The man who seemingly could do anything, from building benches and birdhouses, to gardening all types of vegetables, fruit trees, berries, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes, as well as decorative plants and flowers, to hunting and fishing, to riding horses, and building a lodge pole pine home to live in for a month at a time in the mountains of Colorado.  In his hands, things came together, and green things grew.

- The man who had built a great fireplace room on his house at 4041 Ruby Avenue, including a ladder to a loft, where grandchildren took refuge to play, to built forts, and fire imaginations.  he also taught me to build my first fire in that handmade stone fireplace.  He loved to see his descendants swinging on the various outside tree swings he constructed for them, his grandsons rushing around, and his granddaughters playing ballerina.  

- The man who invented Grandpa's "World Famous Fairly Good Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies"!  Grandpa's house was always smelling of things cooking, baking, or barbecuing.  His stews, home canned goods, smoked catfish were amazing.  I remember how he made fresh carrot juice just because his thirsty little grandson asked for it.  He also shot and cooked a squirrel for me to eat too. 

- The man who came to Christ as a young man, and later told me of his testimony, of the crushing burden of his sin, and how as he rose from his knees, the burden was gone, and how as he walked away, it felt as though his feet didn't touch the ground.

- The man who loved his Savior, and delighted to memorize Scripture, and could quote the book of Ephesians in a way to strike the soul.

- The man who loved his wife, his children, and his grandchildren intensely, who was always along the way, teaching in word and deed, about the Bible, about character, about diligence, about protecting one's own kin.

- The man who led my daddy to Jesus at the age of 4, who then grew up to lead his son (me) to trust on Jesus when I was 3.

- The man with an unbelievable Irish tenor voice, who was awakened one night, and wrote the powerful lyrics "My Work Well Done" to the tune of the Londonderry Aire, which became the family theme song.

- The man who was paralyzed down half his body with a stroke spent many hours, days, months, and years sending emails on his WebTV, sharing the Gospel with people far and wide, encouraging the saints with the word of God, and wit and wisdom God had taught him.

- The man who typed lovingly with his one functional hand, and finished every message with: "Rejoicing in the benefits of Calvary."

- The man who went on to glory before me, and caused me to desire Heaven more fervently.

- The man I wish my children could have met and known as I did.

- The man who told me, "You are a son of the King of kings.  Behave as one should." 

Grandpa and Grandma had 7 children, 36 grandchildren, and 57 great grandchildren so far.  

I am blessed to be descended from such a man.

Abortion must be abolished.

Someone's Throwing Stuff!

 A Public Service Announcement for my Christian brethren...

When you stand publicly for Christ and those made in His image, delivering truth in a world that loves lies, whether you are speaking or simply holding a sign, you may find that not everyone will approve or appreciate or applaud that outreach.  Some will heckle, try to drown out or block, or even throw stuff at the evangelist.  This is not new.  Men like Stephen (Acts 7:54-60), and later Paul (Acts 14:5,19), had stones thrown to execute them (Of course, Paul got back up from it-Acts 14:20).  Most of the time the throwing of objects is not fatal.

George Whitefield, John Wesley, and other street preachers in the past (like the old time Salvation Army with William Booth) have proclaimed the Gospel and been the recipients of all manner of suffering, including being pelted with tomatoes, heads of old lettuce, and rotten eggs. 

And it should be no surprise, for we are assured of the blessing of persecution.  Philippians 1:129 "for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;"  It ought to be confessed that having produce hurled at you is on the lower end of persecution, but it is on the scale.

Many Christians involved in open air ministry have experience this.  It is almost a badge of service, with an honorable history, to be treated thus while countering evils, and sharing the precious way of salvation.  We can, by God's grace, "Count it all joy".

Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Luke 6:22-23 "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."

It is one paradox of the Christian walk, that believers persecuted for the LORD, can simultaneously be weeping and leaping.  Weeping over the hardness of men's hearts and leaping at the privilege to share in that suffering.

I myself have had a variety of objects, including snowballs, bottles, cups, cigarettes, and spittle cast my way, water dumped on me, or thrown in my face.  People briving by who see us may lob anything that comes to hand, whether it be a glass bottle of Starbucks coffee, an unopened water bottle, a cup filled with pop, or even a large container of hand sanitizer with a pump! [I hasten to say that in many incidents, the objects do not make contact, as many people have lousy aim, especially those throwing from a car window.] 

Most of the time it seems like a spur of the moment choice, a knee-jerk reaction as it were, though some months ago, someone made the premeditated choice to prep an open bottle filled with urine.  That is in the photo below, now empty of its contents.

Yes, diverse things have been tossed, but I say one of the more unique items is the last instance I will mention here.  A few weeks ago, someone was so reckless in their rush to express their disapproval, that when they grabbed for the contents of their cupholder and threw as they drove past, it so happened that, including in the trash and bottle, was a number of coins.  I will admit that I desire to see change to do ministry, but not that kind.

And this morning, while standing at the same place, I found two more of the coins that remained, to pennies as you can see.

Those of you who engage in public evangelism, did you ever have money thrown at you in opposition of your outreach?  Looking down at my hand, I realize that maybe they were just trying to give me their two cents worth.  This could be quite the example of sacrificial giving, considering the lack of sense in our society today.

Abortion must be abolished.

Imago Dei or DEI?

From the first chapter in the Bible, we find this declaration. 

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:26-27).

This is called the Imago Dei (Latin), and is an incredibly profound truth, that all humans are created in the image of God.  

This should cause us to recognize our responsibility to our Creator, respond humbly in relationship with Him, and rightly deal with other humans as fellow image-bearers (with proper kindness, honor, justice, and patience).  There is a unity in understanding and applying this truth—we were "made of one blood" (Acts 17:26), designed by God for His glory (Isaiah 43:7).  The certainty of the word of truth gives a foundation for purpose and proper living in this present world (Proverbs 22:20-21).  The Imago Dei is the basis for human rights, that all humans are image-bearers of the Creator God. 

It is the grounds for providing just judgment in government, "...for in the image of God made he man" (Genesis 9:6), excluding "the respect of persons" in judgment (Exodus 23:3,6; James 2:4), giving rise to impartiality (Deuteronomy 16:19).  

However,  

What happens when the world loses that knowledge... 

Multitudes in our culture today have rejected their Creator and thus have no basis for the true understanding of the Imago Dei.  This has resulted in manifold abuses and various vain ideals that serve as idols in souls and society as a whole.  

For instance, many recently have swallowed a narrative, and bowed to the Idol known as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).  This acronym just so happens to have the same letters as the Latin word for God (DEI).  

Millions have bowed down to this made-up deity in our society—this god of “glorified Self’—but DEI has only brought division, entitlement, and iniquity no matter the proposed compassion toward all humans it claims to give.  Those who worship at the feet of image of DEI, are in danger of becoming like the lying vanities they embrace, and forsake their own mercy (Psalm 115:8; Jonah 2:8).  

As with many other false philosophies, the fruit born from DEI leads to confusion, oppression, abuse, and injustice. 

Human rights cannot long survive the full-scale onslaught upon the reality of the Imago Dei.  We must submit to God and His word, saying with the psalmist, in Psalm 119:73, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments."

Sons of Adam and daughters of Eve who have this understanding are able to and must reject every thought and philosophy that exalts itself against the knowledge of their Creator, and bring the truth into conflict with the culture that hates God and loves death (Proverbs 8:36).  DEI is where true equality goes to DIE.  

But the Imago Dei provides a framework for life from the Author of LIFE that works.  

By the way, Abortion must be abolished.

Something to Consider if an Abolitionist is not Running in your Area.

The next time an election comes around, if you don’t have an abolitionist running in your district, consider running yourself, if you can. 

That way you will have someone to vote for. 

Moreover, you will be giving your neighbors a just option, thus loving your neighbors as yourself. 

It gives you an opportunity and a platform to shine light in the darkness, to seed a culture with the truth of God's word.  "Duty is ours. Results are God's."  Whatever happens with the election results, when you do it this way, you win, because God is glorified, and more people have heard the call for Justice and Truth than before. 

That is what I did. 

 Jeremiah 5:1 “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.” 

For years, this verse has stirred me and spurred me to seek to call legislators to justice and truth. The last words of the last verse of chapter 4 (the words prior to this verse), say “my soul is weary because of murderers.” 

Then it came to my attention in 2024:

No one in my district was running to abolish child sacrifice. 

No one was even running as a ProLifer for the state house in my district. 

It was then, realizing no one else was stepping up, and that there was a total void, that the first two words of Jeremiah 5:1 leaped out at me: “Run YE”.  So I ran.

That race was a great opportunity to share truth with others in my district about Justice and Truth and Love in Jesus’ name.  I was blessed to give truthful literature door to door with neighbors in the community, and WAS EXPECTED TO DO SO.  I was able to present the Gospel message to groups that I would never had been invited to speak to otherwise.   

I was able to expose how we live in Bleeding Kansas (A.K.A. the Sunflower State)  and need to make like a sunflower and repent, turning back to the Son.

I got to declare that Jesus is King, and that abortion, being murder, must be abolished. 

I ended up receiving amazing 36% of the vote in a heavily Democratic district.  I am grateful for the testimony of truth that was declared in the two abolitionist campaigns in Kansas that year, and do trust Christ for the results, for the seeds sown, and the light shone.  And there continues to be fruit from that campaign.

This is meant to be an encouragement to my brethren in the battle wherever you may be. 

Abortion Must Be Abolished.

The Sense of the Abolition Symbol

I boldly use the symbol of abolition.  I wear it on my person and display it on my property.  

It was created to be a symbol used to stand out and identify those who are abolitionists, to set us apart from the ProLife movement,  to seed the culture, to spread the message, to stir curiosity and become a springboard for dialogue to explain what it means.  

This symbol has sparked fruitful conversations, for many people have asked what the symbol means.  You see, it is not merely a logo, or a trendy trademark.  It is a symbol with great theological and practical significance.

Simply, it stands for AHA = Abolish Human Abortion.

Notice that the upper A is upright, while the lower A is upended.  

The first A stands for God's Law which is upright.  God commands equal justice and declares, "Thou shalt do no murder" (Matthew 19:18). 

The second A stands for man's law, which has subverted God's Law, turning it upside down, declaring that "murder of some is allowed."  It is partiality and causes unequal measures in judgment.  James 2:4 "Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?"

But God's Law is higher than man's law, and government leaders and peoples will answer to Him.

Psalm 82:1-4 "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy..."

Psalm 119:126 "It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."

Psalm 94:20 "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?"

Jeremiah 22:3 "Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place." 

Isaiah 10:1-2 "Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed..."

Abolitionists may be accused (by proaborts and ProLifers alike) of "turning the world-side-down," but the problem is that our society is already subverted in sin and rebellion against the living Triune God of the Bible, and we are calling our neighbors, our magistrates, and society as a whole, to repent with us.  Remember the cry of the prophets: Jeremiah 25:5 "They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings..."  O, that justice subverted may be turned over, and submitted to agree with the LORD!  

Furthermore, the two lines of the H demonstrate two major Biblical propositions.  Those two uprights of the H are actually two capital I's.      

Imago Dei - Image of God.  Genesis 9:6 makes it clear why murder is wrong: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

Incarnation of Jesus - God the Son entered the womb to redeem the world.  John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."  Jesus did NOT take on humanity as an adult, or a toddler, or even an infant in a manger.  He came as a zygote, a fertilized human, to live and die for sinners, and rise again to bring redemption to mankind. 

These children are made in the image of God, and are being murdered in the place of the incarnation of the Savior.  Therefore, on the basis of both Creation and Salvation, we stand in opposition to the abomination of child sacrifice called abortion.

[This was the symbol that Abolitionists of Slavery utilized, to identify their position and spread their message.  They put the symbol everywhere, on their businesses, on their jewelry, etc.  If you consider the words on it, you will find that they had the same Biblical propositions:  "AM NOT I A MAN?" (God created the slaves in His image also) "AND A BROTHER" (Jesus died for them too).]

The two lines also represent the two major modes of Abolition: 

Assistance- seek to rescue and aid the weak.

Agitation- seek to provoke the heart and warn the wicked.

The two lines also make an Equal Sign, for we are seeking to establish equal justice, protection from murder under the law for all humans.

The 5 ends of the lines in the upright A of Abolish can symbolize the five tenets of Abolition.

[You can find these tenets further explained on this same blog site.]

Lastly, 

The three lines of the H can also be reminders of the three aspects that guide Abolitionists in what we do, and in what legislation we will support.

1. JUSTICE- Is it just? Deuteronomy 16:19-20 "...That which is altogether just shalt thou follow..."

2. TRUTH- Is it true?  Exodus 23:7 "Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked."

3. LOVE- Is it loving?  James 2:8-9 "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:..."

I hope this is helpful, not only for your understanding, but also that it may equip you to explain the theological significance of this symbol.  May Jesus be glorified in the obedience of His people!

Abortion must be abolished.