Author Archive: STRAIGHT TO THE TOP!

AHHHHH! . . . . . . . TEXAS MY TEXAS #2

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 26, 2015 | 2 Comments

America’s biggest ranch The Waggoner on sale for $725m in Texas | Daily Mail Online By James Dunn For Mailonline

America’s biggest ranch, which is larger than New York City, goes on sale for $725million in Texas

The Waggoner Ranch is the largest contiguous ranch in the United States spanning six counties in Northern Texas
Listing marks end of decades-long court battle among heirs of cattle baron W.T. Waggoner who founded it.
The estate includes the 510,000-acre ranch with two main compounds, hundreds of homes and 20 cowboy camps
Also included are hundreds of quarter-horses, thousands of cattle, 1,200 oil wells and 30,000 acres of cultivated land
It reportedly falls within ‘super asset class’, akin to selling the ‘Statue of Liberty’ of cowboy culture, it has been said

The biggest ranch in America that stretches over 510,000 continuous acres – that’s 796 square miles, making it a plot of land bigger than the island of Oahu – has gone on sale for $725 million. Realtors are hoping the Waggoner ranch in north Texas will become the most expensive estate in the world – after slapping the huge price tag on it in the hopes of attracting a Silicon Valley entrepreneur or oil tycoon.

Cattle baron Dan Waggoner established the estate in 1849 – and it has operated with its backwards ‘D’ logo ever since. The estate includes the 510,000-acre ranch spread over six North Texas counties, with two main compounds, hundreds of homes, about 20 cowboy camps, hundreds of quarter-horses, thousands of heads of cattle, and 30,000 acres of cultivated land, according to Dallas-based broker Bernie Uechtritz, who is handling the sale along with broker Sam Middleton of Lubbock. Oil was discovered on the property in 1902 and there are now more than a thousand wells spread across the property.

This historic ranch is set to become the world’s most expensive estate after it was put on the market for $714million, or £460 million

Bigger than Oahu: The property is the largest continuous ranch in the US, and stretches over six

counties

More than 750 cowboys work the land, and are accommodated in 20 camps when they are out on the range

The estate includes hundreds of homes, 20 cowboy camps and thousands of cattle. It’s been called the ‘Statue of Liberty’ of cowboy culture

The ranch, which is spread over more than 800 square miles, has 7,500 cows and 500 quarter horses

The listing marks end of a decades-long court battle among heirs of cattle baron W.T. Waggoner who established it.

Founded on 1849: Native American Indians on the W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch

Famous visitors: President Roosevelt is pictured on a visit to the W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch on an unknown date

The Waggoner name was prominent in the development of Hereford cattle and pedigree American quarter horses in the 20th century. Right: Dan Waggoner the founder of the W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch

HOW THE RANCH MEASURES UP

W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch – 796 square miles Oahu – 597 square miles New York City – 305 square miles Dallas – 340 square miles

Heirs and stakeholders currently occupy two of the three principle houses and much of the estate has not yet been explored for oil and other mineral reserves. Uechtritz says The Waggoner Ranch estate falls within a ‘super asset class,’ akin to selling the ‘Statue of Liberty’ of cowboy culture. He added: ‘It is an extremely rare piece of property, not only because of its individual attributes but you likely simply cannot buy this amount of contiguous ranchland under one fence anywhere else in the world. ‘Certainly there are none, however large, that have the exact qualities, history and potential upside of this property . ‘There are 510,000 acres on the estate, making it the largest ranch in the United States under one fence. It’s a record breaking price because it is a completely unique offering. ‘This is a legacy property having never been on the market before and been in the same family for the past 160 years since the 1800s. ‘There are 510,000 acres on the estate, making it the largest ranch in the United States under one fence. It’s a record breaking price because it is a completely unique offering.” ‘What really sets it apart is that all this land has been kept together under one fence by one family for nearly 100 years, and its history in the settling of the West,’ said court-appointed receiver Mike Baskerville. W.T. Waggoner built the Arlington Downs racetrack that operated in Arlington during the 1930s. His granddaughter Electra Waggoner Biggs was a noted sculptress after whom Buick named a luxury car and Lockheed named a plane.

A look around the Waggoner Ranch – on sale for $713million

Map: Weldon Hawley, ranch manager for the W.T. Waggoner Estate in Vernon, Texas indicates the area of the ranch where approximately 2,000 acres burned in 2011. Its listing marks the end of a decades-long courtroom battle among the heirs of cattle baron W.T. Waggoner, who established the estate in 1923

The sprawling ranch covers vast swathes of landscape in Texas and the buyer will own land that spreads further than the eye can see

What really sets it apart is that all this land has been kept together under one fence by one family for nearly 100 years, and its history in the settling of the West, says the broker

Heirs and stakeholders currently occupy two of the three principle houses and much of the estate has not yet been explored for oil and other mineral reserves

As well as a piece of history, the ranch is a thriving business with various premises helping the huge estate turn a profit

In 1991, she filed a lawsuit seeking the liquidation of the family estate, spurring a 12-year family feud. Biggs died in 2001. When a district judge ruled in favor of liquidation in 2003, one of the estate’s primary stakeholders, A.B. ‘Bucky’ Wharton III, appealed. The family agreed to list the estate after the court said it was considering ordering an auction of the assets, Baskerville said. The listing has already attracted attention from interested buyers, he said. Local residents have been worried that oil wildcatters or foreign investors will divide up the land and fire ranch employees, more motivated by making a profit than preserving history.

The Waggoner Ranch is shrouded in culture and history

The family agreed to list the estate after the court said it was considering ordering an auction of the assets

Local residents have been worried that oil wildcatters or foreign investors will divide up the land and fire ranch employees

There is great concern that oil tycoons would be more motivated by making a profit than preserving history

There are reportedly 1,200 oil wells on what has been called the world’s most expensive estate

As well as oil and homes, there is a total of 30,000 acres of cultivated land

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Ah . . . TEXAS MY TEXAS !

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 23, 2015 | Leave a comment

Oh what an exciting life we lead!

Texas my Texas

Here in Northern Texas we have been in a sustained drought for 9 years. None seemed as bad as 2005-2006 when we had 105 to 110 degree heat daily for 110 days continuous days, in addition to 45 to 55 MPH Southwest winds. That year more land burned in Texas than the acreage of New Hampshire and Rhode Island combined . Two percent of the land in Texas burned to a crisp and the wind velocity was such that there was no way to stop the fires. Fire stops, where the land is scraped bare of all things burnable for three quarters of a mile wide, were jumped as if they were not even there.

For the past three years more and more towns and cities, who depend on lakes for their water supply, have simply ran out of water and resorted to treating and drinking their own sewer water. For instance; The city of Wichita Falls with four lakes had only 19% of their total water supply.

But things in Texas can change in a second!

For three weeks we have been deluged with rain. For three weeks we have lived under threat of tornadoes.

In this area, we have had 32 tornadoes in the past 9 days.

Those are only the ones inspected and designated ‘tornado’ by the National Weather Bureau. ‘Spotters’ who risk life and limb and are out nightly have reported far more than that, but the Weather Bureau can’t get around to examining all these sites.

On Wednesday (May 19th) we went to Weatherford, Texas (75 miles SW) to a doctor. On the way there we passed through the town of Mineral Wells, a city of 18,000 souls made famous for its curative water. As we entered town that morning there was evidence that a wind burst, probably from a collapsing thunderstorm, had damaged and completely destroyed a few building on the west side.

However after existing Mineral Wells on the east side we dropped down a hill and there where there had been a giant pecan orchid. We were distressed to see trees as tall as 150 feet uprooted with their root systems as tall as the roof on our house lying on their sides. Others were twisted and torn with limbs broken and blown onto the highway.

On our return, late in the day, after we passed though Mineral Wells, I told my wife, “Look at those clouds over Mineral Wells. They are lowering.” ‘Lowering clouds’ are a sign that tornadic activity is dropping down from the clouds. In other words, they have fingers dropping downward that are spinning.

She turned the radio on to our home town radio station and found there was a tornado spotted eight miles NW of Graham, where we live. (62 miles south of Wichita Falls, Texas, 100 miles west of Fort Worth.) We were watching that storm as we drove. When we got home and turned the TV we discovered that Mineral Wells’ downtown had just been hit by a tornado!

(Now, if I were the author of ‘PowerPlantMen’ I would have these pages full of colored maps for you to better visualize this. Unfortunately I am not as good as he is.) See: http://powerplantmen.wordpress.com

That night, as all other nights for the past three weeks, we had rain with tornadoes all around but fortunately none closer than eight miles. Unknown to us the storm we heard about on the radio had passed north of us and passed over State Highway 16 N. as well as Memorial Highway 281.

The next morning (Thursday) I had to go to Wichita Falls (62 miles North.) to see yet another doctor. As I left town it started raining on me.

Seventeen miles north of town I came to Markley, a place that was once a town, but now is only a deserted service station. I should have been alerted when there was weeds and trash out on the highway. What was strange about that is the fact that Markley is on top of a hill! Weeds and trash on the highway on TOP of a hill?

Since it was raining I was concentrated on my driving and never gave it a second thought. That is–until I got a quarter-mile north of Markley. This is the drainage of the Trinity River that meanders through Ft. Worth and Dallas. There the borrow ditches that are deep and wide were full of water and as I looked to the West, there was water as far as I could see that covered all pastures and cultivated land. As I approached the bridge the water was up to the bridge and when it came out on the East side of the bridge it jumped up about three feet in the air and made a fountain as long as the bridge, topped with white foam!

About a quarter-mile farther I came to two more Trinity bridges and not only could they not handle the vast amount of water that was trying, but couldn’t quite get under them, it was up onto the highway! That answered the question: “Why is there no traffic coming towards me?” This water came from the storm we heard about on the radio the previous night that went north of Graham sprinkling us with only .9 of rain.

I wasn’t scared but I was pretty anxious about this because the area TV stations have been blurting out about every 15 minutes; “Water as deep as 4 inches will sweep your car away–Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”

And this has proven to be literally true! A soldier from Ft. Sill in Oklahoma was crossing a low-water crossing in Wichita Falls flour days ago and was swept away. The television stations are still showing a shadow of the automobile top as the water flows over it. No one knows where the soldier is. Is he still in the car? Did he escape? If so, where is he? The water is too swift for firemen to get into the water and see if there is a body in the car.

Back on Memorial Highway 281 with no traffic and the rain falling in a deluge, I was able to get to the crown of the highway and negotiate through the torrents of water.

Next I came to the dairy-farming community of Windthorst that lies 45 miles south of Wichita Falls, TX. There the yards and lawns were standing in water. The dairy farmers had already gave up on the wheat and had bailed it. For miles in every direction I could see round-bails standing in about a foot of water.

Passing on through this community I came to the township of Scotland that is 21 miles south of Wichita Falls, It was there I came into the watershed of the Wichita River.

This was worse than the Trinity! The fields as far as I could see to the on either side were submerged. The lower end of Lake Arrowhead, that was previously empty was about 400 feet from the highway. All roads were blocked off with sheriffs deputies standing guard.

On the north side of Scotland the water was up on the highway and the bridge was spouting up on the east side. The reason for this was that Lake Kickapoo upstream had run over its spillway and was trying it’s best to get down the Wichita River without enough room to do so.

As I write this vast portions of Wichita Falls are flooded. The Red Cross has set up facilities in numerous places to provide shelter for those who are flooded out. Hotels and motels were filled Thursday at noon.

Meanwhile trucks have brought in load after load of sand to eight different locations. Volunteers are not only bagging the sand 24/7, but are delivering and placing it around homes. Well. After all this is TEXAS! What else could you expect?

We are entertained minute by minute as we watch Texas Game Wardens in ‘quad boats’ rescue folks in their pickups and cars as they float down the creeks and drainage canals that look like white water rapids.

How many have drowned? No one knows at this time and may not know for weeks or months.

The Wichita Falls Emergency Rescue, Fire Department, the Police Department as well as the County Sheriff’s office have mapped out a perimeter of where they think the water could rise and have stopped all people from entering those areas. To determine this they used flood maps dating back 100 years.

Just now NOAA called the Emergency Rescue and told them that the perimeters were not correct, and there would be more water pouring in than they expected, and they would have to move them back higher!

It has rained every day for three weeks and the prediction is for six to eight more inches of rain to fall before Monday. This entire area has been in a Flood Watch for a week and it has been extended to Next Tuesday, May 26th.

Is the drought broken? Who knows! It was 90 degrees in January, so it might well snow.

Warning! Don’t read this unless you are planning on moving. Go to http://www.grahamtxchamber.com and watch the pictures as they turn from black and white to color. You simply can’t miss moving here.

Posted in: Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, Uncategorized | Tagged: damage, flood, rain, Storms, Texas, Texs, Tornado, Wichita Falls, wind

Billy Ray Spencer goes to Sunday school – Part One

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 15, 2015 | Leave a comment

My name is Billy Ray Spencer and I was brought up in a family that thought you had to go to church every time the door was opened. So. I went happily along to Sunday school every Sunday; no questions asked! And BOY am I glad I went because I learned some strange things there!

The first thing I learned is that there is no use in going to kinder garden. All they do there is get you to run around, chase each other, and swing a lot; anything to wear you down so you will go to sleep and be quite during church.

Do you remember when in the first or maybe second grade; the very first thing you heard was about this baby they put in a picnic basket, one of those woven wooden things made out of thin, flat wood with a handle and then expected it to float?

It was the first Sunday of the new school year and our teacher said, “Now if everyone will sit down and be very, very quiet, I will tell you a story about a little tiny baby that was put into a basket and placed in the water and how this little baby was kept from drowning.”

Well now, THAT got our attention! So we all plopped down on the floor and got real quite because this could prove to be interesting! How could they be sure that little baby didn’t drown?

It seems there was a bunch of people called Hee’brews, or something like that, and they all got made into slaves to make brick for this bunch of evil people called Egypsies—right out in the middle of the hot, burning sands of the desert. But. They never told me why they needed brick right out in the middle of that hot burning sand. That wasn’t in the story, and to this day, I don’t know why they were making brick out there in that hot, burning sand.

Then the Egypsies declared that all the little Hee’brews babies that were born would have to be killed. Yep! Right then and there. First thing! Right off the bat!

But there was one momma and daddy who decided that they wasn’t going to kill their baby and they thought and thought of a way to save the baby. Then daddy hit upon a plan. He would take some thin, flat wood and weave a picnic basket and put some soft cloth in it and put the baby in that and let it float on the water till he come home from being a slave and making brick all day—then he would go and get the baby.

We all listened pretty hard for quite a bit, but then Bronc, who is pretty big for a first grader, up and jumped on little Jimmy Rice who is a second grader. Well Bronc, who is twice as big as Jimmy—Bronc, he jumped on Jimmy’s back and started choking ‘Little Jimmy’, and twisting his arm up behind his back.

So the teacher could see that she had a pretty bad case of boar-drums on her hands.

Cause after the teacher got them two separated, the girls started having to go to the bathroom, All cept me, ‘cause, I ain’t no girl’—an I wanted to know if that basket with the little baby would float!

But the teacher must’uv already received a prophetic message that things were going to go that way, and she was prepared. Cause she reached down somewhere and whipped out a stack of paper with an outline of a man in a bathrobe, with the sleeves rolled up, and a towel wrapped around his head. Did I say he had a big black beard? Any ways he was standing knee deep in water with all these canes and cattails around him and he was putting a little baby in a picnic basket down gently into the water.

I suppose she had another prophetic message too, we are pretty big on prophecy in that church, not that we would handle snakes or anything like that, but we believed in the strong presence of the Lord. Or, maybe it were an angel that whispered in her ear that this guy with the bathrobe had a lotta’ skin showing on his arms, and both legs, but not too much on his face because he had this beard, and like I said, a towel around his head.

What the prophetic message to the teacher was—’is that even in the big box of 54 Crayolas’ there is still only ONE flesh colored Crayola that is ‘flesh’ colored’. So, she had taken that one little flesh colored Crayola and cut it into 4 parts and stirred it up with all the other broken, and some not so broken Crayolas’ that’us in the cigar box.

So everyone got busy coloring and it sorta’ quieted down while the teacher went on with her story. Then someone hollered, “Whirs’ the flesh? Who’s got the flesh colored cra’nola?”

About that time the pudgy little girl with the two orangy pigtails that’us sitting right cross from me shouted, “Use the pink! Use the pink, it’s just as good as flesh!”

Well now. I don’t know, and I doubt if she knew, if the Hee’brews or the Egypsies or both, had pink skin, but she seemed to think they did, or she was shamming us quite a bit.

Well—right then and there I would’a bet my shoes an both my socks that that little pudgy girl with the orange freckels, was coloring with ONE of the ‘flesh’ colored cra’nolas and had the other three pieces of the flesh colored cray’nolas fast in her other sweaty little hand, and I sure didn’t need no prophecy for that!

That was about as far as we got that Sunday and I’ll swear that I didn’t sleep a wink any that night, or any other night, that week, cause I’d just lay there all night and worry bout’ them allie’gaters and that poor little baby out in the reeds an water all by itself.

Stay tuned and next week When I find out, I’ll tell you if that little baby got ate by the allie-gaters or not.

Your Friend,

Billy Ray Spencer

Posted in: Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, parent cartegory, Uncategorized | Tagged: Bible, big oil, business, Chirstian, Christ Jesus, Christian, Christianity, gas, God, oil, Oil/Religion/gas, Parent catagory, religion, uncategorized, uncategorized.

A primer on the story of the Exodus

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 14, 2015 | Leave a comment

Mama tole me to get ready for Sunday school an church, so I warshed my face an hans an wetted down my hair and this is the way I look at church time.

In case you have not read the story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt in a while, here is a short synopsis of the story to refresh your mind.

Pharaoh Rameses (The greatest builder in Egyptian History.) turned the Hebrews into slaves after deciding that the Hebrews had became too numerous. He than put them under the hands of Egyptian taskmasters on the construction of the two Treasure cities of Pitham and Rameses, while making their lives bitter with hard services in mortar and brick as well as in the rice and wheat fields.

Moses parents were Amram and Jochebed who were of the priestly line that was to become the Levites, the priests of Israel.

When the child we know as Moses was born, his mother kept him hidden for three months. She then enclosed him in a basket woven of rush and sealed it with pitch, concealing him in the reeds along the river’s edge.

Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe at the spot and when she saw the basket she sent a maid to fetch it. On opening it the baby started to cry and the princess felt pity for it, realizing it was one of the Hebrew children her father had ordered killed.

Moses’ older sister Miriam had been posted a little distance away to watch the baby. She approached the princess and offered to find a Hebrew woman to suckle the child. This was agreed on and she ran off to fetch Moses’ mother.

When he was older, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and gave him the name of Moses because it means, “I drew him out of the water”. (Ex. 2:10)

Aaron was older than his brother Moses by three years, though younger than his sister Miriam.

However, that may not be exactly how Billy Ray Spencer sees it at all!

Posted in: Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, parent cartegory | Tagged: Aaron, Bible, business/oil/gas/, Christian, Egypt, faith, God, Moses, Parent catagory, Pharaoh, uncategorized

Straight from the Top re-blogging Did Jesus have a Facebook page?

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 13, 2015 | Leave a comment

“Calm is Trust in Action”

by Naphtali

Reading that statement from God Calling recently, changed my life. It was as if God was confirming to me his peace was my ally. Think long and hard about those words. Calm is a huge weapon against the enemy.

I won’t sugar coat aging is no fun, but with it comes experience and knowledge. As God has brought me through more deep waters and the fiery furnaces more than I can count, I see dry land and the furnaces are cooling down.

The enemy uses repeat performances. He can’t create anything new. In that we should grasp his attacks realizing the threats are just that; threats. How we respond is the key. Recognize his evil patterns but more than that he is defeated.

Is it possible what the enemy threatens in our personal lives he does the same globally?

Of course. He has no other availability. Words are powerful; in fact so much so God created the world with them. Being the case, the enemy fills our minds with his lies and deceits hoping to compound them so many times we begin to believe what he says. There-in lies a case for mental breakdowns, fear, doubt and worry. We must counter with God’s word. Believe me I know this works because it is the only way I am still here.

The attacks on my life for years have been numerous, vicious and at time life threatening. The last few years have been relentless. I could barely get through one and the next one showed up worse. We hear we are to never give up. I remember times when those evil thoughts were being spoken over and over to me until I finally asked myself,

“What would I do if I gave up?” Well, that question ended giving up.

God confirmed a revelation to me this morning using my own life’s attacks with the world’s in our present condition which is about as bad as it gets. Sodom and Gomorrah are like a piece of cake compared to modern day society.

Praying seriously for years over the world especially America, I have waited for answers. If you watch the news or happen across it on the internet you will be hard pressed to find anything good. Not that America is good right now; in fact we are in deep trouble.

My heart has ached at the deterioration of this nation. It is so different than when I grew up. I have watched for decades our moral society diminish. We have no one else to blame but ourselves; we all sin.

As many such as Franklin Graham, Anne Graham Lotz and Rabbi Jonathan Cahn express deep concern for our country’s impending judgement, and rightly so, I believe God’s righteousness is about to shine.

Don’t get me wrong. It looks bad. It is bad. It is evil at its worst and should be recognized as such. But God’s righteous grace is so much more than all of that.

He revealed to me as he has stretched me beyond my own fleshly limits to the point of crying out even in silence because I was too weak to speak, so he is doing with America and the world.

The phrase, “God is never late, but rarely early” fits.

His word says he will walk through the deep waters and the fiery furnace with us, but we won’t drown or burn. We may be gasping for air and feel the heat, but all of a sudden dry land appears and someone shuts off the furnace.

He let me know that is where we are at. I believe we are seriously close to the wrath and judgement of God in such a momentous way that we must continue to pray diligently for repentance. But he has heard our prayers and at the moment when it appears it can’t get any worse, God is going to show up and show off.

The world will know it is God foiling the plots of the enemy.

The world especially America will wake up from this dreadful nightmare and fall on our knees in worship and praise to Him.

The world will be swept by the Holy wind of the Spirit of God changing hearts across the globe in an instant. We must look past the natural into the supernatural sphere of God to see what he is doing and where he is taking us.

RIGHT NOW IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SEEK GOD’S PRESENCE, BE ON OUR KNEES REPENTING, THANKING HIM FOR PRESERVING, PROTECTING AND GUARDING US FROM IMMINENT DESTRUCTION.

And then wait to embrace the glory of God as has never been upon the earth.

Naphtali | May 13, 2015 at 9:57 am | Tags: Behavior, Bible, Blogging, Business, Christian, Christianity, church, Culture, Economy, Education, Environment, Faith, Family, Friends, Israel, Life, Love, Media, People, Prophecy, Relationships, Religion and Spirituality, Technology, Truth, TV, United States Government, United States Military | Categories: Blog posts, Christianity | URL: http://wp.me/p1mGu1-4bL

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Posted in: Bible, concerned citizens, Faith, needs, parent cartegory, Patience | Tagged: Bible, big oil, business, Christ Jesus, Christianity, concerned citizen, David, ebola, economy, faith, family, gasoline

Straight from the Top

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 13, 2015 | Leave a comment

Hi ! My name is Billy Ray Spencer, and BOY! Do I have a story to tell you about Moses and them Egypsies! Just wait until you hear about this Dad that tried to float his baby in a picnic basket with all them crock’ediles!

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: Bible, big oil, Christ Jesus, Christianity, Egypt, faith, Israel, Moses, parents, religion, Spirit

So, Quit Worrying!

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 12, 2015 | Leave a comment

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Being Human we tend to spend a great deal more time worrying about how are we going to do this or that, Or, ‘How in the world will we ever afford to pay that bill’? A number of years ago I settled my mind on the Power of God, and that HE will provide for my every need.

Not only my material needs and wants, but the wants, needs as well as the safety of others, if we only ask.

However let’s not overlook the healing power of Jesus Christ upon their, as well as our, bodies and minds. After all; He is ‘THE ALL IN ALL’–The great ‘I AM THAT I AM’ ! (Ex.3:14)

If we spent as much time praying and praising God as we do worrying–things would work out much better!

Larry

PS: Stay tuned, Billy Ray Spencer and Sunday school is still coming. It’s taking a LOT more research than I anticipated.

Posted in: Bible, Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, needs, parent cartegory, Patience, wants | Tagged: Bible, business, Christ Jesus, Christian, faith, family, God, oil and gas

Every Man and Woman has a purpose in life.

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on May 8, 2015 | 2 Comments

For every man God has a plan; no mans life is purposeless.

God sends everyman into the world to do some definite thing.

Remember: He became what we are–to make us what He is.

William Barclay 1907-1978

Posted in: Bible, Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, needs, Patience | Tagged: Afghanstan, Bible, big oil, Blue Tooth, business, cell pone, Christ Jesus, Christianity, Cornelius, earth, economy, education, faith, family, gas, God

Pssssssst! Having trouble with you WANTS ?

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on April 27, 2015 | Leave a comment

23rd PSALMS: Vs. 1
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (KJV.)

Soldiers sob it in foxholes, preachers recite it at funerals, and, children learn it in Primary Sunday School classes. However, this, the most well know of all verses in the Bible, is also the most all-encompassing promise to be found.

Think about it: “I shall not want!”

But don’t dare think about it for very long — for you will quickly discover that you do have ‘wants’. I daresay that everyone on the earth has wants. A new car, bigger house, better neighborhood, more money, better health, more leisure, travel, love, or a big screen TV.

Even pastors have wants, they want larger congregations, larger contributions, more salvations — the list could go on and on because every single human being on earth has wants.

Could this passage be a provision that was exclusive to David, the writer of this Psalm?

Or—could it perhaps be that it only applies to those who have reached that seemingly unattainable state of bliss in Christ Jesus—that state where all our thoughts are centered on being a servant of Christ Jesus—that place where we have no farther ‘wants’ other than to live only to serve Him?

Or, could it really mean just what it says to us; “All my wants are met by Christ Jesus?”

Remember we are concentrating on ‘wants’ here, not needs. Our ‘needs’ have been promised in Philippians 4:19, where it is written: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’. This is further reinforced in 2nd Corinthians 1: 20, that states: ‘For all the promises in God in Him are ‘Yea’ and ‘Amen’.

No other than our Lord himself asked, “Or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if fish, will he give him a serpent? If then, being evil you know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matt. 7: 9-11)

I choose to take this verse as a promise and that all my ‘wants’ are met. This word translated ‘want’ in the KJV of Psalm 23:1 is the Hebrew word ‘chacer’. In the ancient Hebrew language ‘chacer’ (khaw-sare’) meant: ‘to lack’, ‘to fail’ ‘to decrease’ or, ‘(have) lack’. Nowhere in Psalms 23:1 does it limit this promise to my ‘needs’; it clearly states ‘my wants’. I don’t know about you, but I have a pretty big ‘want’ list.

And to be honest, my ‘wants’ have not all been met.

Have yours?

But wait a moment! At times some or our ‘wants’ are in direct contrast to the commands of the scripture. Could the answer to this apparent contrast between the scriptural promises—and the reality of ‘real’ life—lie in the first portion of this first verse of Psalms 23? You know. . . that portion about “The Lord is my Shepherd.’

Could it possible be that we are not allowing the Lord to be our shepherd?

Have we allowed our dependency upon our own intelligence and abilities to supersede our dependency on Jesus Christ and His ability to fill both our needs and our wants because of our obsession with our wants?

Think about it!

Additional reading: Psalms 34:9, Psalms 34:10, 2nd Peter 1: 3, Hebrews 11:6

Posted in: Bible, Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, needs, parent, wants | Tagged: Bible, big oil, business, Chfristianity, Christ Jesus, Christianity, conceerned citizen, concerned citizen, economy, faith, gas, gasoline, God, help, Israel, Muslim, needs, oil and gas, religion, wants

STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

By STRAIGHT TO THE TOP! on March 23, 2015 | Leave a comment

Isaiah 54:6 Part 7

In the past I have written of four methods of interpretation of the scripture.

1. Allegorical. 2. Instructive. 3. Prophetical. 4. The Law of Double Reference. Yet here in verses 6 through 8, there seems to be yet another method of interpret-tation which hopefully we will get around to discussing at greater length in the future. However for the moment let us concentrate on verse 6 only.

The Marriage:

Isaiah 54:6

“You were like a wife who was deserted. And her heart was broken. You were like a wife who married young. And her husband sent her away. But now I am calling you to come back,” says your God.”

Verses 6 thorough 8 were preached in the context of a broken Jewish marriage with the nation of Israel playing the part of a young, unruly, immature, malcontent bride, while God is the husband, who once sent her away in an effort to induce some sense into her, but is now trying to get her back. To begin we must understand the importance of the Jewish wedding. To them it was Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines’ Day, Fourth of July, Birthday, School Graduation, Palm Sunday and Easter and Prom Night all rolled into one.

The only other celebrations in the year were Holy days established by the Law, and by the time a young man or lady was 14 to 20 years old those days were undoubtedly ‘Old Hat’–Strictly 1950’ish–Like for the 142 time you had to go see your Aunt Mitilda, who smelled of rum, breath mints, old sweat and face powder, but always wanted to pinch your cheek and hold you in a sweaty bear-hug for most of your visit.

Even though a real human-to-human marriage contract, along with monetary compensation, might have been made between two fathers’ years in advance, the betrothal only started one year before the actual wedding. All of her life, since early childhood, the bride had been saving coins of various denominations as well as other items of monetary value. Upon reaching a certain age, probably as young as eight, she was allowed to wear these as a head-band at her front hairline to advertise her availability as a bride. This may seem extremely young, but keep in mind that girls were often married as young as twelve years old.

Yet even at that, the father was obliged to marry the oldest daughter first and proceed down the line of birth ages. Witness: Laban’s deceit in the marriage of Leah and Rachael to Jacob in Genesis chapter 29.

Once betrothed the groom begin construction of a room attached to his parent’s house that was to be the private quarters of he and his young bride. No date was set for the wedding, yet the bride’s maids had to be ever ready for the moment when the groom could come to ‘kidnap’ his bride. (Matt. 25:1-13)

On the night of the kidnapping the groom quietly gathered his closet friends and quietly sneaked up on the house of his ‘Beloved’. Then with a great clamor of shouting and beating of anything that would make noise, the groom would grab his bride and parade her through town with his co-harts banging on doors and making pandemonium in order to awaken the town and announce the marriage.

After rambling through the community he and his bride retreated to the private sanctuary of their bedroom while the assembly of friends might continue the celebra-tion throughout the night, and often for as long as a week or more afterwards.

Early the next morning the groom would rush out to show the blood stain on the sleeping pallet that proved not only was the marriage consummated, but that the bride was a virgin. Then the celebration started all over again. Of course without the presence of the bride and groom, who had by now, long returned to their sanctuary where they might stay for as long as a month.

Following the marriage the groom was released from serving any military service for one year. Additionally for the first year he was not to ‘resume any task that would interfere with his presence at home to cheer up his wife’.

Some materials have it that the women of Israel were more aggressive at promoting sexual activity than were the men. If true, this shows that the act of providing the male heir was the most important thing at that time. Several places in the Bible indicate that the act is a process to be enjoyed by both men and women equally. (After all, neither had TV or Smart Phones with which to occupy themselves.)

When all of these facts, or fantasies, are shaken together and tossed out, they point out the fact that a great amount of love and tenderness was held by each partner in the business of marriage.

The Prophecy:

In Isaiah’s prophecies it is doubtful that either the upper or the lower half of Israel knew what Isaiah was talking about when he preached verse 6:

“And her husband sent her away, But now I am calling you to come back, says your God.”

Here Isaiah is speaking of the fact that the majority of Israel had turned from God and were worshipping Baal and Ashtoreth.

This is allegorical, as well as prophetical inasmuch as: ‘That God has not yet, but is soon, going to send His chosen people away into captivity into Syria, Babylon and Persia for an extended period of time. After they begged, pleaded and prayed to be returned He would bring them back to their homeland, but only after many years of captivity’.

It would be 26 years following Isaiah’s first preaching before the first of the diaspora would begin. The ‘carrying away’ would begin in the northern portion of Israel which was Jeremiah’s prophetical portion. It would take another 126 years following that before the end of the diaspora with the dispersion of the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

Throughout this time God was beckoning and calling his people as if they were young, innocent, brides. Poorly trained, lost to their proper duties, and unable to make the proper decisions.

God had pity on his people and even before the fact, was warning them of the coming calamity and calling them back to himself.

The Results:

God is a God of mercy and love. A God quick to forgive and forget.

We all have our weaknesses and failures. Sometimes we trip over our shortcomings. Are there currently things drawing us away from your fellowship with God? Are you more involved in community activities, sports, interaction with your friends, social media, more worried about your social status than your ‘God status’?

If you feel as if you are currently engaged in the long walk over the burning sands on your way to India, consider the following words:

‘I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake’. 1^st John 2:12 KJV

‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’. 1^st John 1:8-9 KJV

From that you see that it only takes a few words and a change in our thought process to enter into a new world.

TRY IT—YOU WILL LIKE IT!

“

Posted in: Christian, concerned citizens, Faith, God, parent cartegory, Patience, Uncategorized | Tagged: Afghanstan, Babylonia, Benjamin, God, Iran, Isaiah, Israel, Jusah, Pakistan, Patience, Persia, Syria

STRAIGHT TO THE TOP!

When I was 19 and my wife was 16 we started our own construction company. We had no money and no jobs but I promised to pay the owner of a hard ware store $3 a weeks for an electric saw. The company grew into a large industrial/commercial business building schools, clinics, churches, manu-facturing plants, setting heavy machinery and we actual built a zoo with no fences, and a little bit of railroad. Also restored an 1867 calvary fort complete with hand whittled wooden pegs. After 28 years I burned out working 16 to 18 hours a day. My wife owned a furniture store and I became an employee. Went back to school and earned my CHC which enabled me to study for my Interior Design degree and registration. Practiced that for 28 years. Said I would never retire, but my wife closed the store! Past Lay Preacher in Methodist Church. Currently non-denominational. Have taught in Assembly of God, non-denominational charisamatic and Methodist. Teach Bible Studies, Christian Values and Christian Living. Artist, Interior designer, writer, Favorite hobby is reading, or is that sandpapering? We just sold our two story Victorian home with 17 rooms, 4 full baths, 2 half baths. Built in 1900 and 1901. Since it is all wood, keeping it in repair was a full time job. Currently living in the 'burbs', If there is such a thing in TEXAS! Can now mow the yard in only one and one half hours. Whooopieee!

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