"Yankees!!"

I'll make this "Chetitorial" real simple. After the Yankees' dominating win on Opening Day of baseball season yesterday, I'm convinced we are going to win the World Series as long as everyone stays healthy.

That's all I have to say today!!

"Guns, Misguided Youth, and Paul McCartney"

I saw this meme recently, and I think it is spot on!  Most of these protesting young ladies, who are so concerned about young people not being killed, would sadly have no opposition to abortion if you asked them. And, most of the young guys play violent video games which have them vicariously slaughtering groups of virtual people for "fun"...yet they never see how this "acting out" could lead to REAL slaughters.

And then there's ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. 

What is Paul, in his 70s now? But there he was, marching with the high school kids in New York the other day.  He needs to be consistent, already....I wouldn't be surprised to learn that his bodyguards had guns, you know! And, is he still collecting royalties from Beatles' albums like "Revolver" and their songs like "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"? (If I were a betting man, I'd bet that he is.)

Yes, even though he's from England, Paul wore a STOP GUN VIOLENCE shirt supposedly in memory of his former bandmate who was assassinated here, in New York, in 1980.  While I admire his loyalty to John Lennon, I wish I could ask Paul  "if you think GUNS killed John Lennon, why not protest the fact that Mark David Chapman is still imprisoned for John's murder? After all, the GUN must have killed John...not Chapman. The poor guy has been imprisoned unjustly for almost 40 years now for something you're implying was not his fault at all."

Personally, I don't take advice from people who are clearly hypocritical, whether they be older than me (McCartney) or younger than me (high school kids too young to even vote.)  The scary thing is that these brainwashed kids WILL be able to vote one day soon!

I respect wisdom from wherever and whoever it comes from...but not from these folks.

"My LIFE Since Leaving Facebook"

As stated in my very first blogs here, one of the reasons I "left" Facebook was because I was asked, rather suddenly, to begin teaching our Men's Sunday School class at church.  Recently I've had to contribute, for the first time, to our church's Annual Report and I thought I'd share the rough draft of what I submitted.  The document details what I've been doing with MOST of my free time since my exit...

Men's Sunday School Class- Chet Jelinski

 

2017 began with Mr. Williams continuing his excellent leadership of our  Men's Sunday School  Class.  We studied Scripture using Tony Evans's excellent book "Kingdom Man" as a guide, and the Lord's rich blessing was upon us!  In God's Providence, however, Mr. Williams unfortunately developed health problems last fall and I was asked to take his place.  I was honored but very humbled to accept this role, first on a 12 week trial basis and now as his permanent replacement.  Mr. Williams still adds his wisdom and insights to the class as an attendee, for which I am very grateful, and I am also thankful to Mr. Brooks and Mr. Williams for their constructive advice to this novice teacher. 

For the first 12 weeks, we studied 6 different parables that were assigned to me by Pastor Rittinger.

1.) "The Parable of the Sower and the Soils," Mark 4:1-20

2.)  "The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant," Matthew 18:21-35

3.)  "The Parable of the Good Samaritan," Luke 10:25-37

4.)  "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," Luke 15: 1-32

5.) "The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector," Luke 18:9-14, and

6.) "The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers," Matthew 21:33-45.

Though I made a few "rookie mistakes," the Lord was pleased to bless as we studied practical issues such as forgiveness, helping others in need, how to pray aright, how to witness, and so on from these Parables.  In joyfully teaching the classes, my ultimate authority, of course, was God's infallible Word but I also consulted commentaries by J.C. Ryle, Matthew Henry and Charles Haddon Spurgeon as needed.

We are presently involved in a thorough study of Dr. Evans's book "Watch Your Mouth" which is about how we can avoid sinning with our tongues and rather use them to edify others and glorify God.  I'm happy to say that my class has been putting these principles into practice, as we pray more and more as a group and had an "Only Praise" time recently in our class. God's Word is sanctifying us, in answer to Jesus' prayer (John 17:17)! All of the men who attend (we average about 20 per Sunday) are eager students of the Word, and we have Spirit-filled fellowship every Sunday!  We laugh together, we share concerns together, we pray together and, of course, we learn about how to live God's Word together.

The class is exploring social outings and new group ministry opportunities. Please continue to pray for us, that we would grow numerically and spiritually and if you're a man and inclined to join us, please do.  May the Lord Jesus be glorified, and may the men be edified, by all that transpires amongst us!

Respectfully Submitted,

Because of God's Grace Alone,

Chet Jelinski         

"Bring The Spring!!"

 

 

Today is ALLEGEDLY the first day of Spring, but there's more snow in our forecast.  This is why I wasn't excited when we had "Springlike" weather in February...I always feel that winter is going to come sooner or later, and I'd rather just get it over with when it's........WINTER, Lol!!

 

I trust that my heart is submissive to God's Sovereign Will, however...and I know that Spring weather will come when HE wants it to, and I need to be patient.

 

Anyway, over the years I've drawn these Robins to remind me of Spring.  The two on the bottom have appeared in our local paper, the one at top is SCHEDULED to, in the April edition (due out next week.)

 

 

As Robins are often associated with Spring, I hope my art will help "Bring The Spring" to people's hearts even if I can't make the WEATHER be Springlike!!

"Salvation-Part 2 (Concluded from previous post)"

One year ago today we buried my first wife, Beth.  The teaching of Scripture is that the moment she died, because she was a Christian, her soul was perfected with every trace of remaining sin removed.

Matthew 1:21 teaches that Jesus came to "save His people from their sins" and when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they are saved regarding the penalty of their sin. However, when His people die and enter immediately into the presence of God, they are saved from the presence of any sin.

The day will come when I will join my Savior in Heaven, where there is no sickness, sorrow or SIN of any kind!!

"Salvation, Part 1---My Testimony"

Today is 43 years since the Lord saved me from my sins, in this Newark, NJ apartment building!! Here is my Testimony of His Grace.

I grew up in a very godless, broken home but always believed there was a God.  This (believing there was a God) was not due to my Dad, Step-father or MOM'S influence, but due more to the influence of my grandparents who were "religious" but not truly saved, themselves. Consequently, I believed God EXISTED but hated Him in my earlier years (because of the alcoholism in my home and its destructive influence.)  Note: in those days, broken homes and alcoholics were far less common than today, and there was quite a stigma attached to them.  I wrongly blamed GOD for the shame I had to endure. I saw him as a Sadist in the Sky, mean like my step-dad.

My Uncle died suddenly, of complications arising from his alcoholism, at the young age of 29 and a friend from high school was killed by a drunk driver in 1971.  I then began to transfer my hatred away from GOD and onto BOOZE (I never drank to that point, but now I actually began HATING drink and drugs! I saw that they, not the LORD, were responsible for the way my dad and step-dad acted.) 

And, the sudden deaths of Uncle Steve and my friend David made me think I needed to make "Peace With God" (the title of a Billy Graham book that someone from high school gave me) as I had seen, first hand, how death can come SUDDENLY, even to "young" people. I did believe in Heaven and Hell, you see, and knew I wasn't ready for Heaven.

I began to attend a Catholic church where I learned that (supposedly) the way to get peace with God was to do good works and be a good person.

From '71-'74, I puttered around in this false system, which ALLEGES that it gets you right with God.  I became very proud and arrogant that I was not like my parents or Step-father, that I was NOT like the other guys in my impoverished neighborhood who drank, did drugs and slept with girls to try to fill the fatherless emptiness they had inside.  See, I filled MY "hole" with Religiosity and secretly thought God accepted me because I was better than most others...a good Catholic who often went to Mass twice a day.

On March 13th, 1975, 43 years ago today, my building Superintendent, Bob Wade, led me to trust in Christ ALONE for my eternal salvation. This was after about 2 months of intense Bible Study and many internal struggles, for even AFTER I saw that the Church's alleged way of salvation, doing good and being good, was false I wanted to stay. Some of my Catholic friends there, "good" people like myself, were like the real "family" I never had, you see.

God helped me realize that even though I never drank or did drugs or womanized, I was a worse sinner than any of the men in my life because I was PROUD of what I didn't do....I arrogantly thought that I could go to Heaven based on what *I* did or did not do. The Lord Jesus Christ gave me grace to leave my own "merit," the Church, the Pope, Mary, priests, nuns and Catholic friends behind to follow Him, the ONLY hope for my soul's salvation.


Yes, on March 13th, 1975, the Lord helped me to renounce my good works as being the basis of my hope of salvation and to rest ONLY in the finished work of Christ.  He made me willing to leave the Catholic church AND my dear friends, for the sake of following HIM.  And these past 43 years have been simply AMAZING! I still do good works, but they are not the BASIS of my salvation, they are the OUTGROWTH of it...done in gratitude to my Savior for His Grace to this sinner. I have sought to be the instrument of deliverance to each of my family members I mentioned...(they have all gone into eternity now, some appeared to be saved, some did not.)  He helped me get married for 38 years to a wonderful woman who died a year ago, and we had three kids who each know and love THE LORD. And, He has given me "replacement" family members (Bob Wade is one, "Mother," from my LAST post, was another.  There are many more.)  In short, He has "reversed the curse" that seemed to be on my family tree and BLESSED me and my family immensely.

My present Pastor preached on "The Sovereignty of God in Salvation" this past Sunday night as he is beginning a new series on that topic.  This is very timely as I've been reflecting on God's amazing Grace on the week of "the anniversary." I can only praise God for His Sovereign, undeserved, matchless grace to a once-proud, Hell-deserving sinner who now knows that he's going to Heaven one day based ONLY on what He has done for me! Amen!!


           Part 2 on Friday, Lord Willing










The building depicted is 69 No. 9th St., in Newark...corner of 6th Ave. and No. 9th Street. It's like a sacred spot to me.  Again, it's the location where I got SAVED and really came to know the LORD for the first time!!

"Mother"

I've had a few Mother Figures over the years, as my real mom was not a believer in Christ till the very end of her life (next Tuesday, Lord Willing, I'll have been saved 43 years.)  One of those Mother Figures was a woman whose real name I will not mention, but I used to call her "Mother."  Just the other day, I learned that Mother passed away in 2016, and I was pretty sad.

Mother was about 20 years older than me, about the same age as my real mom (who passed away in 2007.)  I learned a few good things from Mother, lessons that have stuck with me even though we hadn't seen each other in about 20 years.  She was sexually abused when only 6 years old, and it left her with a multitude of "issues" as we would call them.  The fact that God had caused her to trust in Him despite all of the pain in her life made her an outstanding example, encouragement and inspiration to me.

I hope that my real Mom, and Mother, have met there in Heaven, and, while we're at it, I hope they've met up with BETH (my wife of 38 years who died one year ago this past week.)

" Weird as HE Was, Even Vincent Price Had a 'Fly' "

WARNING: STRAIGHT TALK!!  Shopping for new Boxer Briefs the other day, I was shocked to discover that they now make underwear for men without a ........"fly." 

Men's shorts without a "fly" (as we used to call it) are nothing more than Panties For Men, in my opinion.  You are free to disagree, but that is ME.

Apparently, according to what I'm told, this new generation of young "men" likes the flyless shorts so they can urinate with one hand and concurrently talk on their cell phone with the other hand. Really sad, that some men would allow themselves to be emasculated even more than they already are, just for the privilege of being a prisoner to their phone for another minute or two while they relieve themselves.

No wonder they are called CELL phones!

It's sad and, frankly, it's weird (and it's about time someone said so).

One of the biggest lies all politicians of all parties tell is that "young people are America's hope for our future."

There are glaring exceptions, of  course...I know of many exceptions among my family and friends...but if these Man-Bunning "Males" are America's hope, well, our ship has already started to sink, people.  The effects of fatherless families has taken its toll and as a nation we are doomed, unless God intervenes.  Any hope America has is in GOD, not these (what they would have justifiable been called years ago before Political Correctness took over) "pantywaists." I shudder to think what might happen if a mandatory draft were instituted again and men like THIS had to defend us...unless the strategy would be to make our enemies laugh themselves to death, that is.

Wow, standards have degenerated in my lifetime (I'm 63.)

Can you imagine John Wayne, Matt Dillon, The Rifleman or even Ben Cartwright wearing feminine undies (google these men if you don't know who they are)?

And hey, after all (to close on a humorous note), weird as HE was 60 years ago, even Vincent Price had a "fly" (Lol)!

" DON'T 'Keep Christ in Christmas' "

The late Dr. Billy Graham, who is getting buried today, would agree with the sentiments of this poem I wrote...

 

 

" DON'T 'Keep Christ in Christmas' "

 

DON'T "keep Christ in Christmas"

that sounds strange to the ear

but He wants to

know me and you

each day, each month, each year

 

 

DON'T "keep Christ in Christmas"

He's not an infant NOW...

He died, in love

now reigns above

and EVERY knee shall bow!

 

 

DON'T "keep Christ in Christmas"

He came to save from sin

Let's seek His Face

and, by His Grace

this new year to begin

 

 

...to NOT keep Christ in Christmas

don't leave Him in the "stable"

Remember Him, not once a year

or monthly, at His Table

or Sunday, only...once a week

or even every DAY

Keep Christ with you, through all your life

in all you do and say!