Monthly Archive: November 2014

Peace In Christ: Thoughts On Ferguson / Michael Brown Tragedy

Author: November 29, 2014

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Randall Daluz Peace In ChristDear Readers:
This is a very sad week for America.  I would like to tell the family of Michael Brown that I am praying for them.  I am praying for my country and the world. As a colored man who is facing racial injustice perpetrated by an unfair, unequal and corrupt justice system, I feel your pain.  I want to thank all the people who are standing up and peacefully protesting across America.  I would like to thank the people in Bangor who are standing up against injustice.  It gives me hope and warms my heart.  It is hard to believe that with all our knowledge, some people of the 21st century are still engaging in racism and classism.  The devil loves contention.  We must not allow him to manipulate this situation and turn us against each other.  We must find a peaceful solution.  We must not just focus on the anger we feel and the bad parts of this situation.  We must also focus on the opportunity we now have to discuss this issue and resolve it.  We must not fight hate with hate.  Only love can defeat hate.  God is love. (more…)

Journal

Give and Ye Shall Also Receive

Author: November 27, 2014

Randall_Daluz_Thanksgiving_MealLuke 11:41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

The first Thanksgiving was meant to celebrate the harvest.  The Pilgrims did not know how to farm the land in the new world.  In an act of kindness, the Indians taught them and shared their crops with them.  When you have more than you need, you should share it with those who have less.  Jesus has more than all of us and He shares it with as many as will receive it.  We should give freely and without expecting anything in return or expecting recognition.  God will bless you for it, but do not do it for blessings; rather, do it because it is what is right in the eyes of the Lord.   (more…)

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Give Thanks and Praises

Author: November 24, 2014

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!

Randall Daluz Journal Give Thanks and PraisesDear Readers,
Happy Thanks-giving to you and yours.  When I was a physically free man, this was my favorite time of year.  I love to cook.  I worked in many restaurants during the summers on the Cape when I was a younger man.  I took the skills I had honed in those restaurants and used them to create wonderful meals every holiday.  I have cooked our family’s meals since I was twenty years old.  These past two years are the exception, of course, due to my incarceration.  My mother is a Christian woman, so she made sure our family prayed before those meals and gave thanks to the Lord.  [Boy, do I miss mama’s apple pies right now.]  We gave Thanks to God on that day – even those of us who were unsaved.  It was tradition in our family as it is in many families.  Speaking for myself, I only gave thanks on those holidays; but what about the rest of the year?  You see, I didn’t appreciate God back then.   (more…)

Journal

Take Up The Cross

Author: November 19, 2014

Luke 9:23-27  Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

20141119_Randall_DaluzIf we follow Christ, then we must be willing to bear His cross.  There are many people who have made and will continue to make certain trifling aspersions about me and my Lord.  Many doubt the validity of my salvation.  Others doubt the existence of Jesus Christ.  Some claim to believe, but doubt I am eligible for the gift of salvation and forgiveness.  The devil loves contention.  He thrives on it!  When you are serving the Lord, you will face all manner of doubt and hate, but you must bear it in the name of the Lord.  When you are walking in Light, God’s enemies become yours and vice versa.  You see, before anyone ever hated us or persecuted us or cursed us, they did such to our Lord.  The Lord says in Romans 3:10, ‘As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;’   (more…)

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Unity and Diversity

Author: November 14, 2014

I Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Randall_Daluz_ChristianWorldViewMy grandpa, Norman Tibbetts, was a wonderful human being.  He was English and Native American.  He had white skin.  Growing up in Aroostook County, Maine – during the depression – I don’t think grandpa had many colored friends (if any at all).  None-the-less, grandpa believed in freedom and equality for every American regardless of color or social status.  Grandpa fought in World War II and he used to tell me that he fought for every man, woman and child in America, not just whites.  My father was Creole and had dark skin.  I am pretty sure he was the first colored man my grandpa and gramma ever shared a meal with.  My mother was nervous that day, she told me.  My grandpa and my dad liked each other from the start.  They had a mutual respect for one another.  You see, neither of them cared about color; it was the character of a person that mattered.  Those were the values my family grew up with and they passed those values down to us kids.  My grandparents loved me from the day I was born and they never treated me any different because of my color.  My family is diverse and I thank the Lord for that.  I have been stereotyped (more…)

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Veterans Day

Author: November 11, 2014

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI wrote the poem, “We Must Soldier On” as a metaphor for the spiritual battles and trials we endure in life.  This week, I would like to dedicate it to the service men and women who bravely and selflessly risk their lives for us.  Men like my grandpa, Norman Tibbetts Sr. (WW II) and my uncle, Norman Jr. who served during the Vietnam war and my nephew, Patrick who fought in operation Iraqi Freedom.  It is not for me to say who is right when it comes to war.  Only God can judge, but I am grateful that there are people willing to give their lives for this country.  I cannot thank them enough.  I long to go to Heaven where there will be no more war.   (more…)

Journal

A Prayer For Peace

Author: November 11, 2014

praying w bible_redDear Lord,  I pray for all soldiers in all conflicts around the world, both spiritual and physical. Lord, I lift them up to You.  May You bless them and guide them toward the Peace that is Salvation.  Lord, I lift their families up to You, Father.  May You comfort them and guide them toward the same Peace that is Salvation.  Lord, I pray for the families and loved ones of the fallen soldiers.  May You comfort them and console them, Father, and may they also find the Peace that is Salvation.  I pray this in the name of the Holy Lord Jesus Christ.  May the world seek the Peace that is Salvation.  Father, help us all to know Peace in Jesus name.  Amen.

Romans 10:13  For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

A Prayer by Randall Daluz

Journal

Ryan McLaughlin

Author: November 9, 2014

This is Part 4 of our 6-part interview series.  This is given by Ryan McLaughlin, who is still seeking the Lord.  Please pray for him.

Listen, I’m not really sure how to tell this story. I grew up surrounded by a strong Irish family that had me in church from day one. My grandfather helped build the church that I still go to, the same church my four year old daughter and infant son go to, but in the last year, I have been away from the church and away from my family. None of this time away from either one has been a choice I made knowingly, but was still a choice I made out of desperation, not knowing it would end up with me writing this letter for a friend while waiting to go to federal prison. Going to church every Sunday wasn’t enough. You see, I know the Word of God and I’ve listened to sermons and been there for sunrise services. But, knowing the Word is not the same as living for God. It’s not enough just to stand and watch others. God wants action in our life.   (more…)

Interviews

Walking In The Light

Author: November 6, 2014

walkinginthelightEphesians 5:8-14  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),  finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.  Therefore He says:  “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

The Lord is the light; when you bask in His light, you are basking in the glory of the Lord. Hallelujah!  It feels so good to walk in the light of the Lord.  My brothers and sisters in Christ know exactly what I mean.  The devil is afraid of the light, that’s why he walks and creeps in the darkness. (more…)

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Anonymous Testimony

Author: November 4, 2014

This is Part 3 of our 6-part interview series.  This inmate has requested to remain anonymous at this time.

Hi.  I am thirty-one years old from Pasadena, California.  I have made more mistakes than I can count.  Recently, I was arrested for a drug-related crime.  I never actually considered the impact my actions had on other people.  I felt that my mistakes or choices affected me and me alone, but I was wrong.  Well, over the last 3 years I have been inmate number ####, housed at the Somerset County Jail. This is not my first trip to jail, but this time is a lot different. I could tell you it’s different because I am looking at doing 25 years in federal prison, but that is not the reason (more…)

Interviews

Grace

Author: November 2, 2014

dayspring.com

Dear Readers:

I want to talk to you about Grace.  We are saved by the grace of the Lord.
[2 Corinthians 8:9]  Praise Jesus!  He became poor so that we could become rich.  The Son of God, one-third of the Trinity, humbled Himself and live in poverty so that we can be rich; so that we can inherit His kingdom and rule with Him.  He doesn’t want us to just be servants, He wants us to rule with Him.  Hallelujah!  [John 17:20-22]  He wants us to be one with Him and the Father – “And the glory which you gave me, I have given them.”  God the Father gave Him glory and He gave that glory to us. (more…)

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