Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones have their beginnings in low pressure areas.  They gain strength by sucking in surrounding winds, temperatures and humidity over seas or land to create a rotating vortex. Once spotted, monitoring begins.  Warnings and advisories are issued to those in their pathway given by forecasters who know, all too well, the devastation such events can leave behind.

America's future does not depend upon its' trade policies or its armaments.  Neither does it depend upon who sits in the White House as its president.  You can be assured that only the house which has been built on a proper fountation can withstand powerful and destructive storms.   Jesus warned us about that.

 We hear words of hope when a politician tells us how he or she plans to return this country back to its greatness, and how encouraged we may feel when many needs will be addressed and we have been allowed to dream again. Sounds wonderful,  but we are seeing pipe dreams?

What are "pipe dreams"?  An unrealistic hope or fantasy.  Where did that phrase originate? It might surprise us, but the allusion is to the dreams experienced by smokers of opium pipes! 

One such significant happening in this world today is our ignored moral collapse--which is like a dark cloud already turning day into night right before our eyes.  Powerful destructive forces have formed to overtake every form of righteousnes, sucking it into its vortex of distruction. It is a phenomenon which occurs when people are tempted to refuse or accept God's scriptual word on a particular subject and allow themselves to suck on the pleasures of sin. 

Ironically, this is exactly what we read in Genesis 3  which happened in the Garden of Eden!!!!

The apostle Paul wrote:

'I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached or you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you acceepted you tolerate all this beautifully." (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

Ironically, the phrase "Chasing the dragon (or serpent)" is also a Chinese description of sucking drugs through an opium pipe!

There are "pipe dreams" and dreams God gives us.  One such dream was formed in the hearts and minds of Christian believers, who longed for the freedom to worship God in spirit and in truth.
 
Plymouth ROCK is where most Americans believe those pilgrims landed, after days of hazardous seas. There is considerable debate about that particular rock--whether the one tourists are shown is the actual one or not. But it really doesn't matter. A famous hymn is still sung in Christian churches, and has a refrain which says "My hope is Built on Nothing Less", referring to the parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders which Jesus taught (1 Corinthians 10:4) and builds around the metaphor of Christ as a rock:

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.

MARY E ADAMS