The Colorful Col. Martin Van Mabe

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment
A  new 200 page book by Dr. Daniel Merritt you might be interested in has just been released. It is on the life of Col Martin Van Mabe.If you would like a copy they are $15, which includes postage and handling. Just send your address to his email address at pleasant_ridge_runner@yahoo.com and a copy will be sent your way.  Thanks
View book information at http://www.48hrbooks.com/Book/17152

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“Bitter Tongues, Buried Treasures” is the true story of the fascinating  and colorful life of Colonel Martin Van Mabe.  Born in Stokes County, North Carolina in 1838, Mabe’s grandfather was a Revolutionary War veteran and his grandmother of Cherokee descent. Entering the Civil War he fought bravely on the battlefield and with courage endured being a POW in a Union prison camp. Returning to Stokes County after the war, he became one of the most successful and prosperous businessmen in the county. His influence was felt statewide. He became a United States Commissioner. Never marrying, he hired his first cousin, Nancy Jane Mabe, to be his housekeeper. Neighbors and kinsman became jealous of his success and spread vicious rumors that Martin and Nancy Jane were “living in sin.” They even had to go to court to prove the charges false. Nancy Jane vowed that none of her neighbors and relatives would at her death inherit any of her possessions. What she chose to do to keep that from taking place the reader will find most intriguing.

A LEAP INTO THE LIGHT

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

CrossLightThe atheistic philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) once stated, “Faith is not wanting to know what truth is.” He believed that one who embraced faith would never discover truth. Sadly, he spent his whole life searching for truth and fighting against the very source of truth — Jesus Christ. He dismissed faith as irrational and angrily concluded that God was dead. He spent his final days in a state of insanity. His dismissal of faith in Christ as the road to discovering truth took him down a road that led him into madness.

Unfortunately, many today see faith as irrational. If they can’t see, touch, taste or reason it, then it must be dismissed. However, faith is not some nebulous attitude or wishful outlook on life that is built upon shifting sands. Faith is not, as the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) said, a leap in the dark.

The Christian faith is not a leap in the dark, but it is a leap into the arms of Him who said, “I am the Light of world” (John 8:12). As P.T. Forsyth said, “Through the Cross to the Light.” Faith is not, as Nietzsche said, not wanting to know what truth is, but it is just the opposite; faith is the road to discovering what truth is. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Not waiting for an answer, he turned and walked way. He didn’t have eyes to see that he was standing in the presence of Him who declared that He was “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Faith is not a irrational violation of one’s will, but is willingly knelling before the outstretched arms of the Christ of the cross.

The Christian faith is built upon the bedrock of the Christ of the cross. It was there at the cross He dealt with the sin debt which humanity owes to a Holy God, which debt we could never pay. Faith is the deep seated conviction that at the cross Christ, as our Substitute, did for us what we could never do for ourselves. When Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), the transaction between God and Christ was completed that resulted in our sin debt being marked – PAID IN FULL! We find provided in the Christ of the cross that quality of rightness (righteousness) that allows us to find right standing before the Holy Father. For in Jesus Christ is found the fulfillment of what the perfect Law of God demanded and what the prophets promised.

The Christian faith is not creative in regard to what is truth, it discovers and embraces He who is truth and what He has already accomplished for us on the cross. The Christian faith is not in an idea or merely a creed, but in the person of Jesus Christ who is our Savior, our Mediator, our Advocate, our Rock and our perfect Righteousness. Faith is not a leap in the dark, but is built on that which was done in the light – the perfect life of Christ, His Substitutionary payment on the cross for the sins of humanity, and His resurrection from the grave. Faith is anchored in the knowledge of the historic revelation of God in Christ Jesus.

Oswald Chambers defined faith as “implicit confidence in Jesus. Faith is committal to One whose character we do know because it has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ.” Faith is not closing one’s mind to reason and truth, but realizes implicit faith in the Christ of the cross is most reasonable and the road to truth. Faith is the highest kind of reason, built on the knowledge of who Christ was and is. Faith in Christ is an action that enables us to apprehend, grasp and sense what is beyond us and otherwise unattainable. Faith in the Christ of the cross gives an understanding to the riddle of life and the problem of humanity. Faith in Christ enables us to soar like an eagle into the very presence of God, which would otherwise be inaccessible.

There is much more to living life than just by our sensory-perceptions and only believing what can be proven in a laboratory test tube. When one’s life is built on the historic and solid foundation of the Christ of the cross, one will discover He will prove Himself in the test tube of our lives that He truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Christian faith rests in and on the Christ of the Cross in whom we can trust with certainty, confidence and assurance.

And may our faith be found fleshing out Truth in a world that so desperately needs HIM.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

EASTER IS EVERY DAY

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Easter Sunday Christians will gather early in the morning for Easter Sunrise Services to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only time will tell whether the skyline will yield a reddish glow from a sun whose early morning rays pierce through the darkness or yield clouds that will seek to hide the sun’s radiance. No matter the weather, I am thankful on that first Easter morning the clouds of sin, the devil and death could not keep Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, from piercing the darkness of this world with His glorious Light of redemption and EveryDayreconciliation. As Christians gather for Sunrise Services the cool gentle morning breeze that will brush our cheeks should reminded us of His ever abiding presence. As we lift our voices in praise that Christ arose from the dead let us joyfully sing of His triumph over the grave. As we gather if we listen closely we can still hear the proclamation of the angels on that first Easter morning echoing in the air, “He is not here, He is risen.” Yes, “this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, [being raised from the dead] sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). That Christ arose from the dead is truly a wonderful truth worth lifting our voices in praise.
 That Christ arose from the dead is a historical fact. Evidence from eyewitnesses of the Christ-event and even from writings other than the Bible by first century writers verifies the historicity of His resurrection. The cross and resurrection of Christ is the central point of eternity, history and the Christian faith. While Christians can celebrate the historical reality of Christ’s resurrection, for the Christian Easter is every day. But how does Christ’s resurrection impact our daily lives?
 For the believer Easter if every day, for the same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us each day of our lives. Paul writes about this amazing truth, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). Did you get that, the same power that raised Christ’s lifeless body from the dead dwells with us and in us; such power is available to us in our daily lives. WOW!!
 If the resurrection power of Christ dwells with us and in us why should we think we can’t face and get through the obstacles, difficulties and mountains that we confront in life? Yes, we place our faith in a historical event, but much more, His living presence is accessible for the practicality of daily living. It matters not what the trial, the testing, or the temptation the resurrection power of Christ is there to strengthen us. Paul, as he faced his own obstacles, writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). Writing from a prison cell he knew the practicality of Christ’s resurrection power to help him in his daily situations.
 The believer has access to “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which [God] wrought (exerted, accomplished , brought to decisive finality) in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand…” (Eph. 1:19-20). This verse tells us that the power we have available to us was put to the ultimate test when Christ was raised from the dead. If such power was victorious in the raising of Christ from the cold dark tomb, cannot “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe” help us in the adverse circumstances of our lives. Can you think of a situation that His power is not able to give us victory?
 P.T. Forsyth eloquently writes, “From the New Testament point of view the seat of chief power and authority in the universe is the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ…For Paul the omnipotence of God was chiefly shown in raising Christ from the dead… [the] act wherein was exerted the whole power of God for the world – the resurrection of Christ.” Forsyth goes on to say the center point of the Christian’s faith must be in the two-fold event of the cross and resurrection and we must not lack faith in “the greatest exertion of omnipotence ever known – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We only [live] by the power of his resurrection.”
 Our Christian faith rests upon Christ’s resurrection and His living presence in our midst. Yet are you and I living daily by the power of His of resurrection? Do we desire to know the power of His resurrection working in our lives? The practicality of the resurrection is that its power is sufficient to empower us daily in all of life’s storms and struggles. The supreme exhibition of the power of God is found in Christ’s resurrection, but are we relying upon such awesome power each day? While we gather this Easter Sunday to celebrate His resurrection, it is an event we can celebrate every day of the week. We can celebrate knowing His presence and power penetrates and invades every area of our lives.
Blessings,
Dr. Dan

DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE ENEMY

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 2 Comments

APRILFOOLAh, April Fool’s Day. April Fool’s Day has become a day when people seek in some way to pull a trick on or to fool friends and loved ones in some way. How did this tradition come to be?

Though there are several versions, the observance is said to have originated in France after the adoption of the Gregorian calendar instituted in 1564 during the reign of Charles IX. France was the first nation to adopt the new calendar. Up onto that time the New Year celebration began the first day of spring and ended April 1. When New Year’s Day was changed to January 1, many people still celebrated the New Year as before ending their celebration on April 1. These people came to be known as April fools. The custom of fooling friends and relatives on that day became popular in France and eventually spread to other countries.

I don’t know if anyone has pulled an April Fool’s trick on you or not, but one thing is for sure our old Foe, the devil, is fooling people everyday into falling for his tricks. Don’t be fooled by the enemy. Paul warned us not to be ignorant of the devil’s tricks. Paul used the word “devices,” which means cunningly thought-out plans (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Satan fools lost people into thinking they don’t need Jesus or that they have plenty of time to “get right” with the Lord. Christ on the cross made provision for our sins to be forgiven and for our acceptance before a Holy God, but we must appropriate His finished work on our behalf by embracing Him in faith. However, the Bible warns us not to be fooled into the thinking that we have plenty of time when in actuality we know not when our last heart beat will take place. That is why we are told, “Prepare to meet thy God,” (Amos 4:12) and that “today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). To think otherwise is to be fooled by him who Jesus called a liar (John 8:44).

He fools Christians into thinking maintaining a vibrant Christian faith is not important, Bible reading, worship  and prayer are not necessary, using our talents for the Lord not essential, and living a consistent Christian life in this compromising day is out of step with society. Our Adversary puts temptations before us that may seem innocent at first, but in the end will short circuit our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We can be assured when the great Trickster of the ages seeks to point us down a road that seems smoothly paved we can rest assure it will not be long before we discover it is full of potholes.

He fools Christians into thinking that because we are going through some trial that the Lord has abandoned us. He whispers in our ears, “If the Lord really loved you, you wouldn’t be going through this trial.” You have heard that, I know I have. My dear friend, reject the devil’s deceitful voice. We can be assured that NO trial or testing can EVER separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39) and that whatever comes into our lives, good or bad, the Lord in His infinite wisdom promises to work it out for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28). Don’t be fooled into not believing in the eternal promises of God that never fail. We can rest in the promise that our Lord “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18).

Through the years I am sure we have all have fallen for some April Fool’s trick, but let us not fall for the tricks of the devil who seeks to detour, derail, and distract us from what we know to be right. Paul tells us if we are going to be a fool, let’s not be one for the devil but let us be a fool for Christ’s sake (II Cor. 11:23) by daily living faithfully for Him.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

TRUTHS I HAVE LEARNED

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 2 Comments

lessons-learnedI recently celebrated my sixty-third birthday. Age doesn’t necessarily make you wiser, but after three-score and three years even those with the hardest heads should become a little wiser from the wear and tear. Let me share with you a few truths I have learned in the living of life.

I’ve learned life is a precious gift given to us by our Creator and we are to treasure each and every second we have been granted.

I’ve learned that the Lord speaks to our hearts everyday if we but have a desire and sensitive ears to hear His whispering Voice.

I’ve learned that the Creator has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ and in Christ He Himself in holy-love paid the debt we owe for not living up to His holy requirements. What God did in the Christ of the Cross is called grace – amazing grace.

I’ve learned there is no such person as a true atheist. Each of us have been created with an innate voice that there is a God. Those who seek to silence His voice or dismiss His voice do so because they want to be their own god and divorce themselves from the fact they must someday give an account to Him for their lives.

I’ve learned that there are consequences to our decisions and choices, whether good or bad.

I’ve learned that when one works hard, rewards will follow. I realize that goes against the entitlement mentality of  today that says, “I deserve it whether I have worked for it or not.”

I’ve learned if you spend more than you make you will go in debt. It is a shame politicians haven’t learned that principle.

I’ve have learned that you don’t create wealth by dividing it. That is the thinking of socialism, which destroys initiative and incentive. Why work to achieve if it is going to be taken from you to give to someone who thinks it’s their right to have what you have without earning it.

I’ve learned that a smile is contagious.

I’ve learned that there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledgeable men are not always wise. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge rightly.

I’ve learned that what is truly valuable in life has nothing to do with money.

I’ve learned that everyone we meet is experiencing some pain or problem, so try to be nice and brighten their day.

I’ve learned that to have friends you must show yourself friendly.

I’ve learned that laughter is a gift that adds music to the soul and is medicine for the spirit.

I’ve learned that unforgiveness will eat away at your soul and short circuit your relationship will others and the Creator.

I’ve learned that happiness is found in being “other oriented” not being selfish. We have no greater privilege than to invest in the lives of others.

I’ve learned you cannot ever compromise with evil. If you do, it will eventually destroy you and make a fool out of you.

I’ve learned that many waters cannot quench love. Life is short so if you are going to tell someone you love them do it before it is too late.

I’ve learned that if you take care of your health it will sooner or later pay dividends. I have sought to be an active runner for 50 years, and I do believe one of the reasons I have done so well in my battle with prostate cancer is because of my health. As I have heard many say as the years piled up, “If I had known I was gonna live this long I would have taken better care of myself!”

I’ve learned that it is ok for a grown man to cry and show his emotions.

I’ve learned that moral, theological, and political liberalism are destructive to the family, society and the church. The “transformation” that liberalism has brought to the USA has severely weakened us as a nation.

I’ve learned to be thankful for my blessings and to be trusting in my adversity. Our disappointments in reality are His-appointments.

I’ve learned without any doubt whatsoever that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God, and is our road map for living and our road map on how to get to heaven. The Word  has proven itself over and over in my life to be true.

I’ve learned like the German Reformer Martin Luther, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand. I can do no other.” I have come too far to turn back now and have no intentions to do so.

I could go on and on of truths and principles I have learned over the years, but I will end with the greatest truth I have ever learned.  I’ve learned that man is sinner. While we don’t all sin alike, we have all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The remedy for our sin is the One who was above sin but died for our sins – Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

THAT IS A BIG NUMBER

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

MARCH17Well, another birthday has arrived. I was born on Saint Patrick’s Day at 11 o’clock in the morning 63 years ago. Yes, the birthdays are starting to pile up. As one of  my grandsons said when I answered him as to how old I am, “Papa, that is a big number.” I am just glad to still be around. I try to think like the old English Proverb that states, “The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune!”

It has been said that “there is no cure for the common birthday.” How true that is. As matter of fact, the mirror reminds me how right that statement really is! The passage of time can’t be stopped. Why would you want to stop having birthdays? Having birthdays is the only way to live a long life!! And on this St. Patrick’s Day I am more blessed than a leprechaun that found on a hillside a pot of gold. Yet birthdays are a time for reflection, a time for contemplation.

Birthdays should remind us of the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord. It is only because of His goodness to us that we are privileged to be where we are on our road in the journey of life. Grace has seen us this far and grace will see us home. The Lord has been most gracious to me. I am so thankful for my health and that I can still run, which I have been doing since age 13, even though I have slowed with the passage of the years. I am still able to do my annual birthday routine of running a minute for every year. That is 63 minutes this year and I am most grateful I was able to do so. I am most thankful I can still put one foot in front of the other.

Birthdays remind us of the fragileness of life and that life is truly a gift. Life is a precious gift that can be here one minute and gone the next. My journey with prostate cancer has made me realize that even more. We should treasure each day. We should seek each day to be a blessing to others and bring sunshine, smiles and laughter into the life of those around us for we may not get another chance. Tell those close to you, friends and family, that you love them. You may not get another chance.

Birthdays remind us that life is too short to waste and abuse. Too many people are wasting their talents and gifts and abusing the life the Lord has blessed them with. The Lord gave us all certain abilities and He expects us to use them to enrich the lives of others. Are we? If not, we need to be. It is in enriching the lives of others that our own life is enriched. Abraham Lincoln said it well, “And in the end, it’s not the years in our life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

Birthdays remind us that this world is not our home we are just-a-passing through. No matter how long our life may be we will not be on earth forever. George Bernard Shaw once said, “One out of one die.” Those odds are not in our favor! The Bible says we are pilgrims and strangers here below. While we have time we need to make preparation for the life beyond the here and now. How do we do that? We do that by faith in and through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He left eternity to inhabit time, that those bound by time might one day inhabit eternity. Thankfully, I took care of that eternal decision over forty years ago as a nineteen year old.

Yes, I enjoy life and treasure each moment. I echo the words of Frank Sinatra when he said, “I hope everyone lives to be 150 and the last voice you hear is mine!” However, I want to live in such a way that when I hear that last earthly voice, the next voice I hear is that of my gracious Savior welcoming me into that Eternal City where no one ever grows old.

Ah, birthdays. I am more grateful than I could ever express in words to be around for another year. On this St. Patrick’s Day I am truly a very “lucky” man. Yes, 63 is a big number and I hope they keep getting bigger. And on this my birthday may I have the attitude of the poet who said, “We turn not older with years, but newer every day.”

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

LightFromCrossThe cross stands at the center of all spiritual and moral reality. The longer I live the more the cross becomes burned in my soul. While I will never be able to fully plumb the depths of its divine mystery, I am fully persuaded that the answer to the woes of humanity is found in the Christ of the cross. Our God has acted in the affairs of humanity, providing through His Son on the cross all that man needs for redemption from his sins and the reconciling of man unto his Creator. Nature reveals that there is a Supreme Being; the cross reveals the character of the Being of which nature is a witness. God’s first creation creates in us awe. His second creation of a New Humanity bought in the cross creates in our souls worship. The Light that shines on the Babe of Bethlehem, finds its Source in the cross that awaited Him. When I speak of the event of the cross, I refer to all that surrounds it – the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

We live in a world that is a philosophical maze where people seem to have difficulty choosing a proper ethic that determines what is right and wrong. As Christians we must realize spiritual and ethical truth is anchored in the Cross of Christ and the inspired Word that tells us of our eternal God’s visitation to earth. The guiding ethic of the Christian faith is found in the loving righteousness of the One who hung upon the atoning cross. The ethic of fallen man is anchored in his own selfish whims apart from Christ. For the Christian the atoning cross is our true magnetic North and we must ever keep our eyes upon it and seek to understand the marvel of its mystery, its practicality for daily living, and the grace found in the holy-love of the Father that ever flows freely from Christ and His redemptive work on our behalf.

The cross must never be stripped from its relation to the holy-love of God and His judgment upon our sin and its atoning power that can deliver us in the midst of our sin. We are not saved and kept by the sentimentality of some mystic ideal, but by the historical Act of God in the Christ of the cross which is the ground of our salvation. Salvation never means escape from the world, but it means God’s coming to earth in Christ to deal with our sins that we might experience fellowship with Him so we can walk uprightly while in this world. When the cross becomes devoid of God’s holy judgment upon our sin and His atoning work in the midst of our sin, then the cross has lost its power in our daily lives. The Christian has but one ethic, and its source flows from the Christ of the cross. The cross is more than a humanistic relic of religion, but it’s the eternal instrument that reconciles sinful man with a Holy God. It was at the cross judgment upon sin and grace met. It was on Calvary’s Hill that Christ in grace offered His perfect life for us, which life we could not live; and it was there, as our Substitute, He took upon Himself the judgment we deserved.

The cross has invaded the historic affairs of humanity with an act of both mercy and judgment. By faith we are connected to this historical Act, an Act which declares us to be righteous as well as empowers us to live in a relationship with the Righteous One. By faith we are placed into a New Humanity anchored in the holy-love of the Father who calls us to walk in newness of life. When one is guided by the Light of the cross there burns within their soul a passion that longs for all humanity to find connection in the universal finished work of Christ to the glory of the Holy Father.

All of creation groans for the manifestation of the crucified Son of God, and the bringing forth of His loving judgment upon our sin wherein lies our victory. The cross is not an instrument just to bless us but to redeem us. True spiritual and moral truth flows from the cross whose goal is to make men holy. When the cross is our compass we strive to live in obedience to the One who was obedient even unto death on that wooden tree. The cross teaches us that love must not be based upon mere human sentimentality, but be based upon biblical righteousness (ethic) working within the sphere of our daily world– first with God and then to our fellowman.

Christ’s work on the cross was for the purpose of God’s holy-love dealing with our sin, and is so doing, by faith, it affects our character and conduct. As the Christ of the cross becomes the object of our focus we find our daily ethic becoming more in-tune with the One who acted in history. As P.T. Forsyth has stated, “We are only really, finally, morally right only as God’s grace has its way with us, as the immoral thing, sin, is judged, doomed, and replaced by that which is moral, – faith in the Christ of the cross, faith moralized by its holy object [the cross].”

In a day when the humanistic winds of what is deemed right and wrong is ever changing, let us uncompromisingly keep our eyes on the Christ of the cross. It is in the crucified Savior where we find an unchanging ethic that amidst the sinking sands of this world will keep our feet on solid ground.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

I AM NOW DOWN FROM THE TREE

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 2 Comments

I am finally down from the tree…the genealogical tree that is! Let me explain.

Recently I had a friend call me and asked why I hadn’t written a blog in over a month. They were wondering if I was ok or something had happened to me. I appreciate their concern in checking on me and I appreclimbingdownfromtreeciate their taking the time to read my blogs. I explained there was a reason I haven’t written anything in awhile. I have been immersed in doing genealogical research!

For years I have compiled information and stories about my mother’s side of the family. Since I am not getting any younger (I will be 63 in March) I thought it was time to put it all together. I did more than write down a list of names, dates and places, but I breathed life into my ancestors and wrote my findings as a story. It took me about six weeks and over 100 pages to complete the task. I think I am now finished….I think. It was a fascinating journey.

Now that I have climbed down from my genealogical tree the question is, “What lessons can be learned when one embarks upon the journey of discovering their ancestral roots?”

First, one should be prepared to find the good, the bad, and the ugly. My family tree has a little bit of everything perched in its genealogical branches. My first ancestor on my mother’s side who came to colonial America in 1720 came over as a prisoner for breaking the law in his homeland of England. As an indentured servant he labored for seven years to pay his debt. Though coming to America in chains, he had a son and a grandson who fought in the Revolutionary War to help free the colonies from the political chains of England. From fetters to freedom was the path of my first ancestors in the New World. Such a switch of fortunes instills pride in one’s genealogical consciousness.

Then I discovered my early ancestors intermingled their English blood with the blood of Native Americans. Such a discovery brings about a sense of dignity that such noble blood flows through your veins.

But just as quickly as pride can swell in one’s chest, one’s ancestors can cause one to exclaim, “I can’t believe they did that.” It is evident my early ancestors, who produced very large families, had “kissing cousin” relationships. Cousins married cousins, uncles married nieces, and nieces married great uncles. With travel limited in those early days, individuals married whoever was close by and available. It was and is what it was and is. To my knowledge I don’t know any of their descendants who have six fingers or six toes!

I also discovered some of my ancestral grandparents gave birth to illegitimate children. Both sides of my genealogical tree were checkered with such occurrences. My great grandfather was born illegitimate and, as well, my great-great grandmother and great-great-great grandmother were born illegitimate.

So when one begins tracing their ancestral footsteps one can expect to find ancestors lifting one to the mountains tops while others will leave one shaking their head. But don’t run from your past; embrace it as unique to your blood line. All that transpired before us helps shape and make us who we are.

Second, when one traces their ancestral roots one discovers that one’s beginning doesn’t necessarily determine who they become. One can’t choose their beginning, but they can choose their future. When one looks at the life of my great, great grandmother one finds a woman who overcame a checkered past that had a stigma attached to it. She not only was born illegitimate, her mother was also. While she could not choose her beginning, she could make choices that had others in her day calling her a woman of integrity, noble, honest, and a woman possessed of great wisdom. The same with my great grandfather, though born from an “unlawful” father, he rose to become owner of his own store, a county commissioner, and became one of the most respected and prominent persons in Stokes County, NC. A lesson learned from genealogical research is the how, when and where one is born into the world may be beyond one’s control, but the choices one makes and the way one responds to life is within one’s control. One who makes good choices can rise above their inherited situation.

Third, God’s providence overrules the good, the bad and the ugly to create who we are. Some dare not delve into their past for fear of what they may find. So be it. You can’t change the past. One can be certain to find the “unthinkable,” but the mistakes and sometimes bad choices (and good choices) of our ancestors all go into making up who we are. Accept it or deny it, a little bit of all our ancestor’s flows through our veins. One needs to embrace that fact and that each person has been created with a divine purpose that requires a little bit from all those who went before us for that destiny to unfold. The Good Lord’s providence can overrule the past to create one’s future.

Yes, it is true tracing the roots of one’s genealogical tree takes time, but the rewards are worth it. A person never knows what they will find or dig up. Just think, each person will someday be someone’s ancestor. May each of us live in such a way that one day when others dig up our past they will find something interesting that causes them to exclaim, “Wow, I didn’t know that.”

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

THE WONDER OF CHRIST(MAS)

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

WonderofXmasChristmas has different meanings to different people. Some attempt to celebrate the season without any reference to Christ at all, for most He is the reason for the season. You can count me among those in the latter crowd. To celebrate the Christmas season without Christ as the honored guest is like celebrating a birthday for someone who isn’t even there!

I wish there were words that would allow me to describe to you how wondrous Jesus is to me. I wish this Christmas season it was possible for me to paint a picture on the canvas of your soul of the wonder of Christ. Words fail me in my attempt to describe the indescribable Christ, but I will seek to try.

Jesus is wondrous to me because…

In my sin He is the Forgiver of all my transgressions.

In my unrighteousness He is my Perfect Righteousness.

In my utter lostness He is my Savior.

In my separation from the Creator He is my Mediator and Advocate.

In my unlovableness He is the Lover of my soul.

In my rebellion He became my Lord.

In my spiritual poverty He is the Richness of my life.

In my cloudy days He is my Shining Sun.

In my failure He is my Restorer.

In my vulnerability He is my Strong Tower.

In my choices He is my King.

In my barrenness He is my Fruitful One.

In my lack He is my Fullness.

In my wandering He is my Good Shepherd.

In my thirst He is my Water of Life.

In my search for truth He is the Eternal Truth.

In my sorrow He is my Comforter.

In my sadness He is my Joyous Song.

In my fears He is my Prince of Peace.

In my indecision He is my Counselor.

In my life’s detours He is my Unchanging Road.

In my regrets He is my New Beginning.

In my perplexity He is my Wisdom.

In my inability He is my Enabler.

In my burdens He is my Burden Bearer.

In my defeats He is my Conquering Hero.

In my darkest night He is my Guiding Light.

In my insufficiency He is my Sufficiency.

In my loneliness He is my Immanuel, God’s presence with me.

In my discouragement He is my Encourager.

In my questions He is my Answer.

In my deserts He is my Oasis.

In my betrayals He is my Dearest Friend.

In my distractions He is my Focus.

In my entanglements He is my Emancipator.

In my fiery trials He is my Refiner.

In my temptations He is my Escape.

In my interruptions He is my Appointment.

In my disappointments He is my Promise.

In my tears He is my Understanding One.

In my discontent He is my Satisfaction.

In my dead ends He is my Door.

In my unutterable groanings He is my Intercessor.

In my quietness He is my Word.

In my distress He is my soul’s Calm.

In my confusion He is my Certainty.

In my chaos He is my Order.

In my soul’s hunger for answers He is my satisfying Bread of Life.

In my weakness He is my Strength.

In my sickness He is my Great Physician.

In my hopelessness He is my Living Hope.

In my fleeting days He is my Ancient of Days.

In the face of death He is my Resurrection and my Eternal Life.

Jesus is all that to me and more. O, the wonder of Christ(mas). I just wish this Christmas there was some way I could express to you how wondrous Jesus is. Paul was correct when he wrote, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable, indescribable, amazing, and wondrous gift of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Merry Christ(mas),

Dr. Dan

IT WAS 76 YEARS AGO TODAY

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment
My Parents R.C. and Mildred Merritt

My Parents R.C. and Mildred Merritt

It was 76 years ago today, December 3, 1938, that R.C. Merritt (1912-2001) and Mildred Mabe (1917-1999) were joined together in holy matrimony. They were my parents. In 1952 I was the second child born into their home. They were married 61 years before death interrupted their union. If they were living they would be celebrating their seventy-sixth wedding anniversary today. Though both of my parents have gone on to their reward, the many lessons and truths they taught me live on in my everyday life. As I contemplate today on what would have been their anniversary, I would like to share a few of the many lessons and truths they sought to instill in me that have helped shape who I am today.

My parents taught me if I wanted something I had to earn it and to not expect someone else just handing it to me. Such sage advice goes against the entitlement mentality that pervades society today that has the attitude, “You earned it, but I deserve it.” Their wise counsel has caused me to take thankful pride in what I have accomplished and to respect what others have worked to achieve.

My parents taught me to be truthful and honest when dealing with others. If you are not truthful it will come back to haunt you because you have to remember what you said; and, worse, you will lose the respect of others.

My parents taught me to be thankful for whatever was on my plate when I sat down to eat. Even today when I have set before something I don’t really care about eating, I can still hear their voices echoing in my ears about how lucky I am to have something to eat and that there are those who have no food at all.

My parents taught me to seek not to be selfish because the world doesn’t revolve around me. When we think of others we are happier than when we only think of ourselves.

My parents taught me to respectfully stand when the National Anthem was being played. I am to show respect and admiration for the flag and what it stands for. People died that the flag might fly, and I am to honor her. To this day I still get chills every time I hear sung the National Anthem.

My parents taught me not to be part of the crowd just to be a part of them, but to stand on my convictions even if it meant to stand alone. As a minister I am thankful that lesson was instilled in me, because there are times when standing for the truth I may stand alone.

My parents taught me to be courteous and polite to others if I expect them to be courteous and polite to me. To say “Please” and “Thank You” are words you can’t use too much.

My parents taught me to do right because it is the right thing to do. You don’t do right just when someone is watching or because you “feel” like it, you do right because that is what you are suppose to do.

My parents taught me not to give-up when undertaking a task. If I failed I was told to regroup and keep trying until I succeeded. If you want something out of life it must be fought and worked for.

My parents taught me to watch the company I keep because who I hung around would shape who I became. That was good advice when I went off to college in the hippie era and drugs and alcohol were easily accessible.

My parents taught me to respect others even if I didn’t agree with them, and if I couldn’t to turn and walk away. I have done my best to do that, and, yes, there have been many times I have had to walk away!

My parents taught me not to spend more than I make. Always save at least a dime out of every dollar. Don’t become a slave to debt by buying things you can’t afford. That has been common-sense advice I am glad I have heeded through the years. The government should heed my parent’s advice!!

My parents taught me to vote. They never told me how to vote, but to intelligently examine each candidate and make a wise decision based upon my moral and biblical convictions. I can still hear them say, “If you don’t vote you have no right to complain.”

My parents taught me the value of a healthy sense of humor. While life should be taken seriously, the seriousness of life should never silence the music of laughter. “A merry heart does good like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Such practical advice has kept me sane through the years.

My parents taught me that if I have problems there is a Higher Power available to help give me strength and help me through life. The quite faith they demonstrated spoke loudly that the Lord’s strength is available to all if they simply ask Him.

Yes, my parents taught me many valuable lessons and truths. While I am still trying to incorporate them all into my life, I am most thankful I had parents who sought to instill them in me. While my parents were not perfect, as no parents are, I was blessed to have wise parents for which I will ever be grateful.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan