Articles & Advice

                                                     

Here’s a few tips after losing 77 lbs.


First, determine in your heart to finish the course, even though setbacks will occur.  Second, avoid sugars, pastas, salty foods, and processed foods.  I like popcorn and sparkling soda water but refuse diet sodas which is far worst.  Third, record your daily meals in a diary, that helps you pattern meals where you may slip sometimes.  Fourth, caution yourself while eating Holiday meals or Buffet places—no seconds, and if possible, cut them in half.  Fifth, refuse to be a glutton and learn to say NO, especially when you’ve stuffed to the point you can wait another week to eat.  Sixth, educate yourself on foods from dietitians, and read information on labels when buying groceries.  Seventh, eat veggies and fruits in abundance. Drinking V-8 juice helps a lot to fill this need.  Eighth, Eating at Restaurants may be a serious culprit to gain weight. Nevertheless, you can take control by ordering just the way you like to, e.g., substitute high calorie items with fruit, veggies, or meats.  Ninth, social eating were pitfalls for me, please be careful.  Use caution by limiting your plate to healthier choices. Tenth, take pictures before and after (See photos below).  Lastly, I use to be hard on myself, judging and getting discouraged, but think like a champion, and use your failures as comebacks.  Best wishes!

This report is from Will Venable, the Boston’s Red Socks Bench Coach.


The bench coaching role can vary from team to team, but every bench coach shares the common responsibility of supporting the manager. This can mean a wide range of things. At times I am an extension of him, delivering messages he may not have time for. And sometimes I act as a filter, putting out small fires before they get to him.

Additionally, I am responsible for making sure the day-to-day operation of the club runs how our manager, Alex Cora, wants it to. This means communicating with each department head (medical staff, hitting department, pitching department, and travel secretary) and coordinating our daily schedule.

During games I have two main responsibilities. When we are on defense, it’s my job to control the opposition’s running game. If anyone gets on base, it is my job, through signals to the catcher, to instruct the pitcher to attempt a pick off, or instruct the catcher where to throw the ball if runner(s) attempt to steal a base. Another part of my in-game responsibilities is to be prepared to have any information Alex might want at a moment’s notice (mostly opposing pitchers delivery times and tendencies).

Another big component of all coaches’ roles is researching the opposition in advance of a series. Because of my precious experience as a base coach, I have been asked to research all things that may impact our base runners when they get on base (pitching and defensive tendencies mostly).

Lastly, as all coaches do, I also spend a lot of my time building relationships with players. At times players need a voice of encouragement, motivation, and sometimes accountability, and it’s the responsibility of the entire coaching staff to make sure we have relationships in place with each player so they can receive the appropriate message at the right time. While being a bench coach can mean different things at different times, helping players through the grind has been the most rewarding so far!

Edited by Uncle Darrel.

National Racism Resolved


Americans know that racism is systemic and permeates the core of our society. Former U.S. Presidents failed to implement effective solutions to resolve national racism, biases, preferential treatments, and prejudices. The United States prides itself on freedom and justice for all but has yet to fulfill its American dream. Nevertheless, the Bible makes it clear that racial division and hatred can be resolved in a local assembly according to Galatians 3:8, where there’s neither Greek nor Jew, …bond nor free, …male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s simplistic to partake of freedom without divisions, and variance, just believe on Jesus as the crucified, buried, and resurrected Savior of the world.

When we experience the love and favor of God through His Son Jesus Christ who died for the world’s wrong behaviors, attitudes, and speech He will restore our relationships with God and with each other. In turn we can forgive other people’s sins as He forgave everyone else by His blood sacrifice! God made all nations of one blood, but Christ’s blood was shed to put away sin once-and-for all. The Bible says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. Though Jesus died to take away our sins, yet He lives on.

But can this be a reality in America? Evidently, Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California is where the Lord genuinely manifests His love and peace in people’s hearts with multiple backgrounds. VBC began in the home of Pastor Roger and Joann Jimenez who promote community love and racial unity with its members in a local assembly.

VBC is comprised of Venezuelans, Indians, Whites, Mexicans, African Americans, Russian, Ukrainians, Philippines, Koreans, Pakistanis, and French members who come together to grow in faith, worship, provide offerings, study, fellowship, minister, support one another, and go soul winning under the banner of one God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who said, “Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”


The Neediness of Jews in Jesus’ Day

  • The dead needed to be awakened out of sleep as was Lazarus and others, Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life, believe in me.
  • The diseased needed a cure, like the ten lepers.  Jesus healed them all.
  • The illiterate, ignorant, and foolish needed education, so Jesus expounded on God’s Word.  Even the world could not contain the books that should be written about Jesus, who said, the Bible was written about me.
  • The adulteresses and adulterers needed a Bridegroom that would not forsake them. Jesus said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
  • The self-righteous and legalists needed imputed Righteousness of Christ.
  • Those spiritually indebted needed Jesus to pay their sin debt owed to God which is eternal death. Jesus paid it all at Calvary.
  • The lost sheep needed a leader to follow Him back to the fold.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd; and Jesus gave His life for the sheep.
  • The unholy and worst sinners like Tyer and Sidon needed repentance, like Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus said, repent (change your belief) and be converted and I will receive you.
  • The Israelites needed a Kingdom that would never be destroyed, so Jesus preached the Everlasting kingdom of God.
  • The people lacked righteous living, but Jesus Christ’s sinless life revealed His Light to the world.
  • The hypocrites needed a good example without duplicity that was demonstrated by grace and truth in Christ. Jesus who said, I am, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
  • The poor in spirit were without purpose and meaning and needed to abide in God as their True Vine and Husbandman. Jesus said, abide in me and I in you, that you may bear much fruit.
  • The widows and fatherless needed comfort and consolation.  True religion is visiting the fatherless and widows in their afflictions.  Jesus said, I will send another comforter (the Holy Spirit), and He shall be in you.
  • The Jews hated tax collectors and publicans who were overbearing and burdensome.  Jesus said, pay up, and give to God what belongs to Him.
  • The people were malnourished, but Jesus fed thousands with little fish and bread: He also fed them with heavenly mana.  Jesus said, I am the true mana which came down from Heaven. 
  • The Jews failed to bring the light of God’s Law to the nations, but Jesus commissioned His 12 Apostles to preach and teach the gospel to the whole world. 

Dangers to Christ’s Churches

Text Ref: A little Leaven, leavens the whole lump. Wolves in sheep’s clothing spare not the flock. A few tares will choke the wheat until the harvest. Meaning:
False Christs, False brethren, false teachers, deceive the church.
Lukewarm, idle, and passive Christians are menaces to the Church.
Fornication, and Adultery corrupt the Church.
Communism, Socialism, Judaism, Islamism, Atheism, persecute the church.
Legalism, false religions, and false conversions are enemies of the Church.
Thieves, and burglars rob the church.
Worldly, modernistic, carnal, and pseudo-Christians weaken the Church.
Adulterated and Errant bibles ruin the churches foundation.
Prayerless, parsimonious, and unholy believers make the church ineffective.
Unforgiving, unruly, and unrepentant Christians besmirch the Church.
Porno watchers, gossipers, idolators, and gluttons are wavering Christians.
False witnesses, false hopes, social gospels misrepresent the church.
What should the Church’s Response be to all these dangers listed above?
We must be born again, blood bought, holy, unified, Bible Reading, faithful men who teach others the truth, KJV taught, consistent believers, separate, obedient, prayerful, and soul winning Christians who remain steadfast in the faith—with unwavering leadership, who endure till the End. Even so come, Lord Jesus.

Darrel Venable
January 6, 2023

A Parallel to the Samaritan Women

     There is a parallel between the Samaritan woman at the well and the Church of Jesus Christ at Pentecost.  Both anticipated the long-awaited Jewish Messiah (the Christ) called Jesus of Nazareth.  Both heard amazing preaching from their Messiah, and both responded in kind by faith.  They each believed that Jesus was and is the Son of God—the Redeemer of Israel: who would deliver them from oppression and sin as their Savior.

     The Samaritan women longed to worship God, even though she was distant from Jerusalem.  The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ had Jewish roots, and now primarily Gentile—which was aloof from the common stock of Israel, but now are included as a wild olive branch grafted into the good olive tree.  Jesus said, those who worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

     Both the woman and the Church are now part of the Kingdom of Christ and His Father; for it was His Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.  While Jesus sat at the well, He asked the woman to fetch Him some water.  Likewise, Jesus stands at the door and knocks, if any man opens the door: He will come into him and dine with him.  You too, can dine with the Creator!

     The Holy Spirit was given to both parties as Jesus promised, who said to the woman, I would have given you living water springing up into everlasting life.  And to the church He said, wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit that will be poured out upon you on the day of Pentecost.  This event was fulfilled when they were baptized with fire that sat on each of them, and as they spoke with tongues—Jews heard them speak in their foreign languages from remote parts of the world. 

     Jesus still promises to bestow the Spirit on all who call upon the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9-11). Similarly, while Israel traveled in the Wilderness needing to drink water: Moses prayed, and God said, strike the Rock once, and water will gush out for every tribe of Israel to drink, and their livestock drank as well.  And they all drank from that Rock, and that Rock is Christ.  Are you thirsting for righteousness, is your life empty, unfulfilled, without purpose, or without eternal life?  Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”  He simply meant, by believing in His blood sacrifice you would have eternal life.

     Come to this fountain so rich and sweet. Cast your poor soul at the Savior’s feet.  You can be made complete if you simply trust Jesus as your sin bearer: who hung on an agonizing cross to shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins.  For without the shedding of His blood there is no remission of sins (Paul).  Jesus does not care about your religious rituals, or political positions, or your behavioral backgrounds.  God cares about a contrite heart, like King David or the Publican in the temple: God desires mercy, without sacrifices.  O’ sinner, if a man dies shall he live again?  Yes, and after this the Judgment.  Plead with the King now to satisfy your soul’s desire, by asking the Holy Spirit to fill your heart, by believing on Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Call on Him while there’s time, He is waiting. 

Brother Darrel Venable

A Brief Armor Article

  • Put on the whole armor of God: Ephesians 6: 11-18
  • First don the helmet of salvation because Jesus is your salvation (Jesus means Savior).  He came to save His people (and Gentiles) from their sins. 
  • Put on the breastplate of righteousness for Jesus imputes His Righteousness to Believers, because He is called Jehovah-Tsidkenu (the Lord our Righteousness).
  • Put on the belt of Truth because Jesus is the Way, The Truth, and the Life
  • Above all use the shield of Faith. Faithful is He that calleth you.  
  • Strap on the shoes of the Gospel which can save you from this evil and devilish world, because Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of Heaven—one gospel, one faith, and hope of your calling.
  • Take the sword of the Lord which is the Word of God because out of Jesus’ mouth proceeded a two-edged sword piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
  • And pray always in the spirit.  The Lord taught his disciples to pray, so men ought always to pray and not faint as we battle against the enemy.
  • Ro 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Darrel Venable