"Resolution" -2

"My beloved is unto me a a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi." (S.O.S. 1:14)

  Not that I can proclaim any success, because my ability to withstand, well, let's just say I quit keeping track of the infractions. My mom use to have a demerit board for keeping track of our times of doing something bad enough to get awarded one; I seem to remember that I was the king of the demerit board; and ten demerits would usually result in something happening, or not happening, depending on what was for dinner that night. For what it's worth, from what I remember, the board was reset; and I could do something special in order to get some demerits erased. Which makes me wonder what kind of a lesson that was intended to teach me; just a thought.
  Another thing that Matthew Henry says about this verse, is regarding that word, "camphire," and how it is translated from the word, "copher," which is the same word that signifies atonement or propitiation. Now, what would you think of when you thought of that, specifically if it were is a cluster? Or more importantly, if it were like clusters of grapes in a vineyard? Just a thought!
  Surprisingly, the location is quite interesting, because it is more than just a place; even though it has the part of speech which is a proper locative noun, it has the root of an eye, good, bad, or selective. You might have heard the expression, "I don't see it that way," or, "Can't you see how that works," or, how about, "Can't you see it my way." All of which point to a direction of a point of view. Which is totally and completely the point: How do we see what Christ has done? How do we see how that works in our life? or maybe, How do think God sees you?
  Basically, the word resolution has very different meanings, but they are connected together as much as our eyes are to the soul: one meaning is that of a firm decision, while the other is that of being determined; and yet, another meaning is that of an action of solving a problem! Can you think of any problems you might have? It's really not to hard to see one...

"Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God though Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:20-25)

"Resolution"

"My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi." (S.O.S. 1:14)

  Whatever you think it was, it was not enough! That might be something we somehow need to get use to, because if you are looking for a magic fix to all of life's issues and problems, you have come to the wrong place. The Lord has never promised us that it would be easy, not in any way; as a matter of fact, He told us to be prepared for trials and tribulation; to be ready for persecutions and people hating us. As He put it quite clearly, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15:18)
  Now, if you still doubt who and when this Book might have written, there is a little something that we must examine about consecration, because it has no relevance without resolution. If you need to be reminded, it is a lot like a ship that has set out for any particular destination; it might set out to go straight, but there are various changes in the direction; but no matter what, the destination remain the same. Whatever the reason might be, there are always some things that become issues, problems, or just natural things to go around; but whatever be the case, the destination remains the same.
  I know that I can sometimes get a little of track; maybe a little above the fray, as if I am looking down at the struggle of others; but this is not about whether or not we can make it through life's issues or problems, it is about what God says about where we will be ending up! Beyond anything else, that is what matters most of all: Where will I be when this life is over! What does God say about that, because that is what I need to focus on: that is my destination, no matter what!
  The thing we need to remember, more than anything else, is that Jesus Christ has paid the price; which means that we are free from needing to pay anything! Yet, somehow, we still feel as though we must pay something, or it just doesn't feel right. We can never repay Him for what He has done, not in a million years! So what do we do with that, and how does that change us?
 Matthew Henry gives us a little hint of that, saying, "There is a complicated sweetness in Christ and an abundance of it; there is a bundle of myrrh and a cluster of camphire. We are not straitened in him whom there is all fulness." We must just rest in Him, with what we know He says about the matter, no matter the what...

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)

"Consecration"

"A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts." (S.O.S. 1:13)

  Every so often, and usually without warning, I get a weird feeling to step away; almost as if the fight is too much, I am in the corner getting refreshed for the next round, but not sure if I want the bell to ring again. Call it whatever you want, because it is really not the same for everyone. For some it might be their marriage, and for others it might be their job; for those that are in ministry, it is their calling, that which they are, or think that they are, called to be doing. Any way that you look at it, it is not really up to you to make that choice to step away; as soon as you convince yourself that it is, then you have, for whatever it's worth, left your first love.
  I know that might sound a little strong or a little direct; but for the sake of reason, please hear me out; because this is about more than what or why you do anything; this is about Who you are doing it for. Besides, what is more important, the choices we make, or the reason we make the choices? If you don't know that answer, you should read Matthew 25:31-46; as it turns out, motivation is a pretty big factor in everything we do; especially those things that we do for the Lord.
  As far as these "breasts" are concerned, they are what they say that they are; but they are used for a certain purpose. Without going to to great detail, let's just say that they provide nourishment to new life, and leave it at that. They are mentioned at least 8 times throughout this Book, so you might as well get use to them; but try not to focus on them too much, because they can become distracting.
  Anywho; back to the point. The meaning of this title, "Consecration," is a pretty involved word, to say the least. To be perfectly honest, I don't think it has as much important of a purpose in my own life as it should; as a matter of fact, I can say with all certainty, it does not. A good example for this observation, is my compulsive purchases, both big and small; if I want to buy something, I buy it, whether it is good for me or not.
  The term is not so much us doing something, because to shoot you straight, it is about us giving up the right to do anything without being led to do it. This could sure change the way a lot of people make mistakes, if you get my drift; because the whole reason to make Jesus Lord of your life, is not to get a free pass; but to not pass! We must follow Jesus...

"You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth." (Romans 2:17-20) NLT

"O, Precious Lord!" -2

"While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." (S.O.S. 1:12)

  I guess I just hate to see evil prevail; as much as I know, deep down inside, that it is all temporary and hardly means anything, it still makes me sick to see it spreading into every aspect of society. But, here is the silver lining, if that might be what you are looking for: God is still on the throne, Jesus will be coming very soon, and all of this craziness allows us an opportunity to share the Good News!
  To the point about the title, it is taken from Matthew Henry's commentary regarding this verse, as he uses the word "precious" to describe how we must believe He is, and how He must be above all else in this world. It is also a word that is used to describe what Mary was demonstrating, as she anointed Jesus with that expensive perfume; nothing was worth anything, compared with our precious Lord! It is about the longing for love, when that love seems so far away; how there is nothing that compares to the thought of being in His presence and worshipping at His feet.
  Some will compare this love to Revelation 3:20, as Jesus speaks of standing at the door, knocking, looking for us to hear and open that door; because it is that kind of a love which causes us to need Him to come in, more than anything else, we need Him to come in and spend some time with us, and us with Him. The greatest part about that, is that we don't need to anything else but open the door! We just need to hear His voice and open the door!
  The sad thing about that situation, is the fact that the church He was talking to did not feel as though they needed anything; they had no reason, so they felt, to open the door. Regardless, the offer still stood: Open The Door! Which is the miraculous power of how this works: we cannot really realize the great need we have, until we see all that the Lord has to offer. Simply put, when He does come in, He brings His table with Him; which means that the supper prepared is all that is only available and furnished through Him.
  As much as we might think we are all okay, He is still looking what He might do through anyone that is totally devoted to Him. Because, when we come to His table, He takes our breath away; like that kind of precious...

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope; because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-21)

"O, Precious Lord!"

"While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." (S.O.S. 1:12)

  Please forgive my boldness, but it is only fitting to say it straight, and say it loud enough for it to be heard! If you have been watching, there is a movement afoot to tear down the monuments and signs that have been placed there by past generations; some of which have been examples of lives given to the cause of freedom and the right to worship openly and without restraint.
  I guess if you have not had much opposition to how you worship, you cannot really understand what it is like to feel restraint, or what it might feel like to hide what you believe and be afraid to speak the truth. There is something here in this verse that is addressing the principles and the wherewithal of what goes into the fight for truth; for taking a stand for what you know to be right.
 The difference between those that make a sacrifice and those that do not, is in what the believe and how much what they believe means, whether or not it is critical enough to protect it. This is really not about our personal opinions; this is about our children and where the world takes them!
 There is a particular book that has been banned from schools, besides the Bible; it is a book that I had to read to get my diploma, called, "The Catcher in the Rye," which was very controversial, to say the least. This is not an endorsement for the book, but there was one particular theme which causes me to to wonder why it is banned from public education; this is the fact that our children are being led into destruction.
  There are two roads that Jesus spoke about, as two roads to travel; one leads to life eternal, while the other leads to destruction. The one that leads to life is narrow; while the one that leads to destruction is wide. Can you see any sort of connection? If you don't, it is probably not your fault, so don't let it ruin your day. But if you do see it happening, then how does that make you feel?
  This is what I believe that this verse is speaking of, whether or not we are willing to listen. How much do you love Him, and is your love for Him making enough aroma to cause a stink! The "table" is nothing more than His surroundings, which pretty much means all that He is about. The fragrance that we wear, whatever brand that might be, needs to send forth that smell which matches all that surrounds Him; that which pleases Him; that which is in fellowship, if you will, while sitting at His table!
  Never mind what else the world is doing or how crazy the world might become; because if you are following the Bible, this is nothing compared to what is to come. But, when it comes to where we stand on the truth, we had better make sure whatever we are standing on is the Word of God, and only the Word of God! If it doesn't match the smell, don't take it in...

"Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. The know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too." (Romans 1:28-32) NLT

"Young Woman"

"The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts. He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En-gedi." (S.O.S. 1:12-14 NLT)

  As well as to be expected, this portion of Scripture is one that might cause some to be uneasy; some even to skip over the exploration of the Text. What a shame that would be, because there is much to see about how the heart of a believer in Christ must, I say, MUST, long after and look forward to being in the presence of Christ Jesus! If there were to be any other description for the oil missing in those lamps of the five foolish virgins, it would be their lack of longing to be with the 'Lover of their soul.'
  You can try to make this about the passion of physical love; it is all too easy for that to happen. But there is something we must understand about how God speaks to the human heart: He uses those things that relate to the human heart! Paul understood this concept quite well, as he said, "I am made all things to all men, that I might be all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22b)
  Yesterday I heard a message that was rather interesting, as it involved something I was sharing about the other day; how God's foreknowledge of what we will do, good and bad, is worked out within His perfect plan. It was a pretty good discussion, as the question evolved into that of free will; as if to say, How can we assume that we have free will, if God already knows everything we will do, before it is going to happen?
  Strange illustration, to say the least, but nonetheless, it is what it is! Even if you wanted to, you cannot change what is already going to happen; if you try and rebel and assume you are changing what God has planned for you, then that is the plan that is set before your life. It's like the crazy ride of life; you think you can change your destiny, but it is your change that becomes your destiny! How in the heck do we get to use free will on that crazy ride?
  I am more convinced today than yesterday, Solomon wrote this towards the end of his life. He must have, in order to be aware of the choices he made and the way God moved upon his life. There is really no difference between that of a parent and what they might do for protecting their children. They know they cannot stop them from doing certain things, but they can put barriers and warnings before them, to try and move them in certain directions.
  Basically, there is no stopping us from getting into trouble, because it is bound to happen anyway; but there is precautions to be applied ahead of time, just in case. In God's case, it is mercy, and grace, and a whole lot of love...

"But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your moral bodies by the same Spirit living within you." (Romans 8:9-11) NLT

"A Conjecture"

"If you don't know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock, and graze your young goats by the shepherds' tents. You are as exciting, my darling, as a mare among Pharaoh's stallions. How lovely are your cheeks: your earrings set them afire! How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels. We will make for you earrings of gold and beads of silver." (S.O.S. 1:8-11 NLT)


  As far as the romantic side, there is much to be explored by taking apart these various aspects of things, whether they might be locations, horses, the face and neck, or the jewelry that might enhance the features. That is all well and good, for people that are into dwelling upon the earth; because all that is, "under the sun," is that which worldly! Interesting how that is all brought out, because as it turned out, Solomon was most assuredly a great example of a man of the world.
  If you could compare the wealth that Solomon had in his day, say with today's economy, they say that it would put his net worth in at around $2.2 trillion dollars. It is said that Jeff Bezos would have surpassed $200 billion, if he did not have to settle with giving a portion to his ex-wife. As it is, he is still expected to be on track to be the first in this modern world to hit a trillion net worth. Amazingly, as that might sound, all the money in the world stays right here, "under the sun!"
  Think about that, because it is the basic point which makes everyone that has a goal or ambition to become rich, (which by the way is never rich enough,) seem so completely temporary and weak. All that money to do so much with, yet, that which matters the most of all, is completely unobtainable! If, that is, you believe that there is more to life than what is "under the sun?"
  As I said yesterday, God's promises are always part of His purpose; both the good and the bad, they are all part of His great design, that which makes the world go round. Which reminds me, the world does go round! How we somehow have a section of society that have somehow become stupid, thinking that the earth is flat, I just don't get the logic. But, if you really want to see how fragile and weak this little rock might be, imagine what might happen if it quit spinning; what would that look like? If you want to experience flat, there is where it might become a reality!
  Without God, there is no substance and no sustaining; everything would be destroyed! Think about that, because there is something seriously wrong with anyone that questions His existence or pretends that He is not there. They are without excuse...

"But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who surprise the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities -his eternal power and nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Romans 1:18-20) NLT

"Continuity"

"We will make thee borders of gold with strands of silver." (S.O.S. 1:11)

  The reason that I believe Solomon wrote this later in his life, is because of the lessons he learned from his life; there is so much here that takes living and experience, along with wisdom; great, God given wisdom! Yes, God gave him wisdom; He also gave him riches, beyond belief; as well as all the fame and fortune that goes along with much riches.
  But, with all that fame and fortune come vanity and pride, even for the wisest of men; it just cannot be resisted, because wealth consumes humility! Jesus made this the point about what it is like to serve two masters, it is impossible for it to happen! You cannot do it, especially when both masters expect your loyalty and your submission; one of those two masters is going to be ignored and disrespected; or as Jesus put it, 'they will be despised.' (Matthew 6:24)
  Anywho, this is really not about that; this is the "WE" in the mix; the same We that said, "Let Us make man in Our image," making something special and gloriously made, by the actual hand of God! Be that as it may, there was this one little issue called Holiness! Something that, (say it's not so,) that God could not just make; at least, not with out the unholiness being removed! God's glorious plan of redemption, it has always had a much deeper meaning than just reconciliation: it has been about God and man becoming One. (Ephesians 5:30-32)
  Go ahead and say I am bonkers; it really won't hurt my feelings. I have wondered about way too many things for way too long; there is really way more to this life than having my feelings hurt! But, if you really must know, there is more to life than this life can show us; that much I am sure of! If you don't believe it, you need to study your Bible a little deeper: read it like it is a Owners Manual for your soul; then you might begin to understand how important it is to look for something more, much more than what we can physically see.
  Okay, enough of that jibber-jab; this is important stuff I believe we need to know: God does not make mistakes! He makes promises, and He backs up every promise by making that promise His purpose; and every purpose that God has, is totally and completely part of His perfect will, because His perfect will is more than just a plan, it is the Truth! In case you do not know what truth means, it is that which is true; which basically means that it is a fact, real reality; something that cannot be changed or altered, because it is a fact that it is Truth!
  You know, I really wish I could keep some of this truth with me throughout the day...

"Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:12-14) NLT

"Consistently" -Too

"Thy checks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold." (S.O.S. 1:10)

  To anyone that might wonder, as did I, what the connection was between that post and this verse, I will be happy to say it is surprisingly simple. As it should be, because the Gospel Message is just that, simple! It is the power of God, period, that makes it simple; you either believe it or you don't; that is pretty much how simple the Message becomes, plain and simple!
  Unfortunately, we always try and dress it up, conforming it into something that either makes it look better on us, or into something we can take some credit for, in some way of displaying our worth. To that point, Matthew Henry sums up this verse by saying, "The beauty is not from any thing in themselves, from the neck or from the cheeks, but from ornaments with which they are set off. It was comeliness which I put upon thee, said the Lord; for we were born not only naked, but polluted, Eze. 16:14."
  This is pretty much a result of vanity and pride; as James so simple puts it, "Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" (James 4:5) Which goes all the way back to the very beginning, to Adam. As much as I hate to admit it, it is consistent with every failure and issue we have: we cannot will ourselves to not sin! As soon as we start making these acts of trying to retrain our minds to not sin, by basically saying over and over in our heads, "I am not going to do that; Lord help me not to do that; don't let me do that; etc, etc."
  I think you get the point: we are dwelling on the wrong thing! Paul gives us a little lesson on this in his letter it Philippi, saying, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
  It is those things that are good and holy that must fill our minds: Think on those things of God! All of those wonderful virtues and the truth of His promises over your life. Making it not only the things you think of when you go to sleep, but if you wake up, the thoughts up rise to!
  As you might have heard me say, God's plan all along was to redeem mankind, even before the fall. Why else would He have placed that forbidden tree in the middle of the garden? It became the center of their life, as if it were a constant threat, but at the same time, a constant temptation. But, well within reach, was the Tree of Life! Go figure; did Adam's sin actually begin when he ate of the forbidden fruit, or when he set out to eat of it...

"When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet and law to break. Still, everyone died -from the time of Adam to the time of Moses -even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12-15) NLT

"Consistently"

"Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold." (S.O.S. 1:10)

  Whether we might realize it or not, God has a way of making His point be known; the difference in what He says is all based upon our ability to hear and understand, because His point is always the same, regardless who it is He is speaking to. To be a little more specific, if I can, we are all cut from the same piece of cloth; each and every one of us, whatever race or color, all come from the same two couple, Adam and Eve.
  Based upon what it is you believe, the variance in our color and our features, they are really only superficial, because underneath all of that, we are all the same. That said, this verse is another one of those interesting ways that God makes a point, and the interpretation gets pulled into several different directions.
  Regardless of what you might think of Solomon, he was God's servant; he had a purpose in God's plan of redemption; and everything he did, whether it was good or bad, it was all used for God to be able to demonstrate the amazing power of His redemption, of the human soul! It is the soul of man that this is all about; it has always been about our soul, which is that part of us that continues on, way after this flesh we live in fades away.
  Jesus made this point very clear, when He spoke about who it is we must fear, saying, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) In other words, we only need to listen to One voice; and that voice is consistent in everything He says; regardless of what you might think was said, you had better understand it!
  With that, there is another matter to be discussed in this, which is that of indifference; which is the strange idea that comes into the heart of some, for whatever reason, that what God says does not apply to them. Or worse yet, that if it does apply to them, that there is some other way to get around it! God's rules are His law, they are one in the same! He says what He says because it is so, regardless who we might think we are or how much liberty we think we have been given.
  For what it's worth, which just so happens to be quite a lot, the same rules apply with His love! He loves you more than you could ever know; so much so, that He has done everything possible, that He could do, in order to redeem your soul! He spared no expense; as Solomon will and can attest to! He did that which was beyond anything humanly possible; because there was no humanly way for it to be done...

"Therefore, as by the offense of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:18-21)

"Consistency"

"I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots." (S.O.S. 1:9)

  To be totally honest, this is one of those verses that require us to step back a little bit, consider what is being said, and then shake our head in amazement. As much as I would like to take any credit for anything, I seriously have no clue what is being said, except that it involves the church; and because it involves the church, it is going to involve something to do with the body of Christ, which involves the teamwork of believers that work as one body.
  That said, there is something that we must understand about how a body works: it is a body, just as the body that you have for your soul to dwell within, it has parts, with each and every part being able to feel, to hopefully function, and to be of some importance. Some parts may require more attention than others, while others might seem to be sometimes neglected; such as the feet: we seldom pay them no mind, until they itch or hurt; then it is time to give them a little attention.
  There is something else we must realize about a body of believers, in that we are all different and we all have different strengths and weaknesses. If you know anything about a team of chariot horses, the position of the horse is given them depending upon their strength and there weakness. I am not an expert, but if you have watched the movie, Ben-Hur, then you might have remembered what it is that I am talking about.
  The reason this is even relevant, is because there is a reason we are not to forsake the gathering together as a body of believer's; because when we are together as one, that which was separately different, now is made consistent. You could look at it like blending a shake; all the different ingredients go into the blender as unique and separate, but blended together, they work; so much so, even something that might have not tasted good on it's own, blended together with the others, it adds a unique flavor that works.
  There is something else we must know, that is seldom even talked about. There is some within the body that might be, shall we say, rambunctious, to put it mildly. All to their own, they hardly fit the mold of what anyone would consider a believer to be like; but within the crowd, they can cause an itch or a twitch, or maybe even a little rub now and again; something, anything, whatever it takes to make that old tired body to move and stretch, and maybe even shout out loud!
  Whatever you think, I seriously doubt that any woman likes being compared to a horse, or even a team of horses. So it most likely has something to do with power and stamina. Another dimension is made aware to us by Matthew Henry, who says, "We are weak in ourselves, but if Christ make us as horses, strong and bold, we need not fear what all the powers of darkness can do against us." Which is another way to look at the meaning of this title: Ability to be...

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5) NLT

"Punctuality" -2

"If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents." (S.O.S. 1:8)

  Now then, there is this question regarding the will of God, and whether or not we can have any kind of influence upon His will, perfect will or otherwise? Besides the fact that God knows everything, even that which is going to happen in our lives, way before it even can be conceived within our hearts; there are probably millions of people that are involved in the choices that we make, especially in the lives of anyone that is given authority and power; someone such as Solomon.
  You have got to realize how important this is to the story; because the story is not complete, it still goes on and on and on, and will continue on though-out eternity. And yet, the beautiful part of the complete story, is the fact that God is never disappointed by His children! How can He be, if He is already aware of everything we are going to do, way before we even have a chance to do it?
  It is incredible to think about how everything works, because there is really no way our choices can change God's mind regarding His plans for our lives. If you plan to change your direction as an effort to rebel against God and His will over you, crazy as it might seem, but you have just moved in the direction that God knew you were going anyways. Whether He is pleased by it or not, this is not the point, He still knew you would rebel, the moment He choose you for His purposes.
  The bottom line in the story, is that it is His Story! He is the One that makes it all play out; He is the One that has the paintbrush in His hand; He is the Potter that forms the clay! And, for those that might not understand the Title: the word is a noun, not a verb, even though it portrays an action; it is what it is because it is a fact: God is always on time! No matter where we go, and no matter where we hang out, He is always ready to do what He needs to do, that His Story be complete!
  With that, I guess it is not all that hard to see why so many of the historical characters are filled with issues; some are pretty minor, some are pretty major; but none of them did anything that surprised God, in the very least...

"Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?" No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one that created it, "Why have you made me like this?" When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles." (Romans 9:19-24) NLT

"Punctuality"

"If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents." (S.O.S. 1:8)

  Maybe I have gotten in over my head; but this is something I feel as though the Lord is leading me into, if for no other reason, than to learn. Which reminds me, the reason we are told by our parents not to touch fire, is because fire can burn your skin; but the reality of what that actually means, is not realized until we stick our hand in the fire. Just a little something I have learned from experience.
  I cannot begin to tell you the amount of times I have heard people say, "Sometimes when God speaks, He speaks through the silence." I have tried to figure out what that means, because the more I try to listen in silence, the more noise I seem to hear in the background. Maybe it is just the constant ringing in my ears that causes me to be distracted; but it seems to me that God has a way of making His voice bypass the ear and move straight to our heart.
  With that, I will pretend for now that will be my explanation of how God speaks though the silence; as we will hopefully see, this is not just a brief encounter, this is more about something that becomes so real, it provides a path and a place to rest; something that is more important than we could ever really begin to understand on our own.
  Pretend for a moment that you did not know how things turned out for Solomon; that you were totally void of any knowledge about all of his wives and wealth, his horses and chariots; all that stuff he had to make anyone and everyone envious of how much God had blessed his life. But, what you did know about him, was that God has blessed him with wisdom; so much wisdom, it was pretty much natural for him to not give much thought to any situation or obstruction in life, but finding the answer came as naturally as deciding what shirt to wear that goes with your shoes.
  I know what you must be thinking; and you are probably right. That much wisdom does not allow you much opportunity to seek for answers; as a matter of fact, too much wisdom can almost make a person feel independent and self-secure. Maybe that explains the beginning of God's answer! Maybe is a pretty big word when it comes to testing what it means to not play with fire...

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." (Jeremiah 6:16)

"Young Man"

"If you don't know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock, and graze your young goats by the shepherd's tents. You are as exciting, my darling, as a mare among Pharaoh's stallions. How lovely are your cheeks; your earrings set them afire! How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels. We will make for you earrings of gold and beads of silver." (S.O.S. 1:8-11 NLT)

  As mentioned earlier, it is my belief that Solomon not only wrote this song, but that he wrote it towards the end of his life; most likely to show, not only God's unconditional love for us, but to show that God's love for us is unchanging. On the contrary, it is our love that puts forth conditions and changes, as we are constantly dealing with emotions and feelings; something that is not even part of the real meaning of what love is all about.
  Emotions and feeling are a product that love creates, they are not what make love; just the opposite is true, because love, real love, does not get challenged by the things it creates. Neither can that which God creates make it's Creator change, in any way, shape, or form! God clearly says in His Word, "I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed." (Malachi 3:6 NLT)
  It is totally fine if you have a different opinion, as the level of belief does not reach the level of doctrine and what counts towards our foundation of salvation. But neither does the belief in when the rapture will take place, before, during, or after the tribulation; it only takes into the consideration of God's judgement, the power of the cross, and a little glimmer of hope: (nothing really to see here, so you might as well just stay at home!)
  I am really sorry if I might bore you, but the whole point of God's love, it is nothing that we need to shy away from; on the contrary, we must pursue it, with everything that is in us! If you not feeling it, it is because of you and your heart, it is not because God is not loving you; He never stops loving you, ever! How can a heart grow weary that already knows in advance what you are going to do? It just does not make any sense to assume He has changed His mind, because His mind is made up; it has always been made up: since the beginning of time, He already knew you...

"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are God's children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." (Romans 8:15-17) NLT

"Questions"

"Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?" (S.O.S. 1:7)

  Let me start by saying, it is more than okay for us to ask questions; as a matter of fact, I believe that God loves to hear us inquire into the what and why of everything that is about Him. I fact, I would even goes as far as to say, He expects us to want to know more about Him, to know why He loves us, and how much He actually cares about us, our life, our position in this life, and just about every other thing that might be connected to a strong relationship with Him.
  If there was anything that we could do to enhance this relationship with our Heavenly Father, it is to inquire of Him about anything and everything that might be in our heart or on our mind. After all, isn't that what you would expect your children to do? And when they do, doesn't it give you great pleasure to hear them ask of you? Or might you have them go ask someone else? Maybe in this current culture we live in, with most people focused upon careers and other hobbies, spending the time to answer stupid questions just does not seem all that important. The easiest thing to do, would be to tell the kid to ask their teacher in school, as that is the place they need to go for education!
  Not hardly! Not if you are the least bit interested in the soul of your children; because there is no better structure that your children need then to be given a foundational teaching from God fearing parents! If you have something to give to your children, it needs to be given to them by you. That is what God expects from us as parents; and as our Heavenly Father, He wants more than anything to share His heart with us, His children!
  If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, all alone and by yourself, and all you had to read was a Bible, chances are you would be well informed and have sound doctrine instilled in you, without ever needing to have public instruction. This is just the way it is, because when it is just you and God, God's word is unfiltered and has our complete attention.
  Not to speak bad about anyone else's religion, but the strongest hold that many cults have upon their people, is that they are not allowed to question what they are taught. If they do question what they are taught, they stand a chance to be disfellowshipped or excommunicated; which in the case of some cults, that is pretty much like getting kicked off of the Ark; thrown overboard to swim with the fishes and be eaten by the sharks; loosing the only chance that you might have for getting redeemed; or, if you will, no longer being able to earn your salvation.
  No, I am happy to say, God is more than pleased by us asking for answers! More than that, I am pretty sure than He wants us to expect Him to answer! After all, what kind of relationship would it be, if we could not be able to have an open conversation with the One our soul loves...

"Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God." (Romans 4:20-25) NLT

 

"The Confirmation" -2

"Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks?" (S.O.S. 1:7 NLT)

  Above all else, there is some serious changes that must take place within the life of anyone who begins to follow Jesus; to compromise and give into those old passions of our old life, is nothing short of, well, acting like a harlot; or at least, having the appearance as one, if to none other, then to yourself.
  I know that I had shared this before, but my experience of being in a place I did not belong, it was so apparent to me, I felt as though I had just walked in there naked and exposed; the looks that I got, it seemed as though they might as well had said, "What are you doing in here?" Need I say more?
  To be brief, there is really no hiding what we are; those that are living in darkness can see the light which is living in us. They may not know what they see, but they know it is stinging their soul; just to have you enter their space or show up in their world, they know right away that they feel threatened by your presence.
  I was very fortunate to have an experience, within the first 30 days or so of being a Christian. It was while I was waiting an early release hearing in the L.A. County Jail. While I was sitting there, all alone and on a bench, in a twelve foot wide hallway; two very large Deputies were escorting a man down the hall towards me. He was a wild looking character that had his hair all matted and looked as if he was possessed by a demon. The officers had him handcuffed and shackled; with chains around his wast to hold his hands, and chains around his legs so he could not run.
  As they started to draw near, I kept my gaze to the ground and tried not to look up; but as soon as they had reached where I was sitting, they stopped, and could see there feet less than 4 foot away from me. When I lifted my head and looked at them, the crazed man was looking right at me, as well as were the two officers; and when my eyes meet his eyes, he spoke: "I know Jesus too!" Then the officers regained control of him and continued down the hallway.
  I looked around me to see if there was some sort of sign. I had left my Bible in my holding cell, so I knew that it was not because I had a Bible; my mind was filled with all sorts of questions that needed to be answered. When I finally got called into the room, the meeting was brief. "Release denied!" was spoken, almost as soon as I had taken my seat. My wife and my employer were sitting there, and I could see the disappointment in their faces; but nothing compared to the look they gave when I made my answer to my denial: "Praise the LORD!"
  Yes, it was not even a question of why; as far as I was concerned, God's will was wherever God had me. As it turned out there was a man in my holding cell when I returned, and he was reading my Bible. I informed him it was mine, and he spoke to me about getting out and joining his brother's church; which, he said, was not a church, but call The Kingdom Hall. I spent at least a half-hour or so walking him through the Scriptures and showing him all the places that show Jesus was God; but not first, after I had looked up something else that was pressing me, and after sharing with him my experience in the hallway.
  It was as if my searching might have been a lesson for him; as we must search out the Scriptures on our own, to prove and reproof, anything we question or that needs to be answered. My search led me to Acts 19:11-19; primarily, verse 15, where a demon possessed man declared, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"
  In case you did not know, the veil that Moses wore, it was not to hide the grow upon his face, so that nobody could see it; it was to hide the grow, so that no one would notice when it had left...

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:9-14)

"The Confirmation"

"Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?" (S.O.S. 1:7)

  So, if you really wanted to know what, being slain in the Spirit looks like, then there it is; there is no greater illustration of it than those that are taken home, suddenly and without any earthly reason. If you want an example of the first, I have no answer, except to be reminded of Enoch; the one that was, and then all of the sudden, was not. Don't you think that he might have been missed? I know what you are thinking, apples and oranges. But in the life that we share together here on this earth, there is really no difference to the one's we leave behind.
  Besides that, highly questionable comparison, there is the question of, if Ananias and his wife were actually really true follower's of Jesus Christ. Undoubtably one could make that assumption, if it were not plainly apparent by the candor of Peter to their actions. After all, if we are not, how do we lie to the Holy Ghost, if the Holy Ghost is not dwelling within us? Is it even possible for that to happen? Don't get me started on that, because it is more than possible; it is something that happens quite frequently in the life of every single one of us, in one shape or form or another.
  Any time we pretend that God cannot see our actions or the intensions of our heart, we are allowing the enemy to make the truth of God a lie; we make the power of God less relevant and of less importance in our lives. That might sound like a pretty big statement, but it is the truth! There is no way, in you know where, that we can pretend that God doesn't know what we are doing, and still have the faith within us to trust He always has our back. No, I can tell you without a doubt: we must train our hearts to sin and feel as though we have gotten away with something; because it is something that does not come naturally, not in the life of a true believer!
  This is the part where we start making comparisons to this and that, what we can do and cannot do; how far we can go and not feel ashamed. If you ever wanted to take inventory of your life, then the proof is in what it is that you constantly struggle with. If you do not struggle with sin, then you are not one that has the Holy Spirit living inside of you; plain and simple! Besides that, the Holy Spirit is going to be leading to be after the things that you need for spiritual nourishment. In other words, you are going to be hungry and thirsty for the things of God, those things that edify and encourage your walk; and most of all, more of Jesus to fill your life...

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." (Romans 6:1-5)

"The Present" -Too

"Don't stare at me because I am dark -the sun has darkened my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards, so I couldn't care for myself -my own vineyard." (S.O.S. 1:6 NLT)

  As I said in the beginning of this, that there were going to be times of revisiting certain portions of the text, going back to areas that are part of the reason for current expressions and that help to explain why and what might be currently expressed. I want to try, as best as I can, not to leave any rock left from being turned over; even if that rock might be one that get a little too revealing.
  Not to change the subject, but yesterday I heard a very strange but important question asked of Pastor Mike; one that I think is somewhat connected to this strange and interesting verse. The question was one of the most sincere questions I have heard in a very long time. I say that, because the man that asked the question, before asking it, he stated that he loved his church, had great respect for his Pastor, and regardless of the answer, was in no way looking for or planning to leave his church or disrespect his Pastor. The question involved something that the Pastor said, which was a little like this: 'My Pastor said that we should expect to see Ananias and Sapphira in heaven; could he have been correct?'
  The wonderful man was totally silent for a moment, after he received his answer. I think he might have been a little choked up, but he was happy for the answer, because the answer was, "YES!" Something that was a little surprising to me, mostly because I had never heard that assumption before; and if I had, I have never heard it said with such confidence.
  This is something that we need to know about what salvation represents; it is something that is not of this world! Sure, our life in Christ is abundant, based upon what we make of it; our time we have here can be filled with fruit and many blessing upon blessings; but this is only temporary and will so all pass away. God can use our lives to bless others, and He can also use our death for anything He thinks will further His kingdom; especially when it comes to protecting the church.
  Is there a sin unto death? I think the Bible says so, in more ways that not. God has taken many out of the way, but that does not mean their physical death represented their destruction; not in the least! God can use anyone's life to make a point or an example; as He has done, time and again. Whether they were killed by Him, or they were killed by someone or something else; they were simply done here, they had served their purpose. "All things work towards the good," is not just a declaration of the truth, it is the way God works in the present, for His purposes...

"When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin."" (Romans 4:4-8) NLT

"The Present"

"Look not upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept." (S.O.S. 1:6)

  Keep in mind, this is about love. Something we must never forget, that love is not based upon our emotions or upon our own satisfaction; love, true love, is sacrificial and does not envy. Strange as it might seem, the connection here with what happens to the human heart that is changed by God, is oddly familiar with those things that get turned upside-down. The things that we once held up as meaningful and important, are replaced by things that we never gave the light of day.
  If there was anything I could have done differently, it would have been my choice to become successful in business, instead of going full time in ministry. The reason for how things turn out, as bad or as good as things might appear, is still something I believe God uses for His purposes. God's ways are not our ways, so there is really nothing that we can do to actually alter God's plans. In the end, God will win, God will still be seated upon the Throne, and every single knee will bow before the KING!
  That being said, there is still the matter of a life, because every life is special in the eyes of God. As the Bible clearly says, "For there is no respect of persons with God." (Romans 2:11) The things we do or do not do are clearly the things that are going to be judged by God; but the reason behind anything we do or do not do is the thing that will be counted for the most. Did we do it for this, or for that? Why and for what reason was it done? Why did we not do what we felt we should have done?
  The sinfulness of the human heart is beyond our understanding; although we think we have it all figured out, God will show us differently, by simply turning on the Light! Everything we once held dear, is all of the sudden changed and our presented with a whole new list of priorities. To make it a little more understandable, it might be to evaluate what might be the difference between substance and evidence. Which one counts the most? Is there really any big difference between them both?
  Another thing to think about, (in light of this nonsense,) is, what did Jesus mean when He said, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." (Luke 17:6) Why even try! It seems so difficult to do anything right! "Oh ye of little faith!"
  If you what an easy answer: Nothing but Jesus...

"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:14-17)

"The Presentation" -2

"I am dark and beautiful, O women of Jerusalem -dark as the tents of Kedar, dark as the curtains of Solomon's tents." (S.O.S. 1:5 NLT)

  Besides the fact that we are being judged by faith, there is another aspect of this presentation that can never be forgotten: God is the one that initiated this change; He is the one that reached out to us, and called us out of the darkness, into His beautiful Light! This is why Paul declares God's plan, which we are not only part of, but we become the trophy that He lifts up to be presented; demonstrating the completed work of His abundant mercy and grace.
  We might not feel it, (as I can say that as a current reality,) but we must not forget it! If there is any reason that we must remain diligent in the Word, it is for that reason, most of all: that we would be fortified in the Truth! Especially now, in this current season; this is more than just a social activity that we see going on, this is well orchestrated and planned out: systematic chaos, is what you are witnessing.
  But be of good cheer, my brothers and sisters, because the time is at hand. Whether you believe it or not, please prepare for His coming! Sorry, but I needed to get that off my chest, so thank you for listening.
  Anywho: Matthew Henry puts it like this: "True believers are black in themselves, but comely in Christ, with the comeliness that he puts upon them, black outwardly, for the world knows them not, but all glorious within: "The King's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold." (Psalms 45:13)." This is what Christ has done in us, it does not happen any other way! We cannot make it happen by works; it is not bought or paid for with anything we have to offer; it is totally and completely given to us freely, as a gift: God's gift of love, to all that are willing to receive it.
  So, as much as we might like to think this is something we make happen, the dark, and that includes our dark, is not of God. John declares this, saying, "This is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) We need to know and realize this, understanding that the darkness that might be in us is not of God; it must be dealt with and cannot to ignored or satisfied.
  Don't take my word on this, look it up for yourself! You and you alone are responsible for knowing the truth; there will be no excuse for not knowing; that much I am sure of...

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (Romans 1:18-21)

"The Presentation"

"I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon." (S.O.S. 1:5)

  To put this is the proper perspective, this is probably one of the biggest faults we might entertain as a believer in Christ; to compare ourselves with whatever and whomever, because there is only one place we need to be focused upon, and One person we need to be like! Even looking back, as many of us do, can be destructive and can cause us to feel either unworthy or unfulfilled: unworthy, because there are things that might still haunt us; unfulfilled, because there are things we feel as though we missed out on doing.
  We must remember that our enemy has tools to use against us, and most of his most successful tools are the ones that we hand him and allow him to use. Don't think for a moment that you are free from discouragement or despair, because it is in those times when you think that you're a rockstar of a believer, that you find yourself a falling star, and feel as though you are burning out.
  This is also one of the most important things that we must remember about staying in fellowship with other believers; because, just because we must not be comparing ourselves with anyone else, we still need other believers around us for comparison and edification. I know that might seem like a contradiction, but it's not. We are all sinners that are saved by grace; staying off by ourselves and not in fellowship can cause us to feel alone; which then makes us feel as though we are not part of the Body; or worse yet, a body unto ourselves!
  Don't think that is not a thing, because I meet people all the time that fit that description. They feel as though really don't need to attend any particular church, because they have the church inside them. Which, if you really stop and think about that, it is like they are living inside out! We are the tabernacle or the tent that Christ is dwelling in; it is Christ working in us that makes this work, not the work that brings out Christ. Confusing, you say? It does not need to be, but it is what we make it!
  You can find a church or a religion to match pretty much anything that you want to believe; but the true test of the right church to be a part of, is whether or not they teach the Word of God! If they do not teach from the Bible, then it is like the blind leading the blind; because the Pastor that teaches the Bible, is a Pastor that that can give instruction, because he keeps getting taught...

"Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous -even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:11-12) NLT

"Be in Agreement" -Too

"How right they are to adore you. I am dark but beautiful," (S.O.S. 1:4c - 5a NLT)

  By now, most of you that have been following this blog, whoever you are, must know that I have more than once shared about the need to listen to what the Spirit says, and to act upon it. We know when He speaks, it is more than obvious to anyone that is following Christ, because the whole point of following Christ is that we listen to and do what the Holy Spirit says we should do.
  You may have also heard me say that it is not a good idea not to listen, as, if we do not allow Him to direct own life, He will not force us to obey; which usually will result in silence, at least for a while. It is not that He gives up, because there is no way God is giving up on His children; but He simply allows us to do things our way, until things get so bad, that we give up and give our lives completely over to Him. As I have said, which is totally in line with God's suggestion: We can do it the easy way or the hard way; but one way or another, it is going to be God's way! (Isaiah 1:16-20)
  As James declares in his epistle: "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:17 NLT) Which takes on a whole new character of do's and don'ts; because the whole point of following Jesus has more to do with not doing what you should do, than doing the things that you should not do! To be perfectly honest, (if we could,) we already know those things that we should not do, at least we have heard the suggestion; but the power of God working in us is only realized by doing the things that we ought to do, which are the things that are demonstrated by listening to the Holy Spirit.
  This is not rocket science, but simply a new way of thinking. The message Jesus was stating in, Matthew 9:15-17, is about the importance of being made NEW! As it is with Paul's declaration in the Book of Romans, how we need to reckon the old man crucified in Christ. This makes many issues with the flesh undone, the first important of which, is the fact that we are no longer a slave to sin; but secondly, and more importantly, is that we are now a slave to God, to do the things that bring Him glory.
  These are the things that make us realize Him working in our lives. Not doing what we know that we should not do, is good, but it will not satisfy the yearning in us to demonstrate that God is at work in our lives. There are humanistic ways to control our fleshly desires and habits; but when we yield ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit, the things we can do will surpass anything we could have imagined; and that is when we start to discover the real power of God!
  It is really not about our little life, as much as we might think that it is; if that were the case, God would have taken us home as soon as we were saved. I don't know about you, but looking back, that would have been the time I would have wanted to go! But, then again, there has, and will be good in Him keeping me here; at least that is my prayer...

"Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living." (Romans 6:15-18) NLT

"Be in Agreement"

"The upright love thee. I am black, but comely," (S.O.S. 1:4c - 5a)

  Before I go any further, I must try to address this condition of weakness. There are several different views among believers about what weakness means, as to whether it is good or bad; or whether it is something that we even need to pay attention to, as if we should ignore our weaknesses and focus upon our strengths.
  First and foremost, we must see what God says on the matter, and then agree with that! After all, if we are counting on the fact that He already knows everything about us, which is what we should do, then we need to know He wants every part of our lives to be surrendered to Him; the good, the bad, and the ugly; everything must be surrendered and given over to Him.
  Another way to look at this, in a practical sense, is to consider what it might be to love someone that you knew everything about, even their secret thoughts; say it was your spouse, and you knew all that you could ever know about them; and you still madly in love with them, even though some of their thoughts were not so pleasant to you, or may actually offend you. What would make you overlook those unpleasant and offensive thoughts?
  I know it might not be the way most of us have been raised. My mother always told me, "If you don't have anything good to say about someone, don't say anything." But this is not how this kind of love works! You are not going to get away with not sharing your thoughts with God, because He is already aware with what is in your heart. If you truly want to love Him, then you must be absolutely honest about everything, including anything!
  The word "upright" is a word that speaks about agreement, as in to agree with what is right; and when it comes to a perfect relationship with God, He is always right; so even if you agree to disagree, you must still agree that He is right; asking Him to change you, to make you agreeable and right. This is what true love looks like: to be a friend, a true and honest friend, it is the only way...

"Then what's the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, "You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court." "But," some might say, "our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn't it unfair, then, for him to punish us?" (This is merely a human point of view.) Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? "But," someone might still argue, "how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?" And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, "The more we sin, the better it is!" Those who say such things deserve to be condemned." (Romans 3:1-8) NLT

"Young Woman"

"The upright love thee. I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy champions?" (S.O.S. 1:4c -7)

  Maybe it might be a lot to take in; but, when God takes us in, we can be made assured that He will not let go of us, if we can just stay focused upon His Word! That does not mean He might let us go if we don't; that actually means that we might end up going astray, but He still will not let go: we are bought and paid for, and we are His for ever more!
  Not too long after I was born again, I felt sure that my life had changed forever; as a matter of fact, the things that I had previously placed in my life that I knew were bad, I had privately made to be the things I could no longer partake in. Little did I know, there was some things that I liked a little too much. Once you cross that line, you know that you have, no doubt about it; the power to overcome the temptation seems to become overruled by the lust of the mind, and the desire to fulfill what the flesh wants, in that particular moment.
  I seriously do not need to go into too much detail, because I am pretty sure that most everyone has been taken off guard by temptation and sin. Seriously, that is the whole point! We are taken off guard, and that is when we fail to be armed and ready! Not that we have any sort of power in the flesh, because it is those times, in the fleshly power, that is, the times when we think this power is our's, that we find our weakness revealed.
  There was a message I had listened to earlier in the week; it was just a brief part of it that I caught, but it was still something to pay close attention to, especially if we are looking for the times to be vigilant in keeping your guard. The message was about Noah, "the man that found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8) For a period much longer than most of us live, Noah faced opposition and persecution from those that were wicked, as wickedness ruled the earth. Then, after God flooded the earth, then Noah spent over a year on the boat, he and his sons had built.
  Now, imagine what that might have been like, if you can: over a year of feeding and cleaning up after all of those animals; let alone all the smell, add to that, being on the water, it had to be enough to make most anyone feel sick. After all, this was a maiden voyage, for everyone and everything onboard that ship! Don't get me wrong, I am sure that they appreciated being alive; after all, they were the only living things that had breath which survived.
  After taking such a long journey, Noah settled on dry land; his boat building days behind him, and his caring for animals done, he began to plant a vineyard; and he sure made some pretty good wine...

"Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all of this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give ourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:19-23) NLT

"The Immediate Answer"

"How right they are that adore you." (S.O.S. 1:4c NLT)

  To be perfectly clear, there is really no other way that we can declare our security in Christ, then to hold onto it with all of our might. As strange as it might sound, we are unable to change what we are; when we were born into this word, we were born what we were; when we were born again, we were born then, also what we are now; and there is no changing what God has done! Crazy as it sounds, if we are a child of God, and our whole life crumbles around us, our loved ones are taken, and we are burned up in a fire, we will still be a child of God!
  I know there are too many ways to try and redirect the questions; but there must always be the one true immediate answer: God loves me, this much I know, no matter what! Just think about that for a moment, because if you can count on Him in all of that horrific destruction, then you can surely count on Him when you might doubt if you are worthy. After all, we must not ever forget: He called us! It was God that spoke into the darkness and made there be light; just as He did it in my life and in yours. Without Him doing what He did, we would all still be in darkness; lost in the darkness, still aimlessly looking for light; looking for something to fill that big giant whole in our heart!
  Not withstanding, the law is not bad, but good; without God's law to show us His requirements to be holy and righteous, we would have never know how desperately we needed a Savior: we would have never seen how unrighteous we really were. As far as that goes, we are still reminded, some more than others, that we still have unrighteousness tendencies, by that same law; that same law that showed us once our great need, now shows still again, over and over.
  There is absolutely nothing else left for us to do, but love and adore Him! We surely cannot live by the law, even if that law might have changed, even if it now is based upon love; we still will fall short, we still will become disappointed by our words and actions. But, we should never give up! We cannot give up! There is the answer you must have, for so many unpleasant things; especially in marriage, and especially in loving God: Because He will not give up on you! He can not do it; He does not lie: lying is not in His nature...

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:19-26)

"Young Women of Jerusalem" -2

"How happy we are for you, O King. We praise your love even more than wine." (S.O.S. 1:4b NLT)

  Just a little different way of looking at things, sometimes, is all it takes to get a whole new way of thinking; which is all a matter of from which direction you might be looking. As with this verse, as it is actually split into three in the NLT: with the Young Woman speaking through verses 1:2 to this verse, ending with, "the king has brought me into his bedroom," and the Young Women of Jerusalem not actually finishing the verse, but only speaking what is written above.
  There is one other thing that I made a note about from Dr. McGee's message, "In that day, we will be like Him." We must never forget that, because this life is not what eternity with God is going to look like! This is not even close to what things will be, because there will be no more death,  there will be no more sin and shame, and there will be no more evil. Something I cannot imagine in this life; no way, no how! You know why that might be? Because as soon as I start imagining that there is no more evil, then I end up imagining evil things; go figure! (On the other hand, don't!)
  The point that I was trying to make yesterday, was that we are so focused upon our own lack of strength to overcome this sinful nature, we begin to wonder about our own security in Christ. It does not require much thought to be taken down a path of despair and insecurity; especially when your intentions are to do good and prove your love for God, only to find yourself doing bad, and then you feel as though you don't. And then, you know what comes next: you start questioning whether or not you are really His child.
  This is not just a thing for the young at heart, this is for those who are aware of their own failures; which should be each and every one of us that have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us! If you cannot see your sin, then you really need to check yourself, because we all have sin. As the Bible clearly says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)
  That said, the end of this verse above, that which is broken off and is spoken by the Young Woman, says: "How right they are that adore you." (S.O.S. 1:4c NLT) Quite a little different perspective, because there is nothing we can take away from that! We are seriously broken; and the closer we get to heaven, the more broken we actually realize that we are. But there is Good News for our state of brokenness: The God that can make anything from nothing, can absolutely make anything from something else; He proved that with His very first miracle...

"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who they are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." (Romans 3:21-24) NLT

"Young Women of Jerusalem"

"We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee." (S.O.S. 1:4b)

  Yesterday I had the privilege to hear a message from none other than J. Vernon McGee; and it was very very passionate to the expectations we might put before us, and the disappointment we might see behind us. We cannot change what was, and we surely cannot predict what lies ahead; but what we can do, and what we must do, is to love God with everything we got!
  Sometimes all we got is not all that much to boost about; at least not after looking back upon our life thus far. We will all have things we regret and moments that might not have shined with love as they should have; but this is really not anything that should cause us to give up; and it surely should not make us feel as though God does not love us!
  Please forgive me if I step out on a limb, as I have a tendency to do from time to time. But, I am a little bit concerned about who these "Young Women of Jerusalem" might represent; they appear to be like cheerleaders, to help encourage the "Young Woman." And, as would be expected, they would seem to speak as though they are saying everything right.
  Thus, the limb is placed before me, which I am so very tempted to step out on; hopefully, not stepping in anything in the process. The quote that Dr. McGee used for his message was one that had been given by someone before a well known evangelist began his ministry, which was something like this: 'God is still looking for what He can do through the man that is totally yielded to Him.' (Not the exact quote, but good enough to understand the meaning!)
  The man in the message was Dwight L. Moody; who, after hearing the message, had committed himself to be "the man" that God was looking for. When he had come to the end of his life, while on his death bed, he remembered his commitment that was made, and said, "God is still looking for the man totally yielding to Him."
  The limb just broke: Because those who might not feel so upright, love Him also...

"I have discovered this principle of life -that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? THANK GOD! The answer is in JESUS CHRIST our LORD. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (Romans 7:21-25) NLT

"The Zoom Room"

"Take me with you; come, let's run! The King has brought me into his bedroom." (S.O.S. 1:4a NLT)

  How incredible it is that we can experience real fellowship with The King! As I was thinking about what it means to be transformed into a child of the Light, it became abundantly clear that we must allow God to do the work of transformation; it is not something that is even close to our ability or knowhow to accomplish, because true transformation is accomplished within our spirit, by His Spirit!
  Yes, this is totally spiritual; something we can never ever make happen on our own; although there are all sorts of different religions that try, most of which, if not all, end up fellowshipping with the wrong spirit. This is more than just about seeking to be enlightened or about some kind of entertainment; this is about love, and being captivated by the One that can actually show you His love by action, not by merely words and empty promises.
  And what makes it the shared relationship, is not that we need to do anything, provide anything, or even try to match anything; because there is no way possible to match, provide, or do anything close to what He has done for us: we just need to embrace Him, thank Him, and experience with awe, the love so amazing it cannot be contained, but it absolutely can and must be ours!
  To make it a little more simple to understand, there is a pattern here that involves the realization for a need; a need that is brought on by that which is being offered. This is something we might have lost sight of, because it is usually something we try to rationalize, or worse yet, try and take credit for. Our greatest need is not that we need to be saved from hell: our greatest need is to be reconciled to the One that loves us! It is that realization that opens up our heart; if you will, penetrates our stoney hearts, to allow us to see the greatest need of all: His love!
  I am sorry, but as hard as we might try, this is not something we make happen; as much as we might like to take some credit; even if the credit looks totally opposite from love. This is about His love, and His love only; you will not experience that love any other way...

"If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing." (Romans 4:14-17) NLT

"Little Bit of Both"

"Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his bed chambers:" (S.O.S. 1:4a)

  It isn't too hard to be distracted by the romantic nature that is being portrayed here; we are first and foremost drawn to those things that will tend to lead in that direction, some more than others. But, if you really want to look hard for the spiritual connection, then you are going to find that there is some kind of a connection between, "Me" and "We."
  As is a custom in most Christian Weddings, there is a part of the ceremony where the man and wife take their candles and together they will light the center candle, which represents Jesus Christ. In a round-about way, this custom has evolved into making it more about the two becoming one; which in and of itself is not a bad thing, but if you are looking for security in the marriage, Christ must be at the center, first and foremost!
 Interesting enough, I heard a little message yesterday from Pastor Jon; which at first I thought it a little strange, but the more I thought of it, the more it seemed to open up into something very familiar. He was showing a connection between the blood and water that came from the side of Jesus when His side was pierced, to that of the blood and water that is associated with a woman giving birth to a child. The idea was that of Christ creating a bride, birthing a bide from His side, must the same as when God created a bride for Adam from his side, by removing a rib.
  I know it might be a stretch, but there is absolutely a spiritual connection; because we have been given, if you will, a Help-meet, which is the Holy Spirit which lives inside to provide us the strength to do that which we cannot do on our own. Much the same as the oneness expressed in the lighting of the candle, this spiritual connection is one in the same: there are both aspects that must be lived out, the one of being united in Christ, and the one of being united as one!
  Paul tries to illustrate this principle in several different ways; crucifying the flesh, being set free from bondage, and being free to marry again; all of which are the result of new life. In other words, we have been given a new way to run...

"When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in a God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin."" (Romans 4:4-8) NLT

"More Than We Know" -2

"Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee." (S.O.S. 1:3)

  As for this title, to be perfectly honest, I did not know, and probably still cannot see the full meaning; but this much I do know: we are totally and without a doubt unable to see the power that is made available to us, if we could put our full faith in God! To make that claim is pretty easy, it really does not take much of a imagination to dream or invasion some of the mighty works that could be done, if we could just have the faith enough to believe.
  Maybe this is just a work on words, but it is the words, "poured forth," that has my attention. If we could, for just a moment, think about what it means for Living Water to be poured forth into our lives; what you might visualize is the working of everything that is not of the Lord being washed out and filtered out; a purifying, if you will, that replaces all that is bad and unholy, with all that is good and pleasing to the Lord, because it is the Lord that is working in you!
  To make matters even more a mystery, we must consider the "name" that is used; which is more than just what He is called, it is His reputation, His fame, His glory; His authority and His power! In the name of Jesus every knee must bow! Which does not leave any doubt whatsoever whether or not they they even want to, they will, no matter how they might feel about it, they will not be able to stand before Him! A good example of that would be in John's description of what happen when Jesus said, "I am He," when they had come to arrest Him in the garden: John says, "they went backward, and fell to the ground." (John 18:6)
  I believe that there are only a few people that actually have ever really come close to experiencing just a portion of what God can do in and through them; and even those that the Bible speaks about were still found to have times of weakness and times of doubt. Blame it on the flesh, because the flesh is where every weakness is found!
  Less of me, and more of You! Nothing else will do...

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:11-14)