"Cloak-and-Dagger"

 "[The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53 - 8:11.] Then the meeting broke up, and everyone went home." (John 7:53 NLT)

  "He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the forward is carried headlong." (Job 5:12-13 KJV) 

 Not that it much matters, but I have my own opinion about this mystery that there is no record of the portion of Scripture mentioned above. Who was the man the woman was caught with, and why was he not mentioned? That is pretty much the question everyone has, as they read this portion of Scripture; just about every teaching that I have heard on this text, the teacher will always point that out, "Where is the man?" 

 Basically, I guess what I am saying, is that, not everyone went home to their own house! I really don't want to say anymore, but it is rather intriguing that the King James Version of this Scripture says: "And every man went unto his own house." Just a little observation, that's all.

 Okay, if you really want to know, I think that the woman was caught with one of there own, a Pharisee. Any one that might wish to debate that accusation, bring it on; besides, this break up was most likely due to the last statement made: "For out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." 

 Obviously, this was not accurate, and the statement was incorrect. There were several significant prophets which were known to be associated with Galilee: According to Matthew Henry, there was Jonah, whom Jesus referred to as being in the belly of a fish for three day; there was Nahum an Elkoshite, and then, there was Elijah! 

 Anywho, this will still remain a mystery. But Jesus knew who is was, I will bet that He wrote that man's name on the ground...

"Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon." (Psalms 76:10 NLT)  

"House of Cards"

 "They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." (John 7:52 KJV)

  "Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. So don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more." (Proverbs 9:7-9 NLT) 

 For us, these things seem rather unimportant and over-rated, why argue of where someone might be from, or whether or not anyone from a certain origin is good or bad? Well, in this case, there is really more to this than what we might expect. These claims and comparisons really don't even matter: as it were, Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem! 

 Yes, I know, there are so many different things being put forth, it makes it really hard to determine which is more important. As it were, these, so called leaders, are assuming that the people that follow Jesus are all somehow attached to Galilee, as if there were some sort of curse upon that place, and anyone that believes a certain way, are Galileans.  

 Well, I think we can probably create a better, "House of Cards," by assuming that Jesus was just a man, no matter where it was that He was born or raised; such an assumption will not hold any weight, whatsoever! We all know how this turns out, so the politics of the matter really seems unimportant; but these things are still true today, most of which are pressing harder and harder. 

 That said, there is really no way to argue with those that have not the truth; we are only wasting our breath trying to convince them of something they cannot see. The only way that they can see, is by changing their heart; something that can only happen by the power of God! 

 As to the current culture of this world, whether you can see it or not, but we are quickly getting more and more out of control with each passing day. I heard something about a week or so ago, that started out as a compliment and ended up as a rebuff. A man from Europe was exclaiming how America was so great, having been great at engineering, and being vigorous at whatever we put our minds to; even when it comes to stupid and crazy, we press hard into that too, taking it to the max! 

 We can't just accept something and move on; we build a life around it and make it into the reason to live and die for; something that isn't even right or good and is basically mocking God! Talk about a house of cards...

"Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshipped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (Romans 1:22-25 NLT) 

"Scale of Justice"

 ""Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?"" (John 7:51 KJV)

  "Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish." (Proverbs 18:13 NLT)

 There is something here that is very much part of this story, and probably part of everyone's life, in one way or another. Some might call it, 'Jumping to conclusions,' where we settle a matter that we really know nothing about, but based upon what we think that we know, we have already determined it is this or that, without even seeing the facts. I find myself doing this, more than I would care to admit.

 First, there is this guy, Nicodemus; maybe one of the first of these Pharisees to believe the Jesus was actually sent by God. "One of them," John references him as, being part of those that belonged to a group, that whether or not they knew it, they thought their stuff did not stink, and felt more superior that anyone else. If you recall, "Nic at Night," he went out to find out who Jesus was, and leaving knowing so much more about himself; seeing that he needed salvation! 

 It was probably this encounter with himself, his own wicked heart, that inspired him to ask this question. If you know that things are not always what they might appear, including our own security, then you are quite aware that there are other things going on around you, that might need consideration. It might not seem obvious, but there was a big problem with these leaders, judging a man before knowing all of the facts. 

 Interesting enough, but the events to follow flow strangely into that very same topic. Nevertheless, any heart that is set upon a certain course, is not easily moved into the other direction! Like my mom would say, "If you point your finger at someone, you have three fingers pointing back at you!" 

 Secondly, this crowd of leaders, they already had it out for Jesus; and had they actually been paying attention to their own hearts, they would have realized just how wrong they were for judging him, seeing that the Temple guards could see something good in what Jesus said. Another piece of mom's advice: "Take a good look at yourself, before you judge someone else!" 

 Finally, it would appear that 'Nic' fell short in his defense, having not mentioned what was in his own heart! Having been in this same situation, it is sometimes easy to point out the obvious wrong, but it is hard sometimes to continue, by pointing out the right! Pray tell, what does that mean? 

 Something else my mom would say, that I constantly forget to adhere to: "If you don't have something nice to say about anyone, then don't say anything at all!" Sorry if I leave it there, I need to pray about something...

"The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?" (Proverbs 18:14 NLT) 

"The Great Composer"

 "Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)" (John 7:50 KJV) 

  "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. The LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction." (PSALM 1 NLT)

 Alright, I think I get what's going on, but I do not like it; nonetheless, I hold my peace and say nothing! 

 Maybe that is a familiar thing that has bugged your heart? You know what you hear is false and does not fit the narrative, yet you say nothing. Why? Is it just because you don't want to enter into a debate? Are you afraid to be called out as something other than what you really are? Maybe we just don't have the faith enough to defend what we believe? How can we hold on tightly, to that which we only hope to be true? 

 I truly believe that God prompts us to speak up when we otherwise would be silent; when He does, it is up to us to say something: to open up our mouth and utter out His voice! I have had the feeling and inclination within me, time and time again, to lay hands on someone to heal them. But I have not done so, because I was afraid that it will not work! I know, that seems rather strange, but I do believe that I have prayed for people before, and God did something to change their situation; if nothing else, He changed their perspective, giving them hope! 

 You must believe God hears you, speaks to you, and is ever-present in everything that you do! As in this case, Nicodemus has been touched. Whether it is by God's Spirit or by the Word of God that has been stored up in his heart, he was touched to say something to defend God's character. Not that God needs to be defended, because He is ALMIGHTY GOD! 

 As ambassadors for Christ, we are to represent Him in everything that we do; especially, when there are those, we know and are associated with, that willfully speak out against Him. In this case, there was really no way that these hearts were going to be changed, because God had hardened their hearts to help complete His marvelous plan of salvation.

 This is what He does! He opens mouths, and He hardens hearts! Strange as that might sound, I did hear a message yesterday that sparked by curiosity. Not that it was not a true message, because I believe that it was, and I am totally convinced that everyone is given a chance to accept God's free gift of salvation. 

 My curiosity is in those that would try and convince someone otherwise, who are they, and why would they do it? Do they pretend to know the heart of God? I absolutely believe that none of us would have chosen to come to God if He did not prompt us or call us unto Himself; but we still have a choice! We have a choice to accept His offer, and we have a choice to live as though we have! Every day, we have the same choice, over and over again: Will I serve Him today, or will I serve myself? 

 Anywho, this is meant to be about what God does! He is The Great Composer of heaven and earth! Everything that is going on around us, He composes the instruments to play out His glorious plan. If there is something that plays out of tune, then He will modify and change the keys; it all goes and flows into His perfect plan! 

 If you wrote the music, then you know the keys that need to be played...

""But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. The LORD who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one. For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessings on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank. Some will proudly claim, 'I belong to the LORD.' Others will say, 'I am a descendant of Jacob.' Some will write the LORD'S name on their hands and will take the name of Israel as their own."" (Isaiah 44:1-5 NLT)  

"A Matter of The Heart"

 "But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." (John 7:49 KJV)

  "And so the LORD says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but there hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligent will disappear."" (Isaiah 29:13-14 NLT)

 Somehow this cursed thing is really not all that bad! If you think you have what it takes to please God, to practice righteousness and holiness, to be able to say, 'I have achieved perfection,' then you are cursed of God and have no hope of fellowship with Him. But, on the other hand, if you know that you are utterly broken and lost without God's mercy and grace; a sinner from birth, born into sin and in need of a Savior; have no other way, but to die to yourself and be dead to this world: then you are cursed of this world, but alive unto God! 

 It just so happens, this curse word, is a word that is only useful for a Biblical application. We might not totally understand what that means, but it has an amazing, wonderful, and magical truth behind it, that turns the whole meaning of it up-side-down and completely around! I have a wonderful picture upon my wall, titled, "Righteousness." The picture shows a broken and sinful man kneeling at the foot of the cross, his hands folded, his face down, bitterly weeping and begging for mercy. In the base of the picture is a puddle of water, and within that puddle is his reflection: a reflection of spectacular glory, a full and joyful expression, looking up at the cross, totally justified and forgiven! 

 To that point, as Pastor Bryan reminded me, King David sinned far worse than King Saul did; the difference was, that Saul denied his infractions, but David owned what he did, and he begged for God's mercy! "A man after God's own heart!" That was the illustration of David given by God; because the heart of God, is to pour out His mercy...

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT) 

"Intellectual Faith"

 "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?" (John 7:48 KJV)

  "Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."" (1 Corinthians 2:6-9 NLT) 

 Somehow this will all make sense; but for now, we just need to know that God is ultimately doing a work, whether we can see it or not, that will blow everyone's mind, and cause everyone to fall upon their knees and declare He is LORD! Just you watch and see! 

 We must never give up believing, even when we doubt, walking away is never an option! Especially if you have already come this far, you must, with all your might, dig in your heals and fight! Let me tell you that it will get better; whether the circumstance or situation changes or not, it will get better! 

 I am currently dealing with something that I find hard to explain, because in a logical sense, it makes no sense, because it is an issue of the heart. As I have shared before, my wife has been in her condition for over 18 years, with no real sign of improvement; at least to those that cannot see what we cannot see. My commitment to continue this journey is based upon one very simple promise that I made to God, that I would do everything in my power to care for her, until He takes her home, period! 

 When we were preparing for her surgery, there was an issue presented for her to sign over, Power of Attorney, for me to make medical decisions for her, in case there was a serious problem. Well, it was not something that I wanted to even consider, because I believed God would bring her though this surgery safely and without any problems. 

 Long story short, we are now in a little storm, one which might look innocent and non-threatening from a distance, but there is an eye of that storm which could be overwhelming. I may or may not be forced into getting a Conservatorship in order to continue what I have been doing for all of these 18 and half years of caring for my wife. Maybe it is for the best, and then again, maybe it is not! 

 As far as I am concerned, only God is allowed to take her life! I have refused to kill her or have her killed; and I will surely not let anyone else attempt to do it! Over these last 18 years, especially these last ten years, I have had some of the most uncaring comments from people who might think they are caring. Some might say, 'Why are you keeping her alive in this condition? She shouldn't need to live like this!' 

 Fools! Is the first thought in my mind, but the more I dwell of it, the more it hurts to think about the reason. I was either blessed or cursed to witness the Terri Schiavo case while my wife was in the hospital. For 3 months she was there, and about midway through her stay, Terri's ordeal was flashed before my eyes. If you don't know the case, Terri had been in her state for 15 years; her husband had already moved on with his life, and wanted her to be killed; but her family wanted to care for her. 

 No doubt, there had must likely not been a Power of Attorney granted him, because she became that way from having a heart-attack at home, and it took too long to resuscitate her; taking her into that condition of a PVS. She was saved from the first attempt to have her life taken, but her husband persisted and found a judge evil enough to have her put to death.

 Her death was not quick and easy; it took her 12 days to slowly be starved and dehydrated to her death. Ruthless killers that are put to death, don't even need to suffer that type of killing! If her family could, they would break the rules, just to apply an ice cube to her lips. I can't imagine the pain they suffered as they had to go through experiencing the long-drawn-out death of their loved one. 

 Whether you can believe it or not, put there are people who love to take lives, even though they are taught and trained to save lives. It's almost a thrill for them to do so, because they can do it legally and without getting punished; or so they think! God will be the ultimate Judge! 

 No! I promised my wife, "To have and to hold from this day forward...till death do us part!" Only God is allowed to take that away...

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory." (Ephesians 3:8-13 KJV)    

"Question of Origin"

 "Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?" (John 7:47 KJV)

  "If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we all have died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!" (2 Corinthians 5:13-16 NLT)

 "We know our God!" If you really want to know, it's not a question of whether or not someone has told us something that we have believed; or even that we have witnessed some sort of sign or miracle that changed our minds: God lives in us, and we have been made into one of His children, because we are made alive in God!  

 Ya, I know, it might seem complicated and hard to explain, but in reality, it is really quite simple. Once we were dead, living human beings waiting to die; but now we are alive, living vessels waiting to be home, in heaven, where we now belong! Life takes on a whole new meaning, because this world is no longer our dwelling place, but is rather a temporary place of ministry and adventure. 

 Where did we get this transformation? Was it from reading the Bible? Was it from listening to a message or a sermon? Were we pushed by someone else, into following something we knew nothing about? I know, maybe we were just desperate for an answer, and just bought into whatever came first? It was none of the above! 

 You must believe that Jesus is the Origin of life! The Father calls us to His Son, the Holy Spirit makes the door to be opened, Jesus enters, and creates a new life! If you have another version of how the transformation takes place, so be it; as long as you understand the Origin of your new life is Christ, it will suffice. 

 Therefore, it is not ever a question of whether or not we are deceived! If someone can talk you into something, then someone else can talk you out of it! We have no doubt that He is really who He is; our doubts are only in ourselves, as, if we are who we really think that we are! 

 Don't be deceived by your failures and your doubts! The most important thing for us to do, is to keep looking at Jesus! Keep your eyes on Him, believe on what He did for you, that He holds onto you, no matter what, because the greatest tool the devil has is discouragement... 

"Anyone who denies the Son doesn't have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us." (1 Juhn 2:23-25 NLT) 

"Arrestors Arrested"

"The Officers answered, Never man spake like this man." (John 7:46 KJV)

  "But can an ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden can walk by itself?" (Isaiah 10:15 NLT)

 This is not my idea, but I heard Pastor Mike say this yesterday, speaking of this very same verse, "Those that were sent to arrest Jesus, were arrested by Him." This is so often how God works! We might think that we have power to do something, but when God wants us to do something else, any power we might have, is rendered useless. 

 I can recall many testimonies from very famous pastors and servants of God, as they told of encounters that they had, where they were subdued by God, right in the middle of attempting to overtake someone else. Maybe it is just being blindsided by something that you were not expecting or thinking about; as if, you were so focused upon one certain thing, you were made vulnerable by your obsession. 

 Thinking of one of these Pastors that I have known since I first became a Christian, Pastor Raul was one that had one such encounter. As he waited behind his door with a gun to shoot his wife, he turned on the television just in time to hear Pastor Chuck speak about God's love. Just like that, God was able to get into his heart; in that very instant he was arrested by Christ! 

 We sometimes forget just how powerful God really is! Not that we lose sight of that fact, but we just seem to get so caught up in the thing we are doing, it seems to not even matter in the moment. And just like that, God reveals just how powerful and mighty He actually is! The darkness cannot hide against the Light! 

 Over the last several days I have watched this same movie about three or four times, called, "God Calling." It's just one of those movies that shows the power of God to do whatever He wills, no matter how hard we try to avoid Him, He breaks us or breaks through, regardless! Sometimes we do not understand or know just Who we are dealing with! Quote from that movie: We Know Our God...

"Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heaven also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire." (Hebrews 12:25-29 NLT) 

"He's Always Working"

"Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?" (John 7:45 KJV) 

  "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." (Nehemiah 6:15-16 NLT)

 Anywho, how are you doing? Hope you are paying attention to what is going on; as it seems, there are many people who are just caring and focused upon their own lives, not really paying that much attention to this stuff happening, just about everywhere on this earth. 

 ""When the Som of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes."" (Matthew 24:37-39 NLT) 

 Seriously: It's not a matter of if He comes, but when He comes! We just need to be ready! 

 So, on the plot to capture Jesus, as it were, there was no way that these Temple guards were going to touch Him, unless it was His time to be apprehended! That is just a fact! I don't even think they knew what really happened, except that they were somehow caught off guard, and pretty much forgot what they were sent out to do. 

 I was reminded of Esther, and how the tables had turned on Haman; the Bible says, "So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified." (Esther 7:10 KJV) God's ways are not our ways! We see things from a whole different perspective than that of God's. He sees the whole picture, not only the broad point of view, as in the whole earth, but entire picture, far off into the future! 

 That is why we must learn and commit ourselves to trusting Him, no matter what things might appear to be, our view of what is going on around us, even in our own personal lives, is just a glimpse of the mighty work that God is getting done...

"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT)

"Protected"

 "And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him." (John 7:44 KJV)

  "Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him enough? There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right." (Psalm 106:1-3 NLT)

 Each and every one of us have a purpose; whether you realize it or not, you have something that God is using you for, as a part of His perfect will and to further His Kingdom. If you think you are useless, as though your life has been wasted, ask Him to show you what you are meant for, and praise Him for all the good that He has done! 

 Don't ask me where that came from, I just felt someone needed to be encouraged; maybe it was just for me, because I sometimes feel so useless! As I was prayed over Sunday, this brother was mentioning all these things that could be going on in my life, those things which might have caused me to raise my hand to be prayed over. Every single thing that he said, I could agree was an issue: medical, financial, spiritual, depression; you name it, and I felt it was all pressing down on me like a giant vise, squeezing the life out of me. 

 The funny thing was, I felt comfortable back in the 'cry room' where I usually hung out. But the sound wasn't working, and I needed to sing. I took it as a sign that I needed to move out into the worship center, and really sing out load to the Lord! I didn't realize how much I missed experiencing the joy of full-on worship, having no reason to feel like I might have been a distraction to others in the room.  

 I guess the point I am trying to make, is that God is always watching over us, even when we feel alone and afraid, even in that state of mind, we are right where He wants us, in that very moment! Maybe it is hard to understand that, as we are always assured to be strong in the Lord and do not fear; but there comes a time in our lives when we need to know how vulnerable we really are and how much we actually need His protection! 

 As for this verse, Jesus had no worries about being taken, as He already knew that His time was not there yet to be apprehended. I can only say, be aware of your usefulness for the Lord, and at the same time, be prepared to for anything! Make curtain that it is all, well with your soul...

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." (Romans 12:1-5 NLT)  

"Big Gap!"

 "So there was a division among the people because of him." (John 7:43 KJV) 

  ""I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against-or two in favor and three against. 'Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.'"" (Luke 12:59-53 NLT)

 Most of us can remember what it was like, having to explain our new life to family and friends; it was testy to say the least; most of my friends wanted nothing to do with me. Certain family members thought I had lost my mind, joined a cult, or was finally feeling the effects of many years of using drugs. It is really not our job to save people, God does that; but it is our job to tell them about Jesus and the wonderful work He has done in our lives. 

 My mom always would say, "Actions speak louder than words!" Something Pastor Bryan said yesterday reminded me of that, as he quoted, "Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words." Man, was I ever convicted and ashamed! Here is another quote, if anyone is interested: "No one will care what you have to say, unless they know that you care!" 

 There is really no way that we can close the gap between the new life we have in Christ, and the life of someone who is spiritually dead. But we can pour out our heart to them, care for them, show them that we mean what we say and live like we mean it; and then let God do the rest! It might be tough; we might be tested, having to be shamed or even threatened; but care all the more, because it really does matters! 

 That might not be what you are about; don't worry too much, because it is actually normal for the average believer to hold their peace and not ruffle feathers. That said, you should worry somewhat, because we are all going to be judged according to what we did with what we have been given! Talk about a big gap, looking back, I feel as though I have a great big hole in the 'acts' of doing that which I have been instructed to do! 

 Maybe it's not too late! We can either be a vessel of honor, or a vessel that trash is thrown into. I think I prefer to be one that gives honor to God, not the latter...

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it is all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." (Romans 1:18-25 NLT) 

"Misinformed"

 "Hath not the Scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" (John 7:42 KJV)

  "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." (Genesis 3:1-3 KJV) 

 It really only takes a little misinformation to cause a whole lot of misunderstanding and deception. Even just adding something to what God has said, even if it might seem better or more persuasive. This might be the most harmful thing that is done in almost any organized religion: adding to the requirements and the commandments of God. 

 As they might not have known, Jesus was born in Bethlehem! He might have grown up in Galilee, but He was born in the city of David, just as the Scriptures said! Not that it much matters, but there were most likely people in the room that knew that, they just were either afraid to bring it up, or else they wanted it to not be known to the crowd. 

 As for as the closing Scripture from yesterday, I felt it was more for myself than anyone else. I need to better understand what it means to sincerely trust God, and not to lean on my own understanding! Maybe it is just the way that I am, always trying to be a problem solver; I think out solutions and use worldly understanding to achieve ways to overcome problems.

 You would think that after all these years, I would know better; instead of asking God for solutions, I need to be still and just know that He is GOD: Let go and let God...

""Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world."" (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

"Truth Be Told"

"Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?" (John 7:41 KJV)

  "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." (Proverbs 12:1 NLT)

 It is pretty silly to do something repeatedly wrong, hoping that it will somehow become right; as my mom would say, "Two wrongs, don't make it right!" As much as I would like to take credit for anything good that might happen, there is only the grace of God that works things for the good! 

 Yesterday was a pretty heartbreaking day, as I kept hearing news of the bad and sad things happening in the lives of several people that I pray for every single day. All day long I felt as though it was somehow my fault; as if maybe I hadn't prayed hard enough, or, as it was, because of my busy life, this last week especially, Tuesday morning, I shortened my prayer times and briefly mentioned their names.

 I know that might seem like an exaggeration of spiritual warfare and the enemy's ability to wreck lives just based upon someone's lack of prayer; but spiritual warfare is real! If you begin to pray for anyone, you are bringing them into a spiritual arena, where they will be a target, especially if it is about their salvation or about them becoming closer to the Lord. 

 You can say what you want about this issue, but I feel confident in the power that prayer has to effect and cause a change in someone's life. I also, see and know how the lack of prayer can and will cause the destruction in the work that has begun; because once you see the Lord is drawing them closer, you must really step into the arena too, assisting in the fight! 

 Then again! God is more than faithful! Abundantly and mercifully good! It just might be, the only way to change a heart that won't be softened, is to step up things that go wrong in someone's life...

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with a divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." (James 1:2-8 NLT)  

"Most Certainly"

  "Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet." (John 7:40 KJV)

  "Moses continued, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him."" (Deuteronomy 18:15 NLT)

 Jesus said that we would not know the day or the time, but that we would know the season. Just keep looking up, because we need to be ready! I won't harp too much on that, because there is such a sharp division among some believers as to when the Rapture will actually happen; some, who I have heard of, but never actually met, think that it has already happened. Not quite sure where they all went. 

 Did you know, there are some people that still think that the world is flat? Some actually think that we never did actually land on the moon; some people think that President Biden is really not him, that the real Biden is locked away somewhere, and that this guy we see is someone else. People can truly believe anything they want; but what is most important for everyone, is to know who Jesus really is! 

 Unfortunately, not everyone that wrote about the coming Christ, actually understood everything that they wrote about. Some only saw bits and pieces, writing what they saw, and following the prompting of God's Spirit upon their lives. God is the Writer of all that is written, that much you can know for sure; just because someone may not have known what they were writing, does not make it untrue! 

 Before I became a true believer, I did read the Bible from time to time, even though I mostly did not even understand what I was reading. But, when I believed, all of that drastically changed! Sure, there were some things that I still did not understand; there are things that I still don't understand today. But the Author of The Book, I truly know is real, His words are true, and understand or not, I must listen to Him...

"But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love." (Jude 17-21 NLT)   

"Division and Unbelief"

  "When the crowds heard him say these this, some of them declared, "Surely this man is the Prophet we've been expecting." Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can't be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born." So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him. 

 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, "Why didn't you bring him in?" 

 "We have never heard anyone speak like this!" the guards responded.

 "Have you been led astray, too?" the Pharisees mocked. "Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believe in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law, God's curse is on them!" 

 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. "Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?" he asked. 

 They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself - no prophet ever comes from Galilee!"" (John 7:40-52 NLT)

  "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." (Titus 3:3-8 NLT)

 So, this is most surely the time to prepare for the Lord to come, if you are looking for some signs of His coming! That is not a reason to stop everything and sit down and wait; but it is a time to look up and realize that there is no time to waste; because, we need to be about our Father's business! 

 In the case of when the bride of Christ is taken, there is absolutely no chance that it could be during or after the Tribulation. Jesus clearing said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) Therefore, the sequence of events shown in and during the Tribulation will reveal the Second Coming; of Christ's coming to the earth, with Him actually stepping His feet upon the earth' surface; but the Rapture will take place without anyone seeing Him! 

 We will meet the Lord in the air, as we shall be taken up with Him. Snatched up, in an instant, and without any warning, whatsoever...

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV) 

 

"To Have and To Hold"

 "(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:39 KJV)

  "I am writing to you who are God's children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. I have written to you who are God's children because you know the Father. I have written to who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God's word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one." (1 John 2:12-14 NLT)

 Believe it or not, but we sometimes lack only one thing: Encouragement! We have everything else, that is pretty much what we are here for, besides being a light unto others, to encourage one another; lifting each other up, praying for one another, and standing along each other, as brothers and sisters in Christ! 

 Yes, we all have bad days; days of despair and feeling all alone. But we must not be discouraged by the feelings of frailness or being weak, because if we are in Christ Jesus, we are secure and strong! Sealed, is what you are in Christ, like a vault that cannot be tampered with or broken into. Your security is held in heaven where Christ Jesus sits, awaiting for the Father's order, "Go grab hold of your Bride!" 

 Please forgive me for yesterday's post, it was a long day Monday, and I was detained in sleep for a few more hours than I expected. I think my phone gave up trying to wake me up! Talk about being protected, I was flying in the dark, driving a 40ft home away from home, and there must have been angels all around me. 

 I hope you believe that there are angels that protect you, because there are, and I know for a fact that it is so. I will never forget one night, as I was half asleep, had just finished praying, and was starting to dream about something that I really don't want to share about. In a split second of desperation, I cried out, "Jesus help!" and no sooner than getting those two words out, I seriously could feel the wind moving over me, and a light flash across my eyelids; there must have been an angel there that took his sword and swatted that demon right out of the room! 

 We must not feel as though we are alone, because we never ever are...

"Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."" (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT) 

"Living Water" - Too

 "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38 KJV)

   "For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of the light; (for the fruit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8-10)

  As much as I would like to say this is easy, I would be telling a lie if I said it was so; this is hard! Some of the time, it is unbearable, and I really feel like giving up; but I know I must not even consider that as an option, because it is not up to me! 

 Yes, we always do have a choice! I can choose what I eat and drink; what I watch and what I cannot watch; but I have absolutely no control over the things God does or does not do! I can hope for things to happen, but my will is not always God's will, my ways are not God's ways! I need to have a different belly! 

 Anywho! Here is the concept of where all things must be realized in the heart: Are you really ready to let God have 100% of your life, or are you going to still try and hold onto to the parts that you think are yours to hold onto? That is the real question for many of us to ponder! 

 The "belly" can be a storage tank of a whole lot of stuff; but in the walk with the Lord, it is the innermost part of who we are: our soul, heart as the seat of thought, feeling, choice...

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." (Philippians 4:4-5 KJV)  

"Living Water"

  "He the believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38 KJV)

  "In that day you will sing: "I praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me. See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory." With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!" (Isaiah 13:1-3 NLT)

 Something I was thinking about this morning, as I was preparing for this post: There is nothing on this earth that can replace the peace and the joy that comes from knowing that I am saved! I believed it then, and I still believe it now; as much as I feel the pressure of living in this world, even the worst situations this world might place upon me, nothing can take my salvation from me, absolutely nothing! 

 I know some people that have suffered through certain tragedy and have stopped believing as they should. They might still profess to be a Christan, but they stay away from church, do not share anything about the goodness of God, and act as if God hates them. They do not celebrate the victory of the cross, because they did not have victory over the tragedy they went through. 

 Talking to them, I was being as sincere as I could, saying, "If not for the eternal salvation that I hold onto so dearly, this life I am living would not be worth anything at all. But because there is more to come, that is so much better than this, I suffer less, because of what I am looking forward to live, being with Jesus." It was not all that convincing, but I prayed it would somehow take root and grow in their heart. 

 I believe that somehow God is working in this, somewhat strange and sad situation. I might not have my prayers answered for healing, but I can still see God working from time to time; and if I can see anything happening, imagine all the things that are happening that I don't see! We must never give in to the suffering of this world, because this is no longer our home; our home is now with Jesus, and that is the place we need to be focused upon and sharing about; letting that reality shine within us! 

 Anywho, this is something we need to pay attention to, because this is a choice that we make within our hearts: Will I choose to celebrate what the Lord has done, or will I act as if I am still waiting for Him to do something? The choice is all yours...

"For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." (Philippians 3:18-21 NLT) 

"The Eighth Day" - 2

 "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." (John 7:37 KJV)

  "In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it."" (1 Corinthians 11:25 NLT)

 I know this is has more to it than I am sharing, so don't get upset if I don't mention something that is the favorite part that you might hold dear. There must be a newness to our lives, whenever and whatever it takes, we need to be aware of the change new birth has given us. Just because you may not currently feel the change, whether it was because you have not been living it out, or because you have slipped back into your old ways, you must turn and follow Jesus!

 It is not all that complicated, as there will always be those that try and make it about following rules and certain guidelines. Just keep your eyes on Christ, and make Him Lord of your life, and you will do fine! Regardless of what condition your heart might be in, whether you are feeling strong or you have just about given up, it is always all about Jesus Christ and the work that He has done; never about our goodness or our righteousness, only Jesus and the blood He shed on that cross! 

 If you feel strong, make sure that your strength is in the Lord, not in yourself. If you are feeling like giving up, then give in to Jesus, and surrender all to Him! Make this day count, not looking back, but looking forward to all that He will do today and from this day on! It is really just as simple as that: If you thirst, come unto Him, and drink...

""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT)

"The Eighth Day"

 "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." (John 7:37 KJV)

  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

 Just so you know, I chose to sleep in today, so don't think I might have slipped. If you know anything about the eighth day, the day after God rested, please share what you know! Besides that, there are several conceptions and interpretations of events; the best assumption, is that of God began making something new! What else do you do, if you are the Creator of heaven and earth: you make something spectacular, take a rest, and then begin making it better! 

 Some might think that flies in the face of the fact that God knows everything, the beginning and the end; but that is totally and completely not the case. It is for us, what we needed to know, experience, and live out, from generation to generation; that was the something better we needed to learn, that which God had to shows us and teach us: His Love for us! Love doesn't come cheap, there is a cost involved in making it real and absolutely touchable! 

 If you think it cost nothing to prove love, think again...

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NLT)

"Jesus Promises Living Water"

  "On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart,'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" (John 7:37-39 NLT)

  "Wisdom crieth, she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my unto you, I will make known my words unto you." (Proverbs 1:20-23 KJV)

 I feel really good about this next set of Scripture, as this is based primarily on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, Isaiah 55. I had previously spent several months on that, without doing it much justice; but the main thing, is that I was blessed by doing it. This is still my personal living journal, so it has the ability to go wherever I think it should, and wherever God might lead me. 

 Again, you must pay attention to John's ability to work the Deity of Jesus into just about all he shares on, even the simple things that most people fail to see. I love listening to Dr Chuck, he thinks a lot like I do, saying, 'Sometimes, the space between the lines, speak louder than the lines themselves.' 

 Case in point: I heard another Pastor speak the other day, saying, "Andrew and Peter were the first disciples." Again, let me repeat myself, again and again! Andrew and John were the first disciples, Peter was the third, as John stayed with Jesus, while Adrew went to go find Peter. How do I know? By John's detail given about the time of day!

 John was probably writing this message at least 30 years after all these things had happened. I may not remember the exact date of my New Birth, but I remember what day of the week it was, and I most of all, I remember the time of day...

"As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God! When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" 

 "Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means "Christ")"" (John 1:36-41 NLT)

"Divine Expression"

 "What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?" (John 7:36 KJV)

  "But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity, knowing that God is watching us." (2 Corinthians 2:14-17 NLT)

 As I have said before, John is completely focused in the area of Christ's Divinity, the simplest statement of judgment against who Christ is, he brings it out into the open, making the truth be known; both the truth of Christ's authority, and the nature of those that oppose Him. As with this statement they are concerned with and what it actually means: He came from the Father, and to the Father He will return, period!!!

 Additionally, as Paul expresses, this perfume like sensation that is put forth, is just the same as the effect that Jesus had upon those that would have no part in Him. Those that accepted who Jesus was, His words were a sweet aroma that they loved to smell; but those that rejected Him, His words were stinky and made them feel nauseous, turning their hearts to stone. 

 Basically, they could not receive it, because they could not receive it! "They hate us 'cause they ain't us!" You can call it jealousy, which many believe is what caused Satan to become what he is now. Oddly enough, this is envy: that means, covetousness. Something most, if not all of us have a little touch of...

"But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet." But sin used this command to arouse desires all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good." (Romans 7:6-12 NLT) 

"Duly Noted"

 "Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?" (John 7:35 KJV)

  "What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart! They even mock God and say, "Hurry up and do something! We want to see what you can do. Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan, for we want to know what it is."" (Isaiah 5:18-19 NLT) 

 Just so we can be on the same page, duly noted, and dually noted, are two totally opposite responses to any statement or idea. In this case, duly noted is the same as mocking someone, as to say, 'I will make a note of that, but I am pretty sure it won't be happening!' 

 Jesus clearing said where He was going, yet they chose not to accept it! We choose to ignore or accept things all of the time, depending upon on our own desires and passions; this is pretty much the pattern for falling into sin, as we question whether or not this is right or wrong, based upon the desires of our heart, not based upon what God says is right, and good, and holy. 

 Matthew Henry calls this response, "Willful ignorance and blindness." Which is much like what happened in Cain's heart, as God instructed him in as to what he should do, yet he duly noted it, and then did the total opposite of what God told him he should do. 

 Something to think about, as we receive any instruction, whether it be from a message we have heard, or from God's word being highlighted with our hearts. We He speaks, we need to listen carefully to what He says; knowing full well that it is meant for us, and not think it was meant for someone else! 

 Don't think what is being said does not include you, because this is something every one of us will do, from time to time. We are all sinners that have been saved by grace, grace being given something that we do not deserve...

"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters; You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:19-25 NLT) 

"Utter Darkness!" - 2

 "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come." (John 7:34 KJV)

  "Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" He replied, "Work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Lord, open the door for us!' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'"" (Luke 13:23-25 NLT)

 As I was thinking about this yesterday, I was able to listen to several messages yesterday that were giving bits and pieces of this same topic; the most direct message was from Pastor Robert, as he shared about how much we take it for granted that God will forgive us, even though we halfheartedly ask Him. Wow, how dirty I automatically felt! This is the meaning to the phrase, "Fear God!" 

 I have been tossing a message around in my mind, one that involves a mystery spoken of by Paul in Ephesians 5:32. This is the portion of Scripture where we are taught how a husband and wife are to love one another; saying at the end, "Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." (Ephesians 5:33 KJV) 

 If you did not catch my sharing this before, I will try and repeat it. The word, "reverence," is based upon a response to the love that the wife is given. I know that might seem hard for some to understand, but if you really want better clarification, as Paul says, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:32 KJV) 

 In other words, the reflection shown is the love of Christ towards us, in that He laid down His life in order to wash and purify His bride, which is us, the church, makes the responding love in us matter! We are reverencing Him based upon His love for us! 

 Crazy as it might seem, but this little issue about, 'I don't know you or where you came from,' is the reflection of us, who might not reflect the love that has been freely given onto us. That reminds we of God's first question to Adam, as He had been instructing Adam, telling him all that is expected of him, what he has been given, and his duty to protect the garden. Saying to him, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

 Then after Adam sinned, God asked him his very first question, saying, "Where art thou?" A little different reflection, as Adam was reflecting the sin that he had done! Another message I heard later on in the day, as the Pastor reminded me, saying, "We that have been truly forgiven, know in our hearts that we have been washed; there is no doubt in our minds, that we abide in Christ." Do you see your reflection, reflecting Christ? 

 I think that Paul had something to say towards this, where have we come from thing...

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14 KJV)  

"Utter Darkness!"

"Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come." (John 7:34 KJV)

   "Then he instructed me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy." 

  "Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

  "Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life." (Revelation 22:10-14 NLT)

 Enter the dark side, as this is that which comes to those that reject Jesus Christ! Basically, it all comes down to making the right choice: say yes, when He knocks, because you may not have another chance to open that door to Him; follow where He leads, now, because there is only one road, and it is narrow! 

 Yes, I know, these are dark times that we are living in, and it is so very easy to be taken down the wrong path. Two things are important for us to focus on, if you seriously want to make it: three things are required if you are wanting to finish well! The first is the one that we sometimes try to ignore, which is to confess our sins, and be made clean! It's not that we don't ask for forgiveness, because I am sure that most of us do. But do we really know what that means?

 The second is practical, but requires practice: Stay in the Word! I don't think that I am the greatest at doing this, because it requires a little bit of time; if you don't think you have the time, then practical goes right out the window! It's a lot like training for a race, if you don't make the time to train, then you will not race very well, and the more you don't train, the more you will not be able to run the race! 

 The third is the one thing that is surprisingly hard and easy, because it is hard to do on your own, but is remarkably easy to do when you are letting God do the work through you: Be a vessel that He can use! Somehow this one can get turned upside-down quite often, when we ask God to use us, but then we try and make the vessel our own. 

 Back to number one, as it is the one thing required to be able to see rightly: whether we are reading the word of God, or doing His work, if we are not made clean, then those other two things will not be right! You have most likely heard the term, "Get right, or get left," because it is actually a real thing, that is more than just a saying. 

 Forgive me if I pretend to have something else to do right now, but I somehow feel I have something else to do...

""I called you so often, but you wouldn't come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you - when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

"When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. For simpletons turn away from me - to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. But all who listen to ne will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm."" (Proverbs 1:24-33 NLT) 

"Dually Noted!"

 ""Then said Jesus unto them, yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me." (John 7:33 KJV)

  "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." (Philippians 1:20-21 NLT) 

 Obviously, fickle wasn't all that it was cut out to be, because the time, whether it be now or later, really doesn't matter; while waiting, you are looking forward, expecting, longing for it to all be over; knowing full well, it will all be over soon enough. This might seem rather morbid to some, but to those that are looking towards something far better than this, it is longed for and expected, soon enough! 

 Matthew Henry groups these two verses together in a picture associated with the pillar of fire by night, and the cloud covering in the day: having a bright side and a dark side. To me, this is cut and dry! Jesus, being threatened by persecution, has no doubt admonished or enlightened them with the facts: "For now, you can't touch me; but even when do, I will be perfectly fine!" 

 I know it is not always easy to confirm your belief, as if you have nothing left here to care about; because as long as we have people we care for, we have a reason to hang around. But, having this hope within us, does not stop us from being expectant, while at the same time, caring for those we love, as a matter of fact, we should make every effort to be concerned, that they have that same security in them, that is within you! 

 This is something we must resolve within our hearts, this condition called, stagnation! That might not be something we can fully understand, but it comes from being somewhere else, when you should be focused on what you are doing now. If I had something to associate with one of my deepest flaws, it would be just that: always being focused upon what I must do next, while forgetting to focus upon what I am doing right now! 

 If there was another way to explain what this means, we need to look no further than Jesus Christ! He knew absolutely what and when and where, yet He still stayed focused upon the here and now! Every place He went, was another opportunity to accomplish something else; never missing an opportunity to further the Kingdom. 

 Even in the times, when His timing was interrupted, He used that interruption as another opportunity to get something else done. Just like this, eager opportunity of these Jewish leaders: as they thought to take Him, He used that, as an opportunity to make a powerful point!

 Well then...

"I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!"" (Revelation 22:8-9 NLT)

"Fickle"

 "The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him: and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take him." (John 7:32 KJV)

  "I said unto fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." (Psalms 75:4-7 KJV) 

 Have you ever wondered where the wind ever comes from? I know that many people think that they have it all figured out, based upon their predictions and barometric pressure, the tide and the moon, or what who knows whatever has to say about cause and effect. I, on the other hand, think it might be a little more spiritual than it is physical, less about the atmosphere, and more about theater. 

 Anyhow: seemingly the people murmuring was a sign that there was no one willing to make up their minds as to who Jesus was or where He came from. The powers to be, seemed as though this was the time to make the move, and try to arrest Him. Do Not Mess With God's Anointed! Hope you heard that, because it is whirlwind that you do not want to be involved in! 

 Really have no idea where that came from: No pun intended...

"The LORD is our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. He always stands by his covenant - the commitment he made to a thousand generations, This is a covenant he made with Abraham and a oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant. "I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession." He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: "Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets."" (Psalm 105:7-15 NLT)   

"Flicker" - 2

 "And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" (John 7:31 KJV)

  "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 KJV)

 More importantly, there is another side to this work; one that is governed by God, as it is greater in those that are called to witness a work of God, then it is for those that are just spectators, that do not receive a pull into the arena! As Matthew Henrey points out, these many believers, the mob, as he calls them, are half-heartedly looking for answers, many of which are not going to actually step into the arena, but will remain in the grandstands, as merely spectators, never really standing up for what they think that they might believe. 

 You could compare this mob, to the Samaritans which marched up the hill to meet Jesus, who after witnessing Him themselves, stated rather boldly, "This is the Christ!" There was no doubt in their minds, because the call was real, anointed, planned out in advance, by God! I shared this in the very first teaching I was blessed to give, (to High School kids at that,) based upon one simple verse with one very special word, "must," as in, "And he must needs go through Samaria." (John 4:4 KJV) 

 We can look at that verse a couple different ways, as if Jesus must go, as if it was really not the way He would have preferred, but more about the quickest route to where He was going; or we could see it as a calling to go and do something that needed to be done. I prefer to go with the anointed one, as it was that way in which it turned out! 

 God does not to things to us, but for us, when it comes to circumstances and situations; whether they be good or bad, if you are His child, or even if you will be in the future, the things which are the things that you are taken through, are things which God allows for you to experience for your calling. It doesn't matter how weird or foolish they might appear, or even if it involves going somewhere or doing something which might seem wrong or detested by others. 

 I know, that might seem rather blunt, but I know some very strong believers that have some very serious, shall we say, infractions, that are connected to their past life. God is in the business of making something that smells good, from something that smells really bad! Just ask Paul about it, when you get the chance.

 As to this title, odd as it might appear, it is the point to our faith. It really only takes a little bit of faith, if put upon the right Light, then that little faith will become abundantly powerful and unmoving! Our faith is only going to be as strong, as the One in whom we put our trust upon, and to Whom our faith is attached to! He is Abundantly Powerful and Unmoving...

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV)    

"Flicker"

 "And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" (John 7:31 KJV)

  "And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and steams of water will water the wasteland." (Isaiah 35:5-6 NLT) 

 I know the hope that is within us, as we feel anguished, almost as if there is soon going to be relief, yet soon just seems to never come. But this is what endurance is, the ability to withstand, while standing strong, and never letting quit become an option! Which part of belief holds you to your faith? 

 As I have previously mentioned, there is still a longing in my heart for my wife to be healed, because I know in my heart that God can, if He so chooses to do so. That said, I also know that whatever healing He does, in this life, is only temporary and short lived. The real healing for us all will be realized when we are transformed into our new bodies, that will never be sick, never be tormented, and will never die! 

 To this point, I feel that there is something to be expected by seeing miracles taking place, as it could be a sign of God working in our lives, calling us to pay more attention to what God is saying to us, or making us realize that He is really there. However, there is something more important that miracles, as if they hold the keys to the true acts of God; there must also be confirmation of His word! Just because a miracle is taking place, does not mean that the person or persons performing the miracle represents God.

 Jesus came performing miracles, but that is not why He came! There is a much more important reason that Jesus came, than giving sight to be blind, hearing to the deaf, leaping for joy to the lame, or a voice to sing to those that cannot speak. He came to save our eternal souls...

"With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you."" (Isaiah 35:3-4 NLT) 

"His Hour Was Not Yet Come"

 "Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come." (John 7:30 KJV)

  "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do my pleasure." (Isaiah 46:9-10 KJV)

 I was reminded yesterday about a couple of verses in Job38:22-23, where God asked Job, "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?" It has been a long time, but I shared on this way back in the beginning of this blog.

 As a quick reminder, what I spoke about was the timing of discovery, and the time when there was the first World War: the end of the 1800's through the beginning of the 1900's was the time when there was magnification strong enough to actually see the spectacular beauty of snowflakes and hail. If you have a chance to google that, you will see what I mean. 

 Some short period of time before World War One, this spectacular beauty was able to be photographed and put on display. Additionally, while on display, they could be found to be apparently different from one another, as if there were no two snowflakes that were alike. That lead to the publication of what was called "The Snow Crystals" as they were displayed as absolute treasures. 

 The crazy part of this story is what causes the snowflake to be made, as it is caused by an explosion. If you really stop to think about what that represents, or could be associated with, it is that the water particles are changed so quickly, that they explode in the atmosphere, becoming a spectacular thing of beauty.

 Anywho, this is about timing, as God has specific times when things will happen, and certain times when they will not! This was not yet the time for Jesus to be taken, and there was really nothing that anyone could do to change that, whatsoever...

"You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains. Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us. At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still. No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before you when your anger explodes? From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you. You stand up to judge those who do evil. O God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. Interlude

 "Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon. Make vows to the LORD your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One. For he breaks the pride of princes and the kings of the earth fear him." (Psalm 76:4-12 NLT) 

"From Eternity and Beyond!" - Too

 "But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me." (John 7:29 KJV) 

  "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, as he in us, because he hath given us his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." (1 John 4:9-14 KJV)

 Yesterday I was listening to Dr. Chuck, speaking about there being several dimensions, as in, three, four, maybe even up to ten. I really didn't get to hear all of message, as I usually don't, but the part that stuck with me, was how he said that Jesus gave up several of those dimensions to step down from heaven and live as a man upon this earth. 

 If you have watched Kurt's movie, "Unstoppable," then you will understand what I am talking about when I say this about the rainbow. As Kurt explains it, the word that is used, is not rainbow, but is actually bow, as God says. "I will place My bow in the sky." Illustrated as a bow, Kurt points out that the bow is bent in a way that the arrow would be pointed towards Heaven. 

 When God judged the entire earth by the flood, saying numerous times, 'all flesh wherein, is the breath of life, shall die,' it was the first time that He poured out His judgment upon the earth for our sins. What that bow represents, is God's second time of judgment upon the whole earth for our sins, but that second time, He took the punishment for the sins of the entire world! 

 I know, it's really mind-boggling, if you just stop and think about it long enough. In order for it to count, God needed to take on flesh and actually die! That flesh which He actually molded into a man, and then breath into that formed man, the breath of life, needed to be sacrificed! Moreover, He was not just sacrificed, but was extremely punished, beaten and tormented, and then sacrificed upon the cross!

 Please take a moment today and pray for our brothers and sisters that live in Ukraine. I know it is really not our fight, but then again, it really is...

"Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4 KJV)