"By Faith!"

  "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

 "By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." (Hebrews 11:1-3 NLT)

  "For which cause we faint not; but though outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 KJV)

 Already I have felt as though the things I have been sharing about these last few days have gone by the wayside, seemingly they are not really something that many of you believe or care to even think about. Which, for whatever reason, is pretty much how things are in this current world; we sometimes forget that this is not our home! 

 The Scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:18 is highlighted and underlined with red in by Bible, because it is the main reason that our faith is not placed in the things which are seen, mostly because the things that are seen don't represent those things that are eternal! We must totally comprehend the facts; this life that we are living in is temporary and will soon be gone, totally and completely dissolved! 

 Needless to say, but this is not something that many people want to hear or even think about; but it is something that is meant to happen, just as the Bible says it will! We should understand that to be true, if that is, we believe the Bible does not lie or make up things that will never happen. 

 As for me, I am more than convinced that God has spoken every word that has been written; the Bible is God's love-letter to us, through and through, from the beginning and to the end, He has been speaking to us through a thousand generations, letting us know: Our God is an Awesome God...

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalms 27:13-14 KJV)   

"Unbreakable!" - 2

 "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." (Hebrews 10:39 KJV)

  "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 NLT)

 Now, for those who might not get the message, this title, "Unbreakable," does not, in any way, try to say that we don't have difficulties and sicknesses, and even suffer death in this body, because we will have, by all means, just like everyone else, be subject to all those things! The great and awesome difference for us that serve the Lord, is that we have eternal life; it is our soul that is unbreakable; it is surely not this tent; which just like everything else on this earth, withers and is subject to decay, death, and destruction!

 Get the message? I hope we all can agreed that is true, because there is really no other way to describe how it works. These bodies are going to be remaining here on this dying planet, like everything else. Even if we get raptured, this body will be dissolved, and as we meant to Lord in the air, we will have a new body that is eternal, totally free from decay and destruction! 

 So it is totally clear, this current body will never be unbreakable; as a matter of fact, it breaks and will get hurt like everyone else. The big difference for us, who belong to Christ, is that we have no need to worry about it or feel threatened, as if the end is near. Hope that helps clear any doubts or misunderstandings...

""For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)     

"Unbreakable!"

 "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." (Hebrews 10:39 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."" (John 5:24 NLT)

 Please forgive me if I am sometimes too serious over certain things that I think matter more than life; if it is really something that causes you to feel guilty, don't let it be a problem, but make it be my issue, not your own! This might sound hard to believe, but I have grown to the point where nothing hurts or makes me worry about this life; this life is absolutely temporary, and I will soon be home! 

 When I started this last portion of Hebrews 10, the main point to verses 26-39 was really quite simple and easy to understand; yet at the same time, they became a challenge to express the importance of what really matters most. If you didn't catch the title of that beginning, it was really quite simple and to the point: "Christ or Judgment". 

 There is really nothing else that really matters! If Jesus is your LORD, you are unbreakable... 

"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)

"Keeping the Faith!" - 2

 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." (Hebrews 10:38 KJV)

  "I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways." (PSALM 85:8 NLT) 

 Here is the thing that makes faith so important, whether you believe it or not: It is His power and might that we have faith in, not our own! Much like Jesus saying, "If we had the faith of a mustard seed," it is not our mustard seed of strength or determination; but putting our faith in God, just believing He is able to do anything, is enough to make that mustard seed grow into something bigger and stronger, so much so, that you will have rest for your soul. 

 This isn't really something we can on our own, as if we just snap our fingers and make ourselves have faith; because faith requires knowledge of God, and wisdom enough to believe He is capable of doing abundantly more than we could ever imagine. If we can just believe what the Bible says in the beginning, we can have enough faith in God to believe anything else is possible, just from the act of creation! 

 Imagine the struggle so many people have with how Jesus dying on the cross takes away all of our sins; it just doesn't make sense to those that can't believe it is true. And even those that have received it, once they draw back and return to their sins, they too begin to doubt and wonder if it is true. 

 Again, the Bible is God's written word, which He has given to us that we should know Him! It is not a book filled with stories and fables but is God's love letter to the world that He created; letting His creation know who He is and how much He loves us, so that by chance, we can love Him back! 

 I say, by chance, because it requires for us to change our minds and soften our hearts, which is not really something that we can do on our own, but something we must allow God to do, in us...

"One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority." But Jesus replied, "Only an evil and adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three day and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. "The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here - but you refuse to repent. The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here - but you refuse to listen. "When an evil sprit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation."" (Matthew 12:38-45 NLT) 

"Keeping the Faith!"

 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." (Hebrews 10:38 KJV)

  "What's more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, "All nations will be blessed through you." So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law." So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."" (Galatians 3:8-11 NLT)

 If you are familiar with the Book of Galatians, then you should know that Paul was writing it because many of those he was writing to were being misled and told that they must observe and keep the Law of Moses, if they wanted to have salvation. There is that same thing happening today, as it has been, from the very beginning of the birth of the Church. It really does require faith in the work of what Christ has done, not on us, and any work that we can do: as the Scripture says, "We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy deeds. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind." (Isaiah 64:6 NLT)

 The paradox that keeps us from remaining pure, is the lack of faith in the finished work of Christ! This might seem strange to some, but the similarity to what this looks like, is like us tasting all the separate ingredients for making a cake; hardly anything will taste good by itself; but once it is all mixed into one, there is something made that has great taste!    

 How that is similar to have faith in Christ, is because we must believe the whole work, from the very beginning to the very end! There is only one way that we are saved, not several different ways, only one! What that basically means, is that there is nothing added to or taken away from what Christ has done; the work that He did was sufficient; there is nothing else to be done; and it can never be undone!  

 This is not something that is taught in many churches, mostly because there aren't many churches that really believe the Bible is absolutely correct and the words of God. If you can't believe it all, then the cake you are making will not taste perfectly good...

"For we are not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of the experience, we have greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shinning in a dark place - until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:16-21 NLT)    

"Always Looking Up!"

 "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." (Hebrews 10:37 KJV)

  "But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." (2 Peter 3:8-9 NLT)

 Hopefully the post from yesterday didn't make anyone feel guilty, because it wasn't my intention to cause any guilt; it was more about making us, including myself, a little more aware of our own lack of keeping the Lord first and foremost in every part of our lives. It is easy to make certain plans without asking Him what we should do or not do, because our lives are sometimes divided, from what we do for ourselves and families, and what we do for the Lord. 

 Simply put: He really wants all of us! If we have anything to do or any place to go, we should always plan to take Him with us and not act as if we are leaving Him at home! That actually comes from a little booklet called, "My Heart, Christ's Home." If you haven't read it, it is a pretty good illustration of some the things we do, without even knowing, that actually can offend the Lord; just because we think that they are our own personal privilege.  

 As to this Scripture today, it has been shared about, again and again, and should never be forgotten, because He is coming back when we least expect it! What that really means, is that we should always be ready and looking for His return. It is really easy to slack away from being prepared, mostly because of life and the business of living to feed and care for our families. But regardless, we must persevere to always be looking up and be prepared, because He is coming back, and we don't want to not be ready! 

 I pray that we are all ready, and that it will be very soon...

"But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of the God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight." (2 Peter 3:10-14 NLT) 

"Perseverance" - 2

 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:36 KJV)

  "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24 NLT)

 This might sound a little different, but if you really stop and think about what is being said, the author that is speaking, although it might appear to be some kind of admonishment, to some, it is actually a warning to wait on the Lord; which is really sometimes hard for us to do, as we have this, 'I'll take it from here',  kind of attitude, once we have carried out something God has told us to do. If you don't think that is a thing, then you need to study the situation that happen with Abraham, as he listened to his wife, thinking they could help God achieve His promise. 

 There are some things that God will give us that might require our own effort; most of which is meant for our own benefit. But when it comes serving while waiting on God, we are always looking for a door to open, as if that is our chance to make our move. It doesn't always work that way, because there is a chance that the door is presented by someone other than God! 

 There is a debate to whether or not we are given the gift of discernment, thinking that our intuition or feelings are always God showing us the way; when sometimes, without even realizing it, we are listening to and acting upon ourselves. It really depends upon what kind of mood we are in and where are heart is, at that particular moment. We are all vulnerable, so we must all use the Scriptures for discernment, not our own intuition or feelings! 

 But who am I to talk; except for the fact that I have experience in messing things up! The biggest issue I seem to have results in doing things without first asking God! I'm sure you know what I mean, because I believe that most of us do it. Not the big things, but things we think are simple little things, like buying a new car, or spending money on a trip that you think you deserve. 

 Anywho, this might have gone a little sideways, but I hope it caused some of us to think...

"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong - you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:1-3 NLT)   

"Perseverance"

 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:36 KJV)

  "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)

 There are many different ways that we can serve the Lord; some have certain challenges with dealing in and with others that have difficulty keeping it together; others involve services which might not receive much recognition. Which other way that we serve, it is the Lord who we serve, through other people; He is who we must serve, and He is who we can always trust!

  If you don't understand what that means, or how it works, there is a very simple way to figure it out: People can sometimes be difficult to deal with, and we should never serve to gain any rewards from anyone else; everything we do, we do to please the Lord; He alone is the faithful one and the one that is our judge of everything we do, or fail to do. 

 Thinking about this is sometimes hard to make happen, mostly because we have this little thing call pride and the ability to feel hurt. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus, knowing and believing that He is always with us, then, and only then, can we really love, as we are loved by Him! It is always not achievable and there will always be times when we fall short; but that is what it means to have perseverance; we never give up trying to get it right...

"Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. When I was a child, I spoke and thought as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely. Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 NLT)

"Cheerful Courage" - Too

 "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward." (Hebrews 10:35 KJV) 

  "For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:53-58 NLT)

 Just a little thing I heard yesterday, as the same Scripture was being spoken of, "O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is sting?" is the how it was spoken, which is the Greek interpretation. Regardless, I truly believe neither is of any concern to us, as long as we have the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives, we have nothing to worry about with either, death or the grave! 

 There is something else I would like to say about this "Cheerful Courage," because that part of our journey here on this earth, will be more victorious and joyful, if there is really nothing we have to worry about; especially as it comes down to death and dying. You might not think there reason enough to look forward to leaving this earth; but we really already have a place waiting for us in Heaven; this much I am very sure of, as the Bible tells me so! And I truly believe that the Bible does not lie...

"God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ - everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God's purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him." (Ephesians 1:9-14 NLT) 

"Cheerful Courage"

 "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward." (Hebrews 10:35 KJV)

  "Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (PSALM 19:9-14 NLT)

 Looking forward to the day when all of this has pasted and the new glorious day has begun, isn't just a hope, it is what confidence looks like! Which is the title of this post, because we must cheerfully be ready to go, as it is not something we should be afraid of, but something we should know that brings redemption and eternal life; abundantly, the true life we have been promised, for ever more!

 It's not that I don't want to stay and be of use, because I love serving the Lord and doing all I can to help others, in whatever way that I can; but if the time comes for me to go, I will not be afraid! How do I know, you might wonder? Because I have already decided that it is well with my soul, when I go! 

 My greatest concern is my wife, that if I go first, how things will be for her, and how she will be taken care of. Fortunately for her, there are people capable of taking care of her; even a house for her to stay, with room enough for others to stay with her. But still, I prefer that we both leave together! 

 Anywho, enough of that, the things we have no control over, whatsoever! What we can control is the confidence we should have that our salvation is guaranteed and that we have the Lord on our side; no matter how hard it gets or how much this world might come against us, our new address is already in Heaven...  

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change or decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while." (1 Peter 1:3-6 NLT)

"What Matters Most!"

 "For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." (Hebrews 10:34 KJV) 

  ""God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."" (Matthew 5:11-12 NLT) 

 If it makes any difference, I seldom think this life is really an affliction, because it has many beautiful moments; as I have shared before, singing to my wife is something I never did before, when our lives were normal; but now, it is something I love to do, almost every day. What appears to be an affliction to some that look upon our circumstance, is really nothing more than us finishing the race that has been set before us. My deepest prayer is that we both finish at the same time!  

 As you might have noticed, the person that is sharing about his bonds, is most likely Paul, as it was he who had spent quite a lot of time in prison, sometimes in chains, and sometimes in house arrest. Luke was one of those who help him the most; and eventually, Mark too was also with him. 

 The point I am trying to make has to do with the writing, as Paul seldom wrote his own letters. Mark may have been the one writing this in Hebrew, and Luke was the one that translated it to Greek; or so the story goes. The most important point is that this was meant to be for the Jewish believers; however, it is also a word to both Jews and Gentiles alike! 

 We are all now brothers and sisters, and are all now the descendants of father Abraham, as the Book of Romans says: " 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 4:17 NLT) 

 What I am trying to say, is that this life, which might seem terrible to some, is really nothing more than the way God has made us to be; just as it was for Paul to be in bonds, it was where he was meant to be! What matter most, is where we end up, once this life is over...

"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping - believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead - and so was Sarah's womb. 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 also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one that 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." 

"Being a Shooting Star" - To

 "Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used." (Hebrews 10:33 LKV)

  "See how these enemies insult you, LORD. A foolish nation has dishonored your name. Don't let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves. Don't forget your suffering people forever. Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence! Don't let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name. Arise, O God, and defend your cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long. Don't overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar." (PSALM 74:18-23 NLT)

  Just to clarify what this title is meant for, the term, "gazing-stock," which basically means: '"to bring upon the stage; to set forth as a spectacle, expose to contempt." How ever you might take it to represent, there is some very real circumstances we must deal with, in which those that are watching, may or will, sometimes make it out to be our downfall or punishment for our sins. 

 They say that the Book of Job is the oldest Book in the Bible, which is a Book that deals heavily with the conflictions of both those who look upon the afflicted, as well as the heart of the one that is suffering in the affliction. With all that is said, Job is brought to the point of trusting God, even though he has been overwhelmed by reproaches and afflictions. 

 It is this "reproach" that makes the whole thing come to life! The thing that is usually overlooked is the reason that affliction comes upon those that serve the Lord, as many will think there is something wrong with them, as if they are being punished for something that they have done. 

 As we see in Isaiah 53:4, as it describes what the people saw, as Jesus hung upon the cross: "Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins." This is hard to imagine, but when Stephen was stoned for sharing the truth, Jesus was championing his death, as Stephen saw Jesus standing at God's right hand! 

 Anywho, not to get weird or full of self-pity, but there are times when I feel conflicted and reproached in my own circumstance, which sometimes makes me feel as though I am being punished. What's worse than that, is that I feel as if sometimes others look at me, just shaking their heads, as if God is giving me what I deserve, for whatever it is or for whatever I done. 

 To be perfectly honest, I really don't care! My life is not my own, I don't do what I do for me, I do what I do because I love my wife, regardless of the condition she might be in, we are both afflicted and are looking forward to very end, together as one...

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united as one." This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Ephesians 5:25-33 NLT) 

"Being a Shooting Star"

 "Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became champions of them that were so used." (Hebrews 10:33 KJV)

  "O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you. Don't let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign LORD of Heaven's Armies. Don't let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel. For I endure insults for your sake; humiliation is written all over my face. Even my own brothers pretend they don't know me; they treat me like a stranger. Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." (PSALM 69:5-9 NLT)

 There was something I heard yesterday, which I hope isn't true, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was. The whole point of the topic was to show the percentage of churches the actually believe how much of the Bible is totally accurate and true. The summery of the totals were astounding, I was overwhelmed by the results that were given! The sum total was far less than 50%; more like 35% for the Protestant churches, and less than 25% for the Catholic churches. 

 If you don't believe it, I would say to not try and figure out whether or not it is so; but just make sure that is not what you yourself might believe. Instead, just make is true to yourself, and never accept the words of other's that try to tell you it isn't all completely and accurately 100% true! Make it something you cannot be shamed for believing, if for nothing else, for the fact that it is God's written word! 

 You might be called a fool, but I would rather be a fool for Christ, than something who doesn't stand for God's written word! If you don't know this by now: God honors His Word, even more than His name...

"I worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name." (Psalms 138:2 NKJV)       

"The Price to Pay" - Too

 "But to call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;" (Hebrews 10:32 KJV)

  "A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned and said to them, "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison - your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."" (Luke 14:25-27 NLT)

 If there is one thing that I have strived hard to do, it is not giving up on believing everything will be as it may, just as the Lord has promised me! Take my word for this, there has been times when I failed to be faithfully doing what I should; even times doing the things I should not; but no matter how much I messed up, there was always security in knowing how to get back home! 

 I have watched so many people that have given up; many of which I prayed for, that they would make a U-turn and turn back to the Lord. Some of those who seemed to be so strong, finding out that trials and tribulations do happen, they simply walk away from the Lord, forgetting what they were saved for! 

 When you forget why you are safe and secure, the trials we face can sometimes make us doubt what we were safe and secure from; that is something that can happen even to the strongest of us, if we take our eyes off of Jesus! Even John the Baptist ended up with doubt; as he was imprisoned and had his disciples go ask Jesus, "Are you the One, or do we look for another?" Yet, he knew who Jesus was, even before he was born! 

 Don't be surprised when you pure out everything to serve the Lord and then find yourself in a storm that seems to last forever! The storm will end; you will be safe and sound; He will get you to the other side, one way or another: Keep the faith and never give up...

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us." (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT) 

  

"The Price to Pay"

"But call to remember the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;" (Hebrews 10:32 KJV)

  "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it." (Philippians 1:27-30 NLT)

 We should all know by now, this world is not going to be friendly towards us, after we have decided to follow Jesus. Satan is the cause of that, as he rules the dark forces of this world, which is what makes us an enemy of the world in which we must temporary live in. Jesus made this abundantly clear: 'The world hated Me, it will hate you also!' 

 There is more to this life of believing and serving the Lord, than the fellowship and learning what we should do and how we must live; there are persecutions and things that come against us, most of which sometimes hit us off guard, which can sometimes make us feel conflicted. It is those times that matter the most, as we can be testimonies of the grace we have been given! 

 I know there are certain days that will make us feel as though we have not got the strength to bare the heavy load; but that is best part of this wonderful journey: He never gives us more than we can handle; which makes it clear to us that everything will work out for the best, one way or another...

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and one purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form. he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:1-8 NLT)  

"Formidable!"

 "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31 KJV)

  "We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you - our secret sins - and you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan. Seventy years are given us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." (PSALM 90:7-12 NLT 'A prayer of Moses, the man of God') 

 Let me start this be sharing a song from Danial Amos, the title of which was, "Glory Road." In this song, there was a few lyrics that always inspired me and motivated me from time to time, especially when I was feeling a little less adequate and a lot less worthy. The one that made me the most motivated was really quite simple and easy to understand: "Can't back out now, that we have paid our admission!" 

 To make this point more practical and easier to understand, once you are on the bus you are stuck on it, and there really is no way to get off, you are the property of Christ Jesus, and He doesn't let go of those who belong to Him! There are several people I know that will question that, making it the person's will that matters most: to which, with a very sincere and hopeful heart, I say, "God's will is greater than ours, no matter how hard we might fight Him, He is not letting go!" 

 You can believe what you want, but I am sticking to what I believe, no matter how much I mess up, I still will surrender to Him, time and time again. Even though we might fail and do the things we know He doesn't like or want us to do, we get the message that He means business, and we do what we always do, and surrender again, into the arms of our Formidable God! 

 If you can't believe that is so, then you must somehow change and must release any power you might think that you have over God, because you certainly don't have what it takes to win that fight...

"It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at time of Hanukah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father's name. But you don't believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from my Father's hand. The Father and I are one."" (John 10:22-30 NLT) 

"The Sense of Requital" - 2

 "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." (Hebrews 10:30 KJV)

  "Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD. Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads." Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil be doing good." (Romans 12:14-21 NLT)

 Sense we know that God will faithfully carry out all that He has promised to do, then we should clearly believe that He will judge everyone, as He has clearly said He will! This is not anything we need to be fearful over; that is, unless you are guilty of not loving others as you should! That is a pretty big deal, in God's book; something that He has shown us, time and time again: "Treat others as you want to be treated!"

 The judgment for those who have done right, will be that of rewards, not that of penalty or punishment; but that of being judged as a righteous servant, a judgment of being blessed for doing good. At the same time, those who meant to harm us, even though we did them good and tried to love them, they will be an example what happens to those who persecute His anointed ones! 

 That is what that word, "recompense," is showing, which is also both good and bad! It's good for those that do good, but it is bad for those that do bad! God will judge His people; everyone belongs to Him, no one cannot be judged by Him, especially those that don't believe in the Good News and His Son...

"Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God's other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. I his judgment he will pay back those who persecute you. And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse the Good News of our Lord Jesus." (2 Thessalonians 1:3-8 NLT)  

"The Sense of Requital"

 "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." (Hebrews 10:30 KJV)

  "The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people." (PSALM 50:1-4 NLT)

 I thought that I might have shared a little more about that last verse, but it already seemed as though I might have said too much. To be perfectly honest, I know for a fact that I have grieved the Holy Spirit more times than I care to remember; but I also know that He is a Gentleman, and He does receive my deep cries for forgiveness! 

 The title for this post was taken from Marvin Vincent, in his description of the word, "Vengeance." There is good and bad in the meaning, as God judges everyone! Nobody will escape being judged; but not everyone will be judged to be punished. There are still some things we do not know; nothing we think we know has been fully discovered or made perfectly clear. 

 When Paul was stoned and left for dead, he shared a small little glimpse of what he heard in Heaven; not what he saw, but that which he heard: "But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell." (2 Corinthians 12:3b-4 NLT) 

I heard a brief message about the fact that no one has actually seen GOD; yet, Jesus has shown Him to us! In a strange sort of way, we cannot see Jesus without God, and we can't see God without Jesus...

""How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. But if you don't believe me when I tell you earthly things how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."" (John 3:9-17 NLT)     

"Reverse the Curse"

"Of how much sorer punishment, supposed ye, shall be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29 KJV)

  "The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."" (PSALM 91:14-16 NLT)

 For your information, this is more about a warning of what not to do, than it is of something that has already been done; if that makes any sense to anyone, who might be paying attention. There are several things listed, at least three, if you are counting; most certainly almost all of us have done at least one, without even realizing just how harmful it was, and the consequences of what we have done. 

 There is one thing that I have grown to know and believe with all my heart: God is for us and is not against us! His Son is pleading on our behalf! And the Holy Spirit is always waiting to work in us! We must do our part and turn from our wicked ways! This is not just something that is won and done, because the longer we live here on this earth, the more chances we have to mess thing up. 

 This might sound sad to some, but I truly believe that we, (meaning those who are determined to do what is right,) are safe and secure in the salvation that we have been given; what is the sad thing that we might be overlooking, is those that we neglect and abuse, who might not might not make it! There will be tears in heaven, but only for a little while! 

 Anywho, this isn't meant to be about judgment, it is about what we must not do; and if we do what we must not do, we must, with all of our heart, cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy! There might be reasons why some of depart earlier than others, but the truth still remains the same: God really loves us! 

 Grace is what we must hold on to, and don't let go! Because grace is God giving us what we do not deserve...

""The rain and snow come down from heaven and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."" (Isaiah 55:10-13 NLT)   

"The Great Escape"

 "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:" (Hebrews 10:28 KJV)

  ""Your own law says that if two people agree about something their witness is accepted as fact. I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other." "Where is your father?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father." Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come." (John 8:17-20 NLT)

 As you might know, if you have been following this blog for this past year or so, when I was around twelve years old, I had tried to get serious about serving God; memorizing the Ten Commandments, I thought I could actually try to keep them, but I discovered that was pretty much impossible to do. So, I went totally in the opposite direction, and did whatever I felt like doing, not caring about anything; especially about obeying the law! 

 Several things were the outcome of my rebellion, as I was placed on probation and had gone in and out of jail frequently. All that time, from the time I was a child to the time I became a man, I never stopped believing in God; yet, at the same time, I pretended to not care about His judgment, or even the thought of ending up in hell. 

 You have to understand, when you get to the point when you don't care about God's judgment, you are surely not concerned about man's judgment, and you pretty much do whatever you want. Fortunately for me, God had different plans than I did, and He introduced me to His Son! 

 Whether or not you can believe it, knowing and believing, not just who Jesus is, but what He came for and why, that makes all the difference in the world; there is absolutely nothing more important in this life then knowing and believing in the wonder working power of what He has done; absolutely, positively, nothing else matters more than knowing Christ...

"Later Jesus said to them, "I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going." The people asked, "Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, 'You cannot come where I am going?" Jesus continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins."" (John 8:21-24 NLT)    

 

"Bon Appetit! - Too

 "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:27 KJV)

  ""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 your 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 eat the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT)

 The 'but' in this is the "nevertheless," the "moreover," as to represent those who resist because they know full well that there is only one way to the Kingdom of God, and we must remain on the path that leads to it! This "fiery indignation," which can cut both ways, like a "two-edged-sword," is about zeal, pursuing, and defending anything. In other words, standing firm and defending that which you know to be the Truth, no matter what! 

 It is one thing to know the Truth, that sets you free; but it is more than critical that you use that Truth to defeat the desires of your flesh and the temptations of the enemy. That is even what Jesus did, while being tempted by the devil in the wilderness: He used the Word of Truth, to counter the attack of the enemy, and the enemy left Him alone!

 There are certain things we might not want to give up, thinking that they don't harm others or even ourselves; but if we have any doubt about whether it is good or bad, then we should choose the side that best pleases the Lord, even though you don't think it is harmful; it's for your own good...

"Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. That is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."" (Ephesians 5:10-14 NLT) 

"Bon Appetit!"

 "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:27 KJV)

  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every though into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV)

 Okay, so those situations of testing how to make sinful desires take control, although they seem rather childish, they are very real and they must be defeated! Let me tell you from experience, the thing about walking in the Light, is that you really don't get to hide in the darkness, because you will be noticed and you will feel the discomfort of all those that look upon you.

 This portion of Scripture was the main theme of brother Jay's book; and he called it, "The Polar Bear Alert." It is something that we practice saying to ourselves when we are thinking of doing something that we should not be doing, which was the title of his book, called, "Counterattack." 

 The thing we must always look out for, especially when we are being victoriously walking as we should, the enemy will do all that he can to make us vulnerable and off-guard; we won't even realize it, unless we prepare ourselves by remembering the principles of "The Polar Bear Alert." 

 As we look upon this Scripture in Hebrews, there are some positive points to this, which some might be easy to overlook; mostly because it is part of the precious Scripture. If we could take a good look, the way I see it, there is a "But," that is meant to mean to reconsider! In other words, once we know the truth, we must use the Truth that we know, in order to defeat the enemy! 

 There just so much we can do on our own, in these frail and envious bodies; the power is not from us, but it comes from God...

"I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that the same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan the flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:5-7 NLT)  

"Christ or Judgment" - Two

 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," (Hebrews 10:26 KJV)

  ""There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."" (John 3:18-21 NLT)

 If you don't know this by now, it really shouldn't come to a surprise to you, if it hasn't happened to you yet, because we only keep hold of those sins that we like! That doesn't justify holding on to them, because sooner or later Jesus will cause you to turn from them and will give you the ability to turn the other way, making you hate whatever it was that you were holding onto. 

 If you haven't experienced it yet, I pray that you will, because it is very necessary that we do our very best to obey everything the Lord tells us to do; especially when it is something that is hindering our walk with the Lord! If you haven't had a chance to read that little booklet, "My Heart, Christ's Home," it is well worth you to give it a try. There are several different issues that are brought up, most of which are the things we do that grieve the Lord, without even giving it a second thought. 

 I really liked the part about going out to be entertained, without inviting Jesus to come with us; as he returned home, He is still sitting by the fireplace, asking, "Why didn't you ask me to come with you!" We should have no problem remembering what that looks like, because I'm pretty sure we are all guilty of it, in one way or another. 

 Having said all of that, we have many different ways to willfully sin, even though we know the truth! It is just a matter of preference and ability, like our brother Jay would say, 'It's like putting something you should not eat in the refrigerator,' as if you won't eat it, but still save it, just in case! Or that one about going into a place you should not go, but saying, 'only if there is a parking spot, right in front of the building,' and then you drive around the block several times, until a space becomes available...

 "Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD'S blessing and have a right relationship with God their Savior." (PSALM 24:3-5 NLT; A psalm of David) 

"Christ or Judgment"

 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," (Hebrews 10:26 KJV)

  "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep you servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free from guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (PSALM 19:12-14 NLT)

 Today's post is one that takes us into some serious controversy, much of which is something that has a lot of judgment; most of which is the kind of stuff you might think are sequences from Soap Operas, such as General Hospital or Days of Our Lives. I have been involved in several arguments with people that have determined someone to have never been saved, just because they deliberately committed a sinful act, like having an affair or doing something which should never be done, especially from a man or woman of God. 

 Not to name names, but I know several very influential and well-known Pastors, some that were the heads of very large congregations, who fell from grace, as it were, by cheating on their wives; some even left their wives, even stepping down from their ministry in the process. The sad thing is, there were those that judged them as being lost for what they did, saying things like, "I don't think they were ever a Christian, but just pretended to be saved!" 

 Here is the point when we must think about something which God has made perfectly clear: We all our sinners, and some are more sinful that others! Sometimes the ones with the kindest hearts will be guilty of doing the cruelest and most unloving things, if they try to cover over their sins. If you don't think it is true, then you should remember King David, who had one of his faithful warriors killed, just to cover up the sin of sleeping with his wife, Bathsheba. 

 Did what he do make him destined to hell? Absolutely not! David begged for mercy for what he did; and God poured out grace in the process! Oh, there was several consequences which were in his life, due to the sin he committed, but those were all things that stayed here on this earth. David will be seen by us, when we meet all of the saints in heaven!      

 With all of that, there is nothing we can do that cannot be forgiven; with the exception of not asking God for His forgiveness...     

""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 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)

"What Makes Me Happy!"

 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25 KJV)

  "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)

 If there was one thing I could say about the importance of going to church, it is the charge I get from being together with by brothers and sisters! It like charging up your battery, from one service to another, we have fellowship and remind ourselves as we come together that we are all one glorious body, even though we all have different lives and circumstances, we still all have one thing in common: We Love Jesus! 

 Actually, I think it is one of the most important things we can do, to make every effort to fellowship with one another. Besides charging up our spiritual battery, we also have some way to keep holding each other accountable. If we don't keep fellowship together, and stay to ourselves, we begin to feel alone and start thinking we don't really matter. That is a terrible thing to feel, because each of us do matter!  

 The thing I really like the most, (which might sound weird,) is to notice who hasn't been to church for a while and to pray for them to show up. The is one of my happiest moments, when I see them walk into church, thinking in my heart, that maybe that little prayer made a difference. 

 I know it really sounds weird, but we all need to have people that continually pray for us, even if we don't know who or why they do, we all need to be prayed for by someone! Praying for others is not meant to point out their discrepancies or problems; but to admonish the good and ask God to bless them. We all have things that are wrong in our lives, in one form or fashion, but we, just like every family, must focus upon the good in each other and not try to sniff out the bad in one other.

 Anywho, that is my take on what real fellowship looks like, because more than anything, love does not look at what is wrong in anyone, but cherishes the good in people, always reminding ourselves that we are all not perfect, but we soon will be! 

 If that was not the case, I would have given up a long time ago! But I keep looking forward to the day, that glorious day, when I see my wife totally healed and us speaking together in a perfect place with everyone else that we have loved and cared for! That time will happen, which is what makes me happier and happier, as the day grows near...

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sister, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:4-8 NLT) 

"Love and Good Works" - To

 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:1-3 NLT)

 If you must know, sometimes I get really carried away with certain words, especially those that call us to action. There are certain times when we really don't know what we must do. It is times like that when we really need to stop and pray, asking God to show us how to be humble enough to love, even though we might not like doing it! 

 There are so many different things that set people off and telling them that they are wrong, only makes for more disagreement. Like Jesus said, ""And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."" (Matthew 7:3-5 NLT)

 Therein is the point I was trying to make yesterday, that the, "provoke," which might appear to be a negative thing, is actually a good thing when it involves us, as we are those responsible to consider how we must act and what we most do, even when we might not want to do it! 

 The NLT has that used in a different term, saying, "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works". Which is all well and good, as long as you are doing the love and good works first, which allows us to show the way, and not just talk about it! 

 Anywho, I am probably the least likely person that can always do what I feel the Lord wants me to do; anytime I plan to be loving and caring, praying to God that He will make me so; the next thing I know, I'm dealing with someone that pushes my buttons, and sets me off! Go figure! 

 You ask God to help you to love, and then He give you a situation where you don't like loving the way that you should; but that is how you learn to love, regardless of how you might feel; you deny yourself and love them anyways... 

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" - but then you don't give that person and food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:14-17 NLT)

"Love and Good Works"

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works:" (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)

  "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

 Sometimes it just doesn't matter how hard we try; we are always going to need to count on the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit within us that will allow us to surrender our selfishness and put others first, even if it means we don't get complemented or admonished for doing so! We serve the Lord more than anything else, which actually means, we don't expect to get rewarded for serving others, because then that will be our reward, which is completely temporary and easily forgotten. 

 "Only what you do for the Lord will last!" Something that is sometimes easily forgotten while we serve and try hard to love and serve others. If we don't receive any thanks or acknowledgment for what we have done, we might feel as though we are not appreciated; but it not for sake of getting rewarded here, on this earth; the rewards we are looking for are stored up in Heaven! 

 It is very interesting to see this word, "provoke," used to show the passion, because it isn't a verb or an adjective; it is a noun, a masculine noun, at that! The actual definition is one of hostility, such as would be contention or dispute (in anger). If you could make that appear in a form that might show action, the word, "to," and the word, "unto," would make it easier to understand. 

 Putting others first is also something that must be put into practice; it is something we must learn how to do, even though it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, it doesn't really work without learning how to use it! Challenging, yes; but not impossible if you allow the Spirit to guide and direct you, without trying to do it on your own. 

 That is something I know I need to work on, because without His help, I will protect myself more and think about myself first, before I consider the needs of others first. Just saying...

""Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."" (Matthew 7:12 NLT) 

"Holding the Course!" - Too

 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:23 KJV)

  "One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they got into the boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" The disciples were terrified and amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!"" (Luke 8:22-25 NLT)

 This is something that I have shared more than once, maybe three times; but it never gets old, because it is always something we go through, time and time again. Most of us know that little thing about the poster or picture, "Footprints in the Sand"; I have one on my wall above my coffee bar, so it is always there to remind me that Jesus always keeps His promise: "He will get us to the other side!" 

 It is the storms in this life that strengthen us and cause us to know how important it is to trust the Lord, no matter how hard or difficult the storm might appear, He is always faithful to get us through whatever is going on, no matter what circumstance we are in, His promise is still the same: We will make it to the other side! 

 If you are not familiar with the, "Footprints in the Sand," it is basically the tale of a believer who died and is with the Lord, looking back at his life, seeing the trail of footprints along the shore. As he studies the prints, both Jesus and his footprints are seen walking together; yet, in the stormy time of his life, he sees only one set of footprints. So he questions Jesus, asking Him, why there was only one set of footprints when my life was at its worse? Jesus replied, "Those were the times when I was carrying you!" 

 I know that we sometimes get into problems and issues that we make our own, some of which we just never think we can get out of; but no matter what it might be that caused our calamity or disaster, we can always trust in the Lord to get us through the storm; even if it was our own mess that caused it! It might be debatable, but the messes we make sometimes can't be fixed; but the Lord can make beauty from ashes! 

 This particular storm, which caused the disciples to fear death, was not really to test their faith, but was an act of the devil to try and stop Jesus from getting to the other side. Although the devil can try, he cannot change the course the Lord has established; Jesus was sleeping, because He knew they were going to the other side. The disciples knew nothing else, but that they were in danger of dying!  

 There is really no difference from our storms and that which the disciples feared over; we really have nothing we can do, except let Jesus do whatever it is He wants to do. We just need to trust in Him, and have a little faith...

"Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT) 

"Holding the Course!"

 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:23 KJV)

  ""Because you have obeyed my command to preserve, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown."" (Revelation 3:10-11 NLT) 

 There are some things that just seem too obvious to ignore, most of which are the things we see going on in this world, that appear to be spinning out of control. As far as I am concerned, it looks good and is well with my soul, no matter how crazy it might appear: God is still on the Throne! 

 This little portion of Scripture from Revelation is Jesus addressing the Church of Philadelphia, which is probably the only church Jesus didn't have too harsh of things to say, except that that had little strength, yet they obeyed and did not deny Him. That might sound like they are lacking something, such as the ability to be strong; but in God's economy, being strong is not always a good thing...

"If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life and hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NLT)  

"Most Certain Confidence" - Again

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV) 

  "Understand this, my 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." (James 1:19-21 NLT)

 You might have heard it said, "God has given us two ears and one mouth for a reason; we need to listen twice as much as we speak!"  Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone, because I know for a fact that needs to be put to use more in my own life. "Sometimes it's just best to not say anything, if we can't say anything good!" (That's what my mom always said.) 

 I feel as though this topic is hard for some to understand; and the worse thing is, those who do get the point, don't really want to talk about it, let alone, consider it might be an issue they want to deal with. We all have our own Pet Peeves, the things that are just little annoyances that people do; things that really don't matter much, except when you bring it up. 

 There is more to this than just saying that we love one another, because true love for one another requires caring and wanting to help when you know someone needs comfort or prayer. If I had a dollar for every encounter I had when I felt the need to pray for or comfort someone but didn't; well, you get the point. I would be feeling a whole lot richer if I had taken the time to do what I felt I should have done. 

 There is a very big example of what James says next, that might add a little to what I just said...

"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 1:22-25 NLT)  

"Most Certain Confidence" - To

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV)

  "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude                     "Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude                           "Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude" (PSALM 32:1-7 NLT)

 As I pondering all the different things that are being shown, in the passage above from Hebrews, it made me think about how important it is that we make every effort to love and forgive one another, even if it might not be our fault; just the thought of neglecting to make the effort, to reconcile your issue, is technically a sin on your part. I know that might not seem right in the eyes of some, but Jesus made this perfectly clear, saying, ""So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."" (Matthew 5:23-24 NLT) 

 I know it might not seem like much to worry about, to some; but as we saw yesterday, every part of the body is just that: Part of the Body of Christ! We must love one another, no matter what! We all have all kinds of things wrong with us, in one way or another; there are none of us that are perfect, none of us can avoid being offended or even have the power to forgive others as we should. That kind of power can only come from us being submitted to the Holy Spirit and by forgetting about our own needs, putting the need to serve others first! 

 Not that I am any better than anyone else, because I have some of the worst ways to offend and cause people grief. I try to blame it on the pressure and the circumstances of my life; when instead, I should be rejoicing that I am forgiven and have things much more wonderful to look forwards to! 

 This might not seem perfectly correct in the eyes of some, but sometimes we might think someone has something against us, but they don't even know it, nor is it even true. Just us thinking it is so, is more than enough reason to bring it up with them; even by just apologizing for thinking they were. You can't even imagine what kind of things we sometimes think, when we feel like we know what is going on in the hearts and minds of others, when we can't even control everything going on in our own...

"The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathways for your life. I will advise you and watch oner you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (PSALM 32:8-11 NLT)   

"Most Certain Confidence"

 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22 KJV)

  "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." (1 John 3:18-24 NLT)

 There were so many more things I wanted to say, as the night was filled with 'Swirling Eddies' as I felt the Lord was opening my mind to so many different there were, in one way or another, reconciled and made new. Although Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished!", it did not mean that everything was completely done; there were still many things to do, and there still are several more to come! 

 I have heard it told that the Apostle John, towards the end of his life, would be carried out on a chair to present a message to the congregation. Those who brought him out would sit him down to face the audience, and then John would speak, saying, "Love one another!" after that, they would pick him back up and take him away. 

 In the passage above, John mentions two different characters, yet they are not different people he is addressing. We are all God's children, and we must all be friends with one another...

"If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it only had one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:17-27 NLT)

"The Great Reset"

 "And having a high priest over the house of God;" (Hebrews 10:21 KJV)

  "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death." (Ephesians 2:14-16 NLT) 

 Thinking about this through several different ways, pretty much all through the night, I couldn't help but think about why this great divide had so many different angles and yet there was really only one cure that brought everything back together. As previously shown, more times than needed, there was a divide that was first established during the creation, which separated, in some form or fashion, earth from Heaven; this may not be the first separation, but it seems to have been the first to involve God's distance from that of His creation for mankind. 

 And yes, there was fellowship with man and God before the fall, that is very obvious; yet there was also fellowship God after the fall, the only difference was that mankind had to die in the process! Even that little issue of death was taken care of on the cross; besides the veil being torn, which represented the gap between man and God, it also brought brand-new life, a life that was meant to last forever and ever.

 There are only certain things that really matter in this crazy world we are living in, most of which the world cannot truly understand. Being here is only temporary, and you only get this little time to make it work, believing in God and wanting to know Him is important, yes! But having a relationship with Him means more than anything this world could ever offer...

"The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth." (PSALM 146:17-18 NLT) 

"A New and Living Way" - Too

 "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;" (Hebrews 10:20 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate mana in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I and the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh." Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked. So Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever."" (John 6:47-58 NLT)

 Anywho; if you thought yesterday's post was a little confusing, that was just the start. It might be hard to explain the sequence of the events, but there is a real important reason that the veil was torn just before He gave up His spirit on the cross; besides the fact that it was the whole reason He came, to reconcile God to mankind. It was His flesh that was torn which made that curtain to tear; it was His blood that was spilt, that washed away our sins. 

 It really is hard to understand this whole concept of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, if that is, you don't believe that it truly worked! I cannot count the number of times I have been given the question, in one form or another, "How can the death of one man on a cross save the whole world from death?" 

 When you get that sort of a question, there is really only one explanation that is clear enough to say, yet still hard for many to completely understand: "It was God who made it happen for that very purpose!" Without explaining every little step, that is pretty much the how everything really happened. God made a way, a powerful way, to pay the penalties for the sins of the entire world; and because it was His sacrifice that made it happen, it is His choice as to if it really worked! 

 We are the ones that need to believe it is so; and by believing it completely we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood, because those two things made it happen! Sometimes it takes a little time to chew on that, before you can actually accept it...

"Many of his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone except it?" Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.)" (John 6:60-64 NLT)   

"A New and Living Way"

 "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;" (Hebrews 10:20 KJV) 

  "By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last." (Luke 23:44-46 NLT)

 First off, there is a very interesting connection given between the veil and the flesh of Jesus. Without getting too carried away, it is Luke's investigative reasoning to show the timeline and the sequence of the veil being torn, and then the death of Jesus. Many have been able to prove that Jesus' death was brought on by a ruptured heart; they come to this conclusion because of the blood mixed with water, that came out of His side when the Roman soldier stuck the spear in Him, to make sure He was dead.  

 If you know anything about Luke, you should know that he was a doctor; so, he might have known some things about the human body, and also what that veil represented, which was that of separation from God! And not just that, but both Matthew and Mark have it recorded that veil was torn after Jesus died, not before He took His last breath. 

 Basically, what I am trying to say, is the ruptured heart of Jesus, which was literally torn, was the trigger that ripped the veil from top to bottom. When the veil was torn, it represented the separation between God and mankind was removed; the deed had been done, His heart was no longer giving Him life, and His deed was done; with His dying breath He released His Spirit!  

 Some say Paul, some say Luke; some even say Mark. But there was a time in Paul's incarceration when all three of them were together. I can only imagine the conversations they had together...

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. "They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."" (Malachi 3:16-18 NLT)   

"We Can Be Close to God"

 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," (Hebrews 10:19 KJV)

  "He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." (Ephesians 2:17-18 NLT) 

 Before I get into this, I must warn you that I am not really feeling all that well, so if this seems a little of, I can blame it on the meds and the lack of sleep. That said, there are times when I seriously feel that I am in God's presence; not physically, but definitely spiritually. This usually happens when I am praying with the Holy Spirit's guidance, usually because I really don't know what it is that I need to pray for. 

 If that doesn't make any sense to you, it really doesn't have to; it just happens, sometimes without even trying! There is this thing about praying intensely, when you just know that you're in His presence, even though you really don't know what it is that you want to say. He is just so gracious enough to answer and give you the peace you need; He can do so because He knows your heart and every thought that you are thinking. 

 One of my most intense prayers was the night of August 12th, 2003, which was the night I was told by the hospital staff that I needed to go home and get some rest. When I got home, I had no plan whatsoever to go to bed, but I went into my office, throw myself down on the floor, and cried out to God. It was one of the most intense prayers that I have ever prayed; so much so, my body was quivering, and I was weeping like a little baby. 

 After an hour or so, I suddenly felt a calm peace that came over me; almost as if the whole thing was handled and there was really nothing else to do, but to get to bed. It was probably about almost 2am and I was planning to go back to the hospital early that morning. When my head hit the pillow, I was out; but then waking up at 4am and feeling refreshed; that must have been a God thing! 

 You might not have any idea what I am trying to say, if you haven't experienced it yourself; but when you whole life gets turned upside-down in one night, your perspective on what life really means has a whole new meaning! For over three months I was at that hospital every morning, afternoon, and night; reading Scriptures to my wife and praying for her. 

 It was hard to do, but I did go to a Men's Retreat in October, but everything they taught on, although it was good, it made me feel I needed get back to my wife. This is not something you plan on happening, and you surely can't prepare for something that you don't believe will happen. 

 I am saying this because it really matters that you put God first in your life! He is the One that holds everything together, Everything! You must make every effort to make Him the center of your life; and when you feel as though you're failing to do so, pray harder for Him to help...    

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:4-7 NLT)