"Gifted Hands"

"A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees." (Psalms 74:5) Don't ever doubt what God is able to do, in any situation, whether it be in your own personal life, or in the world; this might be the devil's playground, but God is still on the throne. As I was watching "The Kelly File" last night, her last speaker was Dr. Carson; who, in case you are not aware, has be given great wisdom and "gifted hands" by God to be able to perform miracles in his field of medicine. Now he wants to take what he has been given and use it to perform a miracle in this Nation. Currently, he is running pretty much last in the poles, and in the primaries; but he is not leaving till it's over, because it's not over till it's over. I saw something last night that I wish I could see more of in our churches, that ability to stick in there, even when it looks like things have come to an end and it's time to call it quits. Interesting enough, but that's how God likes to do His greatest work, when we are at our weakest and when all our human efforts have been used up. I love the story of Gideon, and how God separated his army at the water, by those who lapped up the water like a dog, and those that cupped the water in their hands. Listening to Pastor Jon this last week, he put a new twist on the three hundred men that cupped the water and drank. I can only imagine what his demonstration to his church was like, because I could hear laughter coming from the congregation. The way Jon described them, they were not those that were mighty fighters, or men on alert; but they were old and fat men, men that could not bend all the way down to the water to drink; they could barely get down on one knee; the kind of men that would usually have someone else give them water to drink, in a cup. Even the footnote in my Bible says that those who cupped their hand were men more alert and prepared for the battle, more like soldiers, ready for the battle. First God takes an army of thirty two thousand, and He causes all those how are afraid to go home, leaving ten thousand men willing to fight; then he divides the ten thousand into three hundred, three hundred men who are able to let God fight for them. There is such a huge difference between those that fight for God and those that allow God to fight for them. There is absolutely no way to compare those three hundred men with those of the enemy, who were too vast to be numbered; "like grasshoppers for multitude" the Bible says, which means that they pretty much covered the land. Yet, when God is the one doing the battle, there is absolutely no way to compare multitude of forces against the hand of God; none whatsoever...
"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 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

"Sign of the Time"

"Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs." (Psalms 74:4) You might not agree with everything I say, but you have got to understand, I am looking for signs of His coming; which probably puts me in the category of someone who is a little eccentric, with, shall we say, almost every person out there! If this was written in David's time, by Asaph, David's chief Musician, then he would have had some pretty clear insight into things happening some four hundred years down the road. Which is not that difficult to imagine, since many people that hung out with God every day were people that could see into the future; it just goes to say, like minds think alike. It took Solomon about seven years to complete God's Temple, but it took him thirteen years to build his own house; I just find that interesting, and thought that I would share. The Temple was quite an amazing sight; so much so, that it was easy for those who took the Jews captive to want to hang out in it for a little while; that is until they would tear it down. I find it a little odd that the wicked can tear down God's house, but let someone who is God's follower touch anything, and he's dead on the spot. Do you see the irony in that at all? I mean, what must they think: "Watch this, I can break up this holy shrine, and nothing will happen; but if these Jews touch anything in this room, they will be evaporated, on the spot!" It's true; and do you know why? Because the wicked will have their day, but those that are God's people must obey His commands; that's why!!! So, what are you getting at, you must be wondering; as I wonder that myself. Take a look around and open your eyes! Maybe everyone in the church should be forced to spend at least six months in ministry; then maybe more people within the church can experience how easily those that are of the church can be so disrespecting of God's anointed, meaning those whom God has put in leadership. It's amazing to me that people can be so destructive within the body, without even caring who they might offend, even if they are offending God in the process. Maybe that's why so many within the church suffer with cancer, or some other sorted disease; because, God's judgment starts in His house! Don't you realize that! (Not really a question, but a slap in the face.) Wake up! Here is some irony for you: check out the podcast of these two guys, at, "Drunk Ex-Pastors," and then tell me we are not living in the last days...
"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. And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him -speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to Him, both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:14-18) NLT

"Wackadoodle" -2

"Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolutions; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary." (Psalms 74:3) Sorry if I offended you, if you are someone hooked on social media; it's not just Facebook, because there is a firestorm of outlets out there, something for everyone or anyone. Heck, who am I to talk, I have not missed a single day of making a post on this blog in over six years; but at least it's only a couple of hours in the morning, and then I am done for the day. But then again, I do often check my stats; I'm only human, because it's fun sometimes to see all the places where people are reading from. I don't think there is anywhere on the planet that has not visited this blog at least once. I even had a visit from places that I thought didn't even exist anymore, like Mesopotamia; but what do I know, I'm just a nut with a habit like everyone else. On the serious side, our hearts really do need some serious adjustment to those things that hurt God's heart; and don't think for a moment that God's heart does not hurt over some of the stuff that goes on here, because it most surely does. I remember when I was doing a teaching on Genesis chapter 7, and having a really good cry, as I was wrapping up the teaching on the last four verses, because three times God says, in three different way, "And all flesh died that moved upon the face of the earth." Which reminds me something about Genesis 6:6 (just so happens it's the sixth verse of the sixth chapter,) where it says, "And it repented the LORD that he made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Don't think for a moment that God has no clue of what was going to happen on this earth, because He always knows what's going to happen way before it ever happens; but just because He knows beforehand it's going to happen, does not mean He isn't grieved after it actually does. When you have a child, you think about all the bad things that could happen; you hope that they never do, but it's pretty much a given that your child will get hurt in one way or another during their lifetime; but that does not mean you don't want the child; and it surely does not mean you will not be grieved when it happens. And, you no doubt will have your heart broken by your child also, at least a few times while they are growing up; but you would not trade it for a single day of not having them at all. That word "repented" is a word that means 'sorry' or to be sorry, as in to suffer grief over something; it surely does not mean that God was repenting that He ever made man, because it is not something that God has the capacity to do; in other words, God does not say, "Oops, I am sorry I ever did that!" God does not make junk, or things that He never meant to make. He made everything good and perfect, it was man that messed everything up; but that does not mean God was done with man; no way, no how! Tell you what it did mean, in case you're interested: it meant He was grieved to put on flesh and save us; groaning in His Spirit, is more like it, as if He already knew perfectly well what He would eventually need to do...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:3-8) NLT

"Wackadoodle"

"Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary." (Psalms 74:3) Actually, the term meets well with the general idea, because those who go against the flow are usually defined as such. The 'Chicken Little' kind of sorts, might be better, if you trying to describe someone that is fanatical or eccentric. On the other hand, our hearts should break for what breaks His; and some of the stuff that goes on in ministry today, or in the name of ministry, should really cause alarm to anyone who might be paying attention. Matthew Henry points out that God's hand is like iron when He strikes, but His feet are leaden, meaning that He is slow getting to it. Depending on what side of His judgment you are on, that could be a really really good thing; but for those that are waiting to see God do something, it could take an eternity, or at least feel that way. Regardless of how you might view the wickedness around you, it really does not matter how wicked the world might get, as long as it does not enter into the church. Once it gets into the church, it becomes a revolving door of compromise and unholiness. That might sound pretty stern and way out there, but you have got to understand something about the enemy's tactics; he does not bring anything on suddenly, he brings it on little by little. It's like to frog in hot water; if you put a frog in hot water he will immediately jump out; but if you put him in cool water over a fire, he will get cooked. Now I am going to say something fanatical, but it's something I have observed from the outside looking in; because if you are on the inside of Facebook, then you're probably not going to see things the way that I do. First of all, there are some wonderful features that Facebook allows people to enjoy with each other, like sharing pictures and random thoughts; but the evil I see far out ways any good that might come from something so captivating and habit-forming. Basically, it is a Busybody's dream come true. Talk about putting yourself on a stage, there is nothing more self-indulgent then putting your life out into the social media world, and then thinking you have something that is tangible to hold on to. No one sends greetings anymore from any normal form; it's done with a 'poke' or a 'post,' and if you're out of the loop, you are not communicated with anymore, at all. Talk about something cultic, in more ways that not, it becomes the most important thing in many people's lives; more important the real relationships, and more important that a relationship with God. But don't mind me, I'm just a "Wackadoodle" that stopped Facebook over three years ago because I saw things happening that really disturbed me; things like husband and wives putting their disagreements out in public, as if to get opinions on who is right and who's wrong in a fight. Even children, taking there grievances with their parents out in the public, as if to get support for their rebellious actions and stupid choices that they want to make acceptable. It's really much the same kind of thing that creeps into the church; little clicks and groups, gathering their common sin together in a manner that makes what they do normal and right...
"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) NLT    

"Who's Who" -Too

"Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt." (Psalms 74:2) As I said, God's appeals to us, far more than we appeal to Him. As a matter of fact, if it were not for God's appealing to us, we would just be well enough left alone; at least we would think that we were. If it were not for God reaching out to us, I don't think any one of us would ever have reached out to Him; it's not that we would not have tried to find Him, because I know I tried to create an image of what I thought was Him; but without His help, we would be stuck worshiping the stars, or animals, or some other thing of God's creation. If you don't believe me, then where do you think God first spoke with Abraham? Abraham was not exactly worshiping God when he was told to leave the land of his father; he didn't even leave the first time God told him to. It's pretty obvious who is the most persistent between God and us! I have argued this point many times before, because I truly believe that it is God who reaches out to us, not we that reach out to Him. But, if you are looking for some sort of evidence to the opposite view, then Nicodemus coming out to Jesus at night, might be right up your alley. Unfortunately, I don't buy that one as proof, because Jesus had shown Himself to him first! Nic just didn't get out of bed thinking, I think I will go find out who this guy is. No, it was his heart being touched that brought him out there; and his heart was touched, because Jesus touched it! Sure, he needed to come out there to meet with Jesus; but he never would have come if Jesus didn't knock on his heart first. Look at Moses, who was just going about his business, tending sheep, when all of the sudden, God shows up on the mountain, as a burning bush. Would Moses have even ventured up the mountain, if it were not for that mysterious bush that was burning? No, he would not have. I think of my own salvation, and, had it not been for God calling me down to that Service, it would have just been another Sunday, laying around on my bunk or playing horseshoes. Nothing is going to happen unless God shows up...
"When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to man, "Where are you?" He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked." "Who told you that you were naked?" the LORD God asked. "Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat.?" (Genesis 3:8-11) NLT

"Who's Who"

"Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt." (Psalms 74:2) You might have noticed by now, but I tend to sometimes draw outside the lines. When I was a kid, I would always trace the lines, as if making a border to ensure that I could stay inside the lines; but the more complicated things became, the more easy it was to blend certain things together; if you get my meaning. The most important thing that we have been given, besides our salvation, is God's word; His word is the proof given for us to learn by. We get to learn what His standards are, what His plans for us are, and what He expects from us. It's all right there in the Book; everything we need to know about what we need to know. That does not mean there is not more things to know, because there most definitely is; but what we need to know, what we don't know, and even what we cannot know, are all completely different issues. For now, we can just consider our need to know to be what God has given us in the Book; if it's not in the Book, then we don't need to know it! That said, I need to make known my pattern of thinking, if you have not picked up on that by now; because the way I see it, everything within the Book is totally and completely overlapping. It's almost as if you could read the Book through the pages; and if the pages were transparent, then reading down through the pages would make as much sense as reading line by line. I know it sounds completely absurd, and you are right in saying so; but it's not totally out of the question, and for what it's worth, it works better if you think of it like a photo album. Regarding this verse before us today, it is only fitting to consider God's perspective upon the words being spoken; especially since these are God's words that are being read! No, you remember! Remember that you are part something bigger than yourself; something extremely special and precious to God, and something that He gave His all to purchase. The "rod" is used for beating or striking, much the same as if God corrects His children with a rod of discipline. Only in this case, it's more about the rod being used to shape the world, as in the children of Israel being His rod of instruction, for all others to learn by. It is beyond our ability to comprehend, but God's grace far outreaches man's ability to sin; in other words, you can not sin more than God's grace can overcome. If you think I am wrong, then look at John's view of how much sin the blood of Jesus covers: "And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2) Connect the dots, and you will see that God's grace is more than sufficient to save your tiny little life; compared to all of humanity, where do you think you rate? Besides, it was God's promise to Abraham, don't you know? That's another thing important about the Book He has given us: His promises are written down and He has signed them with His blood... "For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." (Titus 2:11-14) NLT    

"To And Fro" -Bro!

"O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?" (Psalms 74:1) No doubt, this is going to be longer than most; I may still be in this Psalm the beginning of April, maybe longer. There is some pretty interesting stuff that God is showing me, and I really don't want to miss anything God has to say. By the way, do you know why you need to have a pen and paper in your hand at all time when you are listening to God's word being taught? To write down what He tells you! Don't you know He speaks the loudest when you are ready to listen; and what better way to be prepared to listen, than to be ready to write down what He says. I may not get a lot of things right, but being prepared to write down what I hear God saying is one of my better traits. I recently started dating my notes. Don't ask me why, maybe it's in case I start loosing my memory, or in case I leave something behind for someone that might really have an interest in them; and I have tons; okay, maybe not tons, but there are quite a few stacks of them. Whether you know it or not, you have no longer been your own since the day you became the property of Jesus Christ. When that day began might be debatable; but make no doubt about it, you belong to Jesus, and even though the ride might get a little bumpy, you're in really really good hands! I really don't know how else to describe what I am trying to say, except to say that He watches over those that are His; so much so, that if you persist in going astray, He will need to break your leg and carry you around for a time; it's what a good shepherd does to wayward sheep, why would Jesus be any different? Actually, I'm not sure anymore what shepherds do, because the way the Vet talked to me about my lamb that broke his leg, I think it must be best to just put them down. The Vet asked me if it was a prize lamb, and when I said no, he told me to knock it in the head and buy another one. I thought that was a little cold for someone that is a doctor of animals; so I fixed his leg myself, and he turned out just fine. It is pretty obvious by the Word of God, that God has our very best in mind for us; the hard part for us to see, is what exactly is our very best. For all we know, our very best could feel like our very worst; or worst, it could actually turn out to be our very death. We don't know what goes on in the big picture, we only get to experience a very small part of what is really taking place. We are just a tiny little dot of paint on the canvas of God's creation, and guess what? Picture yourself as that dot, and try with all your might to see the painting; yea, just what I thought...
"So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have -the ones God has chosen -but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear." Likewise, David said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever." Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it." (Romans 11:7-12) NLT  

"To And Fro"

"O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?" (Psalms 74:1) Everything needs to have a beginning; and every day we have a new beginning in Christ, each and every day. Some might not look at it that way, but it's absolutely true; your yesterday does not count for today, and your tomorrow will be different than your today. Looking at this verse should remind us how we tend to blow things out of proportion, thinking that the world revolves around us, and making giant ordeals out of small insignificant trials; trials that we look back upon and think nothing of, as if it was just like a dream that we once had. I can't help but think of the disciples freaking out in the storm as Jesus slept; worried that their Master did not really have any concern whatsoever whether they lived or died, and all that He cared about was catching a few moments of sleep. Things sure appear differently once the ordeal is done and over with, but there is a lesson to be learned, even from the smallest insignificant trials we face day to day. On the other hand, when it comes to the really big trials, like the kind where your life gets devastated or you get your whole life turned upside down; then it's time to really change your perspective, and realize how insignificant your life is here, compared to eternity. There really is no comparison between this life and what awaits us on the other side of this life; absolutely night and day in comparison; and even then, that does not compare the two, at all! I heard this story about how stupid sheep are, and how 1,500 sheep all followed one sheep that jumped over a cliff. The shepherd only lost 400 of them, because after the first 400 had landed and died, the rest all survived by landing on the pile of the dead. Isn't it funny how God sees us as His sheep? Do you think it's just because He is the Good Shepherd, or maybe it's really because we are all just that stupid? The beginning of wisdom is knowing just how little we know, and how important it is that we are in His care...
"I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, "LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your alters. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!" It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God's grace -his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is -free and undeserved." (Romans 11:1-6) NLT

"An Appeal to God"

PSALMS 74 [Maschil of Asaph.]
Before I get started, let me just say that I almost wanted to continue another day on Psalms 73:28; it just seemed that I needed to say more; that was until I read this Psalm! You have got to understand God's heart for the wicked, He has nothing but love in His heart for the "whole world;" so much so, that He did all that He could do to save each and every single living soul. If you really want to draw near to God, then you need to get hold of God's heart for the lost! Would you lay your life down for someone else to be saved? What about five people? Maybe ten? Okay, what about fifty? Come on! You would surely do it for a hundred, right? I think you get the point. This Psalm may not have been written in David's time, but rather in the time of captivity during Israel's time in Babylon, by another Asaph. Matthew Henry gives a reference to Jeremiah as being the possible writer, as it closely resembles a piece of his Lamentations. Regardless of who wrote this Psalm, we all know who's heart was behind it, none other than God's! God knows each and every one of us, even those that are not His; He still knows who you are, and He cares for you, and He loves you! Why is that so hard to understand? If anything, you could call this Psalm "An Appeal of God" instead of "An Appeal to God;" which just so happens to be the title of this Psalm in my Bible. Sure, it is about an appeal to God for Him to not forget about His people; but who forgot about whom first, the people or God? God never looses sight of His people! It is His people that always seem to loose sight of Him! Nothing happens to anyone because they are forgotten by God, all bad things happen because of sin; maybe not our own sins; but because sin entered the world, this world is fallen, and bad things happen. The children of Israel being taken into captivity was due to their neglect of obeying God's commands, plain and simple. So, if you really want to get technical about that situation, then you could say that God was paying close attention to His people; and, that what He tells them will happen if they don't obey Him, is no joke. God wants so much to bless His people, if they would only represent Him as their God. Sure, Israel is a people chosen by God to be called His children, but we are all His children, and Israel was God's way to show us His love for each and every one of us, because we all came from Adam. Hey, did you know that Adam was not born but was formed? Yea, but, did you realize that Jesus was both formed and born? Come on! That's got to be some kind of Good News to somebody out there...
"We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given the glory. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: "For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name." And in another place it is written, "Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles." And yet again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth." And in another place Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him." I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:1-13) NLT

"Draw Near To God" -Too

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all His works." (Psalms 73:28) Whether you can believe it or not, drawing near to God is what makes all the difference in the world; those that get saved are the ones that draw near to God; those that remain in their sins, do so, because they refuse to draw near to God. Jesus explained this very plainly to Nicodemus, as He illustrated the difference between those that come to the Light, and those that hate the Light. (John 3:18-21) I think that someone can come to Jesus and still not get saved; I think it happens all the time, it pretty much depends on whether a person wants to remain in the darkness that they love, or if they want to draw more and more into the Light. I heard an interesting message the other day, that I think fits perfectly into this example of 'drawing near to God' and whether or not we want to be righteous or unrighteous; because the honest to goodness truth in the whole matter, is that we don't have to sin any more, if we don't want to. The message was taken from Matthew 22:8-14, which is the second part of "The Wedding Banquet" message. In this message, there was the issue of "The Wedding Garment" which was furnished by the king to everyone that his servants gathered in from the streets, but he found one man that refused to put it on. In verse 12, the king comes to the man, asking, "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?" Now, I have looked for the reason that it is assumed that these garments were given out, and it has got to be because these people were just taken off the streets, because the people meant to be there refused to come. Regardless of how, the message explained how Jesus clothes us in His righteousness, but not everyone that comes to Him will accept the garments that He is handing out. It pretty much is like what Paul describes to us in Romans 6, in that we must 'die to sin' because our flesh has been crucified with Christ. It's no longer a question of sinning or not, but more of the reason we no longer need to keep on sinning. It is really centered on the fact that God has supplied you with everything you need, you just need to accept all that He has given you; and you can only do that by drawing near to God, and coming out of the darkness. Oh, and by the way, why do you think no one might have mentioned to the man that he should have put on the garments? Love is caring enough for someone you love to not remain silent...
"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! Those that belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Dear bothers 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 important." (Galatians 5:22-6:3) NLT

"Draw Near To God"

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I might declare all Thy works." (Psalms 73:28) I don't care where you are in your walk with the Lord, you're always never as close to Him as you can be; and you can always draw closer than you currently are. Don't ever try to pretend that you can't get any closer, or that you have somehow arrived to the place where God wants you, because that place is not around here; you will know that place when you are looking at the Lord face to face. Until then, we are never done getting worked out of us that which is not of God. Oh, and just in case you might have thought Jonah being swallowed up by a fish and then spit out alive three days later was a myth, read your Bible, because Jesus used that fact to describe His stay in the tomb. Actually, both Jonah and Jesus had several other things in common; but, as mentioned before, the Old Testament is all about Jesus and God's salvation to come upon all mankind. As a matter of fact, the reason that the Old Testament is bigger than the New Testament is because the Old Testament is a shadow of Christ to come, and shadows are always bigger than the authentic thing they represent. And another thing, no matter where I might be in the Old Testament, when it's time to put a teaching together, it's time to share the Gospel message; no matter where, and in whatever Book, if it's in the Bible, then it's about the Gospel. You can even get the Gospel from the story of "Balaam's Ass" if you wanted to; after all, maybe what many of us need is a talking donkey to wake us up to the fate that awaits us on the road we are currently on. What fascinates the most about Balaam and his donkey, is that conversation Balaam had with it after it first spoke; he spoke to it as if it was a natural occurrence, and as if he was talking to a person, not a donkey. Which reminds me; you do realize that Jesus rose from the grave, don't you? I mean, it does matter that it matters how much you believe that it happened! Somehow I need to find the time to get to the movies this weekend; maybe you should too...
"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, 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 days 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 spirit 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

"Keep it Up!" -2

"For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee." (Psalms 73:27) Interesting enough, those that want to continue to practice idolatry, will also prefer to stay as far away from God as they can comfortably be, without becoming noticeably pagan. As I was praying about this post, I asked God for Him to clearly speak into my heart about me, saying, "Lord, what is it that you want to change in me?" We all have issues that God wants to us to let Him deal with; but He is not going to suddenly cause you to wake up one morning and be free from them, we must lay them out before Him and allow Him to change our heart. The main reason people will not endure sound doctrine is because it cuts their heart; they do not want to deal with their sin, so they find someone who does not expose it; and as soon as that person exposes their sin, they move on and find someone else who is more liberal than the last. Pretty soon, they don't even go to church much at all, because where the word of God is read, there is bound to be conviction. There is the difference between those that are saved and those that are not: the saved ones have the Spirit of God within them, and they do not have the luxury of living in sin, at least not while feeling good about it. Besides, we can't really get too far from God, because He is in us, and if He is in us, where are we going to go where He is not always there? Yesterday I heard someone mention Jonah, and they were talking about how he could not get away from God. That's a lot like how it is, we really can't get away from Him; no matter where we try to hide, He is always there; no matter what we are hiding in, He will always expose us; and no matter where we end up, He is always with us, getting us to the place He wants us to be. God can and will change us, but it can be easier on us if we allow Him to make the change; the more we fight Him on the issue, the harder and more extreme our transition will become. But you have got to understand something extremely important about resisting God's instructions and guidance, none of what He tells us to do are suggestions or things that we can negotiate with Him on, as if we can take them or leave them. If you feel that God is telling you to change your direction, then you had better listen; otherwise, you could get swallowed up by something really really big! But guess what? He will still be with you... "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can be against us? Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one -for God himself has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? No one -for Christ Jesus died for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow -not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below -indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39) NLT

"Keep it Up!"

"For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee." (Psalms 73:27) I do remember singing that song in the first few years of school; but by the time I was in fourth or fifth grade, the country started to change, and we started to move away from God altogether. I can remember coming into my fifth grade class and looking at the posters on the wall, one of which was a eight foot long one that showed the progress of man from a monkey. I was floored by what I saw, and I protested the thought of what that poster tried to replicate. The teacher had one of those globes on his desk that was in a stand, so when I had a chance, I went over and turned his globe upside down. It wasn't long after school started that another poster went up on the wall, a poster of the cover of "Abbey Road," and it was the topic of discussion for many days; I think we may have even had a test on what the Beetles were trying to say. By this time in my life we were all studying with the J.W.'s, as if life could not get more confusing. I wanted to join the Cub Scouts, but my parents said that I couldn't because there was a flag displayed on the uniform and they worshiped America instead of God. I think that is where I started to get a little rebellious, and before I turned twelve, I already had been arrested twice and began my seven straight years of being on probation. I was not released from probation until I joined the Navy in September of 1976; wow, what an adventure that was! I think I tried everything while in that crazy outfit. The land of misfit toys; almost everyone had some kind of hangup, and things get magnified after months at sea. Discharged in February 1979 with an Other Than Honorable Discharge, I was glad to be out and able to grow my hair back. All that said, I believe there is something good to be taken away from it all; not that I would ever want to go back, but the lessons we learn in life are the things that mold us into the people we are all grown up. Sure, I have some problems, just like everyone else; we all have some issues that need to be dealt with, and we will continue to have issues until the day we are taken up from this world. It's called being human! And when I am talking about 'human beings' I am not talking about descendants from apes, but men and women who have been born with a living soul that has life connected to God. I am not saying that animals don't have a soul, because I believe that they do; but they do not have an eternal soul that has been breathed into existence by the breath of God; that kind of a soul is strictly unique to mankind...
 "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:3-5) NLT

"Yankee Doodle"

"My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." (Psalms 73:26) Don't ask; it just jump right out and here you have it. For whatever it's worth, there is more to this old song than just being cute and funny; it actually started as a song to make fun of the American soldiers before the American Revolution. Pretty much, just a song to mock them for their arrogance to think they could take on the King and his army; but after the Americans won some battles, it became a patriotic song to motivate them to 'keep it up.' So you see, it really depends what you are fighting for, and in whom you put your trust! Just for the record, we cannot keep any of those Ten Commandments; and if you think that you have, you are only fooling yourself by forgetting one simple thing that gives you away, your heart. God judges the heart; so you don't even need to actually physically break the command, if it enters your heart to do so, then it's already done as far as God is concerned. You no doubt have heard someone say, "I don't need to be saved, because I am a good person." Well, the problem is not based upon how we compare to other people, it's based upon how we compare to God; it's like apples and oranges when we start adding God into the equation. We must be changed from being what we are, into being what He is, which is righteous and holy; and their is only one way that is going to happen, by being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ! If you are washed in the blood of Christ, then it does not matter what you have done, you are counted as righteous in God's eyes! It does not matter what people might call you, because you are justified in Christ, and there is nothing that man can do to undo what Christ has done for you; your ticket is punched, and you are safely in the boat; and guess what? He has closed the door behind you! When it comes to our salvation in Christ, I really don't think we can ever loose something that is not ours to begin with. I know that there are many different opinions on the matter, but the truth of the matter is between God and the person, not the world's view, but God's view; and God looks at the heart of the matter! I think when we get to heaven, we are really going to be surprised who we do and don't see there. So, "Yankee Doodle" that in your cap...
"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 away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." (John 10:24-30) NLT

"Faith in God Alone"

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." (Psalms 73:25) Can't get past those Ten Commandments, I hope you know! Jesus did not eliminate those, He fulfilled them! In essence, He made it possible for us to keep them, by keeping them for us; but that does not mean that we get to ignore them altogether, because they still count. If anything, we are now held by a higher standard; it's the highest standard of all, a crazy little thing called love. That's right, love; but not just love in general, not like the love being talked about in the world; love of respect and acceptance. No, God's love is powered by Jesus Christ! We can't love God the way that we should without accepting His love for us, and that love is packaged in Jesus! John declares this in a way we can understand, saying, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10) That word, "propitiation," is hard to clarify with just a word, because it means more than 'sacrifice' or even 'in place of.' It speaks about the fact that our sins needed to be dealt with by God's wrath, because God is a Holy God; and Jesus satisfied the wrath of God that was upon each and every one of us, by taking the wrath upon Himself. He alone was able to do it; no one else could take His place, because He alone was God manifested in the flesh! God became flesh and blood, so that He could save all flesh and blood! If you think that sounds weird, it's pretty much the way God knows you would think it to be, so don't feel all alone. But you have got to know this: Nobody is getting into heaven without a ticket, and Jesus is the only one handing them out! If you did not get your ticket from Him, it does not count, because it is not real! Oh, wait, I forgot one little thing: You can get in if you have kept the Ten Commandments. Have you kept all Ten? Really? Are you ready to take a test and see? How about we just look at the first one? I think if you have kept the first one, then you should be good on all the rest. What do you say, shall we see? Okay, here it goes: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." How do you think you did? Epic Fail...
"As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous -not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies. Snake venom drips from their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don't know where to find peace. They have no fear of God at all." Obviously, the law applies to whom it was given, for it's purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." (Romans 3:10-20) NLT  

"Faith to Go"

"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." (Psalms 73:24) Okay, so maybe we stray away from time to time, but He has promised to never let go of us, so we never really get too far that He can't jerk us back towards Him! It's kind of like if you were walking down the street with your dad, and all of the sudden you started to step out into traffic, and he yanks you back to safety; that's how it is for us that are His children, He is always there, right there by your side. This verse makes me cry; I'm sorry, but it hurts my heart to think about all the times I have not listened to His voice. I can be such a jerk sometimes! If only I could get some mulligans on life's choices, because there are things that we do now and then that are hard to get over. I know that "all things work towards the good" and all, but seriously, there are some things which have a life of their own. King David has been given the name, "A man after God's own heart," even though he was such a sinner! I get that, I really do; because David was a man that knew God's heart for him, and he knew that God loved him, sinner and all. Okay, so maybe we don't listen to every word that He says; and maybe we get ourselves in some pretty ugly messes; but God will get us through this, some how, some way, we will make it through; He will get us across to the other side, we just need to trust Him! That my dear brothers and sisters is the beauty of the Gospel message; we are broken over and over, but He is amazing at making all things new! Don't believe it? Then you have not yet given it all to Him! You really can't expect Him to make all things new, if you keep on holding on to some old things; now can you? Ya, that's right, we are talking about going somewhere, but it's not going to Africa, or joining some mission; we are talking about going towards God! We want to bring God into our world, but He wants us to long for His!!! Please don't get me wrong, we always need to be ready to share the Gospel whenever we can; that's not what I am talking about, if you thought that I was. I am talking about holding onto the things that get between us and God, our idols; and we somehow think we can hold onto these things and bring God into that relationship; as if God is going to hangout there with us; well, He's not! Go means that we go all out for God! You're either in Christ or you're not; you can't have to both ways... "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what God pleases will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17) NLT

"Faith to Stay" -Too

"Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand." (Psalms 73:23) Obviously, a little bit of distraction is not enough to break the relationship between us and God; not if you are truly one of His children! That is what I am getting from this verse; because it's not so much that he is saying, "I am continually with thee," as in, he is always standing with God; but it is more about the fact that God is the one who never leaves us unattended. He is not like one of our negligent parents that might leave us unattended; nor will He let us do what ever we want. He is always right there, watching and waiting, knowing ahead of time what we will do next. It's almost hard to think about, especially if you have been up to no good; because He knows where you have been, what you have been doing, and what you will do tomorrow. There is nothing hidden from Him! You can almost feel the childlike emotion in the illustration; holding Daddy's hand, while looking and longing for something that is wrong for you, while all the while, you know He is standing there saying, "No my son, that is not good for you." We don't fool God, because He knows what is in our hearts way before we even know it ourselves. You can see that great truth in the denial of Jesus by Peter. Peter thought that he was so strong, but Jesus knew differently; and no matter how hard Peter might have tried otherwise, he was what he was, and he was going to do what he was going to do. But the greatest truth in that story was not that Peter was just like you and I, but that he was restored! Heck, he was restored before he ever even fell! Jesus did not say, "If you are converted," He said, "And when you are converted." (Luke 22:32) We sometimes might loose sight of what is important, but we are never out of God's sight! The question is not "If you are His child," as if you have no knowledge of the truth; it is more about, "And because you are His child," so now you must act accordingly... "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:16-21) NLT

"Faith to Stay"

"Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand." (Psalms 73:23) Just so you know, there is something else that is a progress and does not happen overnight, and that is patience. I don't think there is anything harder to do then to wait for something to happen, even if you're busy doing something else in the process, you not going to wait for something like you should, because there will always be other ways to bring something to pass. I have always been a dreamer, if you will, that guy who likes to figure out ways to make things happen; dwelling on every sort of angle, exploring all kinds of different ideas in my mind about how to make something work. I think it was something my mother and I had in common, as I remember times that we would sit around sharing ideas that we had for solving all the different problems of the world. When I was eleven I was really into weed; it was something that I enjoyed doing, and my mother did not try to stop me; as a matter of fact, I can recall one time when she found my stash, we ended up smoking some together and having one of those idea sharing moments. I had come up with the idea of how earthquakes were becoming more frequent, because the oil was being taken out of the ground, and there needed to be something put back in order for the earth's plates to continue to be lubricated. I had a bong, and somehow we both were trying to figure out why cars could not have a water tank that their tailpipes might go through for filtering their emissions. Smog was a pretty big deal back then, as it was 1969 to 1970, when everyone was planning to wear a mask to filter out the smog. Maybe that was a little bit more than I should have said, but my point was about waiting on the Lord; something that requires more faith than stepping out in faith. It is kind of like the difference between accepting God's free gift of salvation and working for His acceptance. We know that working to be saved does not work, but yet, we somehow keep ending up basing our acceptance on it anyways. God says, "Wait on me," and we still try and make something happen on our own, as if we need to somehow help God make something happen. Our wheels start turning, and we honestly start believing that God is waiting for us to do something, anything, just as long as I do my part. We always feel like we need to have a little skin in the game or the win does not count! Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not be doing something; when God says, "Do," we need to be doing. What I am talking about is something altogether different, and requires us to just wait on the Lord. It is really hard for us to wait for something to happen; not without getting preoccupied with something else...
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were aroused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!' But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!' So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return." (Matthew 25:1-13) NLT  

"Beast of Burden"

"So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee." (Psalms 73:22) This is pretty serious stuff we are dealing with; it requires that we pay attention and be on our guard, because the enemies ploy is to make us distracted and comfortable. The "beast" used in the verse is that of a tool, which means that it is one that pretty much stands around waiting to be put to work, like a mule or ox. In other words, it really has no real motivation to do anything on its own, and it pretty much just does whatever its told to do. The problem with this type of an animal, is not that it does not listen, even though they typically don't, it's that they are so easily moved with the right kind of persuasion; like a carrot on a stick, if you get the meaning. You may be familiar with the illustration of sheep verses cattle, and how cattle are driven and sheep are led. Well, when it comes to following the Lord, we must like sheep, being led by the Shepherd. The thing that makes the biggest difference between the way you are led and the way you are driven, is that of waiting. It is almost impossible to get us to wait for anything; we don't have any problems usually with going, as when God says, "Go," but when God says, "Stay," we tend to try and find some other voice other than God's to get moving again. It might not be our intention to do such a foolish thing, but when we are dying to get moving again or we are tired of waiting on God, we are easily moved by whatever fits our desires. If you wonder how this might look in Scripture, you really just need to look no further than Abraham, the man of faith. Oh, yes he had faith; Abraham had faith in God like it was nobody's business; but being led verses driven, there is where he had some issues. You see, the people that are led, they are the ones that wait upon the Lord to move; while those who are driven, they sometimes can get ahead of the Lord, which means they are stepping out on their own, in their own strength, and in their own direction. This is typically referred to as, "walking in the flesh." The Spirit always leads us, we are never 'driven by the Spirit' because the Spirit always shows us the way. In other words, we don't keep looking back as if to see if the Spirit is still with us, as if we are making sure we are on the right path; we are always keeping our eyes on the Lord, looking back is never an option...
"Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all that he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:43-51) NLT

"Pierced in the Heart"

"Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins." (Psalms 73:21) Not that it has anything to do with getting spanked, but if you don't lay down your life, then it will be taken from you; don't ask me how or to what degree; but just know this, what Jesus did for you on the cross was for your eternity, not for this life. I was thinking about this yesterday, but can you be saved and still go through the Tribulation? We might not get how serious this really is, but this is a battleground, not a playground. For just a brief moment, I saw the torment that Jesus went through; and although it was intense, it was brief. Those that must go through the tribulation will not have it so brief; they might not have the intensity and suffer the same degree of humiliation, but they will suffer longer, and they will be tempted like you can't believe to deny Christ Jesus. They will not be tempted because they do not believe; oh no, they will believe more than ever before; but they will be tempted to not face the punishment any longer. Each and every day the punishment will intensify; each and every day it will be harder to not comply with the new regulations; each and every day it will be harder to survive and to find food. As I was thinking about this, I was wondering about several different things that are happening in our world right now that have the mark of things to come. One of which is something I heard the other day, that more Jews than ever before believe Jesus was the Messiah. The other, is the fact that love is being used to unite everyone together behind every sort of deception, whether it be accepting alternative life styles or ungodly religions, it is in the name of love that we must conform to the new world order. I heard something else yesterday that reminded me of how the enemy works: he is really good at copying the good things and using them to draw people over to his side. Love is of God, yet using it as a ploy to unite those that care not for the Gospel or for God's love, is down right evil! You had better get ready, because Jesus is coming very soon! You have heard the saying, "Get right, or get left," well it is more than a saying, it's a fact that will need to be reckoned with...
"Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.  Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:32-42) NLT

"Off the Couch!"

"As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." (Psalms 73:20) This reminds me of a message I heard from pastor Mike F. about God getting up off the couch; after have warned us over and over to stop; like our dad would sometimes do, He gets up off the couch and gets a little physical. You might remember that famous saying, "Don't make me have to get up and come over there!" Except my stepdad was pretty lazy, and he would tell us to come to him, saying, "Get over here, or else!" God does not sleep or take naps like some might think this verse implies. There are two different awakes being used here, for the first one actually means to awake, as in, to show signs of waking up; but the second one, it actually means to show being aroused, to stir up, to be incited. In other words, God's getting up off the couch, and you're going to get a spanking! On a strictly "need-to-know basis," let me just say, that "image" is everything! Just in case you might have left off from conforming to the image of Christ, you need to know that there is a process to our conformity, it does not just happen instantly. Yes, we are justified in Christ right from the very first step, as a new creature in Christ; but our conformity to Christ is chiseled out, just like a sculpture, everything that is not of Christ must be chiseled away. The way I see it working out, we are in the conformity process, or we are not; and if we are not, then sooner or later, Daddy is going to get up off the couch, and we are going to get a spanking! If we are in the conformity process, we are seeking to do God's will and not our own; that's really the easiest way to tell, am I saying, "Not my will, but Thine be done." Because if we are doing our own will, then we have left off from conforming to the image of Christ. It really does not matter where you are in the game, if you are following the rules, then you are safe and secure. If you don't care about the rules, then you need to wake up! Don't make Him have to get up, because your life will never be the same! Now, just in case you might think that is a bad thing, it is not bad for His children. For those that are not His children, it means the end; but for those that are, it's just the beginning of a brand new day, "as a dream when one awaketh" we get woken up...
"Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him. Don't participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have the light of the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 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. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you life."" (Ephesians 5:6-14)

"Ruin by Implication"

"How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors." (Psalms 73:19) Just so you know, this word "desolation" is not the same as the word we looked at yesterday; but for what it is worth, they still both involve 'ruin' in the mix, this one is more like ruin illuminated or brought to light. Which is pretty much what happens when wickedness meets Holiness! Yesterday in church I was reminded about something totally simple about David's boldness to stand up against Goliath, in that he saw Goliath as a wicked man who was trying to stand up against a Holy God; and not just a God, but his God, the God that he prayed to and sang to and knew to be oh so real. As he came to bring bread to his brothers, he overheard this giant mocking his God, and he was immediately turned into a champion for righteousness. It is almost like a light switch, you cannot will it to happen, it has got to be turned on; but when it is lighted, it is busy taking on wickedness. I think David understood this, as he explained his ability to defeat a lion and a bear, he was totally convinced that righteousness always wins over wickedness. As you may know, the wicked will not disagree with their fate, nor try and explain their way out of judgment. They will know that they deserve to be where they end up, and we see this from Jesus showing us that fact with the story of 'The Rich Man and Lazarus' from Luke 16:19-31. No where during the story does the Rich Man challenge his fate; he obviously accepts where he has ended up is where he deserves to be. But what he wants, more than anything else, it to have Lazarus sent to his five living brothers, so that they might see their fate and change their ways. What a difference a little death might do! Obviously we need some serious "desolation" in our lives now, while we are still able to make a choice; because life as we know it, well, it's like a switch...
"Don't you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth, the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary? Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds, yet they vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. Those who knew them will ask, 'Where are they?'" (Job 20:4-7) NLT

"Slippery Places" -2

"Surely thou didst set them is slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." (Psalms 73:18) Yes, I like that part about the "eagles' feathers" and "birds' claws," it paints a pretty good picture of a man's ungroomed character after seven years of eating grass with the oxen. It also shows the mighty hand of God, and how God can totally do whatever He wants, with whomever He wants, whenever He wants, even the most powerful man in the world! You think that is a pretty good illustration for this verse? I mean, it pretty much sums up the facts. God did set Nebuchadnezzar up by giving him a dream of what was going to happen; and then Daniel even advised him to change his ways. So, you could consider that as being "set" on "slippery places" to mean that God made the slide for him to slide down; it's like God said, "Here it is, now go ahead and go down, if you think you're so mighty!" The rest is history, because God has already seen what the choices and the outcomes will be. I think we can see that through all the many prophecies that have been fulfilled just as God proclaimed that they would. Now regarding the "destruction" in the second part of this verse, which is a word found in only two Scriptures, this one and Psalms 74:3. The word is 'masshuw'ah' and it appears to mean "ruin" or "desolation." Here is what I can get from all my Bible experience (what little that might add up to), that God gives us the instructions on how we are to live, and He gives us the results of the choices we make; He even shows us how weak and miserable we are at doing what's right; but He, as a loving Father that He is, wants us to let Him fix us. He already knows the mess you will make of your life, way before you can ever accomplish messing it up; but He is in the business of fixing broken lives! My fix might not be yours, and your fix might not look like anyone else; but He knows what it will take to fix you, just the way you are! So! (A needle pulling thread.) God's plan of salvation is for 'ruin' to take place in the here and now, so that He can recreate us to not face the 'ruin' in the thereafter...
"After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, 'What do you mean by doing these things?' When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud." (Daniel 4:34-37) NLT

"Slippery Places"

"Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." (Psalms 73:18) Now, I don't know what you might think of the New Living Translation, but I am enjoying reading it from cover to cover for the very first time. During the mid 90's I received a New Testament version that was from Davidson Press, which I enjoyed also; but I waited at least ten years for the rest, and finally gave up waiting. I still have it somewhere, but the NLT is the only thing I will read besides the original King James. I have read the King James from start to finish maybe 16-20 times; it's the only version I will use to study in, and it is still my favorite for meditating on, by far. Last year I bought the NLT to read through; but as of yet, I have only made it to the middle of 1 Kings. There really needs to be some care taken when we read God's Holy Word. His word is for instruction, that's no doubt; but more than that, His word in and of itself is a gift from Him to us. There really is no other way to describe it, other than it being a gift, all packaged up and full of surprises; it is like the gift that keeps on giving! Now about these "slippery places." I can't remember what it was like to not feel God's grace, but if there was a moment or two when I took it for granted, then these slippery places were no doubt playing a part. In a single word, 'flattery,' is pretty much the way to describe what is being said; in other words, vanity with feet, arms, and a mouth. It's all about me, myself and I, and nobody else matters, no one! I know I can get a little carried away; but can we just for a moment try and discover something about ourselves? The slippery places are not just for the wicked; and they are not always bad places either; not when we are holding onto the hand that is holding onto us, they keep us in check. I know I have shared this before, but a few years before my wife was injured, I had a "slippery places" experience with our marriage. I remember thinking about how perfect our marriage was, and how I had everything under control; I may have even bragged a little, thinking about some people I knew that were going through some marital problems. Until that night! Oh my goodness, was my world flipped upside down! I will never forget it; laying down to sleep, like any other normal night; and then laying beside me, was my wife in tears, and suggesting that I did not love her. We must never take the Lord's grace for granted, ever! He is the glue that holds our lives together, and we must never forget that, not even for a moment...
"' King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to proper.' But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, 'Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.' While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.' That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles' feathers and his nails were like birds' claws." (Daniel 4:27-33) NLT

"Taking a Breath of Life" -2

"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." (Psalms 73:16-17) I was reminded of something yesterday, that God really has given us all that we will ever need or ever want, if we would just be satisfied with Him! There were two different things I heard that made this reminder take place; one was a misquote of a young boy of Psalms 23:1, where he said, "The Lord is my shepherd, he gives me everything I want." The other was another boy that called into Every Man an Answer, and asked, "Do we have to marry Jesus?" Obviously his question was easy to answer, but it caused me to be reminded of the Lord's providing for everything that I could ever need or want, if I would just be satisfied with Him. That is all that He wants from us, to be faithful to Him, as a good wife is faithful to her husband; the husband that provides for her and cares for her and protects her, all because he loves her with all of his heart. That's all that He wants from His bride! There is also another thing we need to remember when we start getting a little too worldly, that He is our refuge and our shelter. Don't take that lightly, because there is no shelter or refuge here in this place; not the kind of refuge and shelter that God can provide for us. His love is totally big enough for the both of us! In other words, we might not be able to love God as much as we should, but we sure can love Him as much as we need to!
"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 enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David." (Isaiah 55:1-3) NLT

"Taking a Breath of Life"

"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." (Psalms 73:16-17) Most commentators have 15-17 all grouped together; I guess it makes sense that way, but since when have I ever made sense? I have no doubt we have entered into the last days, so it is really just a matter of time before the Lord is coming back now; there really is not anymore that we can do to for this world to be ready, except maybe a few more people getting saved! I was thinking about the 144,000 Jews that spread the Gospel during the Tribulation, and was wondering where are they now, and if they yet believe that Jesus really was the Messiah. One thing I know for sure, they are not part of the Watchtower Tract Society, held up in the printing rooms, or handing out books in from of the Post Office. No, these will be very special Jews; twelve thousand from each of the twelve Tribes of Israel; and they are somehow all still virgins! Imagine that happening in this day and age. Not quite sure how, but God will awaken them all at once with His word. That is pretty much how it works, it is the Word of God that brings life and truth into the unbeliever; and it is the Word of God that makes us grow! If you are not in the Word, then you are in the world! It is really that simple! Dr. Chuck said something the other day about a reference to Revelation 8:6-13, and those that "dwell on the earth." His statement was something to the fact that those who "dwell on the earth" are those who are "The Earth Dwellers." In other words, they have the earth as their home, unlike we who have heaven as our home; they choose to make this earth their dwelling place. The point of what I am saying, is how God showed me this portion of Scripture playing out; and how this world can really suck the life right out of us; but how getting back to God, His Word, and His people, can cause us to start breathing in life again. When we put our hearts towards God, we begin to really see what truly matters, and we begin to see the abundant life that we have been given. Our abundant life is not based upon the properties of the world; it's not even based upon the properties of this life; it's based upon a New Life in Christ, a life that is eternal, and a life that is outside of this domain. It's a life that is bigger than you could ever dream of, and richer than you could ever imagine! Imagine the most splendid pictures you have ever seen of the universe, and you still have not scratched the surface! Eternal life is really really big...
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil -the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:1-7) NLT

"Hush Your Mouth"

"If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of Thy children." (Psalms 73:15) It is extremely hard to take something spoken back; it's down right impossible! Maybe it's possible on Twitter or Facebook, if you know what you are doing; but even then, if someone saw it, it's already been out there. You know, Job really was a pretty good example of someone suffering well; he really got into the part, and he made it a public display how much he deserved to have not ever been born. Not that I am picking on Job again, but the point is more about not letting our feelings be displayed in words, at least not the bad ones. I think we mostly like to share negative feelings, but keep the positive feelings more to ourselves. Maybe we think we can hold onto them longer if we keep them inside; but that is not really how it all works. We think good thoughts about someone and keep them to ourselves, then speak out when we are not pleased with them. It's pretty much how many people treat there children; 90% of what they say to there children is all negative stuff, like don't do that, stop doing that, put that down; whatever it is, there is just way more words that scold than words that praise. When we have been given opportunity to be someone that is looked up to as one of God's servant, then we have a great responsibility to keep our feeling in check. It really goes without saying, that words do matter; and I for one know how guilty I am of saying the wrong things. I pray for God to make me His vessel, yet, no sooner do I pray it, garbage rolls out of my mouth. And there is nothing more miserable that wishing you could take back something said, especially when it is said in anger or in a state of feeling wronged. Fortunately for Asaph, or whomever, to this point he has only been expressing his thoughts, and has not publicly announced all that he has been thinking. The cat has not been let out of the bag, if you know what I mean. We all might have someone that we think is someone to confide in, but even the closest friend can take something beyond the walls of secrecy; especially if it is something that puts you at odds with what you portray yourself to be. Actually, this verse displays the very first step in regaining his steps, which is the impact his thoughts might have on others regarding his testimony. We have got to think first of stumbling others! If we do not have a regard for what others might think, then we really need to check ourselves, because we are meant to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ; which means, we are meant to speak for Him, and represent His kingdom. It's one thing to not care what people think about you, but it is entirely something else to not care what people think about your Lord...  "For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever." So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness." (1 Peter 1:23-2:3) NLT

"Nearsightedness"

"For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." (Psalms 73:14) I don't care how you feel about what this verse might imply, it is easy to understand why so many Christians walk around with long faces, looking as though someone has stolen their little red wagon. This is not to hard to comprehend as the main problem for the loss of joy in many believers; it's all because they have this cross to bear, and they feel as though they have "plagued" by it, as if a dark cloud is following them everywhere they go. I hate to admit it, but I have found myself doing the same from time to time. It's really not that hard to do; rather, it is quite easy to find yourself 'long-faced' and looking like you have been given the short end of the stick. If you think that might be bad, then what about being "chastened every morning?" I can only imagine what might have been going through the writer's mind. Waking up and hoping it will all be over, or maybe that it was just a bad dream; only to discover when you open your eyes, the nightmare continues. Being "plagued" is something the world might put upon you, as in feeling defeated or stricken down because of what you are; but "chastened" is something meant for God to be doing, as if God just wants to punish you over and over, every single morning. You can see how easy it is to look at your life in such a way; especially if you sight is focused on the things of this world. But we have a more glorious treasure that awaits us! Nothing here on this earth can compare to what is waiting for us in heaven! I heard someone say it yesterday, it might have been pastor Jack, saying, "If you think God have made things beautiful here, imagine the beauty of what He has made in heaven." Just to study what John wrote about in Revelation, it does not come close to what he actually saw, of that I am sure. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 of how he was "caught up to the third heaven," which was most likely the time in which he was stoned and taken out of the city as dead. In verse four, Paul uses the word "unspeakable" to describe what he heard, not mentioning what he saw, but just the sounds alone were enough to leave him speechless and unable to describe the atmosphere he experienced. We have no idea what we are waiting to experience; only that this life we have now is like a shadow or a mist compared to what awaits. Get your eyes on heaven! Stop hanging your head in shame, and start looking up, because there is where your home is, not here...   "That experience is worth boasting about, but I'm not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 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 see in my life or 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 insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:5-10) NLT

"False Evidence Appearing Real"

"Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." (Psalms 73:13) Yes, FEAR is the word described in the title; and for a very good reason. This is the kind of fear you have when you think that you have been wrong, like maybe all of this trying to be godly is not really working. Have I wasted my life? This truly is "false evidence appearing real!" It is the kind of evidence of something that is make-believe in the everlasting, simply because it will not last! Yet, in the short term, it sure appears real! When ever you start doubting why you are serving the Lord, you need to really step back and recount the cost. And I don't mean to start comparing finances and lifestyles, because those are not a worthy comparison to heavenly things. Take me back to the cross! That's is what you need to say: Lord, let me see again what you died for, because I seem to have lost my way! Everlasting Life, that is what I want; I want everlasting life with the God that loves me! They say that the biggest reason for the torment in hell will be regret, like the regret which can never ever go way. I believe that there will be regret also in heaven, but God will somehow take that away. Maybe just the pure light of His presence will do it; but however He does it, He will wipe away all our tears. (Revelation 21:4) Those are the kinds of thoughts we need to be focused upon, not on how much money or prosperity we are missing out on; not even on the prosperity or money that we have, or have not. It is not about any of that temporary pleasure or comfort, it's about spending eternity in heaven with Jesus! We will be comforted in heaven more than we could ever be comforted here on this earth; there is absolutely no comparison whatsoever between the two, so why even bother listing them side by side. No, when it comes to counting the cost, it must include real fear, as in the fear of the LORD! All other fear is not lethal to our souls, none of it! The fear of starvation, or homelessness, or sickness, or even death; they are all just false evidence appearing real compared to our eternal life in Christ Jesus. We came into this life empty and we will leave empty; but where we leave to, that is the real reason we happily serve the God who loves us. God has never promised us anything but an "abundant life!" Oddly enough, abundant does not consider worldly riches and a prosperous life in this world as "abundant life." It is more about "fullness of life," which is life that is more life than this world has to offer. Okay, so you still don't get it; then compare a grain of sand to all the sand in the sea; because that is your life here on earth compared to eternity...
""You have said terrible things about me" says the LORD. "But you say, 'What do you mean? What have we said against you?' "You have said, 'What's the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying His commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven's Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.'" 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 3:13-18) NLT