"One of a Kind"

"There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number." (S.O.S. 6:9)

  Just a little deviation from the standard projected target, I thought it would be fun to explore a very entertaining question about the complexity of the church. With all the different avenues of departure from what you might call, sound doctrine, many churches today are not only being limited to their sizes, but they are also limiting the size of God in the process. Is it any wonder? How can we as a body of believers, pretend to believe in a God that is All Powerful, and yet act as if He is not all that powerful at all? Could it be that we are assuming He has left us unprotected? 

  In case you are somehow falling into a trap, God is not ignoring His church, because it is against His promise to ignore or forsake His church! He is a promise keeping God! We, on the other hand, have a little bit of a problem keeping our promises; actually, we can't even keep up with promises we make, we make them so flippantly, almost half-heartedly. Do you know why this is so? Every single promise that we make is made based upon conditions and limitations; we cannot fully guarantee any promise that we make. Thus, we are not like God! God is not limited by anything, and under no condition can His will be changed or altered; if God said that He would do something, it more than just a promises, it is what will be done!  

  Take a little look at this verse, and you will see something a little interesting about the numbers. First of all, the concubines outnumber the queens. Matthew Henry has suggested that this is because kings prefer their concubines more than they prefer their queens. If I had to guess why, it might be something to do with control and loyalty; not that concubines are not interested in those characters, they are just more charming and less structured. And then, there are the virgins without number; or, if you like, according to number! 

  Which brings me to my point: Sound Doctrine is the basis for standing our ground and not forsaking the assembling together as a church! Any such order is not in line with the Truth; as a matter of fact, it is the working of the devil, and it must be treated as such, without hesitation. If you doubt what I am saying, then where in the Bible has God said, Do not assemble together. He says, Be not conformed to this world, because we are a particular body of believers. He says, Come out from among them a be ye separate; but He is not speaking about separation within the church! 

  This Sunday was a reminder to me about the importance of coming together, especially in these times that we are living in today. These are not uncertain times, as some might speculate; these are times of certain signs of what we have all been waiting for: The King is Coming! Do you have a number? Are you on the list? Don't be fooled by false prophets that try and tell you it cannot be the time, or that we can know the time; because Jesus said it Himself, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) 

  As far as the church is concerned, we are that One of a Kind, type of people: Virgins, every one! If you might not know what that implies, it means that we are anticipating! The meaning that is used in the context of this verse, is that of marriageable age, which means recently married or soon to be married; in other words, a bride soon to be or awaiting concemation of the marriage. Either way, they are waiting for that special day and hour: Even so: Lord, Come Quickly...

"Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people that he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" (Romans 11:28-33) NLT

"A Gentle Reminder"

 "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks." (S.O.S. 6:5-7)

  If you really want to know, our power, if it is a power at all, is manifested in the mighty working that was performed within us when we saved. You were not saved by something that you did, as much as you are able try to explain it, it was all God's doing; from Him calling you forward, to Him prompting your response, to Him opening the door of your heart! Oh, you thought it was your doing, did you? Well, if it was left up to you, you would have never even given Him the chance; your hard heart would have just gotten harder, and you would still be snickering every time you heard His name mentioned.

  If you recall, the door was locked, but He was always able to unlock it and open it up; He was simply waiting for the invitation! Something to think about, next time you think about calling the Alter Call an invitation; because it is He that knocks asking to come in, not inviting, but requesting the invite. We are simply required to say yes Lord, please come in! He has the keys! Every single one, no matter what the condition of our heart, He can open any lock and let Himself in; but we are the one's that stop Him, not the one's that make anything happen. 

  I was reminded of something this morning, as I thought about what this turning thing was all about: It is something that Peter reminds us of, as he says, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." (2 Peter 1:9) Notice something that was said, because he did not say that you were not saved, but that you cannot see, and hath forgotten! We are well equip for battle, if we simply remember Who's battle it is, whether or not He has already won, and what, if anything, you are fighting for...

"Knowing this, that the old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:6-11) 

"Transform and Perform"

 "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead." (S.O.S. 6:5)

  Not exactly what it might appear, to say the least; as many will attest to, this is more about turning, if I may, as Cinderella turned while being changed into a beautiful princess. If you look a little deeper, the word for, "turn away," speaks about, to turn about, change, transform; in essence, He says, turn towards me, as if to say, "Turn around and let me get a good look at you." Not exactly what it might appear, but the next portion puts the whole circle in perfect perspective: "Overcome" is that which refers to strengthening, as in, to make sure, or capture, or to embolden.

  To be fair, there are some mornings that I wish I had never started this adventure; but then again, it is more about His direction, the more think about it! That is the kind of situation I see this Young Woman currently in; as she briefly questions her qualifications, after receiving such a bold and power decree; especially after have messed up so badly, when she refused to open her door to Him. In other words, it is her turn to turn! But, unlike His turn, hers is that of observation, as if looking in a mirror to inspect the outfit that you have just put on. 

  Crazy is not even close; this is upside down and backwards! You want to get closer to God, then you need to change the way that you see yourself; you are never going to change God, He does not and will not change; but He will change you: Now be changed! That is pretty much the major point, in that we must believe that He has performed what He said He has done in us, constant and complete, and without questioning the final outcome! 

  Yea, but you don't understand my weaknesses and my difficulties; I don't really think I am cut out for this, so I will just be satisfied with being weak and unqualified! No doubt about it, that is truth being put to the test! Now let Christ do the rest! I am weak and unqualified; but Christ living in me, makes me the best: The best me I can be! Can you see a reflection? Turn around a little more and you will see what you saw when you first heard Him call you by your New Name...

"Obviously, the law applies to those whom it was given, for its 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 them how sinful we are. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believe, no matter who you are." (Romans 3:19-22) NLT

"Favourable, Becoming, Formidable"

 "Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners." (S.O.S. 6:4)

  As I believe, the greatest of the gifts that God gives His children, is love; not just a love that is made for loving, but a love that is made for becoming more like Him! Not that we are capable of such a high achievement, but we are inspired to go as high as we can possibly go. Much like that old carnival game, if you call it a game; the one where you squeeze the handle, enduring a shock, (vibration,) until the limit of your endurance rates the power of your love. 

  It has been said, "You never know how strong you are until strong is your only choice," which is partly true; but when we are talking about the power of God, it is His strength, not our strength that is our only choice! We are simply a vessel that He will use, if we are so inclined to let Him use us, freely and without resistance! If you want to know what that might look like, you could see what D.L. Moody said at the end of his life: "The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him." 

  To be totally and completely honest, this is not something we can fully achieve in this life; not in these bodies of corruption, as being fully consecrated requires never a doubt and never a no; even Jesus had a little problem to overcome with that, at least the no part! But He did overcome, because He was special! He was our Special, One of a Kind: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11) Hebrews 12:2 says: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

  If you want to talk about endurance, then the mark is set for something you will never achieve! He is the Author of the mark, in that He set the height of what is achievable; and He achieved it, making it Finished, never to be done again! That is what it truly meant when we say, "Won and Done!" You might be able to endure being crucified, but the same kind of shame is never going to be in your nature; not even close. Why else do you think Peter was wanting to be crucified upside-down? His flesh might have been afflicted and punished, but he could never ever be as righteous as the Son of God; the One who died by taking on the sins of the world!

  Anywho, this is about something that is "Becoming," as it is unfished, if it is used as a noun. Can you see yourself as that person? Well, if you need a little help, then think about you being called; Were you called? and if you were called, were you chosen? If that is you, then you are, "Favourable," because you know Who has called you and that He has chosen you to be His bride! That my friend makes you automatically, "Formidable!" You might not want to say it out loud, But you are Terrible; as terrible as an army with banners! "He has brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me is love." 

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angle, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

"Young Man"

 "You are beautiful, my darling, like the lovely city of Tirzah. Yes, as beautiful as Jerusalem, as majestic as an army with billowing banners. Turn you eyes away, for they overpower me. Your hairs falls in waves, like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are as white sheep that are freshly washed. Your smile is flawless, each tooth matched with its twin. Your cheeks are like rosy pomegranates behind your veil.  Even among sixty queens and eighty concubines and countless young women, I would still choose my dove, my perfect one -the favorite of her mother, dearly loved by the one who bore her, The young women see her and praise her; even queens and royal concubines sing her praises: "Who is this, arising like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as an army with billowing banners?"" (S.O.S. 6:4-10 NLT)

"This is what the LORD says: "I hear the cries of fear; there is terror and no peace. Now let me ask you a question: Do men give birth to babies? Then why do they stand there, ashen-faced, hands pressed against their sides like a woman in labor? In all history there has never been such a time of terror. It will be a time of trouble for my people Israel. Yet in the end they will be saved! For in that day," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will break the yoke from their necks and snap their chains. Foreigners will no longer be their masters. For my people will serve the LORD their God and their king descended from David -the king I will raise up for them."" (Jeremiah 30:5-9 NLT)

  Happy Thanksgiving, for all the are celebrating it today! Regardless of what is happening in this world, we have so much to be abundantly thankful for; more than we could ever express enough thanks about! 

  If you came away from yesterday with a little bit of a bummer feeling, not quite sure where this might be going, or if by some strange and mysterious way, you might be looking in a mirror that has a reflection your not too interested to see: Stop your worries and pull up your shoulders! It is never as bad as you think it might be! 

  With that, let me tell you a little story, one that might give you a glimmer of hope: There once was a boy that dreamt he could become a mountain; but his dreams were never realized. Until one day, he discover his dream was never about being the mountain, but that he was on top of the mountain! Silly boy! 

  We have a tendency to expect too much from ourselves, which is pretty much normal: you think you can do certain things easily or fast, only to find out that what you imagined in your mind, was a little bit more of a challenge outside of that thick skull of yours. Things are always harder than we imagine them to be; at least most things, but not all! Jesus clearly said: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30)

  I really am looking forward to exploring this, looking forward...

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17) 

"The Fifth Song"

 ""Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones. "Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah,' or 'There he is,' don't believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time."" (Matthew 24:16-25 NLT)

  Footmen, are something of a thing of the past. Interesting enough, they are going to be retuning soon enough: but this time that duty of serving food, will be replaced with serving God's word; the duty of filling in for butlers, will be replace with bandaging the wounded; the task of carrying heavy things, will be replaced with a heavy cross; and the task of opening and closing doors, will be replaced with earnest prayers and supplications. Do you want to know how I know this to be so? It is Written! 

  I have heard quite a few examples of how the churches are being less about teaching God's word, and more about entertainment and exceptionalism; focuses more about being structured, than they are about being like Christ. It is hard to realize how this might have happened; harder sill, to try and figure out how it can be turned around. Maybe it is all meant to be, as we find many Scriptures that say what things will look like in the last days; none of which appear to be very inviting or pleasant for your average Christian. 

  This next Song is more about being like Christ, than it is about being a church. Something of a little mystery, as there are so many different churches, but there is only one Jesus Christ! Not that it will make a really big difference, but the thing about picking up your cross and following Jesus, it is really not about carrying around a really big cross! It is actually much more about having your life turned upside-down; having the structured life you might live, be interrupted, and doing the things you might not otherwise do. In other words, it is about sacrifice; giving yourself away for the sake of others...

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all theses things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:32-37) 

"Tender Love"

 "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies." (S.O.S. 6:3)

  What does it take to capture a heart? Most of the world is not all that interested, if you were to ask any of them what they might think. But, if you get right down to it, this is something that is part of every great movement, passionate adventure, unbeatable quest, and unstoppable love. Just so you know, the word tender that is shown above, is not the an adjective or a verb, it is a noun; and not the kind that might be associated with Chicken Tenders, nor that which might be associated with money or an offer. No sir; this is that specific person that watches over, cares for, and protects, whomever or whatever they might be made Tender of, be it a person, place or thing, it becomes their responsibility to tend to it. 

  In the case of us, these silly lilies, we are quite the challenge! Heads that are held up by stiff-necks; and hearts that start hard, get hard, and sometimes remain hard; it requires that the Tender not only have patience, but that He have compassion; knowing full well that without His help, we are never going to make it, never! Thus, a heart is captured! Who's heart, you might be wondering: His! Not only does He love us, His love for us is to stop and prevent our destruction, each and every one. 

  To put this in a smaller light, one that we might be able to relate to: If you can imagine you have very hard to train pet; a pet that you loved dearly, wanted to protect, and nurture it, that it might be loyal and stay by your side; however, this particular pet is head-strong, filled with energy, and loves to destroy almost everything in sight. If you really truly loved this pet, what would you do? For one thing, you would not loose patience! (I am speaking from experience!) Gently and with as much consistency as you can, you would work one small attribute of obedience at a time, to mold this crazy pet into the imagine that you would imagine it to be. Now go try that with a Rottweiler and tell me how it works out for you!   

  Seriously, this is more than just His passion, this is the Way! There is only one way to do what He does, He is the Master Tender, there is none other; no one can do what He does: No, not one! And guess what this Young Woman has just realized: She has seen Him being first; "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine!" We did not choose Him, He chose us! He is the one that is holding onto us! We simply get to abide in Him; but He is the one that keeps us, regardless of our stupidity and our silly, destructive habits, He keeps on loving us and molding us into what He imagines, no, He knows, that we will be! 

  If you really want to get right down to it, it is His passion! He feeds among these silly lilies, and it is more than satisfying, it is what He feeds upon: "My meat is to do the will of  him that sent me, and to finish his work." (John 4:34) And His work is still not over! Thank goodness for hard-headed me...

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:29-31) 

"Silly Lilies"

 "My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies." (S.O.S. 6:2)

  In case you might be wondering, it is answered prayer: I asked God to show me a title, and this is what He gave me! Go figure. It would appear as though we have something in common, as we must get to the point where life is so complicated and out of order, your best response is to laugh and chalk it up to the fact that everyone is out of control. It's almost like that last verse in Judges: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes." 

  Yes, but this is about something a little more real and close to home: this is about what it takes to be able to overcome in light of affliction, suffering, discouragement, and even pain. If you allow me, lilies are more than just a flower, as flowers might be; they are special in their shape, almost as if they are, if they could, able to sing out with praise. Jesus used lilies as an example to how much God takes care of His children, much more than the birds and the grass of the field, yet: "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Luke 12:27) 

  Paul used this illustration, as he shows the foolishness of the believer, as they look to the world, saying: "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18) Besides that: Who is able to rejoice in persecution? Who can make light of death? Who is able to not worry about tomorrow? These are just a few of the questions that can be associated with those that are saved, who no longer are deeply connected to this life, a life that is here today and gone tomorrow. 

  People work all of their lives to save and build up, only to leave it all behind for others to squander! That is actually Biblical, as many times over, Jesus made this kind of presentation about living for today, not for tomorrow. And yet, the opposite of this is what the world teaches; so, in doing so, we are portrayed as fools in the eyes of the world. Jesus said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) 

  No, this is more about what He does, in that He takes care of His children, no matter what! If you look like you are destitute, you are never poor; if you look as though you are tortured, you are never crushed; if you are thrown into prison, you are never locked down: You are free and alive in Christ, despite what the world might do, and surely, despite what might be perceived by the world. Keep your eyes on Jesus! See the mocking He endured, as they said of Him, "He saved others; himself he cannot save." Little did they know! 

  In the bigger picture, the spices that are portrayed in this, are those that have been crushed; these gardens are the church, they represent those that gather together and sing praises, that share His word, that speak to one another of the things that matter most; these are also that which is currently under attack. Be strong, be bold, be bright, and be silly! Heck, we don't even know sometimes what to pray for: How is it that we think we know what we are doing, where we are being taken; or for what reason God is doing and allowing things to be done. Laugh a little more, because He is still in control...

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:26-28) 

"Young Woman"

 "My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in the gardens and gather the lilies. I am my lover's, and my lover is mine. He browses among the lilies." (S.O.S 6:2-3 NLT)

  I need you to know, how much I want to know every single bit of this, and why it is so vital to our understanding of who Christ is, how much He cares for the church, and how He cares for us, each and every one of us, individually. I know it might be hard for some people to understand, as I have serious doubts about my own life, time and again; but it is encouraging to see the challenges of many very important saints, how they themselves had doubts, from time to time; some of which seemed to doubt, even worse than I. 

  If you have been paying attention, the Young Woman was assaulted and shamed, as she was out upon the streets in the night looking for her Beloved; this, many believe, was because she was mistaken as a harlot, as it was customary for those women out on the streets at night, to be of such type. After being in her encounter, she seemed even more desperate to find Him, calling upon the Young Women of Jerusalem to assist her in her quest. To which, they questioned not about her qualifications, as to why they should assist, but to His; as in: What makes Him so special that we should waste our time, if we do find Him, that we should honor your request? Distraction turns into an awakening; as the story goes!  

  Whichever you believe it was, it caused the Young Woman to begin explaining her Beloved. And it is more than just to address their request to know, but it was also a chance for her to be reminded of Him! To recall the very special things that He stands for, the importance of His features, and unfailing love that He bestows, in everything He does, regardless of what condition we might be in! In spite of her quest having been seemingly unfulfilled, she found Him: He was in her heart! 

  And then, Chapter Six begins; inquisitive minds need to know: Where do we find the One you describe? Tell us where He's at, so that we might see for ourselves? Oddly enough, she not only finds Him, but she sees the He is working! Which is where we find ourselves today; because He was there all along, in her heart! This is where you might find Him, if you are so inclined to search for Him: You opened up your heart to Him, and He came in! 

  You will not find Him in a building, you will not find Him under a rock; you will not find Him in the calm, and you will not find Him in a storm: He is there, where you let Him in; He has never left you, at all: He just patiently waits, for you to call...

"This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through the prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace." (Romans 1:1-7) NLT 

"Infatuation"

 "Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee." (S.O.S. 6:1) 

  If there is any part of this that might prove the spirituality of this Book, this should be one of those proofs that make the point to what is being put out, that we might take it in! If this were otherwise, this might be a rather odd request given by other women; but if it be spiritual, the Young Woman would and should be so inclined to share, and even encourage others to fall in love with her Beloved! Taken back to my earlier days, when I first accepted Jesus into my heart, that was my motivation and my passion; anyone and everyone around me needed to know this Jesus that saved my soul, whether they asked for Him or not, they were going to be introduced to Him, in one way or another! 

  There is a very good reason that we must love, not hate, trials and tribulations. James says, "Count it all joy," (James 1:2); Peter says, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice," (1 Peter 1:6). The basic instinct of our flesh is to complain and cry out; but that which is of the Spirit, is to count it joy and greatly rejoice! Where is the fun it that? Well, if you must know, it is in the testimony of what matters most in your life; this world or loving Jesus Christ. Don't forget, people around you that are lost, need to see the evidence that they don't need to be lost, that there is something real in you, that there is a hope you know about, that they need to know about also. If you doubt me, then test it out for yourself: the next time you are in any sort of trial or circumstance, simply thank God for the chance to let His Light shine in you, and pray that He will use you to His glory. You never know, it might actually cause you to turn what could be something the average person would feel bad about, to actually have actual overwhelming joy!

  Anywho, this is a little more complicated and enticing; as it involves many other aspects of reasons, motivations, and pre-conceived notions. If you are familiar with the Gospels, the one thing that those who were members of the, so called, Jews, were most frequently known for, was to inquire Jesus to say something or show something that would show proof of who He was or what He was about. In other words, they tested Him to show them proof! Now, I know that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I really don't want to be; I prefer to be more like a butter-knife, where it takes me some time and a little effort to cut through something, especially something that is extremely important for me to understand. 

  There is a very familiar saying, "If I can talk you into something, then someone else will be able to talk you out of it." The point is pretty obvious in the word, "seek," as in the point made in the request, not the question: "That we may seek him also." Because: It is really not a question of seeking Him, but the real matter at hand, is, What will you do when you find Him? Seriously, what is the motivation seeing for yourself, if it is only about satisfying your curiosity or putting your mind at rest? It would be more like the Rich Young Ruler, coming to ask the Master, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" and then, once hear your answer, saying, 'Never mind, I guess I really didn't want it that much!'

  It has got to be about something else, other than this world! If it is not, then this world is always going to be in the way of what you actually need...

"Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God's way. For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."" (Romans 4:1-3) NLT

"Young Women of Jerusalem"

 "Where has your lover gone, O woman of rare beauty? Which way did he turn so we can help you find him?" (S.O.S. 6:1 NLT)

  Turning a page in His Story, we are entering into another chapter; unlike all natural turning points, there are certain things about God that never change, ever! We go to sleep, wake up, and then look forward to sleep again; but He never sleeps, never slumbers, and never stops working! You want proof? Did the sun go down last night? Will the sun come up this morning? NO!!! It never moved at all, it remains right there where it has always been, right there in the center of our Solar System; but this little blue dot keeps on moving and spinning, round and round it goes. With the exception of a few instances, it has never stopped rotating; but when it has, there were spectacular things that took place! 

  Here is something of a question; maybe even a statement, whether it is sarcastic or not, it is still being asked today: Where is this God that you serve? Point the way to him, so we might see him also? But in this regard, there is a pretty interesting twist, as the question is one of assistance and discovery: You must allow us to help you! Oh my goodness! How I need to get this right! If ever you need a guide, to find God outside of the Bible, is not where you will find Him! As a matter of fact, it has been said, "If you were stranded alone on an island, and all you had to read was the Bible, you would perfectly understand and know the doctrine of Christianity." 

  It is not a mystery that God speaks; it is not a secret that we can hear His voice: It is a fact, over and over He speaks and makes His voice known, throughout the entire Scriptures. Starting with Job, if it is true that the oldest writings are found in the Book of Job, then there is your proof: God speaks! He announces His plans, reviews History, declares His mysteries, and even demands respect! If it is proof you are looking for, then you need to go straight to the source! Because, quite frankly, you will not find His voice anywhere else! SEEK, ASK, KNOCK, and the door will be opened...

"This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11) NLT

"CHAPTER SIX"

 THE SONG OF SONGS (Charter Six)

"He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those that fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die." (Psalms 103:10-15 NLT)

  Connecting the dots, we can see a very personal message that is being given, not just to the church as a whole, not just to Israel as a nation, but to every single believer, as to why it is important to stay true to what you have been shown. No one needs to tell me what I should believe, because He has already taken away the blinders and my heart is exposed to His truth; the Holy Spirit within me confirms and corrects me, leads me, and shows me the personal side to the Scriptures. The only real issue I have in seeing His truth, is my flesh; as my flesh still wants to enjoy that which leads to destruction.

  In light of what we know, God's love is greater than our greatest weakness; the harder we fight to have our own way, the more pressure He applies to us with His love; squeezing out every last bit of fight, He gets us to the point where just a gentle touch will do the trick: Wham, and you've been Christafied; where you no longer even have a choice, because you are completely satisfied in Him; come hell or high water, nothing is going to change your direction! 

  Does that mean you are never going to fall or stumble? No, that is really not possible to avoid, not as long as you are still a "wildflower," you are still in this fleshly vessel that is waiting to die. The Spirit within you cries, Just be content and fear God; while the flesh that is dying says, Just pretend that you need more to prove yourself not dead yet! It is that thought of dying that makes our fear be upon the wrong source; one source is upward, while the other is pulling us downward. Paul puts it in a pretty perfect context: "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?" (Romans 7:24 NLT) 

  I truly wish it could be that easy; and if it was, Christ would not have suffered such a terrible death! He was punished for iniquities! He died for our sins, sins that we inherited; but He was punished for the personal sins that we lived out! Remember His sacrifice...

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2) NLT 

"His Agreeableness"

 "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." (S.O.S. 5:16)

  There are so many ways to explain yourself, how you might feel, what you might be experiencing, and even what you know about real love; but nothing we can try to explain will ever come close to what we feel, experience, and know about God's unconditional love; not for the world, for mankind, or anyone else, but for ourselves! Sure, I know how much He loves you, I see it in His promises and testimonies; but to show you how much I know He loves me, I am beside myself and at a lost for words; nothing I can say would even come close! 

  This is not really about all those other qualities and features; this is about the experience that she knows: that it is real, personal, and it has power! "O, what a friend we have in Jesus!" Do we understand what that actually means? Well, that's pretty deep, if you really want to get right down to it. When I cry out, He listens! When I hurt, He comforts me! When I feel lost, He points the way! When I feel unlovable, He lets me know how much He loves me! I could go on and on, but it would only waste time. This is about a God that knows me, yet loves me because He loves me, not because of what He knows of me! 

  One of my favorite Steakhouses is at the Peppermill in Reno, called Bimini Steakhouse. I love the way they pamper you and try very hard to enhance your dinning experience. My favorite choice of cut is the Ribeye, which they offer in at least six different ways. My particular favorite in the 22 oz Prime Bone-in Ribeye, cooked Medium-Rare, and without any butter or sauces. Before they bring out that wonderful steak, they bring out a little Palate Cleansing Cocktail, which is usually a citrus sorbet in a sparkling white wine. This is a perfect example of what I believe we can gather from all of the mumble-jumbo! 

  This is what, if I could, might be illustrated in what I see, experience, and know, about my relationship with this One that is called Jesus: He does everything that needs to be done to enhance my relationship with Him! Even when I might not treat Him as I should, He does not hold that against me, nor does He bring it up in the midst of my distress! Even when I feel like the worst friend ever, He says, Never! He is always there, arms wide open, ready to agree with the cry of my heart: No one knows me better, and yet, He is my Friend.

"Then the LORD said to me, "Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them." (Hosea 3:1 NLT) Just know that He loves you...  

"I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of  the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, "The one who rescues you will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins."" (Romans 11:25-27) NLT 

"His Stature"

 "His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars." (S.O.S. 5:15)

  Having been in this race for almost 40 years, I have learned a few things that are worth sharing; the most important thing to remember, is that we never ever think that we have anything under control, especially the sin that so easily trips us up! If you are starting to feel as though you have won and can somehow win over temptation, you are setting yourself up for something that is going to know you off of the horse. As my mother would always say, "Get off your high horse, or you're going to get knocked off!" 

  "To the Victor go the spoils," is the name of this story; He has won it all, and there is nothing that anyone or any being can do to change that, ever! The second thing of great importance, is to remember who I am in Christ: I am His! He owns me: I am His property, His possession, His diamond in the rough! I am a completely worthless thing, that He has made to shine with spectacular beauty; with a little bit of work, He can turn trash into cash! In this way, we must keep ourselves in Christ: without Christ, we are nothing, but in Christ, we are priceless! 

  These are the virtues of the KING! My King is more than my Ruler or my Lord, He calls me friend! If you were the least bit surprised by that, you should take a few days off of whatever you are doing, and spend a little time getting to know your King; look into His eyes and see how much He cares for you, as you stare into those eyes of doves. Learn a little about heaven, as you study His cheeks and lips, that give you smells and scents of His glory. Gaze upon the banqueting table He has prepared for you, with those mighty outstretched hands; the heart by which He has prepared it all, is His love: a love measured and poured out, to be able to, and have the right to, call you His Friend! 

  Matthew Henry ends these descriptions of His personal features, saying, "Christ is a goodly person: the more we look upon him the more beauty we shall see in him." Surprise yourself, by taking a little time to get to know your King; you just might see something special about yourself in the process...

"Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD'S thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36) NLT 

"His Power"

 "His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires." (S.O.S. 5:14)

  May I add, that cheek was also as a jawbone; to be as bold as I can: BE BOLD! 

  After gathering my thoughts, it is abundantly clear that the church needs a real hard awakening to what they are up against; being silenced and minimized, the church needs to put their focus upon Jesus, and not upon those who are not Him! I really don't know how else to say it, because no man on this earth is able to compare himself to Christ; if they even hint at such a notion, don't walk away, run! 

  Anywho: Who is this powerful King we are looking at, if not Him that holds are hearts? When Jesus calmed the sea and the winds, the disciples asked in amazement: "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" (Matthew 8:27) It might have made more sense if they had known He was the Creator of everything; if He made it, He can control it! (Say What!) Matthew Henry points out a little something, as he says, "His hands, which are stretched forth to receive his people and to give to them, and thus rich and comely." We cannot even begin to realize what great power is generated in His outstretched arms! 

  Before you try and figure out what that means, I would entertain the obvious examples from the night He was crucified. We can see all sorts of  acts that were performed, many of which were done by men that were not ordained, followers, or even believed in God; but none the less, they were used of God to bring about that which was His will. Pilate alone, a man that believed in a human god; gods of this world that gave forth fame and fortune; made up gods, to lead forth armies and conquer territories for Rome: he, in his ungodly beliefs and fashions, made the decree, "King of the Jews!" It could not be changed or altered, as it was not only his decree, but it was Truth! Whether he knew it or not, he was an agent of God's mighty hand! 

  In this verse, a strong connection is made between the hands and the belly: both of which display power; the hands are the power to have control, the belly is the power to hold. In this life, as frail as we might be, He is not only the One in control, but He is also the One that holds us. If you were going to try and imagine how that works, you probably won't; if you even try, you would most likely mess it up and get yourself all tied up in knots. Which reminds me, if we are speaking about power, God's love is the most powerful force in all of creation. "O storm-battered city, troubled and desolate! I will rebuild you with precious jewels and make your foundations from lapis lazuli." (Isaiah 54:11 NLT)

  O Lord, please help me to keep my eyes on You...

"True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, "You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court."" (Romans 3:3-4) NLT

   

"His Face"

 "His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh." (S.O.S. 5:13)

  As must be said, we do not get a second chance to get this right; once you are done, you are done! If the eyes could have been His face, they would have not been seen the same, as it is dependent upon who is looking and what He is looking at; but His face, while fixed and secure, it shows fourth both strength and humility, the very essence of the love of God. We sometimes forget, love is not always about hugs and kisses; sometimes, love needs to be demonstrated in pain and affliction. 

  To be perfectly honest, when I feel as though I am being chastised over something, my first reaction is not to be happy or glad; I wish that it was, but mostly I begin to react by hardening my heart, thinking that I have some sort of right to something. Until I realize that I am being foolish, and then it causes me to just throw up my hands, saying, Do as you will, I surrender! Then I can see the gladness, even humor in my circumstances, as hard as that might be to understand. 

  Peter tells us, quite happily, as he speaks of trials and suffering: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, ye believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9) In a very interesting sort of way, James reinforces this principle by explaining what we could be experiencing when we don't agree with any situation or circumstance, saying, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:13-14)

  As must be said, again: we do not get a second chance to get this right; once you are done, you are done! This is the Face of God, to be diligent not to doubt His love for you based upon your situation or your circumstances, but upon His promises and His ultimate sacrifice to protect your eternal security! That is what matters the most, not that your plans are ruined, or that you did not get your way; but that you are only given one, totally and completely unchangeable promise regarding this journey: You will get to the other side! 

  Now, what will be your most thankful responsibility for that promise? It has something to do with being hilariously bulletproof and free from destruction! That is what is being brought up in this, if you will, Facial Recognition; the bed is not a bed, it is a trellis, laced in flowers that have aroma to heaven, as it declares to us our destiny. The lips, as a natural boundary, that declare what is said, can never be taken away, as it is the promises of God Almighty, unchangeable and unmovable in every single way! 

  This is why the eyes are so important, as we tend to see what we see, forgetting Who it is that is watching over us, matters so much more than anything else! "Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT) 

  Now then, you ask me what we are needing to get right, so I can present to you the reason for that latter to be set in stone; it is not that we can be better at being holy, but that the Holiness of God's love and mercy can be evident in our lives. That is your chance in every situation and every circumstance, to make known His unchangeable and unmovable promise of eternal life in Christ...

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin: but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:8-11)

"His Eyes" -2

 "His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set." (S.O.S. 5:11)

  I could not leave it there, just hanging there like that; there is so much more to be said, I can hardly contain it. Which reminds me of what John said, finishing off his testimony of Jesus Christ: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they could be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written, Amen." (John 21:25) That's a whole lot of books, if they could be written! 

  But, what if they would have already been written? Oddly enough, God's Word is ginormous! His Word cannot be contained on this little blue dot, because it spans the whole of all creation, time, any sort of measurement, whether past, present or future! To be more direct, God's Word is the center of this very conversation; the description of what we see, what we consume, and what we can carry away or stow away in our hearts, is the Word of God! There is nothing left to talk about, if God's Word be removed from the equation, just empty space and total darkness! 

  Better yet, this is more perfect in the realm of observation, seeing, and what can be touched; to be more direct, this is the like the link between two worlds: what is put forth, and what is perceived. I know, it has the makings of a serious mistake; but make no mistake about it, this is like a turning point in what we will believe or not believe. The Head is pretty obvious and has great authority, but the Eyes are the link to the human heart: if you do not see the connection, then moving on is pretty much nonessential. In other words, you might get something out of it, but it will not be the essential parts that you will need to make it all work out in your life! 

  Matthew Henry touches briefly upon this, as he says, "Blessed and holy are those that walk always as under the eye of Christ." Paul alludes to this in his letter to Galatians 6:16, saying, "For as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Once you see the gift, you cannot turn back! 

  This is what we perceive and receive in our hearts: the Word of God manifested in us, changing us, making us new creatures that are no longer what we once were but now we are what we shall be! If you will, you could simply see us as, "the rivers of waters," being looked upon with, "the eyes of doves," which are not judgmental or seeking out prey, but harmless and loving. Eyes that are washed with milk, the milk of the Word, fortifying us with the spiritual nutrition we need, always firmly set upon the Standard of God's promises of grace and mercy.

  Without these basic principles, the other parts of the body will not be seen rightly; they will be taken in, but they, like that Book that John eats in Revelation 10:10, it will be sweet in our mouth, but bitter in our belly. In other words, it will taste pretty good, but it will not set well in your heart! Which reminds me about something I learned long ago, but I loose touch with, seemingly, over and over: We are given the whole Word of God, to give out the whole Word of God; if you hold in any bit of what you are meant to give out, it will sour inside of you, as if you are ashamed of what you have been given! It is God's Word, not your word, so treat it as if it is His...

"For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." (Romans 11:21-22) 

"His Eyes"

 "His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the river of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set." (S.O.S. 5:12)

  May I make a suggestion: "Read the Word slowly," as Pastor Bryan always says! There are certain things we can easily overlook by reading God's word too fast, as many of the things we need to hear are words that tie together what comes from His heart and into ours. Many times, we spend way to too much time on the words that we think will explain the meaning of the verse, and we skim right by the words that make the connection into the center of our hearts. 

  This is something extraordinary, as that which was just mentioned is actually the lesson learned by us, as we see the way that the Lord looks upon us! In a mild sort of way, He analyzes every little bit of who we are; yet in the same instance, He separates all of that which defines us, from that which makes us more like Him. If you are so inclined; a truly great lawyer is able to overlook the hard evidence, and is able to bring to the surface that which overrules or eliminates that which might condemn his or her client. In the same manor, the truly great lawyer is always aware of the circumstantial evidence, much like, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or having been seen in close proximity of a crime. 

  Not that I advocate that good lawyers get bad people out of paying for their crimes; but if you really want to get right down to it, we are all guilty in the eyes of God's law! We just so happen to have a Savior, and He happens to be very close to the Judge; He also happens to be a very good Advocate! If you are going to need someone to defend you, you always better off having someone that knows that you are not guilty; they are more passionately going to defend you. 

  What makes this case? Is there really a case for Christ? Does this strangely worded verse show forth the power and strength which is found in our Redeemer? I confess, it has me all tied up and struggling for a way to get out of the mess; as I can hardly see the light at the end of the tunnel. Oh wait, I think it is more that evident, because I see the light: 

"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." (Hebrews 4:11-14) 

  Real beauty is in the eye of the Beholder...

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4) 

"His Head" -2

 "His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven." (S.O.S. 5:11)

   Getting a little closer to the day, we are soon going to be able to see for ourselves what "most fine gold" actually means; in the meantime, just imagine it means precious pure gold, refined to the purest! In the arena of ideas, God has spared nothing to make this ultimate plan of His foolproof and spotless; He has made every effort to insure perfect perfection, void of any mistakes, and free of any misjudgments. As we see with the Revelation of Jesus Christ, those that surround the throne, are constantly singing His praises, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, which is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

  There seems to be a great deal of confusion in the area of the Trinity, as many there are who just don't understand how there can be only One God, yet there are three very distinct persons. To be quite frank, if you really want to understand the Holy Trinity, you must begin by understanding the Son! All of those that have wrote of Him, all refer to Him as the manifestation of the invisible God, in one way or another, He is shown as God being shown! For example, John refers to Jesus and the Word, saying, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) 

  To the image of that which we can pretend to see in our minds, "precious pure gold, refined to the purest," is as close as we can get to seeing the Father, by witnessing the Son! Jesus clearing said, many times over, "I AM," which being interpreted means: If you want to see God, you need not look any further! (John 8:19) I know many brothers and sisters that cannot imagine how this works, but it all starts with believing on the Son; He is the only way to the Father! Anywho, that addresses the that; now we see that which is draped upon the Head. 

  Seeing the description John gives in Revelation 1:14, he says, "His head and his hairs were white like wool, a white as snow," which describes Him as, "The Ancient of Days," from Daniel 7:9; yet in this instance He is shown with hair black, as black as a raven. To be frank again, He is one in the same; He never goes old, but is here since the beginning! You really don't even need to try and figure it out; it is way to far above our pay-grade; we simply believe that it is so, and keep our mind set upon Him! 

  Besides, if you are interested, it is the heart that steers the ship, or vessel...

"In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (Romans 10:8-11) NLT 

"His Head"

"His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven." (S.O.S. 5:11)

  Enough of me and what's in my head; let me start by asking for forgiveness, as I have already asked of Him, for doubting that He is ultimately the One and Only One that has all of our affairs in order. Other than that, we must be about our Father's business, which is about saving souls! Reconciliation, is what this is all about: To reconcile those that are lost to the One that has made them and is in charge of their soul! If we can only just stick to our part, and stop trying to manage His! Do we understand what we are looking for? Ask, Seek, Knock, is about being a vessel, not a weapon; we are to be filled with His Spirit, that we might show forth the praise of Him, regardless of what might be going on around us. 

  Matthew Henry compares these ten detailed descriptions to the likeness given by John in Revelation 1:13 and onward; onward meaning the likeness of each presentation, including, "The Lamb as it had been slain," from Revelation 4:6. And yes, Jesus is God! There is absolutely no way that can be denied; if, that is, you are correctly interpreting the Scriptures. With that, I would like to see if the matter before us is going to make that much of a difference. You either believe or you don't; there is no way to be neutral in this matter! 

  First and foremost is the head, meaning, His Head: a representation of the highest and supreme order, as in, He who holds First Place above everything else! Paul puts this into proper perspective in Colossians 1:15-18, saying, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist: and he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have preeminence." 

  If that word, "preeminence," seems rather superior, it actually goes far beyond that in the context of what Paul is trying to get across; because this standing is speaking about predominance, which is the possession or exertion of control of power, established way before it was demonstrated on earth! This is by far the most convincing example of Jesus being above all and holding everything together. If that is not the description of God, then what else could He be? 

  Nevertheless, it is not up to me to convince anyone; the Holy Spirit is the One that is charge of that: only God can change a person's heart. Which reminds me: When we pray for those who need to be turned, is it the head or the heart that needs the turning? "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!" I haven't given up yet...

"For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt believe in thine heart the God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)   

"The Head"

 "His head is as the most fine gold; his locks are bushy, and black as a raven." (S.O.S. 5:11)

  If there was a way to describe your King, a head of gold should remind you of someone other than the King of Kings; but this is a few years prior to his arrival. I am pretty amazed by the fact that many of those that are in leadership don't see the role of the church, and how God works in and through the lives of His people. Instead, we are being told to just wait and see, as if the power of prayer no longer counts. Well, it just might not matter, if you know longer know what you are praying for and where God stands on the way the church should stand! Did we somehow become neutral on what is right and what is wrong? 

  This is pretty much a picture of perfection, as in, "I do not change," says the LORD! The Ancient of Days, does not age! If Christ is the Head, does His body not conform to His headship? It should! It must! Otherwise the salt of the earth has lost that which it created to do; which means that it has become worthless, except for being sprinkled upon the road, for those who are in control to walk over and have a better footing to march forward. 

  I am sorry, but this is something that has puzzled me for way too long. The church is meant to be the one that forces change upon the world, in pretty much every arena, but the world has forced a change upon the church; and now the church has taken a neutral stand, pretending it is not any of their business what the world does. We are not all that surprised anymore by anything, so why not just sit back and pretend it does not matter. It matters to those who want to see who will take a stand; because, so far, the church is taking a seat and letting the world do whatever it wants.

  Maybe I am being to concerned over what is happening, because after all, this is not our home; our home is up in heaven, so why should anything here matter! Because it matters to anyone that is looking for hope! Hope is not found in this world, but is only found in Christ; yet, the current culture is tearing apart the church, which is the body of Christ. Or, does that only count for what happens later on in heaven? 

  Okay, I'm not sorry; it just hurts to see our children be delivered over to the devil! because that is where this current craziness is pulling them towards, little by little, has become, one big massive tug...

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has shown it unto them." (Romans 1:18-19) 

"THE STANDARD!"

 "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousands." (S.O.S. 5:10)

  Yes, I know, it might not be the normal procedure, but it is the Right One! Whether white or dark, is totally dependent upon how He is looked upon; but regardless of your perception, He does not change: He remains Dazzling! As a matter of fact, that is one of those meanings that are listed for the word, "white," as well as three others: clear, plainly, and dry. In this context, white is bright; so bright that it exposes the darkness; much the same is visible when you gaze upon the sun; the image that is left upon your eyes when you close them, that which was bright, is darkened within your mind.

  This word is only found in four places, and it is the word, "tsach," which speaks to plainly seeing, or understanding, speaking plainly; or, in the case of judgment, to judge rightly! This is the God we serve, the One that knows the secrets of our hearts, the night visions of our minds, and the motivation behind everything that we set out to do; nothing is out of view from The Almighty God! The other three uses of this word are found in, Isaiah 18:4, Isaiah 32:4, and in Jeremiah 4:11; each one of them speak of God's view, not our view of Him, but His view of us! Thus, the perception is changed within us by our conscience and our shame; but His view is perfectly clear, and He plainly sees everything! 

  That said, (my heart be still,) this word, "Ruddy," is by far more than dazzling, it bedazzles the mind! It is the word, "adom," which is translates into two words, "red," and "ruddy." The red translated word appears 8 times, while the ruddy translation appears only once; which is the verse we have before us today. Given the context of the verse, the meaning is quite amazing and bedazzles the mind; if you so choose to make the exploration into what the Author might be aiming at, because it abundantly clear. There are really only two specific definitions that will fit: the use for a blood stained garment, and the use for a red heifer. 

  Not that it is complete without the Standard, because it is the Standard that makes it abundantly clear, for us; those of us that believe in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, we are perfectly find with the clear and plain vision that God has of our sins; in fact, we pray that He not only sees them, but helps us to overcome them, that He saves us from them, and that He sees them no more! The black hole that we see is filled with the Light of Jesus Christ; and the sin that once was there is covered by the blood of His Son! Talk about being bedazzled! Someone has been forcefully impressed; and He did it to Himself! 

  Talk about a Standard, as He said of Himself: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen: and ye receive not our witness. I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:11-15) 

  I think you know the drill...

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17) 

"Do You Want To Know" -Too

 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." (S.O.S. 5:10)

  Given what we know, this love that God has given us, is a love that was not hidden, except in the hearts of those that choose not to accept it; it is simply there for all to see, but most will not see the significant powerful love that it is. To be more clear, this was made so clear and obvious, that those who do not want to believe it, they simply do not see it! Worse than that, if they do see what was done, they deny what it means, or worse, they deny the power thereof! It is not until we see the great need we have to be saved, that we will look upon the Savior to save us! 

  As much as I can try to explain what this indicates, it is not my place to make it more obvious; that is the work and the power of the Holy Spirit. That said, I believe that we are encouraged to share that which God has placed upon on our hearts and revealed or made known us. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God my be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) What God gives any of us, never changes the Scriptures, the Scriptures change us! 

  With that, I will try my best to share this exploration, and try my best to stay within the lines. If there is anything dark that is made apparent, the darkness is within us: we are made abundantly clear of that which is obvious to God. Personally, this is ever present and cannot be denied: ever present, simply means that there is no way to be rid of it, past, present, or future; you are overwhelmingly lost in your sins! (See, I told you, clear and obvious!) "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7) (You know how much I love those verses that are numbered in power!) 

  If you know this passage of Scripture, then you know what this represents and how it shows the need for even those that are spiritual and consider themselves righteous, to see how much they need to be cleansed. After which, after being interrupted by this ordeal, Jesus continued teaching the people: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

  Pressing is the kind of a word that becomes both a need and a cure: it is a need when it applies to us, as it is an adjective, giving it the property to require change; it is the cure when it will apply to us, as it is a noun, giving it the power to change us because of the force, weight, or strength that it applies. This is pretty much that moment when faith becomes apparent, as we see the need and the cure, we make that choice of making it personal; or not...

"For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again). In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:5-9) NLT

"Do You Want To Know"

 "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." (S.O.S. 5:10)

  Before you think of your answer, which is not even really a question, you must think first of what the subject is and how much you really want to know. If the subject is talking about who He is, then that is something you should already know, because He has made that apparent to you when He came into your heart. But, there was another subject, much more pressing and personal: Who is He to you, and why is He more than enough, to you! Pressing and Personal! 

  Anywho, we have before us something of a mystery about perspective; as I presented the NLT version of this yesterday, the description said, "dark and dazzling," which seems somewhat different from, "white and ruddy." Looking up the word for "white", it would appear that there really is no apparent reason for there to be the "dark" translation we see in the NLT; except when you try and figure it out! Case in point, would be the example given to Peter, as he proclaimed who he believed Jesus was, saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus then answered, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:16-17) 

  This is not something that just anyone can begin to understand; it is not something that is made easy to perceive, not unless the Father has given you this, shall we say, seed of knowledge. Isn't interesting how a seed knows which way to go? It doesn't really matter which way you plant it in the soil, it will still grow up towards the surface. I remember as a child, planting my seeds with the slit to the top, thinking that would somehow make them grow straighter and stronger. I really did not have any real sense of direction back then! 

  Then we have this word, "ruddy," which is translated as, "dazzling," in the NLT. Riddle is not really what I want to be dealing with right now, but if you we are going to go exploring, why not pretend that we are actually on an exploration. Remember, Pressing and Personal...

"With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed -cut off from Christ! -if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshipping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (Romans 9:1-5) NLT

"Young Woman"

 "My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others! His head is the finest gold, his wavy hair is black as a raven. His eyes sparkle like doves beside springs of water; they are set like jewels washed in milk. His cheeks are like gardens of spices giving off fragrance. His lips are like lilies, perfumed with myrrh. His arms are like rounded bars of gold, set with beryl. His body is like bright ivory, glowing with lapis lazuli. His legs are like marble pillars set in sockets of finest gold. His posture is stately, like the noble cedars of Lebanon. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is desirable in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend." (S.O.S. 5:10-16 NLT)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

  How is this not God's handiwork? Where are the signs that point to His will and purposes? If it is wisdom and instruction that we are looking for, then we must fear God! The point to that, is to pay attention to what He says, as though your life depends upon it! You take everything He makes known to you as the most important thing that there is! As if you are living through any major incident, where the instructions you hear are guiding you to safety and keeping you safe. 

  If you need a practical example, the one from Acts 27 is one that comes to mind. The issue at hand was one of fearing God; in this case, Paul was God's spokesman; who with great wisdom instructed those who were in charge of the ship, causing them to listen carefully to everything he told them to do, because if they did not follow every single order, then there were going to be casualties; but if they obeyed every instruction, there would not be one single life lost, not a one! 

  There is mostly enough to understand about certain situations, just by observing the physical evidence; but there is nothing to be seen in the area that matters most, because that area is hidden from our eyes and is happening in the spiritual world that is all around us. In the case above, Paul perceived what was going to happen, as God gave him knowledge of it; not the entire ordeal, but the parts he needed to be convincing enough to get them to fear God, over that which they physically knew. They could not see the physical evidence; neither did they want to even try; but, with Paul's convincing, they feared God enough to wait for the physical evidence to appear.

  In this condition of confusion and doubt, even those who were the most unwilling to listen, they had no choice; there was those who had command of the ship which could perceive Paul knew what the outcome would be and how important it was to listen carefully to what he told them to do; which made even those unwilling, to do what they otherwise would not do. God works in mysterious ways, because He is doing things that no one can see; if we could see what He was doing, they would not be very mysterious! 

  To the answer of the riddle, it was, "Silence." Something oddly important to the beginning of wisdom! Not that God does not give us a voice, but that nothing we say will prevent us from hearing Him; most importantly, what we say in our hearts! This is so important, I am certain that God will make this point obvious to me, as I hope He will to as many that listen! By the way, there is something very different between affect and effect; but they are almost never able to be torn apart...

"What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." (Romans 9:22-26)

"Riddle Me This"

 "What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?" (S.O.S. 5:9)

  "What is so delicate that saying its name breaks it?" As much as I would like to, I do not feel as though my voice would matter; no one wants to hear the truth, because the truth makes them uncomfortable and have no real meaning or substance to what they hold dear. Besides, if we keep to ourselves and do not push it, we are freely able to move in and out of worldliness, without calling much attention to ourselves. Yea right, keep on dreaming Pilgrim; you are more exposed to those around than you know! 

  If you really want to know where you stand, as if you don't already know, there are a few questions that can help you when it comes to finding the answers, or answer, depending upon your condition. First of which: How important is it to you that Jesus died on the cross? That is not a trick question, and it really does not take you writing a book in order to explain your answer: It really comes down to six simple words, made into a proclamation, saying, He saved me from my sins! That is pretty much the reason to be so dedicated to this One: The Beloved, more important than all others! 

  The second thing that we must investigate within us, is that of your affectability. Now might be the time you think about what it means to be affected, because there are so many different things that affect us and makes us move in one direction or another. Basically, this is the second question being asked by those, whoever they are that are asking: Why should this affect my life? Who is this God, and why should it affect me to change anything in order to follow or look after Him? 

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Luke 11:9)

  Thirdly: How is your relationship to your Heavenly Father? That is important for you to know...

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:14-15)

"Young Women of Jerusalem"

 "Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this?" (S.O.S. 5:9 NLT)

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is in the world." (1 John 4:1-3)

  Whether you know it or not, there is a very huge difference between those that hold these truths to be self-evident, and those that do not! What is the big deal about whether Jesus Christ was in the flesh or not? Why is it so relevant to our redemption? Where is the benefit to our blessed assurance in His flesh and His blood? To these questions and more, the answers are plainly given; the bigger question that must be presented, is that of acceptance; Is He, and He only: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE! 

  Thirty-nine years, one month, and a little over two weeks ago, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart: to this very day, I still struggle to make Him Lord of my life and give Him complete control! Not to brag, but there have been seasons where I never questioned or doubted anything; these were the times where I was fully devoted and where anything I had that was not of Him, I freely gave Him the authority to rip it out of my life; obviously I held some things back. This is what I meant by that closing remark from yesterday: "Freedom's just another word for nothing less to lose!" 

  It matters more than many of us actually know, because, God's strength is made perfect in weakness! As the Creator of everything, Christ Jesus came to humble Himself to the curse; taking on flesh, not giving in to sin, overcoming temptation, taking on the insults, the punishment, and being crucified as a sinner, even though He had never sinned; that is the proof of God's perfect weakness! There is nothing more profound and special that can be shown in that: pure and amazing beauty was put on display; that the One who created us would do all of that to save those He created, that they would just have the slightest chance to be saved, if only they believe! 

  How weak do we need to be before we get it? How much do we need to lose till it means nothing is left? O, I am sick of love...

"Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into the captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:20-24)   

"Sick of Love"

 "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love." (S.O.S. 5:8)

  I didn't go there, but it would not make any sense to leave out how the veil of the Temple was torn in two: it was from the top to the bottom! If there was anything that could be said to indicate what this phrase, "sick of love," might represent, that illustration would fit quite nicely, as it shows God the Father ripping that veil in two, signifying that love sick passion for fellowship with us, has finally been made attainable and brought to fulfillment! 

  There is something very significant that needs to shown here, as Matthew Henry touches on, and as way too many dedicated believers tend to forget: she did not mention the assault that she went through, or that ordeal that caused her torment; more important than anything else in her heart, was the passion she had to just be with the One that she loves! How often we focus more upon our afflictions then the opportunity we have to declare our love for Christ, despite the pain and suffering, we lift up the name of Jesus! Declare the love that we have for Jesus, because He is the manifestation of the love of God, God's love on full display for all to see, that have the eyes to see Him! 

  This might not be spot-on, but I will say it nonetheless: These daughters of Jerusalem, whoever they might be, are somehow the go-between, whether self-made or fixed in place, they remind me of the institution of religion, religiosity to be exact; which is the strong religious feeling or belief, to be strong in your quality or state of being religious. Most people would consider this to be important in faith, as it makes you appear strong in your beliefs and committed to want ever feelings you might have for what you believe in. But, it takes on a life of it's own! As crazy as that might sound, it is made into an idol! 

  This is what we must discover about what it means to be "Sick of Love." Nothing else really matters but the love that we have for God! It must be stronger than what we think or feel, because it is bigger and better than anything we can ever experience in this life, on this rock, so called earth! In the words of Matthew Henry: "It is better to be sick of love to Christ than at ease in love to the world." 

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:17-19) KJV 

  Freedom's just another word for nothing less to lose...

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Romans 10:1-4) 

"THE VEIL !" -In Two!

"The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me." (S.O.S. 5:7) 

  Now, about those magnets, the direction, and which one turned: I hope this comes as no surprise to anyone, but it was God that turned to us and has drawn us to Himself; without Him becoming one of us, to take on our sins, and making us, even the least bit holy, having fellowship with us was out of the question! It was God that reconciled His relationship with us; everything that we did, do, or ever can even think of that needs to be done, it is and always has been a reaction to what He has already accomplished! If we think this is about what we do or can do, then we are missing the whole point of redemption. 

  Now about this, "veil," and why it matters so much to our change in heart. First off, the veil is not just a covering over the face, it is a barrier or a covering over the heart. In the beginning, it was the firmament that God used to divide that which below and above, which He called Heaven; and it was so: and by the way, He did not say that it was good! It was the second day, the day after He divided the light and the darkness! Moving on, just a little bit further, we see it spinning and turning, "to keep the way of the tree of life." Yes, that Sword, which God placed at the east of the garden of Eden; a barrier to the Tree of Life! As told by many, that barrier represents the Word of God; and we all know Who is the WORD! 

  As we move ahead several thousand years; Moses had to wear a veil over his face, as his face shown with the glory of God's brightness; an indication of the people's refusing to know God's will and purpose for their lives. As many people believe, the veil was not just to hide the brightness; but it was more about not revealing the brightness goes away, if we stay too long out of fellowship with God! We were made for worship! Our lives are utterly totally not complete if we do not worship our Creator! This veil that Moses wore is referred to in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, as Paul describes how that veil is done away in Christ! 

  Which, if I may, take this to, "the keepers of the walls," the walls being that which Moses represents, which is the Law of God; which for all of us, is more than just a barrier, it is also a judge, both in us and of us! As God put it to Adam: "Who told thee that thou wast naked?" Who is it that makes me feel unworthy, but that part of me that sees all of my unworthiness! If God's law is my judge, it is also that which condemns me and makes me ashamed; but as Paul puts it into perspective, the law, when it is turned to the Lord, the veil is taken away! The law no longer judges and condemns me, because the law is good, as God is good! We no longer look at the law as that which judges, but that which gives us liberty and peace. Or so the story goes; which is why we never give up...

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

"THE VEIL !"

 "The watchmen that went about the city found me, the smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me." (S.O.S. 5:7)

  You know, the biggest mistake we can possibly make, is to think the having Jesus Christ in our hearts, will keep us safe! Where did Jesus say we would be safe? He said we would be free; free indeed, to be exact; but safe! Is safe being persecuted and even killed for your testimony? Is safe being tortured and thrown in prison because you will not deny the Jesus is Lord? I guess safe must be something other than this life, if it means anything about being safe to follow Jesus! 

  "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" (Patrick Henry, from a speech he made to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church.) Oddly enough, we have this question before us today; not just us, here in this United States, but all nations though out the vast majority of the world! Think about this for just a moment. If your land was being threatened and your livelihoods being stripped away, and if your sons were able to go to war in order to protect your way of life, would you prevent it from happening to keep them safe? Is that what we did in order to establish this great nation? Is that what any nation might do, to be safe! 

  This is global pandemic, because it has been made a global pandemic! The biggest and greatest harm from this "Global Pandemic," is that there has been a mass war against our liberties and the church! So, if you are someone that likes to look for answers and you are inclined to know the truth, then here goes the answer and truth to what or who is behind this: Satan! Yes, you heard me right; it's not a question of who, but the real question is why? 

  This is more about being prepared then it is about being ready; ready does not make you strong, it only puts you at the door; being prepared is what you need, for when that door is opened! But, have no fear, because this Young Woman is better off after her assault, then she was before it! Her veil was taken away! No more excuses and no more hiding, means she finally understands who she is and why she must have her Beloved: "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part is evil spoken of, but on your part is he glorified." (1 Peter 4:14) 

  Please forgive me if I might have spoken out of turn; turn meaning the direction I was speaking...

"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 loves us." (Romans 8:35-37) NLT