"Young Woman"

 "I am my lover's, and he claims me as his own. Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. There the mandrakes give off their fragrance, and the finest fruits are at our door, new delights as well as old, which I have saved for you, my lover." (S.O.S 7:10-13 NLT)

  "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which has been planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to case away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

  For anyone that might not know, there is a difference between seasons and times; one is usually fixed and structured, based upon circular events or growth; will the other is in the moment and is based upon what might be called for or needed, sometimes with or without knowing the reason. And yes, I am quite aware of what day it is! To many, this is the time of the year when you set out to start something over, or new, or better; a time to grow! 

  If there is anything I am hoping to get better at, it is to be back in a routine of praying at 4am every single day! Lately, my time has been restructured and out of sync; my 4:00 alarm is still set, but it is more to wake me up than it is to start praying. Actually, with my morning habits, I make the bed, make the coffee, and the give Marianne her early morning medication; by then, prayer time usually starts at 4:30 and is wrapped up usually by 5:30; but some days, it is more like 5:15. 

  Another thing that needs to happen, is to make appointed times to read my Bible! If you do not make a time to read, then you will not be very good at keeping a time available to read. I have been pretty good at getting this blog posted by 7am, so I figure that 7am is a good time to spend 20 minutes reading in my Bible. If I make it a habit, there can be another 20 minutes added to the time right before I go to sleep, whatever time that might be, is usually between 9 and 10, depending upon how Marianne is feeling. Now I just need to work out the details for the middle of the day; 20 minutes at lunch: Word and bread, wherever and however possible! 

  As many of you might know, I consider myself to be conservative and in favor of free enterprise and the right to own a business or property. It is one of the things that I love about living in these United States of America. Some people, although they might seem as if they have good intentions, are not really all that interesting in those same ideas; even though it is the basic standard by which this country was established, almost 250 years ago. Does it really matter? Yes and No! It matters because of what is right; it doesn't matter, because it will all be left! 

  If there was anything that is about this time, it is the season! To be more accurate, it is more about the reason...

"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 these things we are more than conquerors though him that loved us." (Romans 8:35-37) 

  

"Walk the Talk"

 "And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak." (S.O.S. 7:9)

  "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:5-6)

  As with every new beginning, there are things which get somehow dragged in from the past; it is only the natural way it works, as we are generally creatures of habit and familiarity. It is also this same type of issue that can be used to our advantage, if we are so inclined to be used in such a way. Within these last two verses are the two most pressing issues which keep holding me back from complete surrender: having patience and living out grace. 

  Maybe you don't feel as though those are all that hard to overcome; but if I had any extra time to show you, it might get more personal and familiar what these two things represent. It is incredibly hard to try and illustrate what this feels like; but if it helps to show you what I mean, it is somewhat explained in the last word, "speak," which just so happens to be used only one time, and it basically means: "Cause to speak." Further examination of the word, it is thought to be associated with creeping about, as in, to creep; or if you like, To go slowly and gently; like treading. 

  Anywho, this crazy sort of talk is causing me to want to change the subject; therefore, I will take this opportunity to talk about the election. Talk about crazy, that my friend is not even close! Everyone by now knows that there was obvious fraud and miscounted votes; I would say that there was deceit, but it was so obvious, it is hard to try and say anyone tried to conceal what was going on. To be perfectly clear, it would appear that it was, in your face, robbery, and the takedown of an existing President. They tried every way possible, it was just one more attempt to stop, something that cannot be stopped! I am sorry if I am getting somewhat political; but this is wrong and it needs to be called out for what it actually is: Evil! So there you go: Speech with grace and seasoned with salt! 

  There is really something that we need to understand about those that have been placed in any sort of position by God: they are what they are, where they are, and for as long as they are, as long as God wants them to be; period! That is exactly what is wrong with this message! I spend more time thinking about what I should be doing then what God would have me to do in the moment; it basically means that I am constantly treading water! My mom would use the term, "Sink or Swim," as the saying goes, which means to give up or get going; but with God's way of using people, we must learn to sink before we can actually swim.

  My first response for naming the title for today, was, "Walking on Water," but it sounded a little over the top, if you get my meaning. Peter walked on water, but it was only because Jesus bid him to try; which basically means that He challenged him to give it a try. What is it that God is challenging you to do? and it you know what it is, what is holding you back? Believe in God's love for you! Yes, it is true that Peter began to sink and was afraid he was going to drawn; but at least he was up for the challenge more than he was worried about the cost. 

  That is what this actually represents: God's ways are not our ways...

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." (Romans 13:10-11) 

"Forbearance" -Too

"I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;" (S.O.S. 7:8)

  "For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

  Does it really make any sense? I guess it depends upon which side of life and death you might be on, as to how you will look for the sign and the message of hope. I can recall a message I gave, based upon the portion of the Scriptures that we were currently in, Genesis 27; which was to me an opportunity to, as was my practice, to share on the massage of the cross. I knew it was a stretch, as there was not much to work with, besides birthrights and blessings; but as it turned out, my message was more about the skins of the kid goats that Rebekah put upon Jacob's hands and neck. 

  We are seldom awarded the opportunity to really live out that kind of a trial, at least not in this current age of complex living; but to be fair, this is also the same experience we can live out as we accept Christ into our hearts. Does it really make any sense? How is this going to change things? What will I forfeit if it does not work? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God." On the one hand, you have sight; while on the other, you see absolutely nothing; but that, most assured, does not mean that nothing is there! 

  James speaks to something that is very closely related, as he says concerning those that are not doers of the word, but hearers only: "he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 1:23b-24) God's word does save you, but only if you actually put His word to work! In other words, we cannot just hear the word of God and then dwell upon it; it must actually change us and cause up to do something, whatever that something is, it must be put to work. Matthew Henry puts it in a way of life, saying, "And since God, at first, breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, and breathes the breath of the new life still, the smell of their nostrils is like the smell of apples, or oranges, which is pleasing and reviving." 

  More than anything else, this is about opportunity. Basically it comes down to a sacrifice to God, as in, it will cost you something. Forbearance is something which works in both directions: Christ died for our sins; but we must die to our selves. It makes better sense to you if you have patience; something that I am still working on and feel I will never really master. But, God has enough patience for all of us! We just need to believe that it is so; because that smell of apples, is the smell of fruit; the fruit of the Spirit...

"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." (Romans 1:16) 

"Forbearance"

 "I said, I will go up the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;" (S.O.S. 7:8)

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." (2 Corinthians 2:14) 

  Something of interest, to say the least; without thinking too much about a reason for something, you are automatically drawn to look at what is manifested or put on display. Nah, it couldn't be that; this too strange of a place to demonstrate that kind of a manifestation; or is it? I guess it might depend upon the type of love you are hoping to see manifested; because last I checked, we were kindly talking about the insignificance of our sins.

  Did you know, there is a picture painted of the cross of Christ in every single book of the Bible? No matter which book you are in, there is always going to be some sort of an illustration of the cross; whether it is the application, the physical form, or the manifestation of triumph! It really does not matter how it is displayed; the reason is the most important factor! Malefactor, is more like it! 

  To be perfectly honest with you, I had no clue as to what I was going to share about; up until I typed that first sentence about something of interest. My title was actually gong to be something based upon the title of the last two days, "This or That," was what I had in mind; that is, until I starting looking at this smell of the nose thing; then I began to smell something of interest, something to take hold of, so to speak! 

  If you have ever heard the term, 'Putting the cart before the horse,' it is basically an idiom used to suggest something is done in the wrong order; a little like dying, before you can actually come to life. That is pretty much the smell I thought I smelt...

"Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: by whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:" (Romans 1:3-5) 

  

"After This" -To

 "This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes." (S.O.S. 7:7)

  "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." (Isaiah 66:10-11)

  Without getting into a very complex and lengthy discussion about being able to stand, (as if I might pretend to be some sort of expert,) we need to understand that this is speaking about something that is a, because, situation; as in, "You are this or that because." Either, or, it is still the same this, thy stature; which is basically saying, Your stature is thus, because it is like a palm tree. In that instance, it is the palm tree because of stance; literally meaning, to be erect. 

  If you are familiar with Paul's final message in Ephesians, he speaks about putting on, "the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand," as it is the whole armor that you need, not just part of it, or not just one piece more than another; but every single piece of it is essential to your ability to stand! If you lack any piece of this, so called armor, you will not and cannot stand erect. Whether you can see that or not, it is totally up to you; I cannot force you into that kind of understanding, but it is something you must come to understand on your own: with the help of the Holy Spirit! 

  Am I saying that with understanding and putting into practice it is the foolproof way to remain standing upright in the Lord? It doesn't hurt, but it is not foolproof, by any means: because you need these breasts! If you will allow me, pretend this is just a simple illustration on your unrighteousness, where the breasts are the multitude of trespasses before God. Paul alludes to this illustration in Romans 5:20, saying, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." 

  It is not a question of the freedom to sin, because if that is your case, you wouldn't understand grace; it is because of God's mercy that our sins are covered over by the righteousness of Jesus Christ; but it is His act of making us righteous in His Son that becomes grace, as the righteousness of His Son is what we do not deserve and absolutely cannot obtain on our own. 

  What these breasts represent is very closely related to the, "consolations," mentioned in the breasts of Jerusalem, as they are the mercies of God, that not only ensure she is kept, but also make her abundant in the glory she will become! It is not just important that we stand, but it is more important that we remember to stand again, if and when we happen to fall! That is the only way that putting on the whole armor of God is made foolproof, by getting back up when you fall and standing again; doing all that you can to stand.

  I will try all I can to make this up to you, but just in case you might understand, you have got to be glad to be part of something that is so much bigger than you or me; it is because of what we are made part of that our sins are so insignificant, not because of our sins being insignificant...

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

"After This"

 "This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes." (S.O.S. 7:7)

   "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:13) 

  Having done this, now completing the eleventh year, it is easy to see why I have made every effort to not miss a single day. I am almost ashamed to say it, but it is more about fullness, than it is about being faithful in what I set out to do. At least I can say I completed something without missing an opportunity or facing a challenge; because there have been days where getting through to a signal or finding a source of power; well, let's just say, I had several chances to excuse myself for failing. 

  Anyhow, this is a practical way to open the door to excuses, as there are two things practically useful in theses two references above: Hard to knock over, and a whole lot of chances! You can make it out to be whatever you feel is useful for your type of ministry, it is totally okay and proper for you to do so; and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. As a matter of fact, I started a ministry once that was based upon one verse, Jude 2 Enterprises; which turned out to be a failure, because my heart wasn't in it anymore, not even a little. 

  Call it what you want, but it was during a time when I had put the petal to the metal, only to run straight into a unmovable brick wall: Life! You get two options when that happens: you can simply throw it in reverse and try again, or you can try to find another way, anyway, to get around it. I haven't quite figured out yet which option I took; but I have come to the understanding that God's grace is sufficient for either one! 

  For anyone out there that might be in need of a break from whatever it is that is tearing you down, it is more than enough that you need, to simply fall into the arms of only One that can actually catch you! This does not mean that you are giving up; no way, no how! You must simply realize that it is not by strength or by might that you overcome, but by His Spirit! Learning how to drown, it is not as easy as some might think, but is nevertheless vital to real surrender. He will grab ahold of you sooner or later; but why waste all that time and energy.

  To be perfectly straight forward, if you allow me: this is more meaningless than you might otherwise know. Oh, don't get me wrong, because this life matters; based upon matter, there is really no way to get around it. But when it comes to the spiritual aspect of  what is really real, this is more about happen-stance, than it is about the future! Not that God does not give us divine appointments, or keep us from going over some cliffs; because life happens, and stance is making do with whatever! Make Heaven your home, and it all makes perfect sense... 

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)   

"THE GIFT"

"How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!" (S.O.S. 7:6)

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24)

  Emmanuel, meaning, "God is with us." As a conclusion to that portion of the last verse, "the King is held in the galleries," there is the implication being shown of the work of the Holy Spirit that is witnessed in our imaginations and our understanding of God's word, or Word of God; either is equally important! It might be easier to understand what is taking place, if you can simply imagine that the change which has taken place is not based upon a physical change, but is based upon the spiritual and supernatural likeness to God and the beauty of His holiness. 

  If you are asking me if I believe that Jesus was and is God, I will tell, that it is absolutely correct! Was He God as He laid there in the straw, swaddled in front of Mary and Joseph; absolutely 100% correct! He was born, Emmanuel, since the moment of conception! If you want some sort of proof, read Luke 1:41-45 as it shows the Him exalted while in the womb. This is not something that is up for debate; as some might have it. This is a matter of believing or not believing who Jesus was and what great a sacrifice was given that you and I could have fellowship with a Holy God! 

  If you are looking for something extraordinary to be flashing out from behind this verse, it will only be obvious if the reason is made abundantly clear. Which reminds me of something I heard yesterday as I listened to someone describe how God revealed Himself to Moses, as it says in Exodus 33:22-23, "And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen." This back parts thing, is not His behind, but is speaking about the area below His calves, which would implicate His feet! Genesis 3:15 should come to mind with that! 

  To be very serious for a moment, this is probably the closest you can possibly get to a verse that speaks of sexual desire; because, it is implied in the word, "love," and in word, "delights". This is not something that is erotic, this is about becoming One, as in two becoming one; as that which might be experienced between a man and a woman that have a real sanctified special relationship, as God has ordained it to be. This is what Paul was speaking about, without speaking about, in Ephesians 5:32, as he was speaking of the Lord and the church: "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph. 5:30-32)

  The gift of God, although salvation is key to what has taken place, it is not the end of what God has intended for us to be saved for: we are to be One with God...

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into the place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2) NLT

"Picture Perfect" -Too

 "Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the King is held in the galleries." (S.O.S. 7:5)

  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)

  You have heard of a puff-piece, well it is usually meant to oppose or downplay an another viewpoint; a slightly exaggerated version of a person or thing, meant to soften the blow of the reality of what is really going on, of who, or what, or how, any story might actually be. So, there is this thought that I was gently reminded of last night, which involved my imagination of what my Heavenly Father might be doing and saying during one of my acts of naughtiness, that is, if I might even happen to think of Him during such a time. In my home growing up, my mother might have barked out my first and middle name, saying, "Richard Alan! What do you think you are doing!" 

  There is something of a mystery to this, "huge crowd of witnesses," as some might say that we are being watched by them, not that we observe their lives. Scary thought, if you are ever wondering if anyone is able to actually observe your actions in the dark. But here is the thing we might not totally understand: Nothing is hidden from God, not even our thoughts; not even the dreams we have in our heads at night! I know, you can go ahead and say it, "Merry Christmas!" 

  To be perfectly clear, there is nothing that I can do, not even the things I don't think that I can do, that my Heavenly Father is not aware of me doing: He knows every single thing about me! Do you see the picture this is painting yet? Yes, the hair is purple! Better yet, it is a red-purple, which just so happens to be the color of blood when it is exposed to the atmosphere; a covering, if you will, for this bird-brained head; the one that does the things it configures and plans to do, with whatever might be at my disposal. 

  You might already know this, but just incase you don't: There is a reason that Jesus had to come here as a baby born upon this earth; because every king must be born into the position by which they rule; it is the position that they inherit by right of birth. Therefore, make sure the picture you have of Him, has a gleam in His eye, and a giant smile upon His face; because this King is THE BOSS...

"When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died -from the time of Adam to the time of Moses -even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12-17) NLT

    

"Picture Perfect"

"Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the King is held in the galleries." (S.O.S. 7:5)

  I know that there are differences in opinions and the way we might see God's hand being placed upon certain people's lives; but the main thing that I think we need to understand, is that God makes people the way that they are: some are, quite frankly, more important than others. Does that mean that He has favorites or some that He esteems more dear to His heart? Not quite; because to be perfectly clear, the really important ones are usually the ones that get chewed up by this world the most. 

  As many of you know, Solomon did not ask God for money and fame; he asked God to give him wisdom to rule over His people. God granted him that requested, and, because he did not ask for fame and fortune, He showered that upon him, as a bonus. I know this might sound a little silly, but having a head upon your shoulders that is like Carmel, is just the opposite of the head upon the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland; it might more like saying, 'Your head upon you is tiny, but lovable.' Surprisingly, this is not an insult or a strange description of beauty; it is more a comparison to capability in size, as if to say, 'It might be small, but it has great potential.' 

  Did you mom ever call you a, Bird-brain? I was gifted with that title now and again; it seemed as though it was an insult; something that meant my brain was the size of a peanut. But like it or not, it was actually a complement, even if it was not given out as such. If there is anything special about birds, it is that they are gifted with the ability to do, to build, to make do with whatever they have at their disposal. If it is abundantly available, they might not really know what to make of it! 

  Anywho; this is getting a little stranger as it goes, so I will talk about something a little more sensible and normal, like purple hair; yes, that will make better sense than peanut size brains, by far! What do you think purple represents? It's the color purple! Nothing more and nothing less! It's the hair that is the oddity, as it might be the origination of the term, "sick," as if to say, 'Man, your hair is sick!' Not that I am trying to make light of this, but you have got to see the purpose of what is being illustrated; by a man that is gifted with more than he knows what to do with.

  It might seem a little strange, but it is all for a reason! God uses the smallest, most insignificant things, to give the greatest details into His majesty and might! If you don't believe me, then you need to start looking into this creation a little deeper; because the deeper you go, the more significant the Creator becomes! You really can't make this stuff up...

"Let not your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." (Romans 14:16-19)  

"Big Stretch" -To

"Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus." (S.O.S. 7:4)

  To is the point, as to Whom we give the glory for everything! As for the title, it was flashing before my eyes as a joke, or so I thought, until I was drawn closer to hear what God was trying to say: "Stretch out your arm and trust Me!" There is a really big difference between two very similar words: practical and practicable; although they both are very closely related to practice, as in, to put into practice! Practical is something that is used as in, can it be put into use; while practicable is actually something to be put into practice. If you are familiar with how God works, practical is not His usual way of getting things done; because if it were practical, we could probably do it without His help. 

  I know that it might seem like a stretch, but that is exactly what the neck is representing, as in, to stretch out the neck, as in towards a specific direction. When God referred to the children of Israel as stiff-necked people, this was not the sort of illustration that He was talking about; just the opposite meaning was the meaning of His words: people with stiff necks are unable to move them or even lift up their heads; they are constantly looking down upon everything, instead of looking up! This "tower of ivory" is the exact opposite of what that would represent; because this speaks of being something of importance, much as a model that might be showing off the new fashion, as she walks casually down the runway. 

  If the goal is furtherance, then it would be that you are part of something new and exciting, and you know it! Not that it makes you above anyone else; but that it makes part of something that is: GOD! No matter who you are or what you are about, if you know that God is using your life, you can have a sort of confidence that everything is for His specific purpose; even if you aren't quite sure what it is that you are meant for or how it will all work out. This is where practicable comes into play, as it is your role to practice being obedient; especially when you don't know why, because it doesn't seem practical. 

  Which then takes us to these eyes! What are you looking at, and why! That simple question comes to mind, the one Jesus asked those two disciples on the road, "What things?" If you are looking at things from your point of view, your looking in the wrong direction! These fish-pools are spoken of by Matthew Henry, as artificial fish-pools, as they were placed at the gate, a gate of great thoroughfare; meaning that there were many that passed by that were able to see these artificial pools of fish! Why? 

  Practicable is something that is put into practice because it can be done, over and over again; if it cannot be repeated, then it is not something that is practicable. The whole point of our understanding to how God works, is not based upon what we expect or think He should do; but that we simply show up and trust He will do what He does! 'I don't know what you are doing, Lord, but I will do what you tell me to do; even though I don't see the practical application!' Matthew Henry says, "The understanding, the intensions of a believer, are clean and clear as these ponds." God said it, I believe it, and that settles it! Clean and clear!  

  If the goal is furtherance, then it is based upon the eyes being placed upon the will of God, the One that does not change, but makes all things new! Everything and anything can happen; the beauty from ashes; the flowers from thorn bushes; the life from the dead. You name it, God can make it happen; but you can rest assured, it will not happen the way that you plan, but for His purposes! 

  Which then takes us on the other side of the colon: Thy Nose; is your countenance! Count it all joy...

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For Example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the of those that love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:26-28) NLT

"Big Stretch"

"Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus." (S.O.S. 7:4)

  Then again, something that might be easy to understand, is sometimes not all that easy to accept; not because it cannot be accepted, but it is just way too difficult to adjust our position to the lesser! There is really no other way it can be explained. If you can accept this, as for what it is worth: your life will be judged more for what you did not do, than it will be for what you did: "Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)

  In a very interesting way, each of these instruments listed above are used for furtherance. If you are familiar with the word, furtherance is the advancement of a plan or interest; which simply means that you are engaged in what is the plan and are interested in seeing it carried out! If ever there might be something that causes me to hesitate, it might be this one, somewhat mysterious feature: What will happen to my life, and where will I get comfortable, if ever again? 

  Two very familiar issues come to mind, the excuses given for not following Jesus, in Matthew 8:18-22, and the parable of the talents, in Matthew 25:14-30. Both of these instances deal with waste, as in, the chance to be part of the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ. One deals with comfort, the other deals with chance; both involve the same ability to step out into something, much like the children of Israel in the wilderness, when they did not first cross the Jordan.

  Having been in sales for most of my life, I am familiar with the process of stretching out into new horizons; you have no idea what you are capable of doing until you step out and start doing it! It is just a fact of life: you go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you will be able to see further. It is a very practical application for normal goal setting and achieving something that causes us to move ahead, in whatever sort of activity or job that you want to excel in. 

  That said, this is not your average sort of activity! Nothing we do within the kingdom of God has set goals and planning, at least not in the way of the work! The planning is only in us, nothing else is placed between what we can do and what God can do with us, but what we are willing to allow God to do! If only I would have listened, is pretty much a common theme for those that failed to move or do; but there is one small problem, the ears are not your issue, because hearing, you heard, but doing, you did not! 

  I am so so sorry for taking this into something else; but if it makes you feel any better, there is comfort in the end result. Besides, God can use even those that are useless; because somebody needs to clean up after the main events...

"For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose -to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, "As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" (Romans 14:7-11) NLT

"Abundant Life"

"Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins." (S.O.S. 7:3)

  As many of you might know, life is sometimes unfair and unjust; you can do everything within your power to do what is right, and you still end up getting the short end of the stick. The key to this verse is that of nourishment for the church, as well as that of the individual; as they are both feed upon each other, there is a connection also to the belly, which supplies this amazing substance that is produced. 

  For the sake of time and to speed up the process, let's just say that there are two worlds by which we are part of: this world in which we are currently living, and that to which we are patiently waiting for; but the two are separate, yet they are also, completely connected. The issue that is exposed in Luke 16:1-13, is one of trying to hold on to both worlds, verses, the proper way to live, where we let go of this world and pay forward into the next. Therefore, both worlds will count as treasure; as one is treasure spent, the other is treasure earned and stowed away. 

  The reason that the Pharisees were so upset, is that there lives were based upon and practiced living for this world, storing up in this life, and making everything of meaning about them; what people thought of them, how they were seen among each other, and why it was so important to be them; even though their hearts sought the praise of men, but not of God! Crazy as it might seem, but that type of attitude is what gets you nothing but misery and untouchable peace and joy. Try all you want to, but there is nothing to be gained in this life if you are simply wanting to be praised by those who are in your same fallen world! 

  The manager of the rich man's goods was falsely accused for wasting his goods; yet it caused the opposite reaction in the his heart; instead of being upset or worried, as he should have, he planned on instead making favor with all of the rich man's debtors. Simply put, the rich man is the devil! The devil is the ruler of this present world, it's fame and fortune, it's spent and falsely secure life. To take away from the devil's accounts, which is that which he has earned, you must show those debtors, which are those who owe on the accounts, forgiveness; the simply act of forgiveness is the key! 

  We do not enter into heaven without the forgiveness of our sins, and we cannot enter in without showing forgiveness to others. The two points are exactly the same; you do not have the one without the other. If you want to live in forgiveness, then you must live in forgiveness! If you cannot forgive others, then your Heavenly Father won't forgive you! It is pointless to try and have peace and joy, because your unforgiveness is what makes it untouchable to hold onto. You will be miserable here, and, unfortunately, you will be miserable there, wherever there might be. 

  In this regard, we see the contrast between the two worlds, as the one is involving the act of giving away, while the other is that of storing up; both of which involves others! You get to bless others here, and can actually feel great in doing so; while at the same time, you can earn yourself a Welcoming Committee in Heaven! Ah phooey, it is probably just about a set of breasts...

"We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen upon me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:1-6) NLT  

"Heaven-Bound" -Too

 "Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies." (S.O.S. 7:2)

  Just so you know, I don't think that I am alone in this crazy illustration, because it is too obvious to be something that can just be made up without any prompting or guidance from above. But, just to make things clear, I will try my best to show you the connection. First, by saying a few introductions to the premise of motivation and soundness of why and what for; as Matthew Henry sums this up, common sense will do the rest: "All the body is nourished from the belly; it denotes the spiritual prosperity of a believer and the healthful constitution of the soul all in good plight."

  Now, I don't know about you, but for me, if heaven wasn't the goal here, some of this crazy life would not make any sense whatsoever! If it weren't for the fact that heaven is waiting for me and my wife to show up, this would be less meaningful and utterly a huge was of time! Bother Pat's comments from almost a decade ago, well let's just say, I might have taken him up on finding some other way to find companionship. But thanks be to God, He has shown me what is good and best for my soul!

  Anyhow, it goes a little something like this: Do you remember that silly little song about bones? The one that goes, "The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone, " and so on; well, I simply went through the meanings of each and every word, connecting them into a perfect illustration of what was shown to be a bullet proof man that had nothing else more important, than getting into heaven! There is nothing else we can look forward to, but being with Jesus; everything else is ultimately useless and is not going to go with us; except, those that we can bring along with us! 

  I case you might not have heard, after you have been saved, you cannot get any more saved than that! To put it nicely, you are not really like a fine wine; you are maybe a little wiser, but you more than likely have taken on some bitterness. Sanctification is very peculiar word, best used to describe the very peculiar way that God tolerates keeping us some of us around. It means the action of making or declaring something holy: which, if you want to get honest about it, without Jesus making intersession on my behalf, none of making and declaring would actually make any sense.

  No, my dear brothers and sisters, we are not really here to get any more holy, we are here to be salt and light! We are here to represent heaven on this crazy earth; to show off what God has done in us, so that He can show us off at a very special time appointed! (Ephesians 2:1-10) That clump of wheat that is surrounded by lilies, that is what it means to be spent for Christ: we must die to ourselves and bring others to a greater understanding of what it means to be heaven-bound! 

  It is important that I get this illustration set up for those two twins that are coming next; because there is something that must be weighed in the balance. For greater understanding to what I believe this means, the potion of Scripture in Luke 16:1-13 is a perfect illustration of how this works. By the way, the Pharisees which heard Jesus share on this, were really upset and ridiculed Him over the parable. It must have struck a cord in their hearts; either that, or it showed them what they were made of and what was most important to them, was an abomination to God...

"Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it." (Romans 11:11-12) NLT 

"Heaven-Bound"

"Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies." (S.O.S. 7:2)

  You might not see this portrayed anywhere, at least not with this sort of twist; but if I do not proclaim it in the way that I receive it, I will be wasting something that was not mine to waste. In a really strange and mysterious sort of way, that opening statement is pretty spot-on to the point that I believe is made in this presentation of what it looks like to be heaven-bound! This is not just about a belly-button and a belly; this is about that which is connected to the reality of heaven, that it is really going to happen, because there is no doubt that it is so.

  We are given something that is not easy to explain or show, but it is lived out! The only way it can be shown is by letting others explain your reasoning and your actions. "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one," a quote by John Lennon, is a practical way to explain how it works; because there will be those that watch and take notice of your life, seeing the connection in the others that also believe as you do, and then understanding it s not just a dream, but it must be real. To which, we are holding a gift that is not our to waste! The waste is to them which behold what you have demonstrated, and then ignored the reality of what it represents. 

  Yes, I know, I'm just wasting time and making stuff up, right? Yep, that's me in a nut-shell! But, if you are so incline, let me show you what I believe the Lord is showing me, based upon what I know in my heart. First of all, let me ask you what a navel is made for and where it originates? You could say that this pertains to being as an infant and desiring the pure milk of the Word; it would fit nicely, except for the little twist. Jesus told Nicodemus, who happened to be very familiar with the Scriptures, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

  Would you consider that some sort of a sign, that if a man is born again, he can then see the kingdom of God? If he were to see the kingdom of God, then by what would his sight be realized? There is a real connection here between that which is seen and that which is understood. Don't ask for me to explain it, because it cannot be understood until it can be seen; but once it is seen, it cannot be disputed or denied. Even if you might be lead astray, there is not any way for it to mix; which is where the twist comes in, because your soul and the Word of Truth are twisted, entwined like a rope! You, the Word, and the Holy Spirit make up this umbilical cord; a cord which is created at the time of your new birth! 

  The round goblet is such, as it holds truth and the reality of heaven, which does not mix well with the things of this earth. Not to say that it cannot happen, but as the Scripture says, it is not wanted in the cup; at least not by the Word and the Spirit! Just a little FYI for those that might feel defeated or at odds with the pull towards doing what is right: there are two strands verses your one, so you are totally outnumbered! Give in to that which is greater within you! "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) 

  And then we have this thing, "thy belly," the seat of hunger and mental faculties; that which you yearn for and put your mind upon; that is that which gives you the courage and takes away the fears! If you got it in your belly, then it is going to be quite obvious to those around you! Like lilies around a heap of wheat; when you go, it is time to flower. You know, there is another law that is defeated by death...

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him whom is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7:4-6)  

"Prince's Daughter" -2

"How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman." (S.O.S. 7:1)

  In regards to the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives peace to those that are secure in Him; not the peace that the world gives, which is based upon the security of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; all of which is never really secure, because it is fought for and is only as secure as the people which govern it will make it to be. The peace that Jesus Christ gives is not of this world, but is based upon that which is eternal and is more important than merely temporary things that world might contain. 

  If you want to get right down to it, what you see happening in this world right now, is the stripping away of what peace this world might offer; causing many people to wonder how secure their life and liberty actually is; and whether or not happiness can still be pursued at all. It just so happens, happiness is not secure, at all, because stuff happens! Happiness ends when stuff happens! Joy, on the other hand is not ours to make or take from; it is the Lord's to be given to us! You cannot loose that which is not yours to begin with; He gives peace, He gives joy, and He gives us unfailing love! 

  This is the beauty of the feet, these "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Otherwise they are only as significant as the single beat of a drum, or the anvil which might be of use to a blacksmith, but that is otherwise just weighty and gaudy. This is in reference to the spiritual application, and in so doing, it is the shoes that make the difference! The preparation of the gospel of peace, is just what it implies; God's peace to all mankind, perfectly packaged and prepared for delivery; the messenger that owns the feet that it is worn upon, simply needs to show up, and let God do the rest! 

  The joints of her thighs, as the Prince's Daughter, are complex and extraordinary, being like jewels, they possess the reflections of light with all the different angles and colors; as though cut and formed by, The Master Workman, none other than our Creator! This is what goes hand in hand with the gospel of peace, as it demonstrates the complexity and brilliance of what makes His peace unlike any other. It cannot be undone and it cannot be replicated; it is one of a kind and has taken thousands of years to mature and be tested. It has passed every test of time! 

  You might be skeptical and weary, but it is only because you are not paying attention to the words! God does not speak without His words doing something; they are intended to do what He has spoken them to do, and they do not return back to Him void! If you will, it is as if He breaths out and in; which is the significance of these joints of her thighs, cunning work, unmatched excellency; that cannot be replicated, because it is only brought forth from God's own mouth. He breaths out before He breaths in; which is the complete opposite of how we breath, which is in and then out! 

  Anywho; you can begin to see why that it is there so much to package up in this, as Paul might say, "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility or worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increased with the increase of God." (Colossians 2:18-19)

  If we are going to be free, it is only through Christ we are made free indeed! If we are going to have life, it is only in Christ that life is undisturbed! And if we really want happiness, then the joy of the Lord is where real happiness will come from and will always remain! Something to speak out; because there are many that are actually listening... 

"For whosoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how can they preach, except they are sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them, that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:13-15)

"Prince's Daughter"

 "How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman." (S.O.S. 7:1)

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

  Pretty much, that is what we see, in a nut-shell! In a strange sort of way, in this, He shows her beauty being minimized, but magnified by the enhancement of certain articles and features. As we see the feet, with beauty enhanced by the shoes, and the joints of the thighs, being made like jewels, not because they look like jewels, but because the hand of the cunning workman that made them. These are basically the same principles established within the Book of Ephesians, as we are told how we need to abide in Christ, if we are able to walk in Christ; and if we are able to stand, then it will be Christ that will enable us to stand! 

  This principle is illustrated well in a book called, "Sit, Walk, Stand," by Watchman Nee. Within the book he shows the connection of this by using an illustration of a paraplegic that must sit in their chair in order to be able to walk; but if that same paraplegic is going to stand, when he stands it will be by the power of God, not of his own! As mentioned by Paul, the glory in his infirmities, does not indicated that he will somehow give these things praise or admiration; but rather, that he would look for the power of Christ to overcome and enable him, despite and beyond his infirmities. 

  We cannot be what we should be without Christ working in us and through us; if we think that we can, then we will set ourselves up for a very big fall and disappointment! As if to say, you are not going to be able to drink from the fountain, and then expect the drink will sustain you until you are thirsty again. If you are going to be empowered in Christ, then the fountain must remain within you! 

  Back to the point about how important it is that we confess our sins; it is important because we must remain abiding in Christ! Not that unconfessed sin will pull us away from Christ, but that if we are going to walk in Christ, we must stay abiding in Him; when we refuse to confess our sins, the miracle of His sin washing power is being minimized or ignored; not that it could ever be minimized from what it does, but that is what we forfeit within ourselves, peace and the ability to walk in Him! 

  Why someone that is pastoring a flock of sheep would not teach his flock how to stay within the fold, is totally beyond understanding! When we fail to confess our sins, it enables the enemy to get a hold upon us, as we have slipped away from the flock or wandered off into a place unprotected. This is more about what is taking place within our hearts, then it is about being separated from Christ. I will not accept the notion that a born-again believer can ever be separated from Christ, because we cannot undo something that Christ has done; we cannot change the address have been given by the places that we might visit!

  Other than those things, the prince's daughter, as we shall see, does not go into battle or fight in any wars! She is pampered and kept...

"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 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." When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners." (Romans 4:1-5) NLT

"Young Man" -Continued

"How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O queenly maiden. Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of skilled craftsman. Your navel is perfectly formed like a goblet filled with mixed wine. Between your thighs lies a mound of wheat bordered with lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twin fawns of a gazelle. Your neck is as beautiful as an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the sparkling pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim. Your nose is as fine as the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus. Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel, and the sheen of your hair radiates royalty. The king is held captive by its tresses. Oh, how beautiful you are! How pleasing, my love, how full of delights! You are slender like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters of fruit. I said, "I will climb the palm tree and take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like grape clusters, and the fragrance of your breath like apples. May your kisses be as exciting as the best wine, flowing gently over lips and teeth." (S.O.S. 7:1-9 NLT)

  Remember, these are verses two through nine in the Hebrew text, so the final verse of chapter six would have been part of this conversation. However, there are many historical translators that have little or no regard for this book, as many deny it is worthy of being included, mostly because of the content within what is shown above. And then, there are those who believe it to be one of the most amazing, illustrative, and complex writings that has ever been written; and, I am beginning to think I agree! 

  Let me start this off with a simple reminder: If you cannot believe that God could creative the earth and heavens in the time specified, six days, then you will be limited in your understanding of everything that God is able to do. If it takes faith to understand that God is capable of doing anything, then that same faith is needed to understand how much He loves you, regardless of who or what you were! God's view is to see you for what you are in Him; that you are wonderfully and beautifully made in His image. How that is to be pictured, is something that is beyond our current understanding; but as John describes it: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

  I do not know or understand a whole lot of stuff, but what I do understand is that God loves me and that He has done everything that He could to save me! If the God that created all of this, just like He said He could, did all that He could to save us from utter destruction, then I believe that we are saved indeed! There is no turning back from that! Even if it were possible, I believe that He will not allow it to happen: His law of sanctification will not permit it, because once He makes something pure and perfect, it remains pure and perfect in His sight! There is no other Judge, so if He sees you perfect, then you are perfect indeed! 

  You can agree to disagree if you like; but it will not change anything, except how you feel! Do you feel safe and secure? Doubtful of your eternal security? Frail and afraid of death or dying? These are questions that need to be asked and answered; it is not even a question of maybe, but what is in your heart! If you were told today that you are going to die, what would your heart say? Crazy, is just an excuse to express yourself in ways that you would not otherwise; but this is not something I believe can be easily pushed off or overlooked. 

  If we do not totally believe what we are doing, then why do we believe it will matter in the end...

"Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:27-31)     

"CHAPTER SEVEN"

THE SONG OF SONGS (Chapter Seven)

"Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." (Psalms 100 NLT)

  Oh, how I wish I could do justice to this upcoming masterpiece! But, I do have a little something to add, if you will, as a little bit of a distraction that turns into the main attraction. Yesterday I was blessed to hear a certain teaching, unlike anything else that I have heard; as it had to do the a very young child; an infant, no less, that was God's gift to the entire world! You might know who this infant is, because He is God; the one that is so called, Son of Man! 

  Amazingly, I had not ever heard this told the way I heard it yesterday. Long story short: the Creator of the universes, of all heaven and earth, became an infant, a small little baby! I know what you are thinking, 'What's so special about that?' Well, if you must know, the Creator God, was placing Himself in the care of His creation! I know, it's obviously what happened, much as most any child born, is dependent upon the mother to nurse and care for them; because without being cared for they would surely not survive.

  But that is the most amazing part of the story! He placed His life within the hands of His creation! Talk about faith, 'Oh ye of little faith, let me show you what it looks like to have real faith!' If the God of all creation can put His trust in man, how or why is it so hard for man to put trust in Him? Besides that, the most weakest possible way to show up on earth, was to come in the form of a little baby. You can think upon that for a little bit, because the connection to weakness and strength, is that God's ways and our ways are worlds apart! Besides that, do you know why swaddling cloth? What did it mean? 

  Talking about babies, the Baby-Boomers are beginning to reach the age of dependency, as they are moving into their 60's, 70's and up, they are beginning to start using up the retirement systems, that are probably not even there. Just to give you a little comfort, if you are worried; there is a vaccine for you, if you are concerned about finances or retirement. So have a little faith...

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet, God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as a sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." (Romans 3:23-26) NLT

"The Why" -Too

"What will ye see in the Shuiamite? As it were the company of two armies." (S.O.S. 6:13b)

  Now, regarding those questions about 1 John 1:9, which says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." About that pastor's assumption of who this was written to: "We," is not used to represent those that are not of the faith, it is to speak to those that have the Light, that walk in the Light, and that have the Truth within them. This Truth, of which John is speaking, is that we do have sin; I sin, you sin, we all sin! If we do not think we have sin, we are calling God a liar, because He says throughout His word, "All have sin!" Yes, the blood of Jesus washed away all my sins, but I still step into it, almost every hour of every day! Sin is falling short of God's holiness and righteousness! Examine yourself, see if you are there yet, and then ask yourself where you stand. 

  There is a strong misrepresentation of God's grace, yes I said grace, being put forth in the teaching of any pastor that might teach his congregation that they no longer need to ask for forgiveness. Mercy is how God's does not give us what we deserve; the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin, so we no longer are under judgment and headed to hell. But grace is how God gives us that which we do not deserve, the right to come asking for more mercy, again and again! And just in case we might be over our quota, He has given us an Advocate, His Son! He always wins His case before the Father! That's Grace! 

  Besides that, the woman who asked if it was so, she should have known already; because she was taking the time to call and ask, she shows promise in knowing the Truth, yet she doubted what the Holy Spirit had shown her. I am not saying she did wrong, because there are many good saints that get things wrong all of time. But when it comes to sin, we must know that it cannot be something that we are able to hold onto! I was quite aware of this by my second or third day, after I asked Jesus into my heart. There were plenty of sinful things around me, having other inmates nearby. I happened upon a sinful magazine, decided it was okay to take a look, and then felt terrible afterwards for doing so. It was not a question of if I needed to ask for forgiveness, but my question was more about where I could find a place to kneel down and cry! 

  Now we need to look upon this, "Shulamite," and what we shall see! It is here only where we find this name given; twice it is used: once by the Young Women of Jerusalem, as they want her to return so they might look at her, and then again by the Young Man as He asked, "What will ye see." What this word means, is, "the perfect" or "the peaceful." Both of those meanings are products of God's grace: we are the perfect, because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from every sin; we are the peaceful because we know and understand that our sins are forgive, past, present, and future sins; every sin is removed and thrown away! 

  This great grace is given to us freely, without any work, or practice, or ritual, or any other single thing! As a matter of fact, we have no other thing to do, but simply receive His forgiveness and abide in the grace that is freely given. It is by grace that we are saved, because grace gives the right to be called the sons of God; inheritance into the Kingdom of God is where we find peace! There is no other way to get there, and there is no other way that we are assured to remain there: Abiding in Christ Jesus is the only way! What that means, is that you are going there because you abide in Christ, and that you remain there because you abide in Christ! What is so complicated with understanding any of that? 

  Does that then give us the right to sin? No Way Hosea! We gave up that right with mercy! What is it that you think mercy gives? The right to live, to have peace, to know joy, to love, and to be free from sin! Mercy gives us a second chance! Grace is the second chance! "As it were the company of two armies," is the dance the dancers dance in the camp, the encampment of this thing we call salvation!

  As Mathew Henry puts it, "As it were the company of two armies," in the case she might be the one speaking: "Or it may denote the constant struggle that is grace and corruption in the souls of believers; they are in them as two armies continually skirmishing, which makes her ashamed to show her face." Or if it be He speaking: "'I tell you what you shall see in the Shulamite; you shall see as noble a sight as that of two armies, or two parts of the same army, drawn out in rank and file; not only as an army with banners, but as two armies, with a majesty double to what was before spoken; she is as Mahanaim, as the two hosts which Jacob saw (Gen. 32:1-2), a host of saints and a host of angels ministering to them; the church militant, the church triumphant.' Behold two armies; in both the church appears beautiful."

  Now you ask me again what we are looking at, because my answer remains the same...

"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 Why"

 "What will ye see in the Shuiamite? As it were the company of two armies." (S.O.S. 6:13b)

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and theses are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Galatians 5:17)

  Why the why? It just so happens, that according to goggle, the most popular word used in 2020 has been the word why: Why so much this? Why is there that? Why did they go there? Why am I still doing this blog? Why can't I quite facebook? Well, just so happens, I did quite wasting time on the evil network; but I still keep getting emails and reminders from them, even though I have not used it for over 7 years. It would seem that they still have my profile open, and apparently, people are still posting to my account. The sad thing is, they don't get a response and that makes them think I don't like them anymore; go figure! 

  I need you to be aware of this, before I go any further: I am not a Bible expert, nor do I pretend to be; I am simply journaling with this blog, making my journal open for anyone to see. Much of what I say, I do not fully understand; some of what I say, I doubt it is even provable or plausible. But for what it is worth, it gets me up with an expectant heart, willing and ready to explore this relationship with the Lord. To be honest, it makes me wonder sometimes if there is anyone paying attention, based upon the views. They took away my tracking, so I can no longer tell where the views come from; but besides that, I keep telling myself, this is not about the views, this is about keeping it going! If you think it is easy, give it a try; but be you warned, it has ups and downs, spins you around, and is both encouraging and discouraging; sometimes both in the same moment!  

  Anywho: you have got to see this from the view from heaven, if you are going to fully understand the just of what is being said. First things first: please take notice of the tense in the question, because it is not a question of what do you see, or what did you see; but rather, "What will you see." Contrary to some belief, God does not always see things the way that we see things; God's view is totally and completely different than man's view; understandably different from almost every angle! If you do not know why that is, as Dr. Martin might say, "Truth by definition is exclusive. If truth were all-inclusive, nothing would be false." I heard somewhere that before he passed on, he became a Post-Toasty; but I guess that really does not matter; at least not to him! 

  In the NLT version of this, that question is predicated with a, "why," as to ascertain what they were looking at, saying, What do expect to see her do, or what are you looking for in her. If you ask me, I think it is more about, about! As in, Why can't you see what I see! (Because that is more a statement than a question; God sees the heart!) About is more than just the here and now, because the real matter is not based upon this, but is based upon that which shall be! "Can you see what I see!" is more of a statement than it is a question, because there is no way that we can see what God sees; at least not from this angle! 

  Back to my comment about Walter, for just a moment: We are pressing into something very serious and very soon; what it represents, I have no idea, except that God does have a 'winepress' as mentioned in Revelation 14:19; and as I believe, the church is not going to be pressed into that press, but instead will be snatched away, long before that winepress is used. Understanding the times, is an under-statement, because this train ride is getting crazier by the minute. But do not fear, because God is on His throne, is in full control, and has more than a plan: He has His will, which thwarts any plan of man! 

  Let me quit while I'm ahead...

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

  

"Young Man"

"Why do you stare at this young woman of Shulam, as she moves so gracefully between two lines of dancers?" (S.O.S. 6:13b NLT)

""So tell them, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: May all your jars be filled with wine.' And they will reply, 'Of course! Jars are made to be filled with wine!'"" (Jeremiah 13:12 NLT)

  Nothing we can do will ever stop God from loving us; but that does not mean that we can get away with anything that we might do! God is so amazing in His love for us, that He cares deeply for the direction we might be going. It would be uncaring if He would just let us go on without giving us warning or some sort of consequence that causes us to wake up and turn away from our sinful lives. Obviously, it might not be so easy to understand your consequences are hurting you, if you are having so much fun with your sin! 

  Now, let me tell you about the boy, the one who dreamt he was a mountain, but realized he was actually on top of the mountain: He placed his banner upon that mountain and called it his own! If it comes down to being made humble, it is not something that can be bought or taught; you must earn it by giving up on selfishness and pride; two things that cost you dearly to hold onto, but are absolutely free to give away! Does that remind you of anyone in three of the four Gospels? 

  On a little stranger note, this condition here is getting rather exciting to observe; regardless of the way it might turn out, this country is most likely never going to be the same as it was. That said, my prayer is that the church gets strengthened and starts depending more upon God and less upon what man, on so many different areas, whether it be for finances, feedback, or fortitude! The church most not cower in the face of adversity; because, Greater is He that is in us, than he that is the world! If you think that counts for you, as an individual, it is magnified in the body of Christ! 

  About that little verse from Jeremiah, it is not that God was trying to be funny, because it is actually a pretty serious illustration of what we do with what we think God says or allows us to do. He says that we can have a little wine, and we grow a vineyard; He says we can have a little fun, and we build an amusement park. It might not start out that way, but it sure won't take long for it to happen. Sadly, it is true for many churches: the bigger the better, is not actually the case when it comes to churches. But, you won't hear any of the large church pastors say anything like that, because the bigger the church, the bigger the paycheck. 

  On another note: this second portion of this verse is rather interesting, because it is strangely seen as the voice of either one of the two main characters, the Young Woman, or the Young man; but not so much the voice of the Young Women of Jerusalem. Curiouser and curiouser...

""But," some might say, "our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn't unfair, then, for him to punish us?" (This is merely a human point of view.) Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? "But," someone might still argue, "how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?" And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, "The more we sin, the better it is!" Those who say such things deserve to be condemned." (Romans 3:5-8) NLT

"What Things?"

 "Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee." (S.O.S. 6:13a)

  There is something many people will agree with and say, something that you hear said from time to time: "There is always two sides to every story." Whatever it is that you might think that it is, you are most likely going to disagree with whatever disagrees with your side of the story. It is just human nature, to put it bluntly, it is just natural human behavior! Thus the title for today's enjoyment: "What Things?"

  Taken from the question Jesus asked, as the two men were communing together and reasoned about the events which just happened in Jerusalem; how tragic and unbelievable these events were, and how it could have even been allowed to happen: How could these things have happened! If only you could have been there, you would have asked it yourself: How could God allow theses things to happen? A question that gets asked all of the time: Why did you let this happen, God? How could you? Why did you not stop this tragedy from happening? 

  You know, if you had been in the crowd, hearing those that mocked Him, as they said, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God," then you would have reacted one of two ways: you would either agreed with with their sentiment, or you would have thought that they should be cursed for saying such things. Obviously the two men Jesus walked with were of the opinion that they should have been cursed! But, on what basis did they feel this way? and were they all together wrong? 

  As to the request of these Young Women of Jerusalem, whomever they might be, it is not just a request that is given for answers of understanding, but one to prove themselves to be right. In other words, they are making the assumption that she, the Young Woman, has departed from doing that which she should be doing, and in the same manor, wondering if they themselves are justified within themselves. Don't kid yourselves if you think this does not happen with yourself; because it is really a question of how often you do it, not if you do. 

  What if I had taken this path or that? Could I have been better off? Was it the right thing to do? All of these questions and more, are not just in our hearts, they are in our us as part of our mortality, as a human being that is going to die. Much like that old saying, "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." Did I make the right choice? C.S. Lewis said, "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair." 

  Which reminds me of something I heard the other day, as a woman called and asked Pastor Mike if what she heard from her pastor was correct, 'That when John said, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," that John was not speaking to the church, but to those that had not yet been saved?' When I heard this question, two thoughts came into my mind: Who is this guy, and who made him a pastor? and, Why is she asking this question, how is it she does not know the truth? 

  Be that as it may, don't let it be...

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

"Young Women of Jerusalem"

 "Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam. Come back, come back, that we may see you again." (S.O.S. 6:13a)

  Now that we have inspected the cause, or if you like, the root of the cause, it is time to examine the reason. Just in case you might not be aware of this, we were created for worshipping and serving God. Yes, God desires fellowship with us; but real fellowship with a Holy God is not possible without real worship and servitude; as if to say, none is greater and it is such a honor to be able serve Him! If you want some example of what that might look like, we can see it given in Revelations, every time the four beasts and the twenty four elders, sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy; Thou art worthy!" These beings are not programed to do what they do, as if it were their duties; they do so because they are motivated to do so, over and over again, because God is so awesome and amazing! 

  As I said in the setup for this Book, the break of who is speaking is only is really back in chapter two; however, here in this case, this verse is actually originally found to start chapter seven in the original Hebrew text. Additionally, parts A and B of this verse are also two different persons; one being the Young Women of Jerusalem, the other being the Young Man. As to who these Young Women of Jerusalem really are, it is starting to become more and more apparent. Without getting into the details, I believe that the true identity of them is revealed in chapter eight, verses eight and nine, which is the appearance of, The Young Woman's Brothers. But, let's not forget about something vital to this walk: We have been set free from the Law, which means that we are now governed and guided by love!  

  That said, if there was any sort of connection to these Women being a representative of the law or of religion, then this is a pretty good indication that we can make the case for their identity as such. More importantly, the response given to their plea, by the Young Man! To the subject of what it is like to walk in Christ, without heavy burdens and a yoke of hardness, it is abundantly clear in the first two verses of Isaiah 55, which say, ""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink -even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk -it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT) 

  As far as this interpretation is concerned, the reference to the origin of the Young Woman is given as, "Shulam," which is interpreted by some as, Salem. The first place we see this reference in the Bible is when the King of Salem shows up to bless Abraham, having bread and wine; Him being referred to as the Priest of the Most High God. Many believe this to be A Christophany, which is an appearance of Christ. Matthew Henry makes this observation as to the importance of this origin, saying, "Heaven is the Salem whence the saints have their birth, and where they have their citizenship; those that belong to Christ, and are bound for heaven, shall be called Shulamites." 

  Anywho: wait and see that the LORD is good! He knows the beginning to the very end; nothing is able to surprise Him, and in Him there is no changing! In other words: God never changes His mind, because His mind does not change! It is okay to go ahead a repeat it again...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."" (Romans 1:16-17) NLT

"A Strong Delusion"

"Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib." (S.O.S. 6:12)

"And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" (2 Thessalonians 2:11)

  To see the complete picture that I believe Solomon is trying to illustrate, we must understand the three characters that are represented within this verse: To Know, The Seat of Appetites, and, A Willingness. If you have understood the fall in the garden: as, it was based upon a willingness to make a choice to choose bad over good, in doing so, Adam and Eve experienced what it was like to Know the difference. This was something that God had warned them about, because in knowing the difference, they had given birth to something that could not be easily undone; they could not not see what they now knew in their hearts! 

  In essence, it would be like the virgin that gives up her virginity, it is not coming back! To which, we see the change in the heart of a man, passionate to serve God, become aware of a passion for life; not just any life, but all that life had to offer! The term or word, "Amminadib," is a word that is not anywhere else in the Bible, because it is a name of something that is acted out in someone's life; as it means, "My people are willing," or "my willing people." The assumption given, is that it is most likely a name of a person; possibly a person of great ability with chariots, as in, having swiftness with his chariots. 

  As indicated in the list of characters, A willingness is sometimes faster and more powerful than the power of wisdom and self control; which can cause even the strongest among us to do utterly stupid and unexplainable sins. Now you see why this version of the story is not easy to talk about, it hits pretty close to home and you cannot take it back! You cannot unsee what you just saw! Which brings use to the, "To Know," character; you just lost your virginity, and your giving birth to knowledge; the knowledge of Good and Evil.

  A place of grace! There is something that binds the willingness and renews virginity! The Seat of Appetites! This is where God's power comes in and makes a New Creature...

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

"The Break-Down" -2.0

"I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded." (S.O.S. 6:11)

  If I say this is hard, I would be wrong and not trusting God as I should; I have no idea some days what it is that God wants me to say; but, whether you can accept it or not, that is perfectly fine and good. One of my favorite writers, Watchmen Nee, says of the, "garden of nuts," that it speaks of the Word; as if to say, you must crack open the shell in order to get to the meat; rightly dividing the word of truth. Some shells are harder to crack open than others, and some crack open better when pressed against another of its kind. 

  Without any more hesitations, I would like to draw attention to the word, "see," as it is shown twice within this verse; much like when Jesus might have said, "Verily, verily." Comparing these two words together, it is like Exodus 3:2 & 3, as the LORD, "appeared," and Moses, "looked." "And Moses said, I will now turn aside to "see", this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." As many of us know, or should know, when Eve was tempted in the garden, it was by sight that she was enticed, being captivated by something she had already longed for, or wanted to experience. 

  It is only common sense to figure out that Eve was there at that special tree, because she admired it; it was alluring and mysteriously attractive. She knew she couldn't eat of it, and she was told, somehow, she couldn't touch it; but she obviously believed it to be okay to look upon, taking in the mysterious qualities that it possessed. (I had better not get ahead of myself, as this skirts very close to what comes next.) As she takes in these qualities, there is a transformation that occurs within her heart: that tree is made into something of hers; something that is forbidden to touch or eat, but is wonderful to look upon and make up all sorts of plans with, about, or for. 

  I know it sounds crazy, but that is just the way it works! If this is not mine, then it is not mine to loose; if it belongs to God, then it is something that He blesses me with to be part of, but it is not my own! If you do not see the connection, then it is only because you do not want to; because this goes way beyond our personal life, this gets right to the heart of God's people, and into the heart of the church. 

  The easiest thing that I can attest to, is the thing I see within the church. So much of what goes wrong in our churches, is that there is a problem of ownership, where the church, any church, is turned into something that is no longer God's property, but it belongs to whomever else; be it the pastor, the elders, the overseeing church; it really does not matter, because once it no longer belongs to God, then it will consume whoever thinks that they own it. 

  We can see it also in the Law of Moses, as it is, with the secondary command for Eve, "Don't even touch it!" The command is now changed, added to, and made her own; their own, if we are speaking of the Jews. Not to get sidetracked, but what the heck is wrong with our Courts! We have somehow stopped being a country of laws and the rule of law, and we are turned into a place where everyone can do what is right in there own hearts! Guess why that is, if you can? From where do our laws come from? If not from God, then who? Take about a garden of nuts! My mom would have said of this: The inmates are running the asylum! 

  Anywho, this is something I believe is more than just my observation, this is something real and that many are careful to avoid talking about, mostly because it hits so very close to home. But isn't this why we do what we do... 

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

"The Break-Down" -2

"I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vines flourished, and the pomegranates budded." (S.O.S. 6:11)

  Matthew Henry has these two verses, 11 & 12, attributed to Christ, who inspects and observes the working of the garden, His church or His people; where they are and what they are up to; as to the way that they conduct themselves with the love and care He has given them. David Guzik has these verses being that of the young maiden, or the church; being motivated by a longing for a deeper relationship, she takes the time and effort to explore the goodness and qualities of all that is available to her in their relationship. 

  I am not out to dispute anything, as God's word has a way of speaking to many different subjects and deals with a multitude of human issues; as it should, seeing that we have so many degrees of what we believe, where we are at, or in what direction we are currently headed. They say, in navigation, whether by land or by sea or by air, if you are off by only a slight degree, your destination could be altered by a multitude of miles in either direction. This is more than just a theory, this is a fact! A small little issue of belief or interpretation could set a person off by major degrees; once you set off in that direction, you get further and further away from where you are meant to be. 

  As I was praying about this last night, I was reminded about the Letters to the Seven Churches; how that there were some that had certain things the Lord liked, and certain things which were, shall we say, "A However!" Each and every single one of the churches are also representations of the human heart; what we believe, what we adhere to, the things we let into our lives; how we make do, and do with, all that the Lord has given us, and all that He has entrusted us with. Are we good servants? or are we serving ourselves? 

  I was thinking about something the other day, not quite sure yet how it applies; but Jesus told the disciples, "In thy Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) This thing that Jesus speaks of, is not about preparing or building a house, because they are already there, and there are many! He is preparing a place that is suited for us in His Father's kingdom, within that existing kingdom, of which we previously were not able to enter into, of which we could not have ever been a part, or have gained entry! 

  In that regard, I feel it is most important to understand what we are really expecting, why we should appreciate that which we have been given, and how massively different that place is from this place we are in now: There is absolutely no resemblance whatsoever! I hope you understand what it is that I am trying to say, because, no matter how magnificent your building or temple might be, it will never come close to the Kingdom of the LORD! 

  Why do I even bring that up, and why does it relate to this story? First of all, Solomon was a fanatic about making things spectacular and awesome; if it was about making people take notice, he was going to make them notice excellence and beauty. Even still, no matter how spectacular anything is in this world, it does not remain the way that it was created; it gets old, out of date, and takes on a whole new worn out look. As does just about anything that we create; but what God makes, it is spectacular and gets more awesome as time goes on; especially His church! 

  Do you see anything within that bunch of mumble-jumble that matches the story about to unfold? Is it clear as of yet what it is that turns our heads and our hearts? Make of it as you wish, but make sure it has a sure foundation...

"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshipped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (Romans 1:21-25) NLT