"Witness of Love" -To

 "I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." (John 5:41-42 KJV)

  "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11 KJV) 

 Let me start off this morning with a little reminder of something from yesterday; as it turns out, because of the condition of our hearts, we seriously cannot love as we should love. That was just a little FYI for anyone out there that might have thought my message was moving towards finality in our ability to get all things squared away in our lives. 

 Back to the honour thing; the word does not just speak of honor, as in showing respect: it speaks of glory, excellence, majesty, absolute perfection! In other words, this is only something that can be attributed to God and from God! So that question is not about, Can they show Jesus Christ the honor He deserves, but that nobody but God the Father can bless Him with the honor that He has; that He has had; that He always will have, all throughout eternity! 

 Besides all of that, we have something more to say about, "the love of God," in that it is exactly what it says that it is: God's Love! If you want to love as God loves, then you must have God living within you and be yielded to doing the will of God in your life. Epic failure, is mine! I am terrible at loving as I should; no matter how hard I try, I just seem to mess it up, by letting my own feelings and emotions rule the day! 

 I know that I am not alone; so I can take a little refuge in that fact. But, if you are really looking to change your heart in this regard, then it is going to require that you die a little bit more to yourself! Going to get rather testy over the next year or so; so it is best that we discover now the way to be a little bit more humble and a lot less important, at least in our own eyes. 

 Love is not based upon feelings or emotions; love is a commitment and based upon self-sacrifice... 

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on the cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 NLT) 

"Witness of Love"

 "I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." (John 5:41-42 KJV)

  "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." (Philippians 2:1-5 NLT) 

 Taking a look at the actions of these Jewish leaders, having judged both the healed man with the mat, as well as the Lord Jesus, who actually healed him; these men not only did not have God's love in their hearts, but they were actually wanting to kill Jesus; or should we say, have Jesus killed! Is there anything different between those that kill and those that wish someone to be killed? 

 As it turns out, Jesus opens up the hearts of these men, by first showing them the door; the same door that was shown to Cain, as God said, ""Why are you so angry?" the LORD asked Cain. "Why so you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."" (Genesis 4:6-7 NLT) 

 If you take a moment and think about what might be happening, there are three very distinct reasons that Jesus makes the opening of His assessment of their hearts, saying, "I receive not honour from men." The most important reason, is that the Father's honor is enough to seal the need for honor; if the Father honors the Son, that is sufficient. Secondly, man's heart is wicked, as the Scripture clearly says; in that man's ability to honor anyone, is based upon what might be gained, in the giving of honor. 

 Thirdly, the door, that we might call sin; the sin of hate and murder! Crazy as it might seem, but our hearts can turn on a moments notice; one minute you are honoring someone with praise and respect; the next, you could be cursing them and wishing them dead. This is not based upon anything else but what your heart feels, whether it is offended, just feeling used, or being mistreated. 

 In the case of Cain, his was that of rejection; which pretty much is encompassing all three of the reasons for hating his brother. He was offended because his offering was not received as well as Abel's; he was feeling used, as if God was making an example of him not doing right; and he thought he was being mistreated, because what he did felt good in his own heart. 

 This goes right back to the issue of where honor comes from: God! If we are looking for and longing for God's honor, then it will depend upon us looking for and longing to please God! Above all else, it is the most important thing which should be at the forefront of our minds, and it needs to be that which is written upon our hearts. If we want to really have the love of God living in us, then love pleasing God...

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:1-5 NLT) 

"Witness of the Scripture" -Too

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." (John 5:39-40 KJV)

  "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT)

 Don't ask me how, but the name Seth gave to his son, means, "Man," but it also somehow points to Christ; as does the name, "Jehovah." Why does this not surprise me? Why would the J.W.'s call themselves, Jehovah Witnesses, yet not declare the Christ is Jehovah? It reminds a little bit of the rainbow, as to the use of the rainbow by certain groups, as a symbol of pride; yet it was God's sign of judgment upon Himself for the entire sins of the world! In essence, they are saying, "Don't judge me," but God has dealt with sin completely and thoroughly; the issue now is about One thing, and One thing only: Do you have Jesus, God's Son, as your Savior! 

 The little secret is out; Jesus was the Flaming Sword at the entrance into the garden, (Genesis 3:24). He is also the Flaming Sword at the entrance to the Kingdom of God, (Revelation 1:12-16). No one gets in without going through the Sword! Isn't it interesting how Word is in Sword? "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NLT) I judge the contents of each Bible by the way they interpret certain Scripture; this Scripture is one of them; another is found in Isaiah 7:14; as the "Virgin," shown to be the sign of the child who will be called, Immanuel; not a young maiden!

 Word's do matter! If God was to place His Bow in the sky, which way would the arrow be pointed? Why was Abel's sacrifice respected, yet Cain's was not respected? Innocent blood was shed in Abel's sacrifice; yet Cain was sacrificing the fruit of his labor. One speaks of Atonement, while the other speaks of works; we can not work our way into heaven! Only Jesus can get us into heaven; by His blood we are able to enter in; He is the Sword that lets us in, period...

""Come now, let's settle this." says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 1:18-20 NLT) 

"Witness of the Scripture"

 "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." (John 5:39-40 KJV)

  "Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT)

 Prior to my salvation, it would have been easy to see that I was a man who was fixated by death; not that I was fearful of death, but that I had, should I say, a respect for death, in that I understood that everyone is going to die; therefore I accepted the fact, death was certain, and it was just a matter of when and how. If you ask me now, death is pretty much just a transformation; but the when and how is still relevant. 

 No matter who you are or what position you have in this life, when it is your time to die, it is your time to die. The difference between those who are in Christ and those that are not, is that those in Christ get to graduate into the eternal life that has been promised; those that do not know Christ as their Savior, are going to wait for judgment. 

 If you understand what God has said, from the very beginning, His judgment is Just and Holy. Looking at the Day of Judgment, there are books opened, the Books of Judgment; all of which are to judge the ones which are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life; or so the story goes. Interesting enough, it might be that those written in the Lamb's Book of Life are there also, but not to be judged and sentenced to the second death, but to be an example of the grace and mercy all those who are not in the Book of Life have missed out on, because they refused to accept God's Son! 

 Anywho, that is just my opinion, based upon how it is written, (Revelation 20:11-15). One thing is absolutely certain, there will be nobody that is judged who will have an excuse for not knowing or having not been given the chance to know Christ and the free offer that was given. My synopsis remains the same: Be born twice, and you only die once; be born once, and you will die twice... 

"Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth, for she said, "God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed." When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the LORD by name." (Genesis 4:25-26 NLT)

"Witness of the Father" - 2

 "And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." (John 5:37-38 KJV)

  "Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up the the LORD'S presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care." (Isaiah 53:1-3 NLT)

 The point about them not believing because they have not his word abiding in them, that is a blow to their hearts, they should have realized what Jesus meant. To be clear, they despised Jesus so much, even if they did get the picture He was painting of them, they still would not let it make any difference; this was no just your average hardened heart; they were basically meant to be this way, because this was also the plan of the Father's! 

 As we see the day drawing near, this is something we must keep in mind, the worse it gets, the better we should be expecting the Lord's coming, and the more we should be pressing into being about our Father's work! These word that Jesus spoke to these Jewish leaders were not meant to change their hearts or make them aware of the mistaken understanding that they had; this was God's way of showing that His word is true and faithful, even if it is a word that is about those that come against Him. 

 If it is spoken about as that which shall happen, then it is well and good! Not quite sure we totally get that, as the craziness that is happening in our world, seems to be discouraging us, not strengthening us and making us more aware of His soon return! Don't think that I am throwing stones, because us is meant to include me also. In one breath I say, praise the Lord, it is happening just as He said it would; and in the next breath, I am shouting out disapproval for the lawlessness and evil happening everywhere in this world.

 On a happier note: There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a groaning in our spirit for what we see taking place all around us; it is more than okay, it is also a key that unlocks our fear to witness and reach out to those around us; that is, if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. Yes, we should groan, as it is meant to be for those God is placing in our lives, that we should be groaning for, to do everything within our ability to reach them, starting by praying for them, and then asking for God to open doors of opportunity to share the Truth! 

 Worship is more than just singing and praising; it is also doing what God wants us to do...

""I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD have spoken!"" (Isaiah 54:16-17 NLT)

"Witness of the Father"

"And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." (John 5:37-38 KJV)

 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:15-17 KJV) 

 If you have heard my testimony before, please bare with me, as this is another opportunity for me to share, what I believe to be relevant and worthy of sharing in this moment. Having been raised in and out of the J.W. cult, which some might consider to be a religion, I have seen first hand how they use their organization as a means to hold people captive; making the simple act of doubting what is handed down by their prophets, or elders, as the chain that binds their followers.

 One thing is for sure, they completely deny that Jesus was or is God! This too was my mistaken belief, as it was what I was taught growing up. For good reasons, I refused to fellowship any longer with that group, or any other religion, and considered myself a believer in God, but not a follower of Jesus Christ. That is the relevant connection with this portion of Scripture. 

 Since accepting Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I have come to believe that there is more to that captivity than just human influence or the fear of becoming cast out; the main issue at hand is one that is spiritual in nature; mainly, the spirit of the antichrist. Don't think for a moment that is not real, because I have seen it at work in those that come knocking; and I saw it revealed in my own family. 

 Another way that I have witnessed the power the he yields, is by watching what it does to those who are believers, but that study the cults; especially when they study what the J.W.'s teach, in order to be ready to witness to them. This is real, and it is surely a real danger! Study the Word of God, and use that to combat the enemy, not by leaning what it is that is surely what the enemy has conjured up! 

 If you lack understanding in this, then you surely should stay far away from false teaching; as it is very plain in God's word that we must desire the pure milk of the word, not clutter our minds with strange doctrine or fables. By dwelling on that which is false, I believe that we allow the enemy a foothold into our minds, which can do nothing but twist our understanding of the truth.

 That said, I also believe that the use of recreational drugs will do the same exact thing: scramble our minds in strange and unusual interpretations of God's word. If I have anything useful to say, that fact about what drugs can do to the mind, is one area I have experience in; 40 years ago, but still there are traces of influence from time to time. I can use that for my defense, just in case I speak out of line! 

 Anywho; this thing which Jesus says, saying, "Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape", is not just a fact that must be understood, it is the result of a spiritual blackout. Basically, the spirit of the antichrist is what causes this to happen, a clouding of the mind and a hardening of the heart; the likes of which makes hearing and seeing the True and Living God virtually impossible. 

 Even these religious leaders, who pride themselves on seeing and hearing that which they believe in, they actually only see what they have taught themselves to understand; anything else is not received. If only we could learn to treat the Truth in that same manor...

"This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy 1:18-20 KJV)

"Witness of Works"

 "But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." (John 5:36 KJV)

  "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed." (Isaiah 61:1 NLT) 

 If the Lord has entered into you, you are a New Creature! We can count on this, because it has been done; not that you have been made perfect, because you are still walking in your sinful body; but because you are perfect in Christ! Don't let anyone try to judge you, as if they are your judge; we have only One judge to answer to, and His judgment is righteous and true! 

 Okay then, time to see what this finished work is all about! I will refresh your memory about that little conversation Jesus had on the road with His two followers. As with most everyone else, the death of Jesus on the cross was a devastating blow to the hopes and beliefs that they had in, not only the message Jesus brought, but the works which were done, healing the blind, curing the lame, raising the dead to life; all of those miracles were wiped away from their memories by the death He suffered upon the cross.

 They say, the preacher or evangelist is only as good as his last sermon; the message that was shown to all that looked upon Jesus, the Savior of the world, was not very promising to those that witnessed what He suffered through on that cross. His mother, His brothers, even His disciples, who He had told plainly about what should happen; everyone was devastated by the bloody ordeal that was put on display, for all to see!

 Add to that, something extraordinary, that the place was packed with Jewish worshippers from all over the known world. The third hour on the Day of Passover, as many travelers from all the surrounding regions had come to celebrate Passover, the Lamb of God was slain! Wow...

""I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will life forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh."" (John 6:47-51 NLT)

"Witness of John" -2

 "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (John 5:33-35 KJV)

  ""Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse."" (Malachi 4:5-6 NLT) 

 As fun as that was, I don't think it quite made the point I was looking to make! Just so you know, there are certain principles that are common to just about every life, whether you are rich or poor, a strong leader or a weak follower, a smart person or a person of little sense; that is just the way it is, period! James clearing says, "What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?" (James 4:5 NLT)

 If you might have missed the memo, Adam had a little touch of envy as he was naming the animals; which caused God to say, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18 KJV) Not that is makes any difference to the story, but that was God way of making man aware of his need, and then supplying for that need. It is pretty much the same thing He does in us, as He makes us aware of that void, then He provides all the steps needed to get us fixed! 

 Basically, that was John's witness, to declare the day of the LORD! Making all know that they were all sinners, in need of a Savior; and then declaring to all, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" That is what happened to me; as I expect it is the same for all of you! Once you see your condition, knowing full well that there is nothing you can do to fix it, your heart is prepared for the fix! 

 I know that I am a broken record on this subject; and it is pretty obvious by the vast differences in opinions, that I am not quite in the majority: but once you have been fixed by God, you are fixed for good! There is no turning back from fixed! Somehow, I find it hard to convey that message; but then again, it is also hard to tell a man that is married to a woman that loves him, if things go wrong in that relationship, it is the man's fault! 

 Anywho: I have made my point; be that as it may, sorry to see you go...

"Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him." (John 10:24-31 KJV) 

"Witness of John"

 "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness of the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but things things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (John 5:33-35 KJV)

  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

 There are some serious things that cause us to take our minds off of, what Paul calls, our real life; but, if truth be told, that life, as Paul says, is hidden with Christ in God! I know we sometimes forget that is the truth, because we mess up and feel devastated by some of the thing we let come out of our mouth. If it only could be taken back here on earth, as it is in heaven! 

 Maybe I should stay on track, and stop being worried about my own stupid mistakes. This is not just a little snippet on John's testimony; this is a brief example of what it might look like to speak to the worldly side of spiritual leadership. Basically, Jesus is showing them, and us, what it is like to view someone that is being guided by the Spirit of God, placing them in a category outside of what they really where and are.

 Okay, so it makes better sense if I take this down into a human perspective; say like, a used car salesman, and what it might be to examine who they really are, based upon what they are known for being. I do have a little experience in this, as I worked for a season of my life for a used car broker. If you are not familiar with what that is: this is the guy that goes to the auction and finds the cars he believes that certain used care dealerships will want and can sell. 

 Yes, it is a step up from a used car salesman; as he is the one that sells to the salesmen that will be selling to the public. That said, it is a practical way that we can witness John the Baptist, in the eyes of these Jewish leaders. In a nutshell, the broker has clients he works to empress; he does this by getting them the best car that he can for their buck. They in turn, will turn a profit, hopefully, because the car that was sold to them has greater value than what they paid for it. 

 In the long-short version of this synopsis, if the car doesn't move off of their lot, they either will sell it to another dealership, or they will drastically lower the price to move the inventory; making room for something that will actually make them money. All the while, the broker does what he can to help them facilitate moving a lemon off their lot; usually, included with a deal on something better. 

 Don't quite see how that works towards this story? I guess that might be because you don't see who it is that are the brokers. When spiritual leaders start being concerned about the concerns of men, verses the concerns of God, they really try harder to please man then they will do to please God. If it helps any, this is not really the intention, or what they set out to do; but more a matter of what they are forced to do, because of their concern for future deals and prospects. 

 Yes, I know, it points to the human side of spiritual leaders; but in reality, it is just life! The clue to all of this is a statement Jesus makes, saying, "but these things I say, that ye might be saved." If those who are lead by God don't lend to that which you are selling, then you will not pay them the attention that they deserve. In the process of making a choice to cut them off, you are in reality cutting off the truth, and the message of God. 

 It is really not all that complicated; we just make it so, so that we can shrug it off and move on; which, in the brokers world, it is called: Turning the page...

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." (Colossians 3:23-25 NLT) 

"Have No Doubt!" -Too

 "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another the beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true." (John 5:31-32 KJV)

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!" (ISAIAH 9:6-7 NLT)

 Well, it was a rather interesting day, in the world of Termite Inspections, that is; I was able to show a few people things that they otherwise could not see; it just so happens, they were all involving structural damage on homes, not much to do with spiritual matters of the heart. I really do love what I do, even though it can sometimes consume all of my free time and make my day a little bit annoying. I must be thankful and praise God for the blessings, all be it stressful, it pays the bills and helps me bless others! Isn't that what we are meant to do? 

 As I was praying about what God is speaking into my heart, it became apparent to me that Jesus was still in a conversation with the Jewish leaders in the Temple; not so much that they were able to speak, but it is abundantly clear, Jesus was opening up some truths to these men, most of which they would not accept, even if they could see what He was telling them about. It is one thing for us to see what God is showing us, it is altogether another thing for it to take root in our hearts; especially when our hearts are hard to the truths of God! 

 If you have been born again for any amount of time, longer than a decade or two, then you should know by now that everyday in your walk with the Lord is not always filled with new and beautiful expressions of living a Spirit-filled-life. There are days when you have doubts; there are days when you are pinned into a corner of life, when you are challenged to prove to yourself that this is real. It is pretty much the same basic principle, whether you are old or new in this faith, faith is not based upon your circumstance, your situation; and especially not how you might be feeling about life! 

 If you really want to know what Jesus is trying to say, it is about what God says, not what we think! If I base my walk with the Lord upon what I might think or how I see things, especially when it comes to my own spiritual journey, then my faith in God's hand being upon my life, well let's just say, I will not feel very close to God. But, if I listen to what God says, based upon His word and the Holy Spirit's confirmation in my heart, then that is the truth which I otherwise cannot see! Based upon the failures in my life, "Epic Fail!," are the words I hear myself say, over and over about myself.

 Thankfully, God has the victory over all of our failures! We mess things up, He fixes and restores! We ruin our relationships, He make the relationship about Him, and then knits hearts together, even stronger then ever! These are the things we miss looking for, the things that matter the most are the opportunities for things to come alive in our fellowship with one another. A heart gets to live out what it otherwise does not get to experience, which is based upon the Lord being in our conversation; and that is not just for conversation sake, that is for all eternity! 

 Maybe those times of feeling doubt, are associated with us being out of fellowship with one another? I am not trying to judge, I am just trying to make some observations in my own life, based upon those times when I doubt my salvation, or don't think any of this matters. Don't doubt what you do not see, but focus upon what you know to be true, based upon what God says, not based upon what man says! 

 Don't look at me, I didn't write this stuff or try and make sense of something I otherwise cannot or do not understand. The conversation is all about Jesus! He is not only the Savior of all, He made all that He has saved! If you have a problem with doubt, then you need to talk it over with the Lord: He knows how to fix whatever is broken in your relationship, with just a touch...

"So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly life." (2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NLT) 

 

"Have No Doubt!"

 "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true." (John 5:31-32 KJV)

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

 If I had to make a bet, it would be that Darwin had grown up knowing the words we see above from Hebrews, and that he rebelled against God, making every effort to try and disprove the principles that are plainly understood through faith in God. There is really no other why to explain why it could have been, since the basic principles of the Creator are so completely undeniable! 

 I can recall as a child, maybe about ten years old, laying in the backyard at night and gazing into the night sky; there was no doubt in my mind that there was a God, a Master Creator of the universe. As I looked intently. I could see the stars pulsating and apparently growing and shrinking, almost as if God himself was breathing life in and out of the heavens above.

 When summer was over and it was time to get back to school, I remember walking into the classroom for the first time, and seeing the poster of the evolution of man above the chalkboard. For me, this was not only a joke, but it was something that I took as an offence to basic faith in the God I believed in. I was so offended by what I saw, I marched up to the teachers deck and turned his globe upside-down. And what do you think he said to that? "Interesting, this could actually be the way the earth is actually facing." 

 Did you know, that the Bible shows us the earth is round? Have you ever discovered that the Bible speaks to the scientific discoveries of light and darkness? The specific origins of life, any life that you might name, God shows us in His word how it was made and why He made it. And the key to this understanding is all based upon faith! 

 It is by faith that we understand the truth; and when we understand, that truth which is made known in us, it is planted as a seed; a seed that grows up into something big enough to climb up into, and see even further! That is my observation, so don't base anything of principle upon it; but faith is witnessed by our very souls! 

 We all have a soul, this eternal thing that is living inside of us. It is this soul that knows and longs for a connection to the Creator, the eternal God. Many refer to that as a God-shaped-hole, which is a giant void inside of us which needs to be filled. We strive all of lives to fill it, but there is nothing on this earth that will fit that hole; only God is the one that will, and it is only Him we need to satisfy the emptiness inside of our eternal soul.

 You might not have learned that in school growing up; you probably did not come to understand it on your own; but, nonetheless, you know it still is the truth! Make someone see what they otherwise do not see! That is the object of today's conversation, if you may...

"How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. The shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back from the dead. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection." (Hebrews 11:32-35 NLT) 

"Witnesses to Jesus"

 "If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 

 "Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. But I have a greater witness than John - my teachings and miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me - the one he sent to you.

 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. 

 "Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you. For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you will gladly welcome them. No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

 "Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But since you don't believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?" (John 5:31-47 NLT)

 Enough said! I was actually looking forward to some sort of response; but as Jesus said, He really did not need their approval! I really feel as though this is a portion of Scripture that I am going to enjoy, as we see the importance of what we really care about when it comes to massaging and sharing our faith with others. Not that I have been faithfully doing that, because it is something I know I have neglected to do, faithfully. It really hurts my heart to say that; but on the other hand, it is good to feel the hurt that comes from not doing what we should! 

 One thing that God has put upon my heart, which I am trying so strongly to listen to and obey, is that of praying for people. I don't mean that I will pray for someone, as in get alone and pray for them, but to actually follow the prompting from the Lord, and ask them if I can pray with or for them. I don't know about you, but when I feel God's prompting for me to pray, I believe that there is a reason and a purpose behind it; the sum of which I really don't know or really even need to know; but when I am done, I know that the Lord was present and that He had spoken, not me! 

 If you have any sort of prompting, whether it is to pray over someone or to share God's word, you must answer the call and let God use you in that moment. Don't put it off or shrug away from the prompting of the Holy Spirit in your life! It is really important that we do not quench the Spirit's work, because He may not prompt you again until your heart has been changed, if that even happens! Good news for you, if that is where you might be at: He loves giving second chances; sometimes, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and, well you get the point. If you still have breath, breath for God! 

 I know that I can get carried away sometimes; maybe sway sometimes outside the lines. But to be as honest as I possibly can, I truly believe that we are all called to be witnesses to Jesus, in one form or another, because it is what we are still here to do! If your work here is done, then it is best that you are taken home; "idle hands are the devil's workshop," as the saying goes. 

 We are all called to do something, so if you don't know what it is that God has for you to do, you had better ask Him to show you the calling, or call you home...

 "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

 "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:12-17 NLT) 

"Thrust" -2

 "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30 KJV) 

  "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:19-20 NLT)

 If I could just have a moment to make this point, although I believe we don't need to be reminded: but, God has made everything right in weakness and in death! You might not see the complexity in what that might represent, because death is something we usually don't want to think about; but death is where this thing went wrong, so death is what it took to make everything right! 

 Have you ever thought about the fact that God came in the form of a baby? If ever there could be any way to come weak and lowly, that is pretty much the weakest and lowest form to come into this world; and yet, it was how He came, allowing Himself to be coddled, weaned, bathed, and nurtured through adolescence; that the fullness of mankind should be complete in the fullness of God. It is just mindboggling to think about the complexity of everything that went into this mighty unbelievable act of redemption! 

 If you are still not there, "Thrust," is the word for sent that speaks of power: to push or drive with force! God did not just send His Son, as if you might send your child to the store to buy you something; this was a collective, well orchestrated plan, which, based upon Scripture, was planned out before the foundation of the world was even made! 

 And then you examine all of the multitude of circumstances that were in place; all of which, not only cannot be named, but they are so complex and integrated, much as the snowflake which has no match, there is no way to explain or even comprehend all the details that went into the plan. 

 At just the right time, God does what He does, at just the right time...

"I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God's people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory." (Colossians 1:24-27 NLT) 

"Thrust"

"I can of mine own will do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30 KJV)

  "But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, "Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD recue him!" Yet you brought me safely from me mother's womb and led me to trust you at my mother's breast. I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born." (PSALM 22:6-10 NLT) 

 I know that this will be rather boring to some, but it is most likely the greatest example of what the Father and Son relationship is made from, for, and all about! If you saw the movie Thor, the first one where he was sent down from his father Odin to the earth, the word, "sent," is actually the same multifaceted event, and with great force! 

 There are so many things which we do not know or understand; primarily the concept of time, the vast particles all around us, the shape of air, the constant hum of the universe; you just cannot even begin to understand what you cannot know, as you cannot know what you do not understand. But God, the One and only GOD of all creation, has made Himself known to us, that our understanding might be sufficient enough, so that we can trust Him! 

 Isn't that an amazing and wonderful taste of Good News? As complex as He is, the simple illustration of His love for us, is all that we need to satisfy our ability to put all of our trust in Him! I mean, sure we can long for more knowledge of what might be known; but none of that is actually necessary for the purpose of trusting Him with our lives; especially when it comes to our eternal life! 

 As we draw closer and closer to the day of departure, it is more and more important that we are satisfied with what He has made known, not questioning that which we know not! Crazy as that might seem, but there are vast numbers of would be, could be believers that have turned away from the Good News, because the rest of the news was too hard to understand. It is a shame to see it happen, because it just doesn't need to be that way; if they would only embrace the simple truth, without the need for every little detail! 

 On a lighter side of this argument, is the Scripture from Job 38:22-23, as God says something to Job which was most likely 4,000 years away from becoming a reality. There are some things that are just too complex and out of reach; even if we could, they would too small or too big to examine on our own...  

"Hast thou entered into the treasure of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?" (Job 38:22-23 KJV) 

"Touched by Love"

 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29 KJV)

  "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And we know that murderers don't have eternal life within them." (1 John 3:11-15 NLT)

 If I was slightly off base, I am sorry; but this thing that God has put upon my heart is really tearing at my heart and I feel it is vitally important. Maybe it just needs to be prayed over and I need to settle down and wait upon the Lord to open doors, instead of trying to jump out and make something happen. That might be one of my biggest issues: I am a sprinter, not a marathon runner! 

 Looking at this from a little different angle, it would appear as though Jesus is talking about people being resurrected from the dead, as if there was something common between those that have been saved and those that face damnation. Could this be the resurrection that Paul is speaking of, as we look towards the Day of the Christ being at hand? (2 Thessalonians 2) As it turns out, there will be a falling away, as if there is no real connection from some to Christ; not that they were not connected to a church, but love of Christ Jesus, being a sacrificing love towards others, was not within them. 

 To help and make this point more understandable, the word, "evil," that is Jesus is using is a word that speaks of worthless and selfishness. Not to bang a drum or anything, but if God has given you a gift or a calling, it is your responsibility to move in the direction that He leads you; otherwise, your no more useful than a dead carcass on the side of the road!

 When Jesus is speaking of good, as if we can be good, because only God is good; He is talking about those that do what is right; right being the desire to please God. Not that we can actually please God by doing good, because our works are filthy rags to God, if they are what we count on to be good in His eyes. There is only one way that we are made right in God's eye, and that is by the blood of Jesus!

 I know it sounds crazy, as some call crazy anything that is not humanly possible; but we have no chance of being good on our own, no matter how hard we try or how much we sacrifice ourselves in the fight to be good. There is absolutely only one way that we can please the Father, and that way is by accepting the Way that He has made possible for us to enter into eternal life...

"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son. cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:5-10 NLT) 

"Touched"

 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice," (John 5:28 KJV)

  "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him." (Genesis 32:24-25 KJV)

 Please forgive me for changing the subject; or, if you will, seemingly changing the subject: because in all actuality, the subject that I was speaking about was real life, and the True Life Giver! Besides that, this is talking about that which is needed to take place in our understanding of God's power; not just that He has the power to create life; but, since He can and does create life, He thereby has the right and the authority to take a life! 

 You can take that for what you might think it is worth; but no matter what you might think about it, it still is what it is, and you will not change God's ability to do whatever He wants to do. You can however have a part in the process! And, in this is the sovereignty of God's grace revealed in our lives! No matter what, He is always in control, yet He is more than willing to allow us liberty to move around within the boundaries of His control.

 Don't ask me to define that, because it is too complicated and too complex for me to figure out all of the details; this is purely an observation that I have from my own life and the grace that I have been given. To be quite frank: God establishes boundaries around all of our lives, which are different and change based upon individuals. But God never changes! The same rules apply to everyone, but not everyone adheres to the same rules; additionally, none of us can live or abide by all of them! 

 Anywho: this is about the fact that Jacob was dealing with the thought of death; and within this period of his life, as he contended with this thought of death, he drew closer to God: and as he drew closer to God, God showed up, and they wrestled all night long over who it was that had control over his life! Again, just my opinion, so you can take it for what it is worth; but it is the closest thing I can think of that explains these last couple of weeks in my own life.

 As to the point of what Jesus is saying to these Jewish leaders, as how it can be used in the example I have been made to talk about: the graves, for the sake of this current situation, although they appear to be in reference to the resurrection, for this particular subject, they are the representation of the world; the earth being the world, the grave being the way we bury ourselves in the earth! Basically, that speaks of and defines two types of Christians: those that are worldly and those that are heavenly; both of which can change positions several times during their lives. 

 This is about what it is that we have been called for; our purpose, if you will, that God has intended for our lives and is going to work out in us, one way or another! That said, I must include the statement that Jesus made to the certain man with the mat: "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you." Based upon that idea or thought, the following verse will also apply...

""and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment."" (John 5:29 NLT)   

"True Life Giver" - 2

 "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (John 5:26-27 KJV) 

  "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalms 103:1-5 KJV)

 Do not be afraid of what might happen, but be excited for the opportunities ahead to share what God puts upon your hearts. That is the best we can try to do; not because there are things pressing down upon us, but because God's will must be done! There are only a few things that really matter in this life; most of the stuff we try to make important are of no value towards the kingdom of God. But making sure that those you love have been saved, that is pretty much the top of the list! 

 I have prayed that God might change some things in my life, my work being one of them. Don't get me wrong, because I love what I do, mostly because I am rather good at it and it pays the bills. But when it comes to having peace and joy, the stress from dealing with business and twelve hour work days, it just seems to rob me of focus on the priorities that matter most. 

 That said, there are many ways I believe that God can use us to be vessels in the business world; whether you are in the service-industry, retail, hospitality, sales, commerce, government, or in the ministry, we are to be working as onto the Lord. Oddly enough, I feel peace about whatever it is that God wants to do; even if it requires whatever, because what if seems to be most important. 

 Ask yourself what it is that is your What If. What if the Lord came today, would I be ready? What if my life was turned upside down, would I be encouraged? What if there was something wrong with my health, would it sharpen my focus upon the life to come? I think you get the point, because this there are so many things going on around us, we hardly have enough time think about what is to come, because we are too busy dealing with and trying to keep up, with the things that are passing by.

 Please don't think I have given up, because that is not my reason for saying these things I am saying. This is about the urgency of waking up and paying attention to the calling upon our lives! I am not really sure that my calling is to be what I am doing, so in this climate of craziness, I feel God is calling me to do something else; something a little more valuable than dealing with termites in houses; but the might's in the life of husbands and wives! 

 I am pretty sure that God has blessed me with the situation I have been in, because it has shown me something very important about the man's role in his marriage. Without getting too carried away, my main focus is based upon Ephesians 5; especially when it comes to husbands and wives. Please don't be offended by this: but I believe that my most important message is based upon the man's love towards his wife! 

 I know this is a hot-button issue, as I have been put down several times for bringing it up. It is my firm belief that the husband has got to be the provider to his wife; and when I say provider, I am speaking of love! He must show her the love he wants to be loved like, and she will respond! Anywho...

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27 KJV) 

"True Life Giver"

"For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (John 5:26-27 KJV)

 "But those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!" (Isaiah 26:19 NLT)

 Maybe the most spectacular point of this journey, if you want to call it that, is the fact that we have not only been given the promise of eternal life in Christ, but that we are able to experience the power, right now, from knowing that eternal life is ours. It is this hope of what is to come, that brings joy in sufferings, and pronounces peace in the storms; the harder it gets, the greater the benefit can become! 

 Notice that I said, can become, because in every situation that we encounter, there must be the same reaction applied; regardless of what that situation might become, or what might have brought it on, or who it is that might have been responsible for it happening: we must trust in God, knowing that He loves us, and uses all things to benefit and strengthen our relationship with Him. If there is anything that makes this a two-way street, it would be that we trust Him, no matter what! Even then, we still blow it, time and time again! 

 To be frank, I know that I cannot love God as I should; so the principle of following His commands are pretty much broken, every time I fail to love Him as I should. That said, I know that He still loves me, regardless of this short-fall and inability to love Him as I should. How do I know that this is the case? Well, (no pun intended,) there is proof throughout His word, in every persons life, from the beginning to the very end; all except One was a sinner! 

 Take that for whatever you want, because there are also many situations where God makes a covenant with anyone, they might not keep it, but He always keeps it! His love is unconditional! Without a doubt, we seriously cannot understand that, we cannot duplicate that; and we surely cannot make it happen in our lives! It is Him loving others through us, which gives us even a snow-balls chance to experience how to love; let alone understand it. 

 Strange way to get this message to match to topic; but life does not exist without love...

''All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly justly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave." (Isaiah 54:6-9 NLT)  

"To Enjoy Real Life" -Too

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." (John 5:25 KJV) 

  "Like as a father pitieth he children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them." (PSALMS 103:13-18 KJV)

 Okay then; there are at least three different areas of dead, those that might hear Jesus' voice: there are those that have died, meaning that that have no more choices to make, because you live only once, and then there is judgment; there are those that Jesus brought back to physical life, such as Lazarus and the young maiden, both of which were still in this life; and then there is those that are dead due to sin. All three are raised to life by hearing the voice of the Son of God, say, "Rise!": which, whether it is the power of the Spirit, or the will of the Father, when we are speaking of Jesus: Jesus is the Word of God! 

 Don't ask me to explain what and how that works, because I have no clue; that information is way above my pay grade! That said, the question that remains, is what Jesus meant by the hour is now; because the last I checked, according to all that I have learned over the last 30 some years, the resurrection of the dead will be twice; but the life that is given now, right now, is the life giving power of salvation in Christ. What is the saying: Be born twice, then you die only once; if are born only once, you will die twice! 

 Correct me if I am wrong, but from my experience in the salvation that I have lived in, it is Real Life! Meaning, that we have been set free from the fear of death, we have a relationship with the Father, which was previously cut off because of sin, and we have been given the Holy Spirit, which gives us instruction, comfort, discernment, and a whole host of other things' all of which come with Real Life in Christ!   

 But, in order to be transformed from dead to life, we must hear His voice; hear, is a word that means we comprehend, understand, and consider what is being said; which somehow requires that we have a little bit of ability to process any thought. Not so sure that is possible, once we have been buried in the ground...

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him, He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:15-22 NLT) 

"To Enjoy Real Life"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." (John 5:25 KJV)

  "Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude     "Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death." (PSALM 68:19-20 NLT)

 If you needed to place a reason for the pressing forward, even through great pain and suffering, it would and should be the fact that we can! Even in the face of death, we can press forward, without fear and without loosing the joy of our salvation. As a matter of fact, we have every right to rejoice and praise the Lord, when we are facing death, because that is the time we really get to experience the power, the mighty wonder working power, of Christ Jesus our Lord! 

 I know that there are things that hinder us from living out the joy and peace which the Lord has given us; I live it, I deal with it, and I ask forgiveness for it, almost every day. Mostly because I let it keep beating me up, day in and day out, almost constantly! I have asked God to change me so many times, it has almost become a habit. Shout and bark, then ask God for forgiveness; it is really beginning to get old, the older I get. 

 That said, I know for a fact that it is the enemy that brings these stupid little issues around; most of which, have nothing to do with anything that even matters, but for some reason or another, they seem like they are there just to ruffle my feathers. Looking back, it would be really funny, if there were not for the other people that get in the line of my fire. As James clearly says, "Indeed, we all make mistakes. For is we could control out tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:2 NLT)

 Regardless of all these personal issues, I know that I can get pricked easily by small little issues; but I also know that big and hard to handle issues are the things that don't bother me. Odd or weird as that is, it is the absolute truth. Those little things can get under my skin because I take them on in my flesh, usually without even realizing what I am doing; but the big-ticket items, they go straight to the throne of God! 

 It's a start; but I'm still a work in progress...

"We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come." (Hebrews 13:10-14 NLT)

"To Pass Over" -To

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24 KJV)

  "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled."" (Hebrews 4:13-15 NLT)

 Did you not know, God loves you? That might be a strange question, yet it is one that I believe we will all face, but up close and personal! As much as I might complain about some of my everyday trials and work related issues, there is nothing that is even close to what some of my brothers and sisters might be going though, just trying to stay alive!

 Imagine for a moment that you were in the place of someone who is being hunted down or is facing some sort of punishment for what they believe; what would you do? That is not a trick question, it is actually a means to try and get us to think about where our priorities are, and maybe, just maybe, we might do all that we can to strengthen our resolve.

 To that, I must confess, that I can seriously put my foot dome, saying how much I will practice being patient and not loose my composure, and no sooner as I make that choice, I am faced with something that causes me do not exactly what I just set out to not do. It is almost as if the thought of not doing something, becomes the trigger that makes me do, whatever I just reminded myself not to do! 

 That said, I can say with a heart of experience and repeated assurance, the little issues that get under my skin are harder for me to deal with than the big catastrophic issues; because those big issues get given immediately to God! Therefore I am well aware of where I stand: I stand! Just as Paul has said, "Stand therefore!" because we absolutely must! 

 Consequentially, we have to make a choice; which is the whole purpose of standing in the first place. When we are in Christ, and He in us, we have something amazingly powerful, that is not even known or even realized until it is actually put into action. This is the whole point to faith being tested, because it is not known what will be, until it has been done; but we can know what will ultimately happen, because God has already shown us...

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

"To Pass Over"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into life." (John 5:24 KJV)

  "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:4-7 KJV)

 You do realize that Jesus is speaking to men that want to kill him, right? As He sharpens the Sword, it continues to pierce into their hearts; it will either prick their hearts, or it will cause them to harden it even more. I guess, based upon the story, we can truly understand the result! 

 And, based upon the things which I have lived out, thus far, I am totally convinced that we can really do no wrong. Not that we do not do wrong, because that's life here in this world; it is impossible to live a perfect life; as soon as you set out to try and make that happen, you meet the bad-guy part of you, and you fall on your face! 

 That said, I also have come to understand that God can use our terrible mistakes and failures, to make out of them, something good; whether or not they might seem good to us at the time, that's a totally different story! Our goal is really not meant to not be condemned in this life, because the harder you press towards following Jesus, the more condemnation you will receive from this world. 

 That word, "condemnation," is the same word that Jesus used for, "judgment," as in, "hath committed all judgment unto to the Son." The only condemnation that we need to be concerned with, is from that of the Son; but if we have passed from death unto life, Jesus clearly says, we shall never be condemned! 

 If you don't see the picture, imagine the poster for Nacho Libre, as Jack Black is jumping over the valley below; we are no longer on that one side, the dead guy side; but we are on the side of life, that everlasting life side; to which, there is no turning back...

"Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown in jail, and when all you owned was taken away from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will receive all that he has promised. "For in just a little while the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away." But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:32-39 NLT) 

"The Separation" -To

 "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23 KJV)

  ""Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."" (Luke 6:37-38 NLT) 

 Regardless of what you believe about the Rapture of the church, I seriously doubt that it is going to affect your salvation. It may cause you to let your guard down; but if you love the Lord, it should be, regardless of the time, that you will be looking up and waiting to be with Him; here, there, or in the air! 

 Just so happens, I heard Pastor Jeff giving a message yesterday morning on the Rapture, right off the bat, as soon as I was in my truck and headed down the road. He reminded me that we do not know the day or the hour; which I fully understand, because that is exactly what Jesus said, so it must be true. However, days and hours are various times, no matter what circumstances and situations might be going on in the present, you are either ready or you are not. A twinkling of an eye is instant and can come all of the sudden, so it is practical to be anytime God wants it to be. 

 Anywho; this is quite the complex statement that Jesus makes to these Jewish leaders; it must have made there heads spin, just trying to comprehend what the word honor actually means. Honour or honoureth, they are all the same word, so there shouldn't have been any misunderstanding: basically, it means that there is value, much as if you value something that belongs to yourself. Curious about how that might work? 

 Well, it is a little like the idea about plucking out your eye, or cutting off your good arm. Strange as that might seem, but if you honor your eye and your good arm, you will value it more than that thing you might do with them which does not honor God! Seriously, this is not a play on words; it is the Judge letting these Jewish guys know what is what! 

 Now, about this title; "The Separation," is the part that judging is all about! Just so you know, the people that think they deserve heaven, are most likely not candidates to be picked to go there; sorry to say, it is just the way it turns out, in a strange sort of way. Actually, it is rather simple, not strange at all; because, if you really get right down to it, none of us deserve to go to heaven, unless Jesus has personally given you the key...

"For God presented Jesus as the 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 included 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. Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith, So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." (Romans 3:25-28 NLT) 

"The Separation"

 "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23 KJV)

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nation's for my name sake." (Matthew 24:7-9 KJV)

 Obviously, Jesus forgot to mention global warming in His list of things to come! I'm sorry for trying to be funny about that, because it is a serious matter; however, this is really a time for us to wake ourselves up from our sleep and silence, remove all fear and doubt, and start rescuing anyone and everyone that we care about, with great intent, from the judgment that is to come! 

 Do not think I am trying to be an alarmist, because usually that is not my intention, nor have I ever really made it my place to try and sound the alarm. That said, back in my B.C. days, I did try to convince all of my friends that we all needed to have farms and be self-sufficient, because the concrete jungles were not going to a good place to survive in, once a famine takes place. This was in part based upon a dream I had about people killing each other for food, mostly because they had no other way to stay alive. (Zombies.) 

 I told you that might come up, so you shouldn't be surprised. However, again; I have been recently in a weird state of mind; almost as if many of the things I usually always would defend, I question now if the defense was only wishful thinking. Case in point, the timing of the Rapture. I have always been a pre-tribulation believer, believing that Jesus would not let His bride suffer through that mess.

 In resent days, I have had some sort of change of heart, (maybe I am thinking too much,) because I have looked at several things that seem to indicate that there are many signs that point to a mid-trib departure for the church. One, is the fact that Jesus said, "The servant is not greater than his Master"; two, that Jesus' ministry comprised of a period of 3 1/2 years; and three, because I feel okay with it now, as before I did not...

""So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."" (Matthew 13:27-30 KJV)  

"Life for Life" -Too

 "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." (John 5:21 KJV) 

  "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet preadventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commanded his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8 KJV)

 Not that it is news to anyone, or at least it shouldn't be to those who have been quickened; but the thing we must fully understand, is that we were actually dead before Christ gave us life! Last I check, the dead cannot do much of anything; or at least, from what I have seen from movies, if they are able to become Zombies, then they will just feed on human flesh. But that is most likely some topic for another day.

 Seriously, you must understand what it is that I believe Jesus is trying to say: the Father raises the dead in judgment; the Son raises the dead in New Life! Again, some of that is the topic for tomorrow; but it is this New Life that Jesus gives, with abundant power, to do, to be, and to know, the wonders and the majesty of our Heavenly Father. Life in this New Life is real; while, death in the old life was pretty much the sum of all that we had to look forward to. 

 You can judge it for yourself, but I am pretty sure that the two of those options are worlds apart from each other, and anyone that cannot see the vast difference, well let's just say, It's because they are already dead! Besides that, Jesus clearly says, "whom he will," thereby reassuring us that it is He that choose us, not we that choose Him; besides that, how can the dead actually make any sort of choice for anything, they are dead! 

 I am really sorry if I am bumming with this dead stuff; but it is meant to give us hope! We don't have the strength to do anything, especially keep any of God's commands; how then will we have strength enough to find the One that gives us life? He found you, He choose you, He knows you, and it is His life that is living in you! Anywho; how can we really know who does what: GOD IS ONE...

"Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were: who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." (Romans 4:16-21 KJV) 

"Life for Life"

 "For as the father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the the Son quickeneth whom he will." (John 5:21 KJV) 

  "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (James 2:10-11 KJV) 

 I know, it just makes no sense! Yes, I know, especially in this current culture; a culture where there is an excuse written and put into place for almost every sin imaginable! It is really sad to see, but there are so many people deceived into thinking that their sin is justified and uncontrollable based upon man's logic or findings, and forgetting that what really matters is the Written Word of God! 

 Okay, so you want to know what the heck it is that I am getting at? Well, it is pretty much in line with all that I have been saying for over this whole last week: It is time to get serious about our calling and our purpose! But you say, "I don't have a calling or purpose; and if I did, I don't know what it is!" Can I tell you a little secret? That is not true and you will not be able to use that excuse! 

 I'm sorry if that makes you feel uneasy; but it is really high-time someone makes Pew-Sitters feel uneasy, so that maybe they might begin to start walking out their ministry; even if all that involves is to walk around carrying a mat! We are not saved to be left waiting to die and go to Heaven: we are saved to live out heaven here on this earth; which basically means: We show off our hope; just as God will one day show us off, saying, "Look what I made!"  

 Anywho: that little highlighted portion of Hebrews from yesterday's closing Scripture, which is sometimes molested so bad that it makes bad Christians give up: it points to something that is about as important as salvation; which is pretty much the point! We are not saved by works, works meaning that you set out to try and earn your way into heaven; because you cannot earn your way into heaven! We are saved by faith in God's grace! 

 Okay, so just in case you are not familiar with the concept: grace is you receiving something that you do not deserve! I don't deserve the salvation that I have received because I am the chief of all sinners! I can actually say that that is mostly correct! That said, what that should do in me, (or you,) is to makes me very much aware of what I am, what God has given to me, even though I do not deserve it, and then, that is what I must live out from my own life: Life for Life! 

 But then, what do I know, I'm just a nut! But a nut doesn't fall too far from the Tree! At least that is what my mom always told me...

"So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you." (James 2:12-13 NLT)

"Not My Time!" -2

"For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater greater works than these, that ye may marvel." (John 5:20 KJV) 

  "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us; through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:19-22 KJV)

 I really love reading the KJV, as it does not explain every little detail; which then allows our minds to be stretched, as we work out the meaning, sometimes personal, from every bit of what is being said. I can't help but imagine the writing of these words, (speaking of Hebrews,) how that, if this was written by Paul, it was most likely written from prison, while he was in Rome, and while he was thinking about his fellow countrymen; especially his fellow Pharisees. Just sayin!  

 I've already told you my thoughts on that matter: I think there were three of them, sitting around for days, sharing the spectacular moving of God's hand through His-Story! You can only know how that might be possible, by having experienced it yourself; as I did when I was locked down and had hours to share God's word with two brothers in Christ. There is never enough that can be said, as you sit and speak of all the wonderful things that God has done, in and throughout this amazing story. 

 I pray that we are equipped with a readiness and boldness, more than anything, and more than anytime before! It is God that wants to speak, and He needs those of us that are prepared to step forward, who have been able to have dealt with the shame, been instill with the vision, and have prepared their hearts to face whatever might happen! This is time to soldier up and open our mouths: God needs to speak! 

 Anywho; sorry for seeming a little anxious, but I will blame it on global warming; because I think it is about to get a little hot in the kitchen. As my mom use to say, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" Maybe I need to do a little less thinking, and start doing a whole lot more praying...

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:23-27 KJV)  

"Not My Time!"

"For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." (John 5:20 KJV)

  "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." (1 Peter 2:18-20 KJV)

 Is there such a thing as knowing your time is up? Is there a way to know, without a doubt, your time is not yet here? Next question: Does a man have intuition as to the way he shall depart? Well, in this small verse, John 5:20, I believe that there are some clues written, as to the certainty and confidence of purpose. I may sometimes speak out of turn; and I might sometimes share more than I know; but you cannot stop or slow me down, if God is still using me! 

 Anywho! You can read it for whatever you want, but Jesus absolutely knows what death is He is going to suffer, and it's not going to be there in the Temple, and it is not going to be then, in that moment! I was absolutely amazed when I heard of Rich Mullins death. After meeting him at LCC back in the early days in Palo Cedro, I was curious about the hand written note he wrote upon my sons hat: Love God! 

 In those early days, I was driving down to Southern California at least once a month; as at that time I was operating as a Branch Office for Professional Exterminators in Bellflower. It was required that there be some sort of continuity between us, in order to perform work in that manor. Usually my drive would by structured for me to go there and back with 24 hours. I would leave around 11:00pm, arrive for my meeting by 8:00am, and then back on the road usually by noon, to allow for stopping to nap, eat, or just whatever; just to be home by 11:00pm, so that my wife would be able to get some sleep, and not be worried about me. 

 This was my journey into Rich Mullin's world; especially on the drive down, as it was dark, light traffic, and I could blast the music load, enjoying ever single moment. One of his songs really made me think of what I am talking about; not that he might have had confidence when, but it was how! If God is still going to use you, you are pretty much going to be indestructible; but if it is your time, then it is your time: Go out like Elijah...

"And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." (2 Kings 2:9-10 KJV)  

"Unstoppable!"

 "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:19 KJV)

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

 Alrighty then! Now that we have tasted a little bit of what might be, what you might call, an anointing, it is time to put aside the foolish things, and begin to know what the power of God feels like! Because, when it is God working in and through your life, your are, without a doubt, unstoppable!!!

 Anywho; I just needed to get that off of my chest! I had to cry out this morning for my wife to forgive me, because I let down my guard; no, I put down my responsibility as her husband to protect and cherish her, more than I cherish and protect my own flesh! When it actually started happening, I really don't remember. There were too many countless times where compromise became a habit; you sort of loose track of time. 

 That said, even though she is in the condition she is today, I saw the look in her eyes, and I know she has forgiven me. Now I just need to learn how to forgive myself! One thing is abundantly clear and without any doubt, whatsoever: My Heavenly Father has forgiven me and Jesus is standing beside Him right now with His arms reaching out, saying, "We look forward to you coming home to be with us!" 

 So, that is what I assured my wife with this morning, that we will all three be there together, just like a picture I drew of us, back in 1981, where her, me, and Buddy were together, face to face with Jesus, as He welcomed us home! Hold that thought, and never let go! It is all going to be okay; no matter what you have done; if you still have breath in your lungs, then get used by God! 

 Sorry, put is has been a pretty interesting couple of days, so if I appear as though I am a little carried away, it is because I have been! It is like being in a hot-air balloon where you get to go up and look down upon your world; and the closer you look, you get to see yourself; and what you see, you don't like! If that makes any sense to anyone, I hope you get the picture...

"Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don't try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." (2 Corinthians 4:1-4 NLT)