"The Unbelief of the People"

  "But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:

  "LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?"

 But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,

  "The LORD has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts - so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them." 

 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory. Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn't admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God. 

 Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not just me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in men will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."" (John 12:37-50 NLT)

 "I cried out, "I am slipping!" but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." (Psalm 94:18-19 NLT)

 Maybe you have been there, in this place of discouragement and doubt? It really doesn't take much to cause you to slip, a little fear of where you, verses where you think you should be, could be just enough to cause you to think that there is no hope, bringing you into a state of despair and feeling of unbelief. 

 There is something that John points out, many of us forget to pay attention to, even though it should be abundantly clear: "For they loved human praise more than the praise of God." I reckon that most of the things that make us like to be accepted in this world, they are the things that seem to provide the kind of hope which is temporary and has a present connection; something we can feel today. 

 How many times have you heard this? "Love is not about feelings!" I know it might be hard to make that a choice, but real love is about sacrifice and commitment...

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

"Children of Light"

 "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them." (John 12:36 KJV)

  "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abrahan belongs to you." (Galatians 3:26-29 NLT)

 You know, this was so easy to accept as a new believer in Christ, almost as if I didn't even need to think about it, it just was what I was, because I had been born into the family of God! And then sin began to take a foothold, causing doubt to my new life, making me feel as though I had let God down, as if His Son's death on the cross had no victory in my life. 

 Well, that is life! Long story short, we must accept the fact that we are weak and can do nothing apart from God, absolutely nothing! Do you know why that is? Simply put, because you are a child of God! You no longer operate and live as you once did, so everything you do, outside of God's direction, becomes a thing that really doesn't count; it is worthless and wasted efforts, that produce no benefit for your Father's business. 

 I hope by now there are some of us that figured out how to ask for forgiveness and accept God's forgiveness, believing that the blood of Christ was shed for all your sins! All means ALL! That is all your sins, the one's from the past, present, and even those you will commit today and tomorrow! Every sin is washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ; that you must believe! 

 Now, about this Light, as John is trying to show what it was that Jesus meant. We really have no problem with believing that we had a mother and father; it is pretty much something we know to be fact, and there is no way anyone can tell us anything that will cause us not to believe that fact. This is the Light we have in us, which cannot be denied or questioned, unless we are not walking in the Light, while the Light is in us! 

 Because I believe in the Light, I will always come after the Light, because I am a child of the Light and can feel the darkness when I have the Light not shinning within and through me. I don't know about you, but there is only so much I can take of this world, before I fall on my knees and beg God for His forgiveness! That is something that never gets used up, unless I give up; and even then, my Father is not going to let me go! 

 Do you believe what I just said? If you are a child of God, God protects and keeps hold of His children! You can count on that, no matter what, He is faithful, even when you fail to be faithful... 

"We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:18-21 NLT)

"Make Manifest" - Too

"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." (John 12:35 KJV)

  "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." (1 John 1:5-7 NLT)

 Have you ever had a crazy dream that leaves you feeling like you have been there before, but you see yourself from a different perspective? I know that sounds odd, but I am pretty sure God still speaks to us in our dreams. Usually, the point on those types of dreams indicate it is time to either make a move or stop something that you might plan on doing. 

 If you have ever seen the movie, "Holy Roller," then you might remember that the Pastor in that movie decided to move into the city and get a real job, because he felt as though being a Pastor was not paying the bills. Long story short, there are directional indicators in the movie, which are crosswalk signals, that point up or down depending upon the direction that his new ministry is going.

 I don't think we have those type of indicators to assist us, as nice as it would be to know when we are headed in the right direction or the wrong direction; but we do have the Light of God living within us, which goes from shinning, to not shinning, depending upon on the direction we are going! Don't pretend that you don't know when you are in the Light or not in the Light, because we always know when we offend the Holy Spirit! 

 We must live in the Light! Stop being foolish and walking in spiritual darkness; there is only one way to make that happen, and that is to turn around and change direction! Pray always, read God's word as often as you can, every day and throughout the day, and by all means, obey the Holy Spirit! 

 Simple as that might sound, it takes practice to make it work! As soon as you skip a chance, you will skip another, and then another; until you find yourself not going in the right direction again; and then again; and again, you will need to change direction! 

 Whatever you do, do not give up! You have a Father that loves you, is always making a way for you to carry on, and will always, always, always forgive you for your sins! You know what sin is? It is missing the mark! You can't even come close to the mark if you are headed in the wrong direction...  

"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 1:8-10 NLT) 

"Make Manifest"

 "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." (John 12:35 KJV)

  "This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:11-14 NLT)

 As I was preparing for this post, I thought about something to relate to the Light manifesting here on earth, as John says, "and his life brought light to everyone." In so doing, I couldn't help but think of the beginning, which is recorded in Genesis 1:1, which speaks about the heavens and earth being created. 

 In verse two, God says, 'The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." As I thought of this, it dawned on me how much it seems that God's main focus was upon the earth, as if, this little planet was the center of His very complex and never-ending universe. Wouldn't that be a trip! 

 Obviously, when God created this planet, it was completely covered with water, amazingly, there was nothing that could be seen on the surface but water. I find that rather interesting, as God's word, the Living Water, has no borders or no ending; it goes on and on, never discovered completely and fully. In other words, no matter how much of His word you consume, there is always more there for you to eat!

 And then we come to verse three, where God says, ""Let there be light," and there was light." Excuse me if I borrow something from the scientific community, but does that sound as if there was some sort of an explosion of light! Light was manifested in the darkness, just as when you turn on the switch when you enter into a dark room, except much more sudden and brighter! 

 Anywho, there is much more to this than just the manifestation on light, because the Light of Jesus is within us, therefore, it is His light in us that needs to shine through us, who live in these dying bodies! Understandably, that makes there be a separation within us, where the Light is good, just as there was after God made light: "Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night."" (Genesis 1:4-5) 

 Is there something there to compare to, with these bodies? Is there some condition that makes one live after the Light, rather than after the darkness? I don't know why, but that song just manifested in my head, something about, "Checking what condition, my condition was in." 

 Better yet, G.I.G.O. is a pretty good example of what is going on in many of God's children; and it really starts with being faithful in the little things...

"The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Romans 8:3-6 NLT)

"Guess Who!"

 "The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?" (John 12:34 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 David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!" (Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT)

 Well, as deep of a topic that this might be, on the surface it is really not that hard to comprehend! Jesus has said, more than once, that He would rise again; yet, understandably, most everyone that heard what He said, did not really understand what that meant, "Rise Again," was really not part of their vocabulary! 

 Even after the fact, many still did not understand what had happened; there were several different versions of what took place. One such version was that He never did in the first place; another was, that He was just a ghost or raised up in the spirit, as if His body remained in the earth. 

 Please believe me when I say this: You must believe who Jesus was, is, and forever will be! He does not change; the same Jesus will always be: "KING of all kings, and LORD of all lords!" The Son of Man, was the Son of God, for a very important reason: because He needed to take on the form of man, so that He could redeem mankind! He came in the flesh, but was still God in the flesh, only made in the fashion that He could die! 

 I know that there are many people who don't get that, as I have described it as plainly as I could possible try, and they still have that same answer: 'I just don't get it!' There are many things in the Bible that I don't understand, but who Jesus was, why He came as a man, and why He needed to die, is not one of those things that I don't understand!

 What say you...

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believe him and accept him, he gave the right to become the children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'" From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us." (John 1:1-18 NLT) 

"The Significant Sign"

"This he said, signifying what death he should die." (John 12:33 KJV)

  ""Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."" (Isaiah 55:13 NLT)

 There are only a few things that really matter in this life; and even then, those things pale in comparison to the death of Jesus on the cross! I, as well as many others, tend to forget the significance, as we move and breath upon this earth; being overcome with life, we sometimes skip past how important it was that Jesus paid such a mighty cost to die for our sins.

 Thus, the whole reason for communion, that we do not forget! Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me." He actually meant what He said! We need to remind ourselves how significant it was that He gave His life, willingly and without regret, that we could be with Him forever in His Kingdom! 

 When you think of it like that, our little issues and problems get pretty small and insignificant! John is making this point because there are some people who forget, skipping past the death part, and moving on to the part about the resurrection or when He ascended up into Heaven. 

 You would be amazed by the number of churches that focus upon all the blessings and promises of God, but hardly ever speak about hell or the great sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ suffered, that blessings and promises could be fulfilled. The stuff they mostly preach about are temporary and insignificant, things that involve good health and a prosperous life; those things which will not last, and we don't get to keep!    

 If there is anything that I have come to realize over the years of taking care of my wife, it is that there is more to living then having good health and a prosperous life...

"Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life."" (John 3:10-15 NLT)

"The Division"

 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32 KJV)

  "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:18-21 NLT)

 In case you were wondering about the title, you should probably know, "all," means ALL! Yes, all men, and all women; everyone is drawn towards the cross, in one way or another. The dividing that takes place from the message of the cross, is the message that they receive from it, and whether or not they will believe that it is their only way to be made right with God! 

 Before I was saved, I knew about the cross, even had worn a cross for a period of time, as if that was a statement of belief. But I never really understood the significance or power which was represented from knowing what it meant, and why Jesus hung on that cross, in the first place. To me, it was basically just a symbol of being part of something spiritual, as were several other images and figures, like Budda, or the Star of David. 

 Once I understood the message of the cross, it changed me completely! Just like that, the message became like a powerful magnet; some were drawn to the message, and some were repelled away from the message, depending on whether they were receptive or offended by what I had to share. That is the division which is real and present in the human heart! 

 Basically, it comes down to the free will that God has established, since the very beginning. He allows us to make up our own mind, as to whether or not we receive the gift of His salvation! It is really just that simple, you either accept it or you don't. Those that do accept it, get eternal life; those that do not accept it, are stuck in damnation...

""God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."" (John 3:17-21 NLT)    

"The Decision"

 "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (John 12:31 KJV)

  "Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior? Who demand that a tyrant let his captives go? But the LORD says, "The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children. I will feed your enemies with their own flesh. They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood. All the world will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel."" (Isaiah 49:24-26 NLT)

 Just when you think it couldn't get any better, God reminds us just how sure He is that everything is all right, because His plan was established long ago; the decision was made in the beginning, and what God decides to do, actually happens! That is pretty much what that word, "judgment," represents; it is not the time for judging what needs to happen or how it will be done; that decision was made a long time ago; now is the time to finish it! 

 That is how our God works! There is nothing that is left undone; there is nothing that is left to chance! If He says this or that, then this or that will be, no questions asked! I feel as though there are quite a few skeptics out there, those who might think that God has lost control of all that is going on here, on earth. Some of which, think that this little blue dot is spinning out of control. 

 I had a conversation about this last week, having to remind myself and the person I was speaking to, that Jesus said everything would be as it was in the time of Noah. I can't imagine what it was like at that time, but for God to kill everything that breathed through its nostrils, it had to be pretty bad! 

 We can take comfort in knowing that God is in control! He has always been in control, and there is absolutely no possible way that anyone or anything can stop Him from doing everything that He has planned to do. You would think by now the 'prince of this world' would have figured that out; but, as I said before, he knows perfectly well what is going to happen to him; he just wants to take as many of us with him as he possibly can. 

 With that, we have some decisions to make too! Although, our decisions are not as concrete as God's, because we don't get to decide what gets done. We must decide how hard we are going to try to get all the people we care about out of the hands of the prince of this world, and into the hands of God...

"When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:22-27 NLT) 

"Brief Application"

 "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes." (John 12:30 KJV)

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

 Here is something of importance, I think many of us actually know, but don't always apply it, as we should: Although our salvation was swift and instant, it must be alive and continue to grow to a place of maturity in Christ. The only excuse that we have for that not to happen, is the God takes us home, right after we have been saved; other than that, we must bear fruit!  

 The reason that I bring this up, is because the word that Jesus uses for, "sakes," is a word that is meant to mean something temporary, as if to say, 'It was a passing shadow'. In other words, it was not meant to be something to base your faith in, only something to spark an interest. 

 A good illustration of what this might mean, was when Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transformed with Moses and Elisha; afterwards, they thought they should build some type of altar on that place to mark the occasion. It was not something to build upon, as if that was the spiritual nugget to make us believe and commit our lives to follow Jesus! It was just a brief sign of God's glory, and the radiance of His only begotten Son. 

 What it is that causes us to die to ourselves and follow Jesus, is that He died for us, being the Sacrifice that was sent by the Father to cleanse us from our sins, and give us eternal life, in Him! And, as if that wasn't enough, to prove that He could grant us the eternal life that He has promised, He was raised to life again, and is now sitting at the Father's right hand, defending us when we fail to follow Him as we should! 

 He has delivered and secured us in Heaven, way out of reach from our own destruction! There is almost nothing that we can do to undo what He has done; as a matter of fact, I believe that we must work very hard to destroy the work that He has started in us; and even then, we might find that we were unsuccessful in pulling that off!  

 The day and the hour of my salvation was only a brief application, but eternal solution; and it stuck! Why did it stick? Why was it made permanent and unlikely to be undone? Because it was cast upon the soil that could bear fruit! The soil that we need in order to make that happen, is love; knowing how much God loves us, makes this stony heart a place where love can be planted and grow...

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely. Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NLT) 

"Perception Matters!"

 "The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him." (John 12:29 KJV) 

  ""Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, 'You have done wrong.' Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise. Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance."" (Job 36:22-25 NLT)

 There are many times in our lives when we might feel as though we are being crushed by God; some of these times it seems as though we are being judged, and others just feel as though we are being made pure. Either way, judgement or cleansing, if you are one of God's children, it is all being done for good! 

 Now then, what is the definition of good? Top of the list, is, 'High Quality,' which begs to differ if we feel as though we are being brought low and dragged through the dirt. Another, that is towards the top of the list, is, 'Pleasing,' which doesn't really mirror the suffering felt when going through some tragedy or major heartbreak. 

 Suddenly, and almost immediately, we must put our mind God, not on whatever we might be feeling from the suffering in our lives! Take the focus off of ourselves, making God the focus of what is going on, even if it hurts! That might sound like it is difficult or impossible to do, but it is the only way you will have the right perspective in your situation or circumstance: guaranteed! 

 If there is one thing that I learned, (and still need to learn more about,) judgement and cleaning are what is happening, and it is part of every situation. I know that it is said, "God doesn't judge us anymore, because we have been forgiven of our sins." But believe it or not, we still sin! And, whether you know it or not, God's holiness and justice trumps our liberty to sin! 

 Technically, judgement and cleaning are the perfect correction that we need, always! God knows exactly what is required, because He has good judgement of our character and heart; because He knows exactly what is required, He can be absolutely good at cleansing us of the stuff that stands between our close relationship with Him! 

 Oddly enough, this might not seem like it compares with where we are today, but it is exactly what we need in order to the know when He is speaking, and what it is, He is trying say! The biggest problem with the perception of those that heard the 'thunder,' was not the actual thunder or voice, but their real perception of God's Son! 

 If they had known and understood who Jesus was and why He came, then the words God spoke would have been loud and clear...

"In view of all of this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their sins." (2 Peter 1:5-9 NLT)   

"The Voice of The Father!"

 "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:28 KJV) 

  "And I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." (Philippians 1:6 NLT)

 There is nothing better in this life than knowing we have a Father in Heaven that loves us and is there watching over us, every single moment of our lives. He knows everything about us, from the way we deal with hurt and discomfort, to the excitement we have in our hearts when we hear His voice, assuring us that He still loves us, regardless of the stupid things we do. 

 Obviously, Jesus didn't do any of those stupid things, because He was perfect in every way; but He still needed that special relationship with His Father! This was not just a distant relationship, like the way we might sometimes experience talking to the Father, Jesus came from the Father, therefore He had the experience of having already been there, in Heaven where He will be again, with the Father.

 Not sure if you see the significance in how that relates; but it is the same way for us, as we might be away from anyone that we might love; there is a very special relationship established, just their voice reconnects the bond and connection that we have with them. That said, we have been given the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us: He too has that same connection with the Father, therefore, we are able to experience the familiarity of the Father's voice. 

 I know the Father's voice, because He is always encouraging and inspirational to me, even when I don't feel as though I deserve to His fellowship, He makes me know that everything will be okay. When I am at my lowest and don't feel as though I can stand it anymore, I can feel as though He is right there with me, placing His hand upon my shoulder to assure me that He is there! 

 That is always just what we all need, to be assured that He is there and has our back! This is so apparent in the Psalms, as that is what I have been reading to my wife, and it becomes even more obvious when you read them out-loud! Some of the Psalms seem so depressing and sound as if they have a terrible message about God forsaking them and letting their enemies destroy them. It is really hard to know if it is complaining or acknowledgment that is coming forth.  

 One thing is for sure, God always get the glory! Even in the storms of our lives, He gets the glory...

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

"To-And-Fro"

 "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour." (John 12:27 KJV)

  "Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:16-20 NLT)

 I will try very hard not to mess this up! As many of you know, I have a wife that is mostly brain-dead, which is referred to, as a Persistent Vegetative State. She has been in this condition since August 12th, 2003, and I have been caring for her at home since around November 15th, 2003. Having her here is a blessing and a curse, as I am living with the torment of seeing her kept in this state, but at the same time, I find joy in taking care of her, making it my honor to do so!

 You may have heard me say this before, but it not my duty or role to end her suffering; that is totally and completely in God's hand. My duty and role are to keep her as comfortable as possible and keep showing her the love that she deserves. Other than that, I pray for her constantly and read her God's word, as the instructions in Ephesians 5 say I should do. 

 The reason I share this, is because the question of why Jesus is saying what He says, is not because He has any doubt or fear of what is at hand, but because this is the thing we should always do: Settle the issue within our hearts! If we have a situation that we are troubled with, then we need to weigh the bad and the good, making the good that is going to come of it, the thing that gives us hope! 

 Yesterday I listened to a very complex message. I say complex, because it involved surrendering to God will without abandonment of our free will, but at the same time, making God's will totally and completely free to rule our lives. I know it's a little hard to understand, but it really is quite like what you must do if you are drowning, and a lifeguard is trying to rescue you: You stay calm and still, letting him save you; otherwise, he will wait for you to drown! 

 Don't quite understand why Marianne is still here, but I am at peace with whatever God is doing! He knows the things that we need to experience in this life; He knows what is best for us to live through, that He should get the glory: we know absolutely nothing, but that which He shows us. Thus far, what He has shown me is to care for my wife, as I said that I would, in an oath: "Until death do us part"...

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17 NLT)  

"Jesus Predicts His Death"

   ""Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."

 Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while other declared an angel had spoken to him. 

 Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die. 

 The crowd responded, "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?" 

 Jesus replied, "My light will shine for you just a little while longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." 

 After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them." (John 12:27-36 NLT) 

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory is revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12-13 KJV)

 And then we need to stop and evaluate where we have placed our trust, as if the trial we are currently in has the desire to harm us, or is there to strengthen us, drawing us closer to God! Yesterday I was able to listen to a very interesting message about how God delivers us in our trials and tribulations.

 First of all, none of us should be fearful of anything that might threaten us regarding the things of this world; yet it seems as though many of us have a hard time dealing with things that can come against us, especially when it comes to the comforts and pleasures that we have become accustomed to. 

 Basically, we all are sensitive to change; whether it is something that we are led to do, or something we are forced to do, changing the way that we are accustomed to living, is not easily stepped into. That said, the message I heard yesterday was about the way we should view the process in which we are in any particular trial or tribulation.

 The first example was that of Paul, who used the word, "through," as in to say, "God saved me through my trial." This is to say that the trial was not something that was meant to harm, but was meant to be experienced, whether it was for his benefit, or for the benefit of others, it was meant for the good. 

 The next example was Daniel in the lion's den, as God did not save Daniel from the lion's den; but instead, God allowed Daniel to be thrown into the lion's den, that he could protected and secured among the lions, even though the lions were hungry! The glory of God was revealed more by Daniel's protection while with the lions, then it ever would have been, had he been saved from going into the lion's den, in the first place.

 The third example was that of the fiery furnace, as those three Jewish men were not saved from going into the furnace, but they were saved while they were in the fiery furnace, where God received far more glory than He would, had they not been thrown in, at all. What a major difference there is between the act of God saving us from the trial or tribulation, verses Him using us in, while, or through any sort of circumstance we might be in!  

 This is where we currently are; not personally, although it seems as though it might be so; but as a church and body of believers. We might not even realize that it is going on; this is a fact for many of those who have spoken to, as they haven't experienced the direct result of all that is being done.

 Regardless of what you might experience, there is only one thing that God has guaranteed He will deliver us from, and that is death! Not mortal death, because that doesn't count; but the power of death that prevents us from experiencing eternal life with Him...

 "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." (Philippians 1:20-21 NLT)  

 

"The Blessing"

 "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if and man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John 12:26 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)

 Basically, this is the message of what it means to be a servant! Yes, we are children of God, but as a child, longing to be with our LORD, we serve Him here as the Master of our souls, longing to be united and with Him after this life; the temporary life than we live, serving as best as we can! 

 This should never be thought of as if it was some kind of a job, because it is a life of service! We serve and follow Him until our time here is done; it is done, when He takes us home, and not a minute sooner! Those that are too old to serve, need to bless and teach the younger saints the things that they have learned, not just Scriptures, but real-life practices and about living through trials and tribulations. 

 We have breath in our lungs; therefore, we still have the ability to serve! It is not about punching a clock or earning points, it is about being a servant to our Master, Christ Jesus our Lord. Real servants don't sit around waiting for their master to ring a bell or call out their names, they continually look for and learn from their master what they are expected to do; being diligently expectant for any request. 

 Anywho; this is the temporary blessing that we get to experience here on this earth: to be led by the Lord! If you trust in the Lord to led you, then anything that might go wrong, is really not your fault, but just a small detour that the Lord will use for His glory. At least that is the way a servant truly looks at things which seem out of sorts. 

 Something I learned from my little time in jail, is that there are certain men that almost need to be locked down and told what to do. They get released from jail on Friday, and then appear right back in jail the following week. That is because they really don't know how to care for themselves, and at least in jail, they don't need to think about anything but relaxing and when it is time to eat. 

 If you feel like you might be suffering in your service to the Lord, then just think about what Jesus went through, and you won't feel so bad about your own life...

"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But - "When God our Saviour revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone."  (Titus 3:3-8 NLT)

"The Birth-Right"

 "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25 KJV)

  "For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening- it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your week knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." (Hebrews 12:10-13 NLT)

 Sometimes we must weigh the challenges of trying to live right, with the consequences of living as if this is all we got, because this life will soon be over! Simply put, if this is the life you love, you will be lost, because it does not last very long, at all! You cannot hold onto this life forever! 

 But, if you have your eyes set upon that life which God has provided for you, after this life, then whatever goes on in this life will become strangely dim, in light of the glorious life that is to come. This is, if you have faith in God's promises! 

 Sadly, I think it gets a little more complicated when we fail to see the difference between us and those who are of this world. We evaluate what we are, compared to what we should be; thinking that somehow, we really aren't any different than those who live for this world. But that is exactly what the devil wants us to do, to believe that we just don't measure up to being a child of God. 

 We can't will ourselves to be better, as if it's all about free will and being strong; because we are not as strong as we think we are! And if we think that we are strong enough, we will freely fall, without even knowing what happened. 

 Sometimes this gets hard, as we get torn between two worlds. Even simple things, like providing for a family, or caring for someone that needs your utmost attention; these things sometimes make us feel trapped and dependent on this worldly life, as if life is what it is, and we just need to deal with it.

 I can recall something I said, the night of my wife's operation: speaking to my mother-in-law, I said, "Well, at least Marianne won't care where we have to live anymore!" This was not something I was proud to say but was my reflection of how much more we enjoyed each other, before we focused on trying to enjoy life. Bigger houses and nicer cars, do nothing for making life happier; if anything, they become idols and distractions from what really matters the most.

 The simple illustration of Esau, who traded his birth-right for a single meal, is more than just a story, it is what takes place when we try satisfying a temporary pleasure with an eternal benefit! We must abide in Christ and obey His Spirit that abides in us, this is our Birth-Right...

 "You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling." No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For is the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!" (Hebrews 12:18-25 NLT)    

 

"The Primary Seed"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24 KJV)

  "But someone may ask, "How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?" What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn't grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put into the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. Similarly there are different kinds of flesh - one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish." (1 Corinthians 15:35-39 NLT)

 How many times I have read this verse, thinking that this just applied to us, to die to ourselves and be born anew in Christ? This was what I was told, therefore it stuck, and I have pictured it the same way, again and again. In this instance, I believe Jesus is illustrating the importance of His death and His resurrection.

 The resurrection of Christ is critically important to the church; without Jesus raising from the dead, there is really nothing to celebrate, and we are all going to die in our sins. (1 Corinthians 5:17) Jesus made the way, not only for the forgiveness of sin, but that there be the benefit for the forgiveness granted, which is eternal life with Him! 

 Yes, we must also die, which is what is illustrated by being baptized: we are submerged into the water, signifying our bodies being crucified with Christ, and we are raised up from the water, as new creatures in Christ. That is just an outward expression of an inward work that has already been accomplished; so don't think I am trying to say that salvation happens with baptism, because that's not what I believe.

 However, the body of Jesus Christ was different than any of our bodies; His was not connected to the seed of a man, but the Spirit; which seed was planted into a woman. Pretty complex and hard to peel back the layers, but nonetheless, it is the way God ordained it to be, a mystery! 

 So then what fruit does God raise from this seed? Well, He is the Judge, not I: He determines those that will be raised into everlasting life, or those that will be raised in judgement. Paul mentions this in a closing statement, speaking about those things that matter most, saying, "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:10-11 NLT)

 I know it might not seem so mighty sometimes, but that might be because we sometimes don't live in the power! Mighty is what mighty does...

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)" (Romans 8:5-9 NLT) 

    

"The Established Hour" - TO

 "And Jesus answered, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified." (John 12:23 KJV)

  "But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD'S good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honor of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT)

 Besides all of that, the demons knew exactly who Jesus was, and they trembled. So, knowing who He is, even though it is good to know, does not make you a child of God; the devil and those that follow him also know, having an allegiance against Him, even though they know they cannot win! Isn't that strange? Why would they take on God, as if they had some chance to overcome? 

 If you do not know this by now, I hope you believe me when I say this; because the devil knows that he will not win, yet he wants to take as many of us with him into the pit! "Misery loves company," as my mother would always say. Basically, it is all about envy! 

 That said, this hour that Jesus is talking about, is the whole reason that the devil is what he is! Before God had determined to make the earth and place man upon it, He had established a way to redeem mankind, to give them the ability to be righteous and holy, as He is, righteous and holy. Thereby, man would be judge over the angels, which caused the rebellion in Heaven; Lucifer and one third of the angels were ejected from heaven and were cast to the earth. (Revelation 12:4)

 Jesus had to come down from heaven and be born as a man, that He could break the curse, which was given to Adam, the first man that God created. Jesus, in essence, became the second Adam, meaning that He was created by God in the womb of a virgin, Mary. Although, instead of being just a man, He came as God in the form of a man, in order to die the death of a criminal on the cross.

 There is something we need to know, because the devil knew from the very beginning what was going to happen; that which is established by God cannot not be undone! If God has made it to happen, then it is going to happen, no matter who wants to stop it, it cannot be stopped! Think of that and realize that now that you have been made child of God, you have been adopted into God's family!  

 Anywho, that is the question that Jesus has answered: we are His treasure, and He is not going to throw us away, no way, no how! Adopted children are chosen children, having right standing with God...

"Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:1-7 NLT)

   

"The Established Hour"

 "And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified." (John 12:23 KJV)

  "Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone." And, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he has called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. "Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy, now you have received God's mercy."" (1 Peter 2:7-10 NLT)

 First things first; this hour that Jesus is speaking of is compared to something that is automatically in motion, much like the sun that comes up in the morning, as it has the time established to rise; depending on where you live, it is expected to come up at that certain time. This is not just something that is new, as if the time is all of the sudden and unexpected; far from it, it is well established and planned out, from the very beginning of time! 

 Secondly, why is it brought up, in answer to the question? I had a conversation with someone the other day about the importance of believing that Jesus is God, and how it matters to a person's salvation. As you should know by now, I make it a point to mention that fact quite often, but just knowing who Jesus is, does not make you a true believer; and it surely does not make you born again! 

 There is more to it than just believing the fact that Jesus is God, because that is a fact, that cannot be changed; as it has been the same from the very beginning, and it will remain till the very end. What makes the sun come up in the morning, is not that the sun comes up, but that the world has turned in a rotation, towards the sun. 

 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalms 103:12) This is a verse that has been used to illustrate the forgiveness of sin, and how it is based upon a direction. We can look at it a certain way, thinking that it is based upon the rotation of the earth; or we can see it as a man's walk, being always headed east. 

 Better yet, we can understand that it is God's mercy upon us, and be one of those who keep looking towards Jesus, for His bountiful grace...

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)  

 

"Keep on Knocking"

 "Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus." (John 12:22 KJV)

  "One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."" (Mark 10:13-15 NLT)

 When you come to a place where you don't know what to do, then you must look for another door to open, and knock! Do not give up and think that there are no more doors, because Jesus is the door, but you must be in the right place for Him to open it up to you!

 Don't ask me where that came from, because it is right there; you just need to change your perspective in order to see it. Besides that, if we somehow think that we have all the answers, then we will not get any answers; if we feel as though we don't need to have any help, then we will not get any help! We must be totally dependent on God, if we want to depend on God; at least that is what it means to be like a child, to be dependent upon Him, as if your life depended on it! 

 Whatever it takes, takes being obedient to whatever He says you should do; even if it seems as if it is too hard and cannot be done, we do our best to do it. The story about the giant rock that God wanted you to move; even though you couldn't actually get it done, all of your effort to do it made you stronger. Now it is time to admit, no matter how stronger you might get, you will always need God's help! 

 Sometimes we just need to keep on knocking! Knock and knock until your knuckles hurt and your heart begins to break for what breaks His...

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O LORD of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." (Psalm 84:10-12 NLT) 

"Seeing Jesus"

 "The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus." (John 12:21 KJV)

  "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NLT)

 So, here we have it, whether we expected to find it or not, hope is only truly realized when there is no other way but hoping in Jesus! Hebrews 12:2, which tells us plainly to keep our eyes on Jesus, says He is, "the author and finisher of our faith." Having some basic understanding of creative writing, when anyone sets out to write a captivating story, they usually don't give the ending away, as the mystery of what will happen is what draws people into the story.

 Here we have something totally different, because this Autor has let us know the end, before it will even happen! Not only that, but He has proven that the end will be as He said, by being raised from the dead and ascending up into heaven, where He prepares a place for you and me! You really can't finish the story before the end has happened, that is unless you are the Finisher of the story! 

 It really isn't that hard to understand, "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it," is what faith means. If you have faith in the finished work of Christ, then why do we worry about anything to do with this life? Having struggled with this issue, longer than I care to talk about, I think I can say that I know it doesn't work! You really can't serve two masters! 

 If you make friends with this world, you are going to get into a friendship that you will regret, because it is a friend that gives temporary pleasure, but takes away your hope in the process. Sooner or later, you will be so overburdened, because it feels as though detaching from its grip will tear you apart. 

 That is when it takes a basic understanding of what it means to surrender! Stop trying to make things happen, especially when you feel as though God is telling you, "Be still, and know that I am God!" Wow, is just another way to say, 'Opps, I should have listened! 

 That said, I think I understand how this works...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT)  

"Out of Sorts"

 "And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:" (John 12:20 KJV)

  "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us." (Colossians 3:10-11 NLT)

 You must know, I was going to use another title, but it appears that it has been assigned to some sort of gender identity and so, much like the rainbow, it represents something other than that which it should. Quite frankly, I think that the rainbow was chosen to represent the finger to God, as to say, 'Don't judge us.' 

 Anyway, this very interesting verse shows how those from another culture were there to worship God, not their gods, but the God of the Jews. Unfortunately, they were free to worship at the feast, but they were not admitted eating of the Passover. 

 I had a friend, back in the days of lockdown, as we were speaking about Jesus and about all the things He has done for us, a certain new inmate came and listened to our conversation. As soon as he was able, he broke into our conversation, saying, "When I get out of here, I am going to go to my brother's church! Well, they don't actually call it a church, they call it a hall, the Kingdom Hall."

 Instantly, I was pricked in my heart, and began to share with this younger man about Jesus. Showing all the Scriptures that expressed who He really was and showed that He was our Creator. My friend and I prayed with this younger man, asking that God would show Himself to him, and then we invited him to come with us to the next church service. 

 He ended up accepting the Lord into his heart that next Sunday morning; and then he received a visit from his family later that day. I also received a visit, as my wife and grandfather came to see how I was doing. Before they were seated across from me, the young man was greeted by his family in the booth nearby.

 As his family held the phone in their hands, the young man picked up his phone, saying: "Guess what! I accepted Jesus into my heart this morning!" They didn't even say goodby! They just hung up their phone, turned their backs from him, and walked away. 

 Later that day, my friend and I had planned to sabotage a J.W. communion service, once we were free and could do so. We thought it would be fun to sit in the pews, and while the bread and wine was being passed around, we would partake! Oddly enough, in the Kingdom Hall, only those that are of the Chosen are allowed to partake, so everyone just passes the plate around, but no one partakes. 

 As it turned out, I was transferred back to the previous facility, so me and my friend lost touch. We never did get the opportunity to do our little stunt. But, let me tell you, I was surely glad to go to church! I went to church every day that the doors were open. One Saturday, I even attended a Catholic Mass, which was a little awkward, to say the least. 

 Talking about feeling out of sorts; I really didn't know that people prayed to Mary...

"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 all 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." (Colossians 3:12-15 NLT)   

"Greeks Seek Jesus"

  "Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus. 

 Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me."" (John 12:20-26 NLT)

 Having been saved in a place where criminals are kept, I quite often get an eye-brawl lifting reaction when I mention that to certain believers, as if my salvation was somehow the result of wanting to be let out of jail, or something that was done in desperation. Well, I must admit, desperation may have been the cry of my heart, but once I was saved, freedom was no longer as important than it was before! 

 We, brothers in the Lord, while expressing our conversion to those who had a concern for any motives of our conversions, would simply say: "No one needed to tell us we were sinners, we knew full well we needed to be saved. But those who think they are good enough for heaven, those are the ones who are kept locked up in chains!" 

 We had many officers that were dear brothers towards us; and then, we had some, who claimed to be believers, but did not consider us brothers in Christ; most of which would cast opinions, such as, "You will be back, just you wait and see." I do not judge them as non-believers, I just doubt they truly understand the power of God to the salvation of sinners! 

 If you might want my opinion on this, "Greeks Seek Jesus," situation, I believe this sparked a little flame in Jesus' heart. Jesus knew full well what was going to happen, that the Jews were going to reject Him, having their hearts set on another Messiah to come. But it would be the Gentiles that would come to embrace Him, many more than any of the Jews would have thought! 

 Besides that, we know what is holding back the Father from flipping the switch...

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

"The Only Hope"

 "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him." (John 12:19 KJV)

  "Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor - listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? They trust is their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave." (Psalm 49:1-9 NLT)

 You might recall this story, I believe it was popular ten- or twelve-years ago; it involved an experiment with rats that were placed in barrels of water, swimming around without any chance of getting out, and dying for the lack of hope. Some of the rats were pulled out, just about the time they were giving up, which was only a few hours. 

 Then, those same saved rats, those that had seen that salvation was possible, were placed back into the barrel of water, and they kept swimming around for days, having hope that they were going to be set free, sooner or later! That might not be a strong enough example of the kind of hope that Jesus gives those who believe in Him; but it is enough of a case to show what hope does to change the outlook of dying. 

 These people experienced or heard about something that was music to their ears, that someone was raised up from the grave! Someone that had most assuredly been dead, for four days dead, had been called out of the grave and is living again. This was not just something that was worth talking about, this was something worth that caused many people to believe that Jesus was the Real Deal!  

 You cannot stop someone from believing in something greater than life itself; especially when it involves overcoming death! As sad as it is, there are those who depend upon themselves to pay the price, as if there is some other way, other than reaching out and accepting God's gift of salvation.

 Having a little conversation, via texting, last night, I was somehow drawn into a picture of how so many people I know are captivated by working for salvation, as if it is impossible for it to be freely given. First of all, it was not freely given, as God paid the price, a price that we could never afford! 

 Secondly, the gift of salvation is given without us paying the price for the forgiveness of our sins; once and for all, He wipes away our sins, thereby making us His adopted children! Now that we are the children of God, our lives have gone from those that are headed towards destruction, to those that have been given everlasting life! 

 The hope of having to make the cut, it is no longer the issue, because Jesus Christ made the way for that, we just need to believe and hold onto Him. If there is anything that we need to hope for, it is that we do not give up trusting on the finished work of Christ! He is our ONLY HOPE...

"As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died. It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God's peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God." (Galatians 6:14-16 NLT)  

"Meant To Be"

 "For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle." (John 12:18 KJV)

  "Yet I am confident I will see the LORD'S goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD." (Psalm 27:13-14 NLT)

 In this instance, John is letting us know that this was well planned out; everything was meant to be, just as it happened! Jesus delayed His coming, to heal Lazarus of his sickness, that He might bring him back to life, with many witnesses. Then Jesus would depart, only to show up in Jerusalem with a multitude of people who were wanting to see Him for what He had done.

 God always gets the glory! We might think that we have some control in the way our lives were transformed from death to life, but the dead have nothing to with the living and finding life! It was God's timing, God's perfect timing, that saved you and brought you to life. In just the right moment, and at just the right time, God had you exactly where you were meant to be, and you were ready!

 Predestination is only something that is on God's side of the equation; we, on the other hand have no control over anything; to us, it's just by chance or good fortune, that we were right where we were, at just the right time, in just the right state of mind. Well, maybe not so much the mind, but our hearts were open for knowing our Creator! 

 Had I not been in that place, something of a highway of travelers, I would not have been so forced to wait, as if there was somewhere else that I need to be. It was Sunday, a day to rest, and I had set out to rest. But then God spoke, touched my waiting heart, and called me out of the darkness; the darkness being a place where nothing was really there for me. 

 I knew immediately, as soon as I heard that voice, that there was something missing in my life, and that it was there waiting for me. That was God's doing, at just the right time, and with just the right message! I can take no credit for anything, except the breath in me that gave me the strength to go!

 Wow, I can't even take any credit for that...

"For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4 NLT)  

"Give Testimony"

 "The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record." (John 12:17 KJV)

  "Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness." (Psalm 145:4-7 NLT) 

 Well, this is pretty deep! I know you know this, but Jacob was the kind of guy that loved to dig wells; most of which, he ended up leaving behind for others to use; that is, if they did not steal them. I hope you understand what I mean, because if your testimony doesn't get shared, the enemy might steal it from you! 

 Anywho, this might be a touchy subject for some, because not everyone has the same wonderful life that they lived, prior to meeting Jesus. This never gets old, but you have a treasure buried inside of you that needs to be shared and given out. It might not seem all that important to you, as you have grown away from those days of old; but these are the things that brought you to understand your need for a Savior! 

 Last month we were blessed to hear a message about the importance of listening and obeying God's instructions; because a life could be lost or saved, based upon your reaction. That might not seem so real, unless your life has been spared because someone reached out and called you, exactly when God told them to give you a call. Then it becomes really serious and important. 

 To be perfectly honest, most of us are not really that obedient, especially when it comes to doing what we are told to do, right when we are told to do it. At least I know how it is with me, I am such a failure when it comes to living in the moment. 

 Additionally, most of us also don't really know what happens on the other side of the call. We might get a word from God to do something, then we do it, but never get to see what happened by what we have done. This too is hidden treasure! Something we will get to share in, once we arrive in heaven...

"All your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:10-13 NLT) 

"Spirit of Wisdom"

 "These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. " (John 12:16 KJV)

  "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:3-8 NLT)

 For those who understand this, there is really not that much of a mystery in why John is sharing this, and it is easily understood. After Jesus was glorified and ascended into heaven, believers everywhere were given the Holy Spirit, making them able to know and realize things which were previously hidden and obscure. The Light of God dwelling within us, gives us the ability to understand and see things, previously that we could not see or comprehend. 

 This is something I was immediately aware of when I was born again: the Word of God came alive in me; things I previously had read, without full understanding, became clearly understood! I began to be able to share the Scriptures with confidence in what was being said, and if I did not understand something I was sharing, the Holy Spirit would help me to explain it, almost automatically. 

 We can tend to forget this basic principle from time to time, as it is something we should count on, but we sometimes don't want to depend upon it, as if it is always going to happen. Case in point, is when I get a chance to teach or share upon certain Scriptures. I will usually spend at least six to eight hours on a Saturday morning, in order to give a 35-minute message on Sunday morning.

 I want to prepare myself for what I am going to share, as if it is what I am going to share; but at the same time, I pray that whatever I share, it will be what God wants to say, not what I have prepared! If you don't understand what I just said, that is okay, because it doesn't happen all too often, so it is not all too common.

 If you are curious with wanting to know, the easy way to tell what that might look like, is when the person sharing or teaching the message steps away from their notes. This would be the moment that God lets them know that He wants to talk, so they turn away from what they prepared, and let God speak through them. 

 We must be ready in season and out of season, but we must also be willing to let God speak through us. Interesting thing, in case you did not know this: In season and out of season is not about the weather, but is about the "Whether", as in, Whether or not you feel worthy to teach...

"So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul's lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: "The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, ' Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes - so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.' So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it. (And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, greatly disagreeing with each other)." (Acts 28:23-29 NLT+)

"Fear Not!"

 "And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt." (John 12:14-15 KJV)

  ""For I hold your right hand - I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you. Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don't be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.'"" (Isaiah 41:13-14 NLT)

 There is something that you should know, over the last day or two, I have heard at least a half dozen messages on how we should not fear anything else but God. This is not really something that is easy to understand, mostly because we have been sheltered and free to live as well as we are able. Oddly enough, you can pretty much adjust to whatever lifestyle you fall into, but if your life is in danger, life has taken on a whole new meaning.

 This thing that Jesus has done, although it is something written about 500 years before, this was bold and brazen, to say the least; so much so, that it shows two very important things about His coming: He comes as a King, and He comes slowly! I don't know what else I can say, except that we simply don't know when He shall appear, because there is really no hurry.

 It has been over 2,000 years, and He is still coming, but we don't know when! Having said that, I believe that we are surely living in the days, and any day now, He is coming like a thief in the night. Having been that, in my B.C. years, I can tell you with certainty, a thief at night does not move swiftly; that is until that very moment of opportunity; and then, it is won and done. 

 Anywho, only fear God! He alone is the One that can take your soul...

""Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names! "But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell."" (Matthew 10:24-28 NLT) 

"Crying, Hosanna!"

 "Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." (John 12:13 KJV) 

  "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.""  (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NLT)

 There are some things in this life that should count more than others; the most of which, is being saved from destruction in hell, and knowing Christ! The term, "Hosanna," is a little exclamation of adoration, which, in this case, it would be very closely related to the cry that Peter made, just as he was sinking into the water, as he looked into the eyes of Jesus.

 That may not click quite yet, for some; but it should at least prepare you to be somewhat interested in knowing how the two relate. In this case, most of those that came out with palm branches were common people, those who were not part of leadership, or those who had been schooled in the social graces of the Jewish religious practices, such as knowing when and where to hold back your emotions. 

 These were people that were spontaneous, basically doing what they were led to do, not even thinking of what might be said by the powers to be. I can relate, as much as I have had the opportunity to experience such things, even remotely connected to this kind of spontaneous reaction. 

 When I first got saved, I recall a time when there was about twelve of us, brothers in the Lord, gathered together in the church on the compound; and we formed a circle and started singing, "Father Abraham," without any prompting or music, but just because it was, what we needed to do. There absolutely was not any thought of be embarrassed, or concern about what anyone else might think; it was just perfectly fitting to what we felt in our hearts, needed to be expressed.   

 Maybe that doesn't seem like such a big deal, but then again, we weren't just singing, we were marching, spinning around, bobbing our heads and really getting into what we were doing. Totally and completely unconcerned about anything else. Just as Peter was, as he cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me," without the thought of being embarrassed, or being weak, or thinking of anything else, but that Jesus would save him from sinking. 

 Obviously, there is more to this, as there should be. The main point of what I am trying to say, is that we must understand that we need salvation, in order to cry out to be saved. If you are not sure about your need to be saved, your salvation isn't really all that important, and you aren't all that willing to go all out for the Lord. 

 As much as it seems unimportant, if you are going to be lost without Jesus, and you don't want to be lost; then you are going to call out to Jesus to save you...

 "But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:24-25 NLT) 

"Jesus Enters Jerusalem!"

 "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem," (John 12:12 KJV)

  "God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel. Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home. There is has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy; the shields and swords and weapons of war." Interlude (Psalm 76:1-3 NLT)

 As we move forward into this New Year, we must not fear whatever it is that tries to hold us back, as if there is something there that is more powerful than God or the power of His Name! If you have any fear to move, realize that it there, and challenge it, by declaring the mighty power of God. Just a thought, in case you feel as though you are outnumbered and don't have any backing! 

 Here we see that Jesus has not only come out from hiding, as it were, but He is making His presence well known; so much so, that "much people" heard of His coming to Jerusalem. I was reminded this morning of the moment Elijah fled to Mt. Sinai, after having been part of a miraculous work at Mt. Carmel. As he was hiding in a cave, for fear of his life, God asked, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 

 Something to think about, if you are looking for strength, you surely won't find it while you are hiding out in a cave or under your covers. Which reminds me of an experience I had as a child. Our bedrooms had the locks on the outside, so we could be locked in our rooms while we were being punished. One night my parents had been drinking and were fighting, very badly, throwing things around, yelling and screaming at each other. 

 As I laid in my bed, in the dark, I thought that any moment my stepdad would come through the door and try to harm me as it always seemed that I was the cause for many of their arguments. The blankets over my head did nothing to comfort me and my fear; so, I started thinking about the worst thing that could happen to me, and then I settled upon it, accepting my fate. Surprisingly, I was able to get to sleep, as my fear was gone! 

 Here is where Jesus becomes bold and confident, as He has something to do; not just anything, but that which the Father has sent Him for, to lay down His life! What could be any worse than what He has already committed Himself to do? 

 There is no backing down, when God has your back...

""Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And the voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"" (1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT)  

"Jesus' Triumphant Entry"

  "The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crown of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,

  "Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!"

 Jesus found a young donkey and rude it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:

  "Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey's colt."

 His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. 

 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him - because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, "There's nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!"" (John 12:12-19 NLT) 

 "(Young Man) I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. (Young Women of Jerusalem) Oh lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love!" (Song Of Songs 5:1 NLT)

 We know the story, as it has been shared throughout the ages, but this little brief celebration is just a flash, much like most special messages that get put out, the enemy will find a way to tear it down, make it less important, or create lies about the origin and the reason it didn't really count. Hope you know what I am talking about, because it has significantly destroyed a lot of movements.

 However, this parade is on the right track! Yes, this will also be temporarily turned into a flash in the pan; but it is for the good of all mankind! As we all know, this is celebrated today, in almost every church that honors Jesus! 

 We all know what twists and turns are ahead for the King of the Jews, but each and everything that He will go through was ordained and planed for, way in advance, from the beginning of creation! As much as we might want to complain about things that happen, no matter how horrible it might look, God has not lost the battle: the victory will always belong to the LORD! 

 Yesterday we prayed for India, which has 20% of the world's population, as we are told; but they are going to pass a law that forbids people from converting Hindu's to Christianity. This new law will have harsh fines and jail sentences for those that convert anyone, as well as repercussions from family members of those who have been converted. Many Pastors have been burned alive for the sake of the Gospel.

 Well, here is the thing about that: Bring it! This country is next, I hope you know! We obviously deserve a little crushing, as the church has remained silent on a whole lot of issues. Here in the La La Land, we have now gone into the realm of stealing innocent children of their God-given identity; while at the same time, taking away the parent's rights to train up their children in the way of the Lord. 

 If I sound like a bummer, it is not my intension to sound like that, because I know what happens when the government or any other worldly source come against the church: Wine gets made crushing grapes...

"I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us. Even though the figs trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights." (Habakkuk 3:16-19 NLT)