"No Longer Judged"

 "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV)

  "Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT)

 Just in case you didn't understand the message, what Jesus went through on the cross was more than just a death and a punishment for our sins, because He could have stopped everything with just a word; but He endured everything that hurt and tore into His body, all the humiliation and the shame; He even withstood the insults, the mocking, and the judgment that was being placed upon Him. When, with each and every breath, He could have just said, "Enough!" and the whole thing would have stopped, immediately! 

 When we give our lives to Christ, we have entered into a covenant with God which cannot be undone! We don't get born again, just to satisfy the requirement of the Law; we are born again into the Kingdom of God! Jesus satisfied the requirements of the Law, by fulfilling them, and then paying the penalty for the Law that we could not satisfy on our own! 

 We cannot fulfill the requirements of the law, even if we wanted to; if we could, then Jesus would not have had to withstand all that He did, in order to take our place on that cross. But He did so because it was the Father's will for it to be done; it was what the Father wanted! If you really don't know what that means, it means that the Father was willing to put Jesus through all of that horrific punishment to save you and me from the penalty for our sins. After doing all of that, do you really think He will be judging anyone for their sins! 

 Those that will be judged and condemned, will not be judged for the sins they committed, as in breaking the Law; they will see those sins recorded in the books, but their judgment will be based upon the fact that they refused to accept God's free gift of forgiveness. So, they will be your own judge, that is, after they realize what they could have done, but refused to do it...

""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 upon 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.""  

"No Longer Judged"

 "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV)

  "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)

 It is no surprise that the message at church yesterday was very closely related to the post from yesterday morning; as it was, Pastor Rick shared about the fact that we have already been raised from the dead, because we were dead before we accepted Christ. He used the verses from John 11:25-26 to express the fact that we will never die, because our resurrected life has already begun. 

 "We were dead, but now we live in Christ, and He lives in us!" We must not only believe this, but we must also live it out and express it with all of our heart! The statement that Solomon is making in this verse is true and should be the reason we know that we needed Christ and the same reason we need to share what Christ has done. 

 There is really no other cause for this new life we have been given, then that we share it with others; otherwise, why are we here, except to tempted and continually asking for forgiveness? Which brings be to the point of this title, No Longer Judged. Pastor Rick completed his message by sharing this fact, that we are no longer judged!

 Plain and simple, those who have life in Christ, are not under the judgment that the lost will be under, because they have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life...

"Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"" (John 11:21-26 NLT) 

"Be the Miracle"

 "Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city." (Ecclesiastes 7:19 KJV)

  "We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace." (Colossians 1:3-6 NLT)

 This is the title that was going to be used yesterday, but I thought more applicable for today. When we can understand the new life that we have been given, it should change us, causing us to be a New Creature in Christ Jesus, because we have Christ living in us! 

 That is what makes us the miracle! We become the miracle, which is only possible my having New Life, being born again, made new in Christ, to live out these remaining days on this earth, showing off the miracle of our New Life in Him! 

 What degree of miracle are you currently living? Is it the kind that is based upon memories from the early days of your New Life? or have you just quit trying to be the miracle, hoping that New Life is still within you? 

 I know where I stand, because it is not where I truly want to be! The whole point of this journey is to be dependent upon Christ, not on our own strength; not only for the ability to love one another, which is what He has commanded us to do; but for the ability to be like Jesus wants us to be; which is a miracle in and of itself. 

 A couple of simple steps that I believe are critical and creatable for getting back into miraculous living, is to share the Good News often, pray for others in person, and simply, doing what the Holy Spirit tells you to do. That last step is very important, because there is where you experience the miracles that take place all around you. 

 Those first two steps, although they are guided and directed by the Spirit, are you saying you will do them when He tells you to! We forget that He is a gentleman and will not force you to do anything; you must be willing to do them, even though you might not think that you can! 

 That is a big part of the miracle...

"So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better." (Colossians 1:9-10 NLT)     

"More Than Just a Thought"

 "It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all." (Ecclesiastes 7:18 KJV)

  "For if you are trying to make yourself right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." (Galatians 5:4-6 NLT)

 I really had a whole different title for this, but that will be expressed in a different way. The main point that I wish to express, has more to do with what we truly believe, if we even believe enough to make a difference, or are we just barely holding on. 

 To get right down to it, Solomon is putting this into a box; the box being something that contains a gift, something that doesn't just come and go, but is contained within that box! What does this box look like? Well, whatever it is, you take hold of it and never let go! 

 Hopefully you have been walking with the Lord long enough to know that you sometimes do let go of the box; you might not actually think that you are, but when you do things which you know that you should not, then you have, without even knowing; or worse, without even caring, because you are so set on doing what you want.

 The box is not just the Lord, but it contains everything He has blessed you with, in the area of living righteously and in His love. You cannot just believe that the box is real, it must be opened and put to good use...

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:22-25 NLT)

"Harmless as Doves" - Too

 "Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?" (Ecclesiastes 7:17 KJV)

  "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." (James 1:19-21 NLT)

  Something special about this, is that it addresses life, meaning the 'dash' between the time of your birth and the time of your death. When I purchased the markers for our gravesites, and after they were placed, I meet with the superintendent of the cemetery to see that everything was as I requested. I noted right off that there was no dash after the date of birth on me and my wife's marker. I asked him why, and he simply said, "Because you are living in the dash." 

 There are so many different things to consider in that illustration; most importantly, is the fact that it is a dash! We only have a short time here on this earth, so we must make every day count, doing all that we can to make a difference. 

 As to the passage from James, it is no secret that I have some issues with anger, because I have shared this issue several times, in many different ways. The other day we had a discussion in my office about anger, as to whether it is justified or not. Human anger is different that godly anger, because human anger is towards the person, while godly anger is towards the sin. If you are angry towards someone, then you are producing hate in your heart towards them, which, as per the words of Jesus, "You have killed them in your heart." 

 Maybe that might sound extreme and over the top, but that truth in the matter is your heart can store up anger, which can make things build up in you, that can take you were you do not want to go. This is exactly what God told Cain, when he had anger against his brother: ""Why are you so angry?" the LORD asked Cain. "Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."" (Genesis 4:6-7 NLT)

 We have a Helper to assist us in these emotional flaws in our lives! The Holy Spirit is willing and very gracious to help, if we will just allow Him to do so. The problem we might have, (might, being a word that really doesn't exist,) is our inability to have Him assist us with overcoming the filth and evil we still hold onto, from time to time. 

 As it were, among the birds of the air, none are more innocent than doves! When you are truly innocent of sin, then you can be free from judgment, as you count on and depend upon the Holy Spirit to help you govern your dash...  

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:17 NLT)  

"Harmless as Doves"

 "Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?" (Ecclesiastes 7:17 KJV)

  ""Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me."" (Matthew 10:16-18 NLT)

 So, having already looked at the peacemaker and results of what that brings with those who are such, we see before us today the exact opposite; those that might stir things up, cause a revolt, or step in front of a bullet, just to prove a point. Matthew Henry relates this to Solomon expecting that there will be something of a revolt, once his reign is done, and someone else takes over, which is pretty much what actually happened. 

 A quick little sharing, of my own thoughts of stepping in front of bullets: I have imagined myself doing so, even placed myself in the exact position in church, where I can be ready, if need be, to distract or take down a would-be character with a gun. I don't really have to do anything, because it really isn't my job to do it; but I do feel that it would be my duty to at least try and do something. 

 I am not saying this is what Solomon is speaking about, because it's not; we are all on an appointed day and hour for when it is our time to go, God will take us when it is time, or He will keep us here as long as He wants to; but we should not do anything to hasten death or take our own lives. 

 The other day I heard someone call in to CSN, sharing how she wanted to know if it was a sin to refuse treatment for something that was going to take her life. She shared how the battle was for her during her last treatment, that it almost killed her, and she had to file for bankruptcy. She really didn't want to go through that again. 

 There are some who believe the reason that Jesus wept, before He raised Lazarus, was because he was going to have to die again, after having been risen from death. The whole point of that, is the thought of death being the door to eternal life, if that is your hope and what you have prepared for; who would ever want to come back from that?  

 There is something else, on a little different topic. I hear this commercial from time to time, I believe it is from the pro-life group that provides sonograms to unwed mothers. In this commercial I hear the person say, "God sees all that the child misses out on, from being aborted." Not to be judgmental, but that last I heard, God sees everything the way it will become; and besides that, He knows the child is with Him...

"For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We are knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies." (2 Corinthians 4:6-10 NLT) 

"Wise as Serpents" - 2

 "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:16 KJV)

  "If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." (James 3:13-16 NLT)

 Believe it or not, but the Holy Spirit does call us out on our issues! Yes, He is a Gentleman and will not force us into anything; but He also is a Helper, making us aware of what we do that isn't right and the best way to do things, we otherwise don't realize we are doing. If you really want to know, I tend to go to the camp that feel this verse is a continuation of verse 15; as it just puts action into what the previous verse was speaking into. 

 The title of this post, "Wise as Serpents," was taken from the end of Matthew Henrey's commentary on this verse. As he puts this, concerning the saints and sinners: "Wisdom will be of use both for caution to saints in their way, and for a check to sinners in their way."  

 Basically, if it can be easier to understand, it is a bit like meddling in things that don't really concern you; or getting involved, thinking yourself to be wiser and more righteous, making judgment on others, even though you really should not even get involved. 

 Talk about calling me out on my issues! Lately I feel as though I have been living in "The Days of Our Lives", which, if it is still on the air, it would still be messing up lives. My mom would watch that show religiously, and I really didn't know why she did, because it did nothing but bring controversy into our family. 

 Really, why should you destroy yourself with garbage that isn't yours? Even if it is slightly in your space, your space needs to be that of a peacemaker, not that of bitterness and strife...

"But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:17-18 NLT) 

"Wise as Serpents"

 "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why should thou destroy thyself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:16 KJV)

  "Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise: he knows they are worthless." So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you - whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." (1 Corinthians 3:18-23 NLT)

 There are several different opinions on this particular verse, as some might believe Solomon is speaking for an ungodly man, to which he answers the question in the following verse. This is something that is a question that I have struggled with from season to season, trying to figure out why I get so astounded by certain Scriptures, leading me into a 'rabbit-hole' and then leaving me feeling like a fool. 

 If you have been following this blog for any amount of time, I'm sure you understand what I am talking about. First of all, righteousness is not something that we can get on our own, for the Bible clearly says, "The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one." (Psalm 14:2-3 NLT)

 The problem we see, in several of those that think they are righteous or wise, is they are so full of themselves, they cannot clearly see the need that they have for salvation. One of the things we would say in jail, among our believing brothers, was, "One thing is sure, nobody needs to tell an inmate that he is a sinner!" If you are locked up for a crime that you are guilty of, you already know that you need to be forgiven; you just need to know the rest of the story...

""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) 

"Days of Vanity"

 "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness." (Ecclesiastes 7:15 KJV)

  "We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you." (PSALM 39:6-7 NLT)

 There are some days when we feel as though this life has nothing great to offer; and then, there are days when we feel as though we are being offered over to this life: spent, stepped on, and discarded like an old pair of socks. Believe it or not, that does not really upset me, because this is not really my home! 

 Does it mean that we have to live as though we have been stepped upon? No! Actually, if we really have hope in the promises of the Lord, we have everything we need, even if everything we might have has been stripped away. When it comes to God's promises, we must have confidence in everything He has said; regardless of what this life might put upon us, there is nothing greater than what we have been given in Christ Jesus. 

 Oddly enough, as I was thinking about this last night, and, for a brief moment I thought about what it might be like if there were no promises, that there was nothing after this life, and where would my life had been spent, doing what? Fortunately, that was a very brief moment! As I gazed upon my wife, I assured her that we have so much more to live than just this! 

 There is proof in the Scriptures! Absolute proof, that cannot be taken from us or pushed aside as if it all didn't happen. God has given us His word for this specific reason, that we would believe in everything He has said and done! The majority of people scoff at the Bible, thinking it is all just something to make us feel dependent upon a Creator: and guess what! They are not wrong! 

 The only problem they have is that they reject to believe it...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Romans 1:16-20 NLT)   

"The Limits of Human Wisdom"

  "I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. So don't be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? On the other hand, don't be too wicked either. Don't be a fool! Why die before you time? Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.

 One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town! Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. 

 Don't eavesdrop on others - you may hear your servant curse you. For you know how often you yourself have cursed others. 

 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, "I am determined to be wise." But it didn't work. Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find. I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.

 I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.

 "This is my conclusion," says the Teacher. "I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle. Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman! But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path."" (Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 NLT)

  "Is there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (Philippians 2:1-4 KJV)

 According to Solomon, he searched, but did not find what he was looking for: I can truly relate to that!

There is so much more to know than what we think of or what we can see; nothing in this life is going to make sense, unless we can truly love one another...

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." (1 John 4:7 KJV)

"Comply with God's Will" - 2

 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him." (Ecclesiastes 7:14 KJV)

  "Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: "Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: Look at what's happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!"" (Haggai 1:3-6 NLT)

 Looking at this from a little different point of view, God's will for us is to trust Him, love Him, and be ready to show that we believe He is our LORD; especially in the times when things are not going well in our lives. It might be hard sometimes to do, but that's because we find it hard to surrender all to Him! 

 Once we realize that God is all that we have, we will find that He is really all that we need. The message above regarding God's house in ruins, is not just about a building, but can be applied to us, our lives, and our relationship with God. If we are not caring for, building up, and cleaning out this temple, which is the tent that we dwell within, then nothing else we might do or care about will seem to be fine. 

 As a matter of fact, even when things are not fine, if we are focused upon the spiritual life we can be living, those things will not be as bad as they could be; that is, if we are living closely with the Lord. Once we can get our relationship with the Lord squared away, everything else will fall into place...

"So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT)  

"Comply with God's Will"

 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him." (Ecclesiastes 7:14 KJV)

  "When I was prosperous, I said, "Nothing can stop me now!" Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, "What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can the dust praise you? Can I tell of your faithfulness? Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD." You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD, my God, I will give you thanks forever!" (PSALM 30:6-12 NLT)

 Having lived in this world, both in prosperity and in hardship, I do believe that there is something we must understand about God's hand upon our life, in both the good times and the bad times. Once we can come to the realization that this life will soon pass, and there are things that are more important than the things we live through in the world, we might be able to see God's handiwork is in storm, just as much, if not more, than the times of prosperity and comfort! 

 Regarding this section of Scripture from David, who was singing a song of the dedication of the Temple; David was sharing something that must be considered whenever we are in the dumps, (so to speak,) when we feel as though everything is coming against us. Hopefully we don't think that our life here is all about us, because the real truth in the matter, is that it is all about Him! 

 There is where we get our joy, not in the good times or the bad times, but in the relationship, we can have with the One that created us and that has given us eternal life with Him. In those times when we feel as though He might have abandoned us or turned away from us, just might be the times when He has us firmly help within His hand...

"But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I and the LORD, your God, the holy one of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Other were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are protected by me. You are honored, and I love you."" (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)

"God's Handiwork" - Too

 "Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?" (Ecclesiastes 7:13 KJV)

  "Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?" No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?" When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?" (Romans 9:19-21 NLT)

 Before we think that Adam had no choice in the matter, we must consider what it was that God knew was going to happen. God's plan of redemption was in preparation before He even made the foundation on this world; it was already known to God what would take place in the garden, long before Adam did it. 

 Yes, Adam had a choice, but his choice to do wrong was already something God knew would happen; He knows everything; He sees everything; there is nothing hidden or that happens which He does not know. With that little bit of information, we should know that He knows the sin we did last night, and He knows the sin we will do tomorrow, the next day, and all throughout our lives. But He still chose us and calls us His own! 

 We might not be perfect, but He sees us as we will be: Washed by the blood of His Son, and perfect as can be! We cannot fix ourselves, not even if we could try, it will not work! If we could, then Jesus would not have had to be crucified on the cross to save us...

"In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and the Gentiles." (Romans 9:22-24 NLT) 

"God's Handiwork"

 "Consider the work of God: for who can make straight, which he hath made crooked?" (Ecclesiastes 7:13 KJV)

  "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

 This could be looked at in several different ways; but to the way that best continues the previous verse, speaking towards the great gift that we have been given, this will make better sense with the likeness to 'misfit toys', than it will with anything else. Basically, we are broken people; even in this state of being born again and serving the Lord, we are not complete, and we will not be complete until we have been joined with our Lord in heaven. 

 Does that mean that God has made us broken? God created us in His image, giving us a mind that is set towards doing and thinking and planning, which, because it is such, also has the ability the make choices about what we want to do. This was God's plan all along, that we would not be programed to love Him, but that we would make the choice to love Him, because we know He loves us! 

 So, in a sense, yes! He created us to need to be fixed! Not that God ever needed to be fixed, because He has always been complete; He never changes, nor has the ability to make mistakes. When He created man, He did so to have fellowship with us; but there was one small issue: Man was not Holy like He is; so, He made a way, when there was no other way; knowing in the very beginning what mankind would become. 

 We have been down this road before. We must understand that Adam was not holy, as if God had made him into someone that could not sin. Adam did not have any sin until he sinned! When that might have taken place, we really don't know for sure; except that he acted upon his sin when he ate of the fruit that God told him not to eat. 

 Jesus clearly said, 'If you think about doing something that is wrong, it has already taken place in your heart, and you have sinned!' Why did God place a forbidden tree in the middle of the garden? Was it there to make Adam have the desire to partake of it? One thing is for sure: It was there to give Adam something to not do, because God said not to do it...  

""Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell the future before it happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of prey from the east - a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it."" (Isaiah 46:8-11 NLT)

"Living Large" - To

 "For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it." (Ecclesiastes 7:12 KJV)

  "My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!" (PSALM 57:7 NLT)

 Just to be sure that we don't think this is about strength to take on our sinful nature, the strength that I was speaking of was about faith; to be strong enough to be willing to die for Christ, if that might need to be the case. Which, if things keep going as they currently are, that might be surer to happen. 

 The world "defence," is the idea of a shadow, more that something for battle or to take down the enemy; it is more about confidence and shelter; knowing that the best place to be is hidden under the wings of our merciful God! If you really want to get down to it, stronger actually speaks of boldness, where we have less care for what this world might do to us, and more care about how God will bless our testimony of the faith we have in Him.

 The other day I shared about the wedding feast, where the man was not wearing the proper wedding clothes. (Matthew 22:1-14) As you read this illustration, the idea is that the garments were given out to those invited in, as they were just random people that were called in from the streets. Which would be the reason for the king to be so upset with the man that didn't have on the proper clothes.  

 In that parable, Jesus is showing the difference between those who are protected and covered by the blood of Christ, and those that refuse to accept the free gift of the covering of Christ. We have the knowledge in us of what Christ has done, now we need to apply that knowledge into our lives! We are all going to be held accountable for what we have done with Christ's covering and protection. Did we put it on and wear it boldly? 

 That is what it means to be living large...

"Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hand on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God."" (Luke 9:23-27 NLT) 

"Living Large"

 "For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it." (Ecclesiastes 7:12 KJV)

  "But -"When God our Savior 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 3:4-8 NLT)

 Living large is a statement which usually applies to someone that is well-to-do, or has a big mansion or yacht, or lots of money; but, whether you realize it or not, we that have been saved, have the greatest fortune of all; greater than all the money in the entire world! At least we can know that is so, knowing that nothing in this life can outdo what God has already done for us!

 There is more to that than just the hope we have been given, as if it has only the future in mind; this is something that is worth more than we could ever know, right now, in this current life; especially when we are dealing with persecution or trials, of any kind. This word for "life", means more than living; it speaks of being restored, preserved, revived. In a nutshell, it takes us to new heights, and making us be stronger than we already are...

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 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 3:8-11 NLT)    

"Historical Documents" - 3

 "Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun." (Ecclesiastes 7:11 KJV) 

  "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

 No matter what you might think about what heaven will be like, or how it was that God makes us into the children that we should become; God's love is never-ending, always alive, and is stronger than we could ever imagine. I know that I don't understand all there is to know about this life in Christ; but what I do know, is that putting our faith in Him to save us and get us through to the other side, is pretty much the most important thing that we must do!

 Yes, we have things in our lives that might trip us up, beat us down, and cause us to want to give up; but anything that can wear us down, is also the thing that can draw us closer to Him, if we can just surrender! There is the thing that becomes hard and continually holds us back, the ability to completely surrender all that He tells us must go, because we always will try to hold onto something. 

 It is all about God's love...

"All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world." (1 John 4:15-17 NLT)

"Historical Documents" - 2

 "Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun." (Ecclesiastes 7:11 KJV)

  "Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" (PSALM 53:1 NLT) 

 There might be more to this than we might think, as it shows the intent of those who might think they know truth, even though their conscience and shame might tell them something else. Everyone is born with the desire to serve something! We are here to worship the Creator, whether we feel like it or not, we will all one day bow down and declare that Jesus is LORD! 

 The lesson we had last night was a little different; for a short moment I thought it might have taken a turn and there might have been a mistake. Our speaker mentioned, "God needs nothing, because God lacks nothing." For me, it almost made me wonder what God did by sending His Son, was it for what? 

 Maybe it will be more understandable once we get to Heaven, standing face to face, seeing that all along we were always by His side; after all, God is also eternal, there is nothing about time in the eternal, so it could have all just been for us to experience His great love, knowing and understanding how much that He really does love us! 

 As far as the perspective on where we are in God's heart, the Bible clearly says that we were always there, that He has known all along those who would be called and chosen, there was never a doubt... 

"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." (Ephesians 1:3-5 NLT)

"Historical Documents"

 "Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun." (Ecclesiastes 7:11 KJV)

  "Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness." (1 Timothy 6:20-21 NLT)

 I hate to say this, but I was watching News Max the other day, and they were showing a so-called historical documentary about how the earth was created by a Super-Nova. I quickly changed the channel, and was very disappointed, telling myself I won't be watching that channel anymore. Just when you think that you might have found a good source of real information, they hand you stuff that is imaginary and based upon bad science.

 This might not stir up anyone's belief in the Holy Scriptures, but if this earth was as old as they say it is, it would have been toast if it was only millions of years old, let alone billions of years. Talk about Global-Warming: the sun would have been in our atmosphere, and we would have never existed. 

 Yesterday I brought up a conversation about the video we watched Wednesday night at church, as Pastor Byran set it up, telling us how it could be one of the most important pieces of information we might get, based upon Daniel chapter 11. There are many people that deny Damiel 11 could have been written when it was written, because it is so accurate about world events, happening so far out after it was actually written.

 As Pastor Bryan put it: 'If we can see the results of God's promises that have been fulfilled, we can better believe and have faith in the promises yet to come!' Historical Documents that line-up with the Bible prophecy, who would have thought to line all of that up together? 

 I have been amazed over one set of Scripture, from the so-called, oldest book of the Bible, "The Book of Job." There are many things within the Book of Job that tell of scientific facts, like the climate and the way the earth revolves around the sun; but this one passage has me captured, because it is so close to history, like within the last 120 years!

 Three things that took place within the end of the 1800's and the beginning of the 1900's: the first of which was the ability to magnify snowflakes; the second of which, was the ability to photograph the magnified snowflakes, showing how no two were alike; and the third, was World War One...

""Have you visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of hail? (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.)"" (Job 38:22-23 NLT) 

"Pressing Forward" - To

 "Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." (Ecclesiastes 7:10 KJV)

  "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." (Romans 8:1-2 NLT)

 Really, there is nothing here that makes any sense! If you have been walking with the Lord for any length of time, then you know by now, you cannot stand by yourself: without abiding in Christ, you will have nothing to your ability to stand, let alone, walk uprightly as a child of God. Oh, we can play church and pretend that we have it all together; but if we think that we are strong, we find ourselves weak and hope is not within sight. 

 Last night on the way home from church I heard Pastor Chuck sharing on this, saying, "When we are weak, then we are strong!" If we think we have the ability to not sin, we are only fooling ourselves and do not fully understand why Jesus had to come and die for our sins. If there was another way, then God would have made the way available to us; but because He created us with a heart to choose, between good and evil, the only way was the forgiveness of our sins, because we chose evil! 

 Do you think God was not serious saying, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts; and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine". (Isaiah 55:8 NLT) This life here has nothing that can compare with the life we will spend in His presence, so we must keep our mind focused on what is to come...

"But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness." (2 Peter 3:10-13 NLT)   

"Pressing Forward"

 "Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." (Ecclesiastes 7:10 KJV)

  "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT)

 How much better it was in early days, when things were so much simpler! If you know where this is going, then you probably have been dealing with the same issues that I have, when it comes to sin. The closer I get towards the end of this life, the more I feel as though I need to be washed and made right! 

 The previous days of dealing with sin, seemed like there was nothing to it: sin and then ask for forgiveness, just as if it never happened. Now, in these current days, sin is more noticeable and ever present, not just the physical act of sin, but the thoughts and desires of the heart are made visible, the closer we draw towards God, the clearer the sinful nature gets exposed! 

 When you read Romans 7:14-25, Paul is sharing about something that he has noticed within, his sinful nature, that is still a part of his life. As long as we are here, stuck in this fallen world, we will deal with this old sinful nature, in one way or another. As soon as you think that you have overcome something, and that you are strong enough to handle it on your own; watch out! You are stepping into a trap! 

 The devil has a great toolbox full of things that he uses to trip us up. Discouragement is the one that is well used, and it destroys many strong and faithful people, making them feel unworthy and less the man or woman that they are. The most important part of overcoming discouragement, is giving all the glory to Christ Jesus, making yourself fully and completely dependent upon Him, for just about everything. 

 By doing that, you do two functions at once: You overcome the discouragement that is the tool of the devil; and you destroy the idea you might have within you to overcome sin. Without Christ, you are going to fail; within Christ, you will be perfectly fine...

"Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:15-16 NLT) 

"Making it Real" - 2

 "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:9 KJV)

  "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)

 This much I know, if we put into our minds that which is wholesome and makes us draw closer to the Lord, then we will have a much better control on the way we react to adversity and the things that once made us bitter. Paul puts it in a form of "putting on our New Nature" as if we have on a new set of clothes, which actually symbolizes that we are showing our New Nature off to the world around us. 

 That might sound a little like vanity, to be showing off being tenderhearted and forgiving; but it is what we are told to do: to be salt and light to the world around us! They will know that we are Christians by our love! There is something important that is made real, by the way we love one another: We know that the Lord is living through us...

"Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." (1 John 3:21-24 NLT) 

"Making it Real"

 "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:9 KJV)

  "He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prize possession. Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." (James 1:18-21 NLT)

 This might seem like we have turned the page, moving on to a different subject; but when it comes to us knowing what it means to be a child of God, this could be one big obstacle that keeps knocking us down. At least I know it is for me! If there is one thing that makes me stubble and feel as if I have been defeated by my old nature, it is the way I can be so quick to get angry.

 I know how to control this; it is something that requires focusing on the word of God, letting that be the thing that fills you, not all of other garbage we sometimes put into our hearts and minds. Simply put, if you put that filth and evil in, it is bound to come out, and not in the way you would like! 

 We need to wash ourselves in the word of God! The more we put the word in, the less we are likely to feel defeated and the more we will start cleaning out our lives. This is something we must understand, that if we don't make every effort to do it right, we will not feel right about doing what we do, because it is not consistent. I need structure, as do most of you! 

 If we are fully committed to the Lord, there is the real structure we need more than anything else; even when everything around us is falling apart, that Structure will remain...

""So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?' But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."" (Matthew 22:10-14 NLT)   

"Push Comes to Shove" - Too

 "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." (Ecclesiastes 7:8 KJV)

 "When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them." Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest." (PSALM 126 NLT) 

 I could help but think of how an eagle gets their young to learn how to fly. I know it might not be the perfect illustration of what we see God doing; but it is the one that works in this moment. If you know how it happens, the mother will have her nest way up high, placed in the area where there is plenty of distance from the ground. Then when her young eagles are old enough, she knocks them out of the nest to get them to learn how to fly.

 There are certain things we get pulled into, whether it is the Lord's will or not, it will be the Lord's doing that will get us on the right track! Just like that young eagle, we have no clue what we are to do, except to pray that we either will be caught, or maybe hit the ground softly. But once we spread those wings, we see that it is possible, and we realize we have been given what is needed to fly! 

 You see how that works, as the beginning of this thing seems traumatic; the poor little eagle doesn't know what to think: "Does my mother love me or is she trying to kill me!" Much as we have tribulation and trials, where we wonder, "Is this punishment for my sins, or am I being tested; is God for me, or am I too much of a sinner to be good enough for His kingdom!" 

 Hopefully those thoughts are not your own; but if they are, you really need to get a grip on the whole meaning of what Jesus came to die for! We are not worthy, but the blood of Jesus Christ has made us worthy, once and for all! He has given us everything we need to learn to be obedient and follow Him; we just need to use what He has given us, believing that it is so. 

 How many times do we need to go through the same trials, before we get the message? We must keep believing, looking forward to the end; while at the same time, counting on Him to catch us, again and again... 

"The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand." (PSALM 37:23-24 NLT)

"Push Comes to Shove"

 "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." (Ecclesiastes 7:8 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look - the Judge is standing at the door! For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy." (James 5:7-11 NLT) 

 There are some things that don't require too much explaining, mostly because they all work out in the end, regardless of how hard you might try to figure them out. This is pretty easy to understand, if you are seeing it from the right perspective.

 Maybe we should start by remembering what it was like the first day of our salvation. If that isn't too hard to try and do? Mine was rather special, because I truly felt free, even though I was being held in a jail facility! When you find yourself out-of-sorts, you start to look around for the things that feel different. 

 The other special thing that happened, was for me to understand why Jesus died on that cross; something that I had never realized before, because it wasn't specific to me! If we haven't made salvation personal, as if we were on His mind when all was going down; then we haven't realized yet how much He loved us; each and every one of us, were what placed Him on that cross. 

 The most important part of my new life in Christ, was reading the Word! Prior to that day I felt as though I was reading history or someone else's story. But that all changed when Christ entered my heart; all of the sudden, I was part of the story! What a difference that changed the way I understood what I was reading...

"You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preach in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen." (1 Peter 1:8-12 NLT) 

"Waiting on the LORD" - 2

 "Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:7 KJV)

  "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good news about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News." (Philippians 1:3-7 NLT)

 As many of you should know, the children of Israel are there, going through all that is written within the Scriptures, to show us God's great mercy and grace, even though we don't deserve it; much as they too didn't deserve it, God never stopped loving and caring for them, even in the times that they were taken away to other lands, God was always with them! This is what He does for all of His children! 

 Yes, they rejected God, wanting a king as the other pagan people around them had; even though it was God that was their King, they wanted a king they could see, who would represent them, and that they could show off, as if he was something to enhance their image. I know, it sounds totally crazy, because all of that and more is what God was doing, if they would just stay true to Him, they could have figured that out. 

 However, this is something that was no surprise to God; like everything else that is within the heart of man, He already knows what we really want, and He has already had the remedy and the cure for any strange and stupid thing we could do. Oddly enough, looking at the word for "mad," which is meant to be something foolish; it turns out that there are more praise-worthy definitions for that word, then there are for things that might tear us down. 

 That doesn't mean that we can do what we want, and God will make it all turn out good for us, because there has got to be justice and right choices involved; after all, God is Just and Holy! In the case of Paul, who was being held in prison, not because he did anything that was bad or unjust, but because he was spreading the Good News. 

 This was no surprise to Paul, because Jesus had already shown him all that he would suffer; but what was a surprise to Paul, was how much it blessed him and how it caused him to know the love of God! When we know what the final day will look like, the days that we live in-between, have more promise and give us joy; even in the suffering we might be living in, there is always the hope ahead which is so much more important...

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

"Waiting on the LORD"

 "Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:7 KJV)

 "The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. Terror seizes the godless. "Who can live with this devouring fire?" they cry. "Who can survive this all-consuming fire?" Those who are honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong - these are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress. Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance." (PSALM 33:14-16 NLT)

 This might be hard to understand, but it takes years of living it out, before you can know what it actually feels like. The word for "oppression" is really not that difficult to see how it applies; it actually has two sides, the one being that which caused injury or anguish, and the other that which grows into unjust gain.

 Now, it really doesn't take rocket science to discover what unjust gain actually means, because it can involve all sorts of different things, both physical, financial, spiritual, or even supernatural. However, when you start talking about experience of life itself, meaning living out something that is life changing, things can really get very complicated, yet amazingly simple.

 This is really hard for me to share, but it will hopefully be better tomorrow! That said, whenever we have anything happening in our lives, there is always ways for the LORD to make beauty from ashes; the heart that is destroyed, doesn't necessarily need to be a bad thing...

"As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheda. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. "Look," they told him, "you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have." Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the LORD for guidance. "Do everything they said to you," the LORD replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them."" (1 Samuel 8:1-9 NLT)  

"It is All Good!"

 "For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 7:6 KJV)

  "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Let all Israel repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let Aaron's descendants, the priests, repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let all who fear the LORD repeat: "His faithful love endures forever."" (PSALM 118:1-4 NLT)

 Just stop and think what might happen, knowing how just God is, and how the wicked will be judged; there is really nothing we need to do, that can compare to God's judgment upon the wicked! I hate to see the children be taken into the path of wickedness, but I do believe that there will be mercy upon those who have been deceived, not knowing "their right hand from the left." 

 But those who were responsible for manipulation of the children, they will pay the price! Therefore, we really don't need to make much of a fuss about how badly things might appear, although it doesn't seem right. There is a day of reckoning that will come, we just need to be thankful that we will not be reckoned with, for the sins we might have done. 

 Think about it this way: the crackling of the thorns under a pot, is about all the thorns can do, as they get burned up, they crackle! So it is with the fool's laughter, as if they mock God; but God will not be mocked! There is the just of what they can do, nothing...

""I have a plan for the whole earth, a hand of judgment upon all nations. The LORD of Heaven's Armies has spoken - who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?"" (Isaiah 14:26-27 NLT) 

"Something Has Got to Give" - Too

 "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:5 KJV)

  "Then Job spoke again: "How long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words? You have already insulted me ten times. You should be ashamed of treating me so badly. Even if I have sinned, that is my concern, not yours. You think you are better than I am, using my humiliation as evidence of my sin. But it is God who has wronged me, capturing me in his net."" (Job 19:1-6 NLT)

 Sorry for skipping a verse! I totally overslept yesterday, believe it or not; that is something that hardly ever happens. I could blame it on getting old, but then I might accept it as being okay, which it is not! This time is very important to me, and I don't want to make light of how praying and hearing God's word is the special time of my day.

 Putting this aside, I will try to understand why there are some believers that might be falling for the lies and the insults against someone that truly does want to make America better, again! I'm sorry if that is not something that shouldn't be talked about, as if it is not really a Christian thing to do. But why isn't it? 

 This might be the strangest election year that I have ever seen. If you don't mind, this might be the last chance we will have to actually have a vote that counts, if it even gets counted! Personally, I don't see it happening; and if it does, somehow happen, there will be all sorts of opposition and revolt from the other side. But most likely not from us! We will just take it, call it God's will, and move on...

""I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against - or two in favor and three against."" (Luke 12:49-52 NLT) 

"Something Has Got to Give"

 "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7:5 KJV)

  ""What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treat the ancient prophets that same way."" (Luke 6:22-23 NLT)

 Interesting how things happen, as if they are made to happen as a way to verify something is true, that something is from the Lord, or to show you that the Spirit is working in the whole church, making the Word of God alive and present in these last days! This is more than just about you and me; this is about the fact that the King is coming, and we need to be about The King's Business...

 ""But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get the credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get the credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate."" (Luke 6:27-36 NLT)

"Serious Business" - Too

 "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Ecclesiastes 7:4 KJV)

  ""Yes, Lord," she told him, "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." So Mary immediately went to him. Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So the followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. "Where have you put him?" he asked them. They told him, "Lord, come and see." Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him!" But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?" Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance." (John 11:27-38 NLT)

 Besides the fact that the church may have to be broken up, there is also the possibility that families will also be separated from their children. If you don't believe it could happen, think again. There are many in the current system that want nothing more than to have the children to teach and train, to worship the government and not believe in God. If you don't think it is so, then you do not know much about history. 

 Enough talk about the physical world; there is much more to see in the spiritual world, where things really happen! So many people wonder why Jesus wept, thinking He was weeping for people who mourn over those that have died; or maybe He was weeping over Lazarus; or, because He was angry, maybe He was weeping because of the mourners, some of which were paid to mourn at funerals. 

 Maybe there was something that was playing out before Him, that reminded Him of something that was about to happen: Himself being placed within a tomb! I once had heard a message about why Jesus folded the napkin that was put over His face. According to the pastor that was speaking, it is the custom in some parts of the world, that if you were happy with the meal, you crumbled up the napkin and tossed it down onto your plate. But, if you were not happy with the meal, or the service, you folded the napkin and politely sat it down next to your plate. 

 I have previously shared on this, but it is something that should cause us to wonder: 'Why did the wrapping of His body lay in a pile, but the napkin neatly folding, was place on the slab on which He laid?' Was He treated well or was He treated badly? 

 The point that Solomon is making has to do with the heart, which speaks of moral character, the will, and the conscience: What makes you tick! If you get a chance to watch "Reagan" you will hopefully see what it is that made him tick, which is pretty much what the movie is all about. 

 Martha knew Jesus was the Messiah, but there was much more to be known, than just a title...

"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." (John 1:1-5 NLT) 

"Serious Business"

 "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Ecclesiastes 7:4 KJV)

  "Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this Martha?"" (John 11:21-26 NLT)

 As we creep forward towards the election, I am feeling less optimistic about there being a good result. Not that I worry about what might happen, because that is not something I believe any Christian should be worried about; God is the one who is in charge, if He wants this nation to fall, then it is going to happen, whether we like it or not. 

 I watched the movie, "Reagan", yesterday. It was much better than I thought it would be. As it was, Jon Voight was the one that was telling the story, as a former KGB agent, who was more like an Analyst than a spy, he was showing the way Reagan was made to be the one that would take down the Soviet Union, without even firing a shot. 

 Watching the news last night, Pope Frances was casting both Trump and Harris as the choice between two evils: Harris because of her stance on abortion, and Trump because of his stance on the border. Well, help me try to understand where this logic comes from, because from where I sit, the border is a problem that needs to be fixed, not left alone! 

 Moving on: This is really all about being serious about the wrong that happens around us, even if it does not happen to us personally, it is still something we need to care about. Think of it as you like, but the fool is just focused upon himself, what pleasures he or she might get, regardless of what might be happening to anyone else. 

 Without saying too much about what I really think, let me just tell you what is very easy to see: One of the people running for President is sacrificing a very lot to make a difference; while the other is living off the people, hoping to live off the people even more. Which one is going to treat you right? 

 Again, regardless of the outcome, the church will continue to endure; whether we are still together or we are torn apart. If we are still together, we will continue as we have, making disciples that make disciples; but if we are torn apart, we will be martyrs making martyrs. Either way, we will endure...

"For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." (Romans 14:7-8 NLT) 

"Sweet Release"

 "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." (Ecclesiastes 7:3 KJV)

  "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NLT)

 As I have said before, and I will say it again: We must look for the message of the cross throughout the Scriptures, because it is always going to be somewhere, somehow. Like, did you know why Balaam was not able to curse the children of Israel, as the king Moad kept telling him to look down on them from all sorts of different directions? Because they were marching through the wilderness in the form of a cross! 

 Imagine what that might have looked like, as a few million people were grouped together, the tribe of Levi in the middle, and all the other tribes formed front, back, and side-to-side, marching down below, as Balaam kept blessing them, when he was asked to curse them. The cross of Christ is more than just a symbol of sorrow and pain; it is the power of God to Salvation! 

 Anywho! As I was preparing for this verse, I thought about the message it is giving, thinking about how long it has been since I really had a good cry. I am not talking about a couple of tears, because I can get that from watching a movie, as I feel touched by something that might hit close to home. We really need to stop and think about the cross, how hard it must have been, the complete humility and pain that Jesus felt, as He hung there, sacrificing His life for our sins! 

 Compare that to your sin, or sins, which seem to weigh you down, and let that sink in for a moment...

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

"Wink and a Nod" - 3

 "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2 KJV)

  "God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20-21 NLT)

 To help see the Good News that is somehow coming from this, I thought it best to try and explain what it is that I see coming forth from these three illustrations, or illusions, depending upon your frame of mind. Much like the illustration from when Elisha caused the ax-head to float, there is something here to make a case for an illustration of being born again.

 It's really not that hard to see, but it does take a little imagination and awareness. The first indication of what must be done, is to be humble, which is the reason it is better to go to the house of mourning, than the house of feasting. When we are going to be saved, it counts when we are sorry for the sins that we have done; which should lead to the act of repentance, when we realize that we need to be saved, and need to turn from our sins. 

 There is really no better place that we can be, than when we are surrendering our lives to the Lord; whether it is when we first got saved, or when we need to be restored and put back on the right path. Which then makes the second part become more apparent, "for that is the end of all men". Before we can actually be born anew, there must be death! Not a physical death, but the fleshly passions and desires must be put to death, and the life of the Spirit needs to come to life.

 Without getting carried away, the word 'men' is that of common sort, of which we are not! Once we have given our lives to Christ, we have become a new creation in Christ, the old common man, which was patterned after the fallen Adam, is no more; there is a new creation, which is reunited with the Father, and is no longer common, but is a saint, free from sin! 

 We were born in sin and bound to the penalty of sin, which is death; but we have been born again free from sin, and now we are bound to Christ, forever and ever! Which opens up the last part of this, so called illustration: "and the living will lay it to his heart". We are alive! Once we were dead, totally separated from God, and destined to damnation; now we are alive, united with God, and given eternal life! 

 That is what it's all about! There is nothing better than this gift we have been given, and we must take it to heart! It is not just about what you know, based upon what you think: We must take it to heart; Jesus must be in our hearts, not just in our minds! There must be a loving relationship...

""I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."" (John 15:9-14 NLT)   

"Wink and a Nod" - 2

 "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2 KJV)

  "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don't be concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval." They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What shall we do?" Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."" (John 6:26-29 NLT)

 Basically, we have only one work that really counts: Believing that Jesus is who He said He was, and in the powerful work He accomplished on that cross! All other things, whatever they might be, do not give or contribute to, the eternal life that we have been given! 

 I know it might sound too good to be true; but it is what God has planned from the very beginning, long before man even had the chance to blow it, God had put the plan of our salvation into motion. There are at least 13 verses that show that God had preordained Jesus to come and die for our sins, before the foundation of the world; before man even had the choice to sin, sin was accounted for, and forgiveness was in works. 

 So it is God's works that really count, not ours; we only have one work, which is to believe in Jesus! All the other works, if you want to call them works, are the gifts we are given from God's love living in us and through us. It is God's love that makes us love others, live for others, and sacrifice ourselves for the sake of knowing Jesus. 

 Some of us are more committed than others, but that doesn't mean the weak ones don't make it into heaven! Our salvation is not based upon what we do or do not do; our salvation is based upon what Jesus has already done; we just need to believe and receive it! 

 What might this have to do with Ecclesiastes 7:2? Die to yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus! I know, sometimes I don't make any sense; but sometimes the Good News also doesn't make any sense! But we still must believe and accept it; God will work it all out in the end...

"They answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."" (John 6:30-40 NLT) 

"Wink and a Nod"

 "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2 KJV)

  "Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all of this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves of righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:19-23 NLT)

 Okay then: having the hope of heaven, is something that requires a result that is bigger and greater than the actions and the habits that we might not like but seem to still be dealing with. We are still human beings that have a sinful nature; we just have been set free from being a slave of that nature, and now can practice being slaves of righteousness. 

 There is so much more that is felt doing what is right, than doing wrong; depending upon what it is that you want to become. If you want to become a follower of Christ, then the things you do that are right will give you encouragement and make following Christ something that gives you joy and strength; but doing wrong, will cause you to feel ashamed and your joy will fade.

 However, if you are not all that interested in becoming a follow of Christ, but only want what He has to offer, without becoming a slave of righteousness; then that which you do wrong really won't hurt so much; but joy and peace will not be as secure as they could be. 

 I remember hearing a message from Pastor Jon, regarding what heaven might be like. He illustrated the outer court and the inner court, as if one place was for those that followed the Lord, while the other was for those that barely got by, just holding unto salvation. He also shared about those in the outer court were like banging on pots and pans, as if they were really missing out on something special.

 My guess is that we will be where we fit in: if you served yourself here in this life, you will be serving others in heaven; but if you served others in this life, you will be serving with the Lord in heaven. It is all about what you want to be; but being a slave to God, makes living through this life so much easier! 

 If you think about it, the things you do for yourself really don't bring great satisfaction, only temporary pleasure that will soon fade away; but the things you do for the Lord are eternal, bringing us to a place that shows us satisfaction and a glimpse of hope that will never fade...

""Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I warn you - unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!"" (Matthew 5:12-20 NLT) 

"The Hope of Heaven"

 "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth." (Ecclesiastes 7:1 KJV)

  ""But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven."" (Luke 10:20 NLT)

 Maybe there is still something to be said for trying to be good, as I seem try really hard, yet it doesn't always work out the way that I planned it. Not that I fail on purpose, because it isn't my intention to do anything that might be bad or seem unloving; it is just hard sometimes to die to myself, letting nothing upset me. 

 Hopefully none of you are dealing with the same issue, because it is almost as if there are two people inside of me: one that wants to do good, never becoming unloving; the other is sensitive to self, forgetting that love is not easily made irritable and does not demand its own way! (Pray for me!)

 If you look closely at this verse, as Solomon shares "Wisdom for Life", the only way this actually works, makes any sense, or seems beneficial, is if there is somewhere better this life. Basically, this would be considered wisdom for eternal life, which is something that causes us to have hope; a hope that on the day of death, we will be set free from this life and find peace in heaven! 

 Yesterday, Pastor Bryan was sharing on the books that will be opened on judgment day; based upon Daniel's vision in Daniel 7:10. As we all should know, the books which are opened for judgment are not going to condemn anyone that is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Whether or not they show what we might have done, that is not clearly made known; except for the fact that our sins are totally forgiven. 

 Personally, my opinion is that they will be listed, most likely to show that they have been forgiven, which is the main point of the judgment upon those who refused to accept God's free gift of salvation. This will be the judgment, not that they did things that wrong, but that they did not do what God wanted them to do and believe in His Son....

""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) 

"Wisdom for Life"

  "A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies - so the living should take this to heart.

 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks a lot about having a good time. 

 Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. A fool's laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.

 Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart. Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. Don't long for "the good old days." This is not wise. 

 Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life. Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life. 

 Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that mothing is certain in this life." (Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 NLT)

 "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7 KJV)

 Believe it or not, but I was seriously thinking about putting a hold on this journey, as it was feeling as though it had me spinning around in circles and not progressing at all; almost as if I was swimming in my own fishbowl, without anyone watching. However, I said this was going to continue as long as my wife is here, or until the Lord takes me home; whichever comes first. So away we go, merrily on our way...

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8 KJV)