"The Futility of Political Power"

  "It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advise. Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless - like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 NLT) 

  "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes, even the princes of his people." (PSALMS 113:7-8 KJV) 

 If I made this too much about myself, I meant it to be something to motivate me, hoping to be ready for whatever might happen. Crazy weather we are having, but it causes everyone to focus upon the climate, taking their eyes off the real heat that is coming. Besides, we must know that these are the times that we must be ready!

 There are a couple of different ways we can look at Solomon's thoughts being presented in this portion of Scripture; that is, if these are actually Solomon's thoughts! I will try to say it again, but this time with a little less passion. God ordains and speaks through every single writer of the Holy Scriptures; nothing that is written in these 66 Books, which have been penned by 40 authors, has not been ordained by and made to speak for God. 

 Now, that is something which is completely up to you to accept or reject; nothing is forced upon any of us, we either accept it as God's Living Word, or we can question bits and pieces, as if they really don't count. I would caution anyone that takes any portion of this Book out, thinking that it does not belong to be in there; there will be repercussions... 

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:18-20 KJV)

"The Third Cord!"

 "And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12 KJV) 

  "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:3 NLT)

 Most likely, yesterday's post was a little different to some; but it needed to be said! There are too many people, mostly younger men and women, that have no clue about the real side of evil. There is such a big difference between those who fight to protect their people and those who kill, for the sake of killing people that they do not like or agree with. 

 Anywho, just so you know, that portion of Scripture from 1Kings was the only reference shown to correlate with Ecclesiastes 4:11; so, I thought it would be a gentle springboard into the discussion; not that there was anything evil going on, just weird; like sniffing the hair of little girls or letting them feel the hairs on your legs; not that David ever did anything like that. 

 The portion of Scripture that we have before us today, was used in the ceremony of our wedding, as Pastor Mike shared this Scripture while Marianne and I took our two candles and together used them to light the center candle, which was to represent Christ. The whole point was to show those in the crowd, as well as us, that we were adding Jesus to our union together as husband and wife. 

 If there was anything that kept us together in the most difficult times, it was that bond we had together was strengthened by our bond together with Christ! I'm not saying the rope was not tested, because we had some difficulty, from time to time. But nothing was easily broken; we were never separated or had any argument that caused us to be torn apart; we might have thought it or spoken it out; but we never went far enough to make it happen! Thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

 I was reminded yesterday about a friend and sister of ours, who was pretty much devastated by the death of her husband. They both prayed for him to be healed of his cancer, she prayed the most; but his cancer overcame him, and he passed away. She continued to attend church for a little while, at least until the funeral was past and she settled into feeling alone.

 We had lunch together and I was concerned about her not going to church. Then she asked me why I was so stuck on the Lord, after what had happened to my wife. This was really not something that I needed to think over or pause to consider! Because Jesus is still holding us together! Without Christ in my life, I don't think I could go on; or would even want to! 

 I see too much of this happening, and it hurts to see people walk away from the Lord over their prayers not being answered, the way they want things to turn out. Sometimes God has something better in mind, and sometimes He just lets those who suffer go home...

""If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."" (Matthew 10:37-39 NLT)  

"Just Because"

 "Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?" (Ecclesiastes 4:11 KJV)

  "King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. So his advisers told him, "Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm."" (1 Kings 1:1-2 NLT)

 As it goes, sometimes God will allow certain things to happen, just because we need to pay attention to what is going on with those who are in charge, from the very least, to the ones who rule; or in some case, pretend to rule! What did they expect to see? Nothing else but a sharp contrast between what is right and what is wrong, on so many levels! 

 Regardless of what takes place within any nation, it is God's choice as to who rules, He is the One that has the final say! Currently we are taking a journey through the Book of Ezekiel, which, as it turns out, it is extremely precise in the God's list of things that He will do to the Nations that are against Israel, those that are for Israel; even what He will do to Israel, depending upon what they do or don't do. 

 Yesterday, I heard portions of a message about some of what Jesus said, regarding Jerusalem and what will be happening to that city. Matthew Henry even made a prediction about one of those statements, in which he states, 'It would appear that Israel will become a Nation again, and will rule over Jerusalem; yet, I do not see how that might happen.' (Paraphrased) 

 Well, it did happen! And Jesus also said it would be a cup of trembling in the last days, which would cause the whole world to be on edge; and that the generation to witness these things should be looking up! (Also, paraphrased!) 

 There is something else about the Book of Ezekiel that we should pay attention to, there are many parts which talk about "The Watchman", as to the message that the Watchman must give, seeing that he sees what is approaching, he is responsible to say what he knows is about to happen, which is no joke!   

 Does to really matter that people cannot tell the difference between good and evil? Or, should we just shake our heads and pretend that it is all just what we expect, in these last days? Who are the ones that are The Watchmen? Just because you know what is coming, in your circle, The Watchman is you...

"Once again a message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, give your people this message: 'When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the alarm but ignored it, it is their fault if they die. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.'"" (Ezekiel 33:1-6 NLT)   

"United Strength"

 "For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but wow to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:10 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:1-3 NLT)

 Just in case you might have missed it, the most important thing we must do, whether we are talking about the relationship between a husband and wife, business associates, and just a brother or sister in the Lord; our first priority is to love one another! We might have disagreements or something that might come into the relationship which will cause us to challenge one another's faithfulness or bond to love: but without Christ being the center of every relationship, you have no firm foundation in the midst of a storm! 

 As Paul shares this very important matter, he references, "the law of Christ," which, unless we can't recall what that is, it is all about Love! Please don't make anything about yourself; even though we are usually all going to do that anyway, to one degree or another. It is so easy to forget to put the care for someone else first, denying yourself, and becoming the example of what it means to be a follower of Christ. 

 The heading above this section of Galatians 6, in my NLT Bible, says, "We Harvest What We Plant." In my KJV Bible, the heading says, "Help Each Other," and I have written above that heading "WORK," which is written from top to bottom, with a reference to each letter: "Willing Obedience Reaps Kingdomitas." 

 Don't forget this one important matter: If you are a Christian, you have people around you that are watching you, wanting to know if your faith is real or not. We can only prove that it is by our works! Forget about the notion that works don't save us, because that has already been established on the cross; but I heard something the other day that made good sense; it took me a minute to think about it, but Paster Jeff said, "Grace unlocks the door, but works shuts it and keeps it secure." 

 Anywho; with or without is really not what we should be focused on, because our goal in this life is to obey the Lord, not to think of ways to make certain things happen: God will do the work, we just need to be available to move and show the love of Christ, in each and every situation!

 'Lord, please help us to be an example of your love'... 

"Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For is the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks from heaven!" (Hebrews 12:25 NLT) 

"Companionship" - TWO

 "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." (Ecclesiastes 4:9 KJV)

  "Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him." So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock and birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him." (Genesis 2:18-20 NLT)

 I have no doubt that there are many of you who disagree with my passion and resolve towards keeping my wife alive, because there are many who believe life needs to be viable and worth living, in order to be considered a vibrant life. I get the just of that, but I don't really think that it is up to me to take a life! This is something that I have left up to God! I have said, "As long as you have her here, LORD, I will do all that I can to love and care for her!" 

 Besides that, the big issue came about in the late summer of 2010. I was standing next to my wife, giving her something, while watching Fox News. Neal was interviewing Rev. Pat, (who is no longer with us,) and Pat said something that really made my blood boil. He said, "I believe it would be alright for a spouse to divorce their significant other, if they had a brain disorder; for the sake of companionship." 

 When I heard that, I wanted to throw something at the TV, but instead I spoke out, saying, "Tell me, O man of God, what companionship could you possibly have with a Holy God, if Jesus hadn't died on the cross for your sins?" I know, it might not be the same circumstance, but for him to say that, most likely gave a few, (if not many,) people who otherwise might have tried to care for a spouse, (even though they were suffering with a brain disorder,) a way out! 

 What about the Vow! "Till death do us part, so help me God!" I'm sorry if it doesn't seem worth the pain and suffering, but sometimes life just works out that way; we live with whatever God gives us, making lemon-aide out of lemons! 'Oh, but it hurts, and I am so overwhelmed!' I get that, believe you me! But God will give us the strength to endure, even that which seems overwhelming!

 Besides that, the love you experience caring for someone you cherish and love, even though you might not get anything in return; you cannot buy that! If there was anything that came close to unconditional love, that is about as close as you can get, to seemingly understand how God loves us.

 I opened this up with Genesis 2:18-20, mostly because of what God did for Adam when He had him name all the animals and birds; most likely some fish also. First off, God says that He would make him a helper who was just right for him," and then He has him name all of these living creatures, which, by the way all had male and female mates. God was giving Adam a desire for a mate! 

 Think about it, that God would give Adam the task of naming all these creatures, causing him to study them, observe their characteristics and how they moved, and what they might have eaten. Learning them, to give them proper names; discovering that there were male and female of every kind; he began to wonder where his mate was? why didn't he have a mate of his kind? 

 Obviously, this is how God works things into us, helping us to want what we need...

"So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. "At last!" the man exclaimed. "This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken from 'man.'" This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (Genesis 2:21-24 NLT)

"Companionship"

 "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." (Ecclesiastes 4:9 KJV)

  "If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or is your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary." (1 Corinthians 12:17-22 NLT)

 As some of you might know, there are several different things that happened in the span of about seven years, which I believe God wanted me to witness, in order to strengthen my commitment to taking care of my wife, indefinitely and with a committed heart. The first of which happened while she was in the hospital for those first three months. 

 One day, I was sitting next to her bed, watching Fox News, and they showed a video of a woman named Terri, who was living in a care facility located in Florida. I believe that God wanted me to see this, because Terri was in the same condition as my wife, and she had been there for 15 years. Her husband had since moved on, living with another woman and had two kids by her; while his wife was, secured in a care facility, as he waited for her to die.

 Apparently, he got tired of waiting, making every effort he could to have her killed by withholding her food and hydration until she would dry up and die. Her parents and siblings wanted to care for her, but the husband wouldn't allow it. The Govenor of Florida stopped her starvation, and had her feeding tube put back, and she remained protected for a short while.

 Eventually, her husband found a Judge to overturn her protection, the feeding tube was removed, and she died a slow, terrible death, that took 12 days for her to pass! I saw that as the complete opposite of what I would do; making my commitment to care for my wife my first and foremost priority. 

 When it was time for my wife to be discharged from the hospital, I was given a list of care facilities to have her placed in. I went about checking each facility, but only one was even close to worthy of her being at, because they had a dorm type setting, and cats running around inside the living area. Marianne loves cats! 

 Just 24 hours before they were going to transfer her to that facility, they called her doctor and told them that could not accept her, because she had a trech; apparently, they had no RN staffing after hours, and therefore they had no way to legally attend to her raspatory issues during those hours. So I told the doctors that I was going to take her home. They said that would not be possible, because her care was not the 'home-care' kind of care she required. 

 Long story short, she has been home ever since, and has only been back to the hospital for screening; and every six months she is taken to a walk-in clinic to verify she is still with us. It is my opinion that she probably would not still be with us if I had followed the doctor's orders. Whether or not that is bad or good, is in the eye of the beholder; I still love to hold her...

"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT)    

"Against All Odds" - Again

 "There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is sore travail." (Ecclesiastes 4:8 KJV)

  "Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, "I am slipping!" but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." (PSALM 94:17-19 NLT)

 Unless we have purpose, our lives are wasted, and we live a miserable life! However, if we have purpose, even if our life is miserable, we can still have hope and joy and peace, because God is using us for His glory! Again, the most important part about doing what God wants us to do, is to do what God says, even if you don't really know how it will work or what He will do. 

 This Sunday's message really spoke to my heart; maybe it was more about removing idols and getting things right, but the part I got from it was about living for God, no matter what you are currently doing, you don't wait for a calling to live for God, you live for God, and see where He takes you! Seriously, for almost a year, I have been up and down about this business I operate; feeling as though it was a chain around my neck, and wanting to just walk away from it, file for bankruptcy, and live out my days without all of this headache and trouble.

 The Lord spoke to me very loud and clear, almost as if He was chastising me for being selfish. Whatever we are doing, wherever we are at, we must do everything we do as unto the Lord! Even if it might not feel pleasant, we are meant to be servants and ambassadors for Christ, no matter what. If your job, that God has you in, is seeming to be tearing you down, then make it work as a tool to make you humble. Maybe that might be exactly why you are experiencing what you are, to become humbler?  

 Planning to do things for the Lord, sometimes they just don't happen if your life is not Christ-like! We must be humble, putting others before ourselves, and focus more upon serving God, more than ourselves...

"So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy- their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols." (1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT) 

"Against All Odds"

 "There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail." (Ecclesiastes 4:8 KJV)

  ""The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."" (Isaiah 55:10-13 NLT)

 First of all, there are none of us that are living in Christ, that live alone; if He isn't walking alone side you, then He is carrying you through something, because He will never leave you, nor forsake you; you have His word in that! Secondly, although it might seem to some that I have a very lonely life, my wife is still very much alive; and even though she may not be fully functional, she still feels my touch and hears my voice; and her gaze is upon me when I am ready God's word to her. 

 With that, I must confess: Both of those truths are a constant battle to feel secure in, day after day! Yes, there are days when I feel that the Lord is not there, as if He has left me alone to fight my own war; mostly because it is my own fault for having created the mess I might be dealing with. Sometimes, I might think that there might be some sin I have, that could cause Him to stand away, waiting for me to make that choice, between Him and the sin. 

 Whatever the situation or the problem, if you belong to the family of God, God is for you, will always be working out your battles, making you into a vessel to be a testimony of His power and love! You might not like what you must go through, but everything works towards the good, no matter how hard it might hurt, or how bad it might make you feel, you will always be better for it. 

 As for my companionship with my wife: I have got to admit, there are some days when it stings hard against my heart! Not because of what I don't have, but because what we both have is not what we had planned for. We had always imagined ourselves walking along the beach, living out our twilight years, living by the ocean and admiring God's beautiful sunsets. 

 That was what we had hoped for, but it is still something I hold out for, longing for it to still happen! We made a vow, "To have and to hold, till death do us part," as of yet, we are not apart...

"I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." (PSALM 121 NLT) 

"Looking Back" - Two

 "Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 4:7 KJV)

  "Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night." (PSALM 51:1-3 NLT)

 One of the things my wife and I always tried hard to do, was to not go to sleep at night mad at each other. It sometimes wasn't easy, but looking back, I see myself wanting to be the victor, more times than letting her be the one to have the final word. I knew what we needed to do, but would refuse to do it, because of my pride and arrogance! 

 You should know, the greatest hinderance on your prayer life, is not that your prayers don't get answered; but that your prayers don't get spoken in the moment, when you should submit and humble yourself, letting God calm the storm...

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you." (PSALM 51:12-13 NLT) 

"Looking Back"

 "Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 4:7 KJV)

  "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

 As many of you know, I started this blog back on January 1st in 2010, hoping to make it something that I could just express my thoughts, as it were, out in the open; and hopefully make it something that I was committed to do every morning, without fail. So far, that has been the case; but in these resent days, I have been somewhat weary, feeling as though this might be something that has become something else, which has made me feel as though it might be an idol; or worse, something that I feel in bondage to.

 Nevertheless, I have made a commitment to keep pressing forward, even though there could be an issue, only because it was first and foremost to be about the adventure that God has placed upon my wife and myself; that I would continue doing this, faithfully, as long as we both are here and able!  

 You might be amazed to know how much God has shown me about a husband's role in the marriage relationship. Unfortunately, most of the time I share what God has shown me, it doesn't really go well with the brothers that I try to show it to. Generally, I get the same response, over and over: "My wife can be a sinner too?" or "Eve sinned in the garden also?"   

 As I have said it before and say it again: "Husband's love your wives, just as Christ loved the church!"  If you don't know how that works, it is the same as Christ's love for the church: He loves first! Does He give up on us when we sin and fall short? Absolutely not! He stays committed to love us, even when we do not act as if we love Him, He is always faithful! 

 The wife's love towards her husband is a responding love: the more she is loved, the more she feels loved, and the more she loves back! Does that mean she is perfect? Absolutely not! We all are imperfect, but the wife is the weaker vessel, needing more love and attention than the husband. The husband is called to lead his wife, to be the spiritual leader in the home; making sacrifices in order to put his wife first, as the love of his life! 

 That is really not what a lot of men want to hear, so forgive me for voicing my opinion. However, I have had a lot of time to look back, remembering all of the fights, knowing full well, most of them were my fault and based upon my lack of submitting to the Lord. We have a tendency to do that, now and again, making the head of the household ours, when in reality, it belongs to Jesus...

"For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husband might do. In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." (1 Peter 3:6-7 NLT) 

"The Advantages of Companionship"

  "I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, "Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?" It is all so meaningless and depressing.

 Two people are better off than one, for they help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 NLT)

  "Who can separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, of famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted a sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39 KJV) 

 'God is all I need,' or so the saying goes! I set out with that thought in mind but was reminded about something God said in the beginning, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18) 

 If there is anything I have learned over these last twenty years, it is that love is not cheap; it comes with a price, it will cost sacrifice and the ability to give yourself away; something that you don't necessarily plan for but is something you learn to except and live with! Like that old saying: 'It is what it is', now embrace it... 

"I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:15-19 KJV) 

"Entering Rest"

 "Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 4:6 KJV)

  "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people." (Philippians 2:13-15 NLT)

 By the way, just to let you know, this work that I do is constantly causing me to grow weary and feel as though I need to stop; so, the point I made about throwing it all away, it was pretty much all about that, because it feels more and more like a burden than it does a job. Then again, I feel bad for complaining, because it does pretty good at paying the bills, most days. 

 I finished watching "Flywheel" last night, which reminded me that this business really belongs to the Lord; I have repeatedly given it to Him, over and over for almost 34 years. I say repeatedly, because I have had a tendency to somehow make it my own, over periods of time; and then realize what I have done, I plead for mercy and ask Him to forgive my foolish mistakes. 

 What a difference it makes when we give everything over to God; what a privilege to let God be in control, and we just become His faithful servants. If we can just slow down and pay attention to what He says, it makes all the difference in the world, just to be still and listen to Him. Doing what He tells us, we actually can enter into His rest; besides being led and shown what to do, we have the burden of what we do lifted, as it is all upon Him! 

 Anywho, that's my take, and I am going to try hard to live in that...

"But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and be those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NLT)   

"Run Your Race" - To

 "The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh." (Ecclesiastes 4:5 KJV)

  "The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her, "I AM the Messiah!" Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came steaming from the village to see him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something." But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."" (John 4:25-32 NLT)

 Some races are like sprints, you show up, make a quick impression, and then your race has accomplished the work you were called for, while others like marathons which take you all over the world, making you a vessel that makes things happen everywhere you go. Surprisingly, both are equally important! 

 I have really no clue if what I will do, will do anything, but I do feel that I need to do something, because I believe God is telling me to go! What will I do, is just be present, enjoy some time taking my wife on walks around the RV Park, and just seeing what God might do.

 It could just be a chance to spend some very special time with my wife; or it could be a chance to share a very special life with someone that needs to know what it is like. But whatever, I just know that God is telling me to just go, letting Him do whatever, or nothing at all, it will still be worth going somewhere special with my wife, on her 63rd birthday! 

 This portion of Scripture, from John, does not mention whether or not she gave Jesus any water, but if she came to draw water for her house, she left her waterpot at the well, taking the water Jesus gave, and gave it out to the entire village! Jesus will tell the disciples, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields for they are already white for harvest!" 

 If you have heard this message before, it is that the Samaritans were accustomed to wear white turbans on their heads, which was what Jesus was pointing to, as they steamed up the hills from the valley below. Steams of white turbans, making the fields white for the harvest! 

 We have no clue what God can do in our lives, but when we feel like we need to do something, we need to run to what God has us to do! Obviously, I can't just show up at an RV Park on the 4th of July, expecting to get a site; especially when you have a 40ft rig, that needs 12ft clearance on the one side to let down the wheelchair lift! 

 I did the best I could, and just prayed it would all work out. The most important part of being where God wants you to be, is to show up where God tells you to go...

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

"Run Your Race"

 "The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh." (Ecclesiastes 4:5 KJV)

  "I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit, scarcity will attack you like an armed robber." (Proverbs 24:30-34 NLT) 

 Maybe this has been a waste of time, I feel sometimes. But, then again, I never have committed myself to something that ever made me feel like this: No matter what, I must go on! By the way, there is a very familiar work that I see going on in this world, because I do believe that the church is beginning to wake up, and people are starting to push back against the rampant evil going on.

 Maybe it's just me, but we need to start paying attention to what is going on around us. That might not be easy to do, because most of us are too busy just trying to scratch out a life, making our bills get paid, and hoping to make it through another storm. 

 Anywho; this is the point of what we see here today: Idle hands! Surprisingly, we can have idle hands, even while working to make a living; eating our own flesh in the process; because we just keep moving in circles and getting nowhere, spinning our wheels, wasting the tread life on our tires!  

 I really feel as though God is calling me to be doing something else; and the longer I keep putting it off, the more I feel as though I am wasting critical time, which will soon be over. God has given me reason to share, something to share about, and I that I must use it or lose it. 

 Having said that, I also believe that God has blessed me with certain things that should not be thrown away or discarded, as if to just walk away from responsibilities and the people who might count on me. This life is short, so we must count the cost of everything we might be called for, prayerfully making the right choices, and then letting God handle all the circumstances! 

 But, if you are being called to do something, then do something in that direction, and let God guide your steps; but by all means, you must step out and head in that direction...

"It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith - for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT)   

"Worldly Vision" - Too

 "Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 4:4 KJV)

  "You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble."" (James 4:4-6 NLT)

 The third message was one that really touched me, making feel ashamed that I hadn't figured it out on my own; or, if I heard it like this before, why didn't I make it a point to put it into action! It was the portion of Scripture that I have known and talking about many times, thinking it was primarily about praying for the ones that you care for, and interceding for them, tearing down strongholds on their behalf. 

 We are talking about the Scripture that says, "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) How many times I have listened to this message, reading it to myself, yet not completely applying it to my life, in the way that Jesus was showing the disciples what it was intended for. 

 Basically, it is about having a spirit of humility and love, by being filled with the Holy Spirit, continually and at all times! How often we don't do what we could or should, because we lack the love in our hearts to do something we feel unwilling to do? After explaining this action, Jesus says: "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." 

 I know, it is way too simple, it shouldn't be hard to understand. We not only ask God to change us and give us all of the ability to do what is right, we must seek out the ways in which we apply what we have asked for; knocking just means that we don't give up, but we remain persistent and determined to get it right! Then, we stand! Having done all, we can do to stand, God will do His part, doing in us that which we cannot do on our own...

"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! 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 3:10-14 NLT)  

"Worldly Vision"

 "Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 4:4 KJV)

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

 FYI, I was planning on doing another message on verse three, as it was rather short, and I thought it was deserving of a little follow up; but this verse we have before us today pretty much sums up what I was going to share, making it more about the real reason we keep our eyes on Jesus. Besides that, after the three messages I heard yesterday, I feel that I said enough, most of us know already that life is precious and deserves a chance to live out the purpose God has given!

 This touches on the results of what happens when those things go wrong, when life happens to take on the look of pain and suffering; sadness is portrayed in misery and unfair circumstances. All these things are not the end result, but while they are happening, life feels as though it has ended! 

 If you don't know what this means, good for you, you haven't lived through something yet that knocks you off your feet and makes you envious of the people who have everything working right in their lives; feeling as though you have been cheated, or worse, that God is judging you and has taken you to the woodshed. 

 First of all, if you are a child of God, He loves you more than you love yourself! He knows what is best for you, because He knows your ending and what you will go through all of your life. He knows all that will hurt you, cause you serious pain, and even knows the sufferings that will be involved in your life. Having known all of that, He still has His hand upon your life, holding you and making you into the complete person you are meant to be. 

 We sometimes feel crushed by certain things, which are incredibly bad and horrific; those things are not good, no matter who might say that they are, they just aren't, and they severely hurt! Look at Job, who had everything taken from him, within an hour or so; one thing after another, all his livestock, his servants, and all of his children, all killed in the same house! 

 Did Job think that all of that was good? Absolutely not! He tore his clothes and covered himself with ashes; and then he praised God, who gives and takes away, knowing full well everything belongs to God, not to him. It wasn't good, not in the slightest. But God works all things, together, for the good! Yes, we might not get the reason why certain things happen, but God knows all things, and He makes it all work towards the good!

 Think about David, as he stayed behind from battle, not good; as he slept with a friend's wife, even though he was one of his mighty men, not good; as he had that man killed, to cover up what he did, because she was with child; not good, again. But God made a way, taking all that was bad, and He made it good! This Book we are in right now, is a result of that bad situation, made good...      

"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And haven chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?" (Romans 8:29-32 NLT) 

"Life and Hope"

 "Yea, better is he then both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 4:3 KJV)

  "As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, 'Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.' People will beg the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and plead with the hills, 'Bury us.' For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"" (Luke 23:26-31 NLT)

 Today we see the negative side of life without hope. As we have seen, especially in these current times we live in, couples are weary about raising children because of the current culture and issues that are taking over the world. Once upon a time, the more children you had, the better life you lived; now if there are more than a few, you have too many, and worry about what might happen to them. 

 This is really not that hard to deal with, if we could just see it through the eyes of the Lord! Every life is precious in His eyes; every life that is born, is meant to bring hope. Even a life that is born with a real deformity, if there is life, then there is hope! 

 We can better understand this with the life of Jesus, so called, "The Man of Sorrows," He was born to die for our sins, yet it was the Father's will that it should happen, even though it was a terrible thing for all to see, especially those that loved Him! 

 We pray for our children and hope that they are kept safe in this wicked world; but just because this world is evil and can do them harm, is no reason to not give them a chance to live and to have a purpose to do whatever they were created for: whether life is short or long we all can serve a purpose...

""For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)  

"Yet to Live" - To

 "Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive." (Ecclesiastes 4:2 KJV)

  ""And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."" (Acts 20:22-24 NLT) 

 Something I have discovered since that day of Salvation, is that we are already living out our eternal life that Christ has given us; this life here, in the temporary world, whether you know it or not, is just a springboard to the life that waits all who believe in Christ Jesus. In other words, we pass from this life, in the temporary, to the life eternal, without experience of death! 

 I know, the tent we currently dwell in does not enjoy the same experience, because this flesh is also just a temporary dwelling for our soul; but Jesus set the captives free in Paradise, when He rose from the dead! Yes, as we shall see, Abraham's Bussom has been changed. What was once a holding place for both the righteous and the wicked, has now just become a place for the wicked, only; those who are in Christ, they are now with the Lord. 

 Therefore, we have been born again, to never die, as in, as with the sting of death. The grave is not a resting place for us, because we do not experience that death, our soul goes directly to be with the Lord, at the moment this tent has expired. 

 With that, we must also know and believe, this temporary life is also like a chain, which holds us bound to this temporary world in which we live. So, that if you wanted to look at the verse in another way, praising the dead which are already dead, has a completely different meaning, because they were living here in this captivity, but they are no longer yet alive, but live in Heaven...

"What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever." (1 Corinthians 15:50 NLT) 

"Yet to Live"

 "Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive." (Ecclesiastes 4:2 KJV)

  ""Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won't come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. They're filled with joy when they die, and rejoice when they find the grave. Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes."" (Job 3:20-26 NLT)

 There are certain days when we try to consider what could have been, thinking that we wasted certain parts of our lives. When, in the midst of feeling adversity or remorse, we really need to start counting all of the blessing we have been given, starting with the New Life! This makes all the difference in the world; no pun intended! 

 This might not seem like a Gospel Message, but I do believe that we can make one out of it, if we just look to see what is being said. Before we can really live and experience the wonderful life that God has given, we must first die to ourselves, letting Jesus live in us! 

 Oddly enough, before I was saved, I really was dead; like the walking dead, cut off from real life, life that comes from a relationship with the Lord, and a loving Father, which brings life to the dead and awakens those were headed to hell. I was dead, thinking that I was living, but now I am alive waiting to die...

 "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live of die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:20-24 NLT) 

"Back to the Beginning" - Too

 "So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter." (Ecclesiastes 4:1 KJV) 

  "The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death. Yes, and the Lord delivered me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen." (2 Timothy 4:16-18 NLT)

 Having said all of that, there is something we must make sure we understand, more than anything else: We are not able to deliver ourselves, no matter how hard we try, we don't have what it takes to make ourselves righteous and holy enough to have fellowship with God! If there was a way, any sort of a way, at all, then Jesus would not have had to suffer and die for our sins, period! 

 Matthew Henry has this to say about this portion of Scripture, as Solomon has left off speaking about the oppressors, and now he observes the oppressed: "This he did, no doubt, as a prince, to do them justice and avenge them of their adversaries, for he both feared God and regarded men; but here he does it as a preacher, and shows," (four things that make them oppressed).  

 It is really hard to think back to what it was like before I was saved; mostly because it all seems like a fog, just little glimpses of close encounters, but no real vision of everything else that surrounded me. But what I do remember quite vividly, were the encounters I had with those who brought me a message, even though I rejected and refused to accept what they were saying. 

 It is also hard to imagine why, as if there was another force within me that was causing my heart to be bitter and callused, unable to yield or receive anything that might change the way I wanted to live. Do we still have some of that within us? Are we completely yielded and submitted to God? Unfortunately, we do! 

 What I remember the most about my salvation, might be the one thing that I forget about the most: God changed me, in an instant! In that very moment a heavy burden was lifted off of my life, and for the very first time I felt free! Yes, even though I was the jail, none of that mattered, I was free! Changed on the inside, my heart was changed; I had God's Spirit living in me; I could feel the difference.

 What I need to remember less, is all the things that I have messed up, since that glorious day! In case you might not know, the hardest person to forgive is yourself...

"In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free." (PSALM 118:5 NLT)  

"Back to the Beginning"

 "So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter." (Ecclesiastes 4:1 KJV)

  "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NLT)

 I hope you all know by now, that you were born oppressed; as we are born sinners, and it was not our choice! Because of one man, Adam, who choose to disobey God's one and only command, we are all born in a fallen state, one that is separated from God. 

 Just to be clear, as Adam had one choice to make about that one sin, "Don't eat that fruit," we too have been given one choice, "To eat of the flesh of Christ!" (John 6:53) I know it seems a little strange and out of sorts; but the whole point of what it means, is that of being comforted from our oppression.

 Really! Who doesn't want to be comforted from being oppressed? Obviously, there are quite a few that say no to God's offer, mostly because they like the power of being able to do whatever they want; so, they refuse to be saved, not really caring much about anything but living for today and all that today offers. 

 I don't know why, but this becomes an issue in our lives also; even though we know better, we still have this desire to do what we want, from time to time. We know that it is wrong, but still, we will do it, as if God's mercy will be there when we are done, having our fun! 

 Why do that when it will only bring us back into oppression? Yes, I know full well, God will forgive, as He always does; but we will still deal with the sin, here, under the sun! Yes, there is always a price to be paid for something we do wrong, that is what happens in this fallen world. You might not even ever know the price or want was spent or what was wasted; but you will feel the grief of sinning against God. 

 Believe it or not, but God forgave Adam of his sin, but the price still had to be paid for sin, yet Adam could not pay it! Maybe, just maybe, if Adam did not sin, he could have paid the price for Eve's sin, if he had not also eaten of the fruit; but obviously that didn't happen...

"But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sins of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:15-17 NLT)  

"The Evils of Oppression"

  "Again, I observed the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. But more fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun. 

 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this too, is meaningless - like chasing the wind. "Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin." And yet, "Better to have one hand with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind."" (Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 NLT)

  "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Revelation 14:13 KJV)

 Whether you think it is weird, or you believe that there is no comparison to the true meanings, there is nothing that I am willing to change; I truly believe that this is what the Lord is showing me, mostly to the actual life that is being lived out today. These are very strange times we are living in, so if it seems to be strange and out of sorts, so be it; everything happens for a reason! 

 I felt a little tug on my heart yesterday, as I felt that the Lord was speaking to me about these next six verses and was showing me the simplistic way that we can truly understand why and how we are to be humble, living as people who are oppressed. First and foremost, we must remain servants of the Lord! If anything was to change in our lives, it would matter much less, if we had the attitude of a servant, waiting for the Lord to guide and direct our path, which is the best thing we can do.

 Other than that, we focus upon the positive side of each and every encounter! What could be considered the positive side with the death of a loved one? What could be the positive side of the loss of employment? What in the world could be the positive side of a terrible disaster? Having a God that loves and cares, no matter what...

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for the future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)" (Romans 8:18-25 NLT)   

"The Cheerful Life" - To

"Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" (Ecclesiastes 3:22 KJV)

  "I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, "How will this finally end, my lord?" But he said, "Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means."" (Daniel 12:8-10 NLT)

 I am sorry to have left off yesterday without finishing my thoughts; it was a little hard to make any sense of what my heart was feeling, having one of those moments when I just want to curl up and feel as though I just want to die. That is me looking at life without purpose! When we don't think we have purpose and a calling to be used of God, then we don't know what if, we just wonder why. 

 It's complicated, so don't concern yourself with the things that are of this life; instead, we must focus and fix our eyes upon that which will be: the life we will enjoy once all of this life is over! Every hardship we have, every trial we endure, and every heartache that takes place in us, is all about drawing closer to the Lord; if, that is, we make it our opportunity to do so. 

 Depending upon your state of mind, in whatever season you're in, we all have times when this life just beats us up, and we feel as though we just can't take it. When the Bible says, "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12) This is God reminding you that you need His help, always! As soon as you think you can do this on your own, your life is foolproof, or you have it all under control, you will find out soon enough, your life is a mess! 

 Long story short: Give all things to God! Then when things go wrong or get out of control, it will not be your fault, and you can just enjoy the ride...

"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 get 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 4:7-10 NLT)   

"The Cheerful Life"

 "Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" (Ecclesiastes 3:22 KJV)

  "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." (Hebrews 11:1-3 NLT)

 For this portion of Scripture, it might take some time to understand what we are looking at, because this is more about the looking at where you are at, compared to where you really want to be, in a strange and interesting side of looking at it. Isn't that the normal Christian's life? 

 I have thought about this many times throughout my walk with the Lord; as I suspect many others have given thought: Will there be a welcoming committee in Heaven when I get there? Did my life here make any difference for the better in anyone's life? 

 Maybe it's just me, but as I shared before, sometimes I feel that many things I did ended up like discarded film on the editing floor! This happens because we tend to observe the bad things we do, more than we cherish the good. You can blame that on remorse or conviction; but if we are truly cleansed from all of our sins, then we should focus more upon our pure relationship with God, and less about things of the past. 

 Everyone makes mistakes, because there is really no one who was perfect, except Jesus! What He did when He took our punishment was horrific and took on every single pain that we suffer: every kind of affliction, every kind of sickness, every brutal act that we can think of, He suffered for it all! 

 People that don't know any better can look at that, thinking it was such a shame, saying, "How could God allow such a thing to happen?" A lot of things happen in our lives that make us wonder the same thing...

"You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God." (1 Peter 2:4-5 NLT)

"How To Know!" - To

 "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21 KJV)

  "Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?" (Isaiah 53:1 NLT)

 Obviously, the Bible is where we go for the answers that we seek. Although the Bible was written thousands of years ago, it is still very true, still in this present day, and still alive, with things that are still to come; so, read it, study it, and make sure that you believe every word that God has spoken, because, when your spirit rises, He is your Judge!

 Is that it? Just read the Bible and believe what has been written? Short answer, YES! But there is more to it than that, because we must apply what the Bible says, making it the guide to our daily living, to be that which shows us who God is, and all that He has done for us. 

 It is not that hard! We start with Genesis 1:1, which says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." If you do not believe that very first verse, then you will struggle trying to believe everything else. Take a very good look into creation, because there is way too much detail for it to have just grown into life on its own. That is why they keep adding billions of years to the earth; the more they look into creation, the longer it takes to make any sense to have made itself.   

 Because we have free choice, we can choose to believe it or not, that is your choice. But, if you really want to know if it is true, then you must choose to believe, then it will be revealed to you that it is true, and you will know for certain. It is really not that complicated, you just need to believe and receive what He has given.  

 Anywho; this is really about the spirit of man and beast. Unfortunately, my dog's spirit belongs to this earth, so he won't be ascending upward. However, man's spirit belongs and remains with God! It was given to man by His breath; when He breathed into man, man became a living soul, which therefore, belongs to God.

 If you think about it long enough, you will come to the right conclusion: If your soul, or spirit, which ever you prefer, belongs to God, then He has a right to judge you, and to redeem you or condemn you. (That is for those that might not think God has a right to judge them, because He most assuredly does!)

 By the way: If you believe, then you are born twice; if you do not believe, then you will die twice... 

"And I saw a great white throne and one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they had no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15 NLT)

"How To Know!"

 "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21 KJV) 

  "But tell me this - since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all of our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless." (1 Corinthians 15:12-14 NLT)

 There are certain times where you just know to trust and believe, even if you doubt what you know is true! Simply put: If it is so, then live it out and see what happens; knowing full well, it will be so in the end! Otherwise, you are going to be miserable and confused, living without real hope, and missing out on all that God has for you to experience. (Note to self: LIVE!) 

 There is really only one way you can know if this is true, by living it out and experiencing the new life that you have been given. If you do not apply what God has planned for your life, then you waste the experience to grow and know the power of God is real! This must be experienced in you...

"Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God." (1 Peter 1:21-23 NLT)  

"To The Dust" - Too

 "All go unto one place, all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again." (Ecclesiastes 3:20 KJV)

  ""Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave."" (Matthew 10:11-14 NLT)

 Without even thinking about what is going on around us, first and foremost, we must think about the church! All of this world is going to be what it will be, just as the Bible says, and we are going to be persecuted, if we represent Jesus, as Jesus said: ""When you are arrested, don't worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time."" (Matthew 10:19 NLT)

 With that, I must confess, I think sometimes I make too much of this world's issues as my concern; when it is our obligation to share Jesus, not the issues that are going on around us! Opinions might matter to some, but the real opinion that matters is the Lord's, as in, "What would Jesus do?" 

 All this stuff is actually quite easy to understand, as wicked and evil as it all might be! This world is breaking and getting closer and closer to the end: We need to be about our Father's business...

"After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." "But why need you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"" (Luke 2:43-49 NLT)  

"To The Dust"

 "All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again." (Ecclesiastes 3:20 KJV)

  "Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude" (PSALM 49:14-15 NLT

 Okay, so I woke up this morning thinking that there was something wrong, having been torn by what has been happening in our Nation, but feeling as though the church has become compromised, not caring or concerned about what is going on. Yes, I know this is not my home, so why should we care? But I see a multitude of people that need to wake up! 

 Anywho! (What that really means, is to move on regardless of who or what might be of concern!) This is something we all must be aware of, regardless of what you think is right or wrong: if it is happening to someone else, it could happen to you! We that are walking in the Light, are called to be a light unto this world! What does that mean to you? 

 I really don't want to make a big deal about this, but I was just a little concerned that not one thing was mentioned at church about what happened last Thursday; it was like it really didn't matter. Forgive me for caring, but after seeing the grin of the face of the current president, I truly saw who was behind it all! 

 We must pray for this nation, as well as praying for this world; this might belong to the devil, but that doesn't mean that we surrender and just remain silent...

""Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action."" (EZRA 10:4 NLT)  

"Just a Tent!"

 "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, that have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 3:19 KJV)

  ""Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling. But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then where are they? As water evaporates from a lake and a river disappears in drought, people are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep."" (Job 14:7-12 NLT)

 This is an age-old question: "What happens to you when you die?" For the non-believer, the point is not really something they want to discuss, as they really don't want to think about it; rather, they would just like to live this life to the fullest, and not concern themselves with the ever-after. 

 In short, this is about this body in which we currently inhabit, which, if you are a true believer, then you have come to the understanding that it is only a tent in which your soul lives within; when this tent is done, it will decompose, just as every other creature's body, that dwells upon the earth! "By the sweat of your brow will you have food and eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19 NLT)

 Notwithstanding, this tent is not to be abused, disregarded, or treated as though it has no value; as long as we are alive, this tent is to be used as a vessel of praise to God, to show fourth the work of His hands! Yes, we have a soul that lives on and on, long after this body is laid to rest; but this temporary shell we have been given has a purpose and a calling, to be a vessel worthy enough to express the love that we have been given!

 How are you doing with any of that? Sometimes I feel as though I have been doing what I should, and sometimes I feel as though I am a complete failure; almost as if that which I have already done, becomes unraveled, and it is like discarded film that lays on the cutting room floor! We cannot control what happens in this crazy world, but we can do our best to control what happens in ourselves: that is the very least we can do...

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

"Unable To Speak" - Too

 "I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts." (Ecclesiastes 3:18 KJV)

  "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (PSALM 73:21-26 NLT)

 This is actually something good; even though it's not good for us to sin, knowing that we have this infirmity is what keeps us holding more firmly to Christ, knowing that He paid the price! We cannot do anything on our own, without Christ we have no chance to be worthy enough to have fellowship with the Father; none whatsoever! 

 Let's break this down into something that might be easier to understand: "concerning the estate of the sons of men," is what we are born into, without a choice! You were born in the fallen state, a sinner is what you are, in need of a Saviour. "That God might manifest them," is what you need! Without God's ability to show you what you really are, you will not come to your senses and seek out the redemption that you need! 

 What is it that beasts all have in common? There are only a couple of instances in the Bible where any beasts have spoken: the serpent in the garden, and Balaam's donkey, and the eagle in Revelation, saying, "Wow, wow, wow, to all who dwell on the earth!" Are you an earth dweller? Is this what you call home? 

 Yes, we might be stuck in this place for a season, but if we have been Born Again, then this is not the place we call home! It is hard sometimes to remember that; we get caught up in this life, thinking about what others might enjoy, longing to have a little pleasure, trying to make something of substance, and just blending into everyday life. 

 The PSALM that is mentioned is from Asaph, as he shares about how he almost lost his way, thinking about those who were prosperous, even though they were wicked. There is nothing on this earth that can compare with what we have been given! Don't buy into the things which might anchor you to this earth...

"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)