Wednesday, November 6, 2024

"Suffering for Doing Good"

 "Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment." (Ecclesiastes 8:5 KJV)

  "Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats." (1 Peter 3"13-14 NLT)

 Well, hopefully this will at least make some things be corrected in this crazy messed up world; but even then, there will always be wicked and evil, because there is no way that the enemy will surrender. If you don't know what I mean, it is because he knows first-hand that he will be defeated and that there is not any chance in hell that he will win; but he doesn't care, because he wants to take as many of us as he can with him, just to prove a point! 

 If you don't know what it is that the devil is trying to do, it all comes down to making man unworthy in God's sight. What a stupid and undoable plan! God already knew of man's unworthiness, long before He decided to create him, He already had a plan to make that which was unholy, Holy! We are justified in Christ, just as if we had never sinned; Ever! 

 And yes, the next President of these United States has suffered quite a lot, suffering being impeached, having his home raided, trial after trial, being arrested and charged as a felon; and for what? For trying to make this country a better place; a place where people can live safer, live free from oppression; actually, have a right to share their faith, without being told to shut their mouth! 

 We will have a President that is for life, love, peace, hope, and God! What is so terrible about that...

"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. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19 NLT)

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

"So Let It Be Done"

 "Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?" (Ecclesiastes 8:4 KJV)

  "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." (Romans 13:1 NLT)

  You know by now how I feel about this election, as I have been an advocate for the rule of law, God's law, more than anything else. However, we have come to a serious crossroad, where there are major differences in the way some people see that laws should be enforced or carried out. Some laws are being ignored, while others are being enforced, even if they really don't exist. 

 Free speech was once something that was never censored, because it was part of the debate and a right that was established long ago; but we have torn that right, right out of the Constitution, without even having a vote! Hopefully things will get turned around, but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't actually get worse. 

 Whatever happens, I believe there is justice being poured out; whether good or bad, it will always be for the good of the church! Before Covid showed up, everything was starting to get turned around; at least those things that made our Nation prosperous. But behind the scenes, and within the hidden bureaucracies, sinister things were tearing at the roots of our Nation. 

 It wasn't until we had to be locked down, that people started to pay attention to the wickedness that was hidden all throughout our government, especially our public schools. People started to realize that their kids were being captured by something they did not approve of; something that they never expected to be taught, let alone something to be hidden from them, as if they had no rights to know. 

 Then we had the privilege of living through four years of stupidity and chaos; where those who were called to be in charge, had really no right to be doing anything that they were assigned to do. And if they were doing it wrong, they were awarded for it, as if there was nothing wrong.

 Help me if I don't know what I am talking about, because I could just be making stuff up! Who could possibly make up the stuff that has taken place over these last four years; but regardless, God is still in control! The question we must ask ourselves, as Christians, is how this has affected the church? Has it made the church stronger? or has it just made us more willing to get in line? 

 Maybe, just maybe, we as a Nation needed to see what could be, and the church needed what is: because The KING is coming, soon and very soon...     

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" 
(2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT) 

Monday, November 4, 2024

"Pilgrim's Discipline" - To

 "Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him." (Ecclesiastes 8:3 KJV)

  ""After this time had passed, I Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. "His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, 'What do you mean by doing these things?'"" (Daniel 4:34-35 NLT)

 I feel at peace regarding all that will happen, regardless of what might happen! No matter what, I know that God has a firm grip on this world, because He is the Creator of heaven and earth; it is His to do with, whatever He wants! And based upon the amazing thing He did on that cross, I can be assured that His plan we be amazingly awesome!  

 So, anyone out there that might think we have got to be worried, we don't need to worry about anything except those who will be lost, deceived, and reject Jesus Christ! If you want to worry about something, you need to worry about them. This world is going to be torn to pieces, but that doesn't affect anyone that saved: even if we are torn to pieces, lit on fire, and thrown into the deepest sea, we have a place waiting for us in the Kingdom of God, guaranteed! 

 Hopefully you can believe that is true, because it is what this life of faith is all about. There is nothing that happens here on this earth that God does not allow; not that He is pleased by what is bad or evil, because that is not something He would do; but everything is going to be dealt with, sooner or later; and all those who are not written, in the Book of Life, will be judged accordingly. 

 If you are so inclined, pray for those who plan and plot evil, that they might be changed. It could happen: If it happened to Manasseh, the evilest king that Judah ever had, it could happen to anyone, no matter who they are or how evil they become. 

 Keep your focus on loving the Lord and praying for those you want to be saved...

"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 3:11-13 NLT) 

Sunday, November 3, 2024

"Pilgrim's Discipline"

 "Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him." (Ecclesiastes 8:3 KJV)

  ""If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you."" (John 15:18-19 NLT)

 I know what you might be thinking, 'Do we just lay down and give up our rights?' Well, here is the part of any circumstance that might actually make some sense: We are not greater than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He was God, who came into this world, of which He created; yet He gave up His rights, in order to be a sacrifice for this entire world! 

 Giving up His rights, does not mean that He did not use the powers and abilities of God, because He most surely did! But when it came to the matter of why He came, He humbled Himself and became like one of us, totally and completely vulnerable to punishment, humility, and death. 

 We are really no longer part of this world; but does that mean that we are no longer useful to do what is right and just? Absolutely not! If the church would do what they were called to do, especially in this nation, the United States of America, where we have certain rights, (which, by the way are being stripped away, daily,) then there would not be so many evil things being done by evil people! That's a fact! 

 The whole point of this part of our journey, is to be a light, because we are of the Light! We are meant to be reconciling people to God, not just trying to avoid being part of the world; because as long as we are able, we are called to spread the Gospel and be a servant of the Lord; doing that which Jesus did, touching lives and making disciples, making know that which is right, shining light on that which is evil; praying for those that need to be saved! 

 The bottom line in all of this crazy and confusing story, is that this world is evil, so we should not be surprised by that fact; but at the same time, we love the sinner but hate the sin; we pray for those that are held captive and praise God for those that have been delivered; and most of all, we must come to the complete understanding that we are not at war with flesh and blood...

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV)   

Saturday, November 2, 2024

"The Oath of God" - 2

 "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard to the oath of God." (Ecclesiastes 8:2 KJV)

  "My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don't associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king?" (Proverbs 24:21-22 NLT)

  This morning, I was awakened by dreams of some serious fighting and destruction, from where and to what cause, I really could not tell; but I do feel fairly certain that it was something real. We are living in some very interesting times, and I am more than certain that the nation I currently live in is not going to be able to make it through what is coming ahead. There might be a reason that the country does not appear in the last days, unless that is, we actually are the "The Great Whore, The Harlot; The Mystery Babylon."  

 Anywho! This is more about the role of the church, than it is about what might happen to this messed up place, so called earth. God has more to do, more than we could ever imagine! Our role in this requires us to stay alert yet stay calm and collected. We are better off just being the ones that love others, even if we don't like what they do or don't do, we must still love the sinner but hate the sin! 

 As I said before, I truly want to see the good guys win, because it feels better knowing that evil was defeated; but evil will still try to win, no matter what! Reading the end of His-Story, there will be a time when evil has its day, but that time still has over a thousand years to go, before it all ends...

""Put away your sword," Jesus told him. "Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?"" (Matthew 26:52-54 NLT) 

Friday, November 1, 2024

"The Oath of God"

 "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God." (Ecclesiastes 8:2 KJV)

  "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." (Romans 13:1 NLT)

 We might not like to hear it, but even those who are evil and don't respect God or God's people, they too are allowed to be governing authorities over nations, states, or cities. If you don't believe it, we have a very obvious proof with the ruler that has been appointed over this world, Satan himself! 

 Whether you like it or not, it is true; we don't have the ability to vote him out of office, but we are more than able to not obey what he might tell us to do! Just because someone has authority over us, does not mean that we must do all that they tell us to do! If you don't believe it is so, look at those three Jewish boys that refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. 

 Besides that, here in this State of California, it is not legal for a Christian to try to convert someone who might be gay, especially by telling them that what they do is a sin against God. When I was taking a class about being a School Chaplin, the instructor of the class warned us not to do that, even if the child came to us, as a believer, saying that they were dealing with the possibility of being gay. 

 What do you do with that? How much would you hold back, having a kid that believes in Jesus, but has doubts about their condition to be something, even though they have convictions about doing it? I had several minutes of challenging questions with the instructor over that situation; but she wouldn't allow me to make my case. It was at that point of the lesson that I understood that we were living in a very evil State! 

 I'm still here, living in the evil world, but where can we go! We are here to shine the light of Jesus, no matter how bad it gets, we must remain faithful and share the Good News, no matter what! The best answer to any questions regarding the sin someone might be dealing with, especially if they say that they believe in Jesus, is to simply say, 'pray about it and read your Bible!'

 You really don't need to point out sin in someone's life, if the sin is pressing upon their heart; just point them to the One that can change the direction they are headed, and let God do the work, so that you don't get blamed for changing them. If they might take their own life, you might feel guilty for telling them something, they probably already knew. Or worse than that, you might be arrested for causing them to take their own life; wouldn't that be a terrible thing! 

 This current election might be one of the worst situations that I have seen in my lifetime! One side, although they spout about commitment to democracy, they can't stand the thought about 'the republic on which we stand'; that is because the Republic we have been founded upon is based upon God's law, not the law of man! I really hope that you understand what I am saying, because man's law is all about doing what mankind wants to do, not what God wants us to do...

 "Own nothing to anyone - except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law." (Romans 13:8 NLT)