eminent, imminent, immanent, similarities in pronunciation cause tremendous misunderstanding.  Most of the personal pain I suffer these days is lack of clarity, “not knowing what is really going in”, in the world, in my Family, in the Word.  Strategically speaking if I were the enemy these are the “easy picking” points at which I would seek to waylay believers.  It is easy to twist the “True” meaning of a word, phrase or parable if the audience does not know the originally/correctly intended message.  There is special confusion surrounding the use of these three closing sounding words.

Let us try and provide some clarity for speculation’s sake.  Imminent is something “looming”, an act which is ominously hanging over our heads and may occur at any time, a caution for which there is no specified time or date.  Eminent describes something which is prominent or of high station.  Immanent characterizes something that is internal, inherent or independent of external definition such as Christ’s Deity.  The difficulty with regard to these three words somehow goes beyond their audible similarities.  For example; The Sovereign Lord is eminent in His distinction as the One True God, He stands immanently outside of time as the One without beginning or end and His return for His Church and Judgment is imminent in that it may occur on any day at any hour.

We need to be wise for the days are evil.  We need to understand many of these nuances because these points are natural areas for confusion and debate among those who may or may not accept the Lord’s invitation.  I pray strength, courage and endurance for all of you this and each day until the Lord’s imminent return.  Praise Almighty God in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Surrender is not a word synonymous with holding back.  You cannot surrender yet remain in control of anything.  Yes you can maintain a rebellious heart but the entire idea behind surrender is that you are “giving up” control to a greater authority.  This is done with the intention of following that party’s rule unless of course their is deceptive intent.  With Christianity, surrender is typically done voluntarily as each believer embraces faith that the Lord God is the Rightful Ruler of each heart, life and spirit.  Surrender in this instance may still come with some discomfort as the believer learns to “let go” of control, trusting ever more the Lord to lead their lives.  However, in some instances believers refuse to write their faith upon their hearts and instead determine to keep it in the “things I intend to do” category.  This provides instantaneous and lasting conflict within the life of the unrepentant/unrelenting believer.

As with many philosophical positions there are usually strong “tells” indicating a certain adherence to a particular frame of thinking.  In the instance of the un-surrendered believer the evidence is equally clear.  First there is always the unrepentant sin, that thing that the new believer refuses to let go of, choosing to disobediently allow sin into a life which has been washed clean by the Blood of Christ.  The other tell is more subtle and that is the presence of the word “but” injected in the middle of an “if then” statement.  For example; I know that I shouldn’t be going to the bars and drinking but I don’t think that the Lord would want me to be unhappy or I would like to conquer that obstacle in my life, but I am too weak, too dumb and too poor to concentrate on that right now.  These statements are clear evidence of the accuser’s insistent authority in the life of the new believer or a refusal to trust the Lord.  Although he is powerful, the Lord Jesus rebuke him, the enemy has been stripped of all authority in the life of every believer and simply maintains this position of influence out of voluntary capitulation on the part of each believer.

“All things are possible to him who believes”, “All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me”.  These statements are paraphrased from scripture but they clearly indicate an undeniable truth for each and every believer, the fact that nothing is impossible through belief in Christ.  To not accept this as truth carries with it one of three states of thinking; either the Lord God has lied as He clearly states that for the believer there is nothing impossible, or that the new/hardened hearted believer refuses to surrender to God’s absolute truth due to weak/immature faith, or the person is not a believer and chooses the enemy’s deception as truth.  Which is it?

I know that you want to believe, ask the Lord to help with your unbelief, so that you may stop the vacillation and start to overcome.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of the Lord”, another paraphrased passage from scripture but it is also decidedly true.  I say decidedly because once you make the decision that your faith will only be increased by hearing the Word of God then you must put it in your ear as often as possible.  This is where “getting the but out” of your statements becomes extremely important, because the enemy will go all out to stop you from hearing the Word.

So the next time when you have the opportunity to either listen to the Word of God or do something else, I pray for you that the statement after the conjunctive, “but” never makes it out of your mouth.  Choose life, choose faith, choose the Word of God and prayer continuously and rob the enemy of any and all influence in your life and lives of your Family.  Let us be the spiritual leaders which God intended.  Great day in Christ, Praise the Father in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ the Son.  Amen.

My words may be impassioned, but the Word is Right and True.  My pleas may be thought provoking, but the Word leads to Wisdom, Discernment and Faith.  I may construct convincing argument for obedience, but the Word tells of a Absolute Truth of which all men have knowledge.  My words may call you to look curiously upon the future, The Word, tells the future with precision and documents the past so that “all” may rely upon God.  My words may be clever, whispers of a greater reality missed by many, forgotten by most and avoided by majority.  The Word was here before the beginning of the world and made all things, being that Infinite power of Creation to evoke the formation of Light and Life.  I need the Word, the Word does not need me, yet calls me to herald the Good News to all that will hear my petition.

Look to the Word for answers, foundation and prayer.  The entire book is about Jesus and God’s plan to enter into humanity as demonstration of His overwhelming care, love and kindness to the man He created.  The Word is a documentary, I’ve heard it called a “love letter”, but it is irrefutable proof of a God who “lives” with His creation, not a craven piece or idol worship or a disinterested ethos as many would have men believe.  The Word describes the indescribable, clarifies that which is beyond comprehension and invites relationship with a God beyond knowing.  It is perfect in its intention, outcomes and historical review.  It confounds enemies, predicts victories and chastens believers.  It encompasses a period of time wrapped in the context of eternity.  The Word is a guide book, a travel guide, a legal review, a Title Deed and a supernatural map to that which created the laws of physics, matter and motion.  It is beyond me.  I may tell you of it, and implore you to read it, meditate on it and write it upon your head and heart, but it is a fire burning hotter than I may hold, a torrent beyond human control, a force outside of nature.

If you will not hear me then review these passages and see what will soon come to pass; Matthew 25, Isaiah 17-19, Ezekiel 38-39 and 49, Jude, 2Timothy 3-4, Revelation 1-4, Psalm 83.  These passages will tell of what to expect soon within the world for believers, but read on to the Word following those passages and you will see what happens to unbelievers as well.  The forces pent on fighting God are marshaling their forces toward the madness of a battle with the Almighty.  The enemy is driven by lust, insanity and pride to a fool’s errand in attempt to stand against the Most High God.  The battle lines have been drawn the players are taking the field and the first volleys have been loosed.  There are only two sides and the rest will find themselves embroiled in a global infantry battle for which there can be no sidelines, escape or safe-watch.  There will be no spectators in the coming foray, for this had been designed by the Word as the judgment of “all” men.  Look to the Word for salvation, truth, safety and understanding.  Look to the Word for Life.

Hypocrisy, a duplicitous term, carrying with it betrayals, deceptions, secrecy and deflected judgment.  Lacking discernment of moral rectitude which I do not possess.  Portraying a sliver of myself as the whole to engender allegiance, favor or fancy.  This Christian man born again in Christ is all that I am and wish to be.  Yet I am forced by the social affect of a society, “gone astray” to paint upon my light a veil of gray.

What unmerciful punishment for a child of God, to be “dumbed down” or hidden in order to make the grade of social acceptability.  Besides the realization that to comply with ridiculousness makes me complicit with hypocrisy, one of the few things, like violence against the innocent, which made the Lord visibly angry.  What if we were to shuck off the shroud and be that which we were naturally intended, perhaps we may be thought “weird”, or maybe this in itself is the great deception.  Perhaps we would change the world and lead multitudes to the rugged cross as they see the Light of Truth reflected in our true nature.

Too deep a thought for men just attempting casual conversation over cocktail.  This “born again” life is not for those seeking stature, structure or leadership.  The way I look at it is if I am totally surrendered to the will of God and He wishes me to do some leading then it will become entirely evident.  Until that time, I am entirely fulfilled being a part of the Body of Christ, encouraging my mates, feeding the hungry, healing the sick and directing the lost to a Loving Lord who wants them free.  I shall not do the enemy’s bidding and hide myself among the wolves in shadow.  I will shine the Light and let the outcome be determined by Almighty God.  In Jesus’ precious name I pray.  Amen.

I am not holy, how does He see me so?  I am not humble, how does He accept me so?  I am not obedient, worthy or authentic.  How can He find any of these characteristics true of me when none are visibly verifiable?  What component outside of time, through omniscience does He use to see these things which I cannot see myself?  If I could see these things about myself, perhaps I would be less faint, more august, a great deal more assured.  Why has He left me to wonder about eternity, saints and angels?  Is there perhaps some victorious purpose to taking it upon faith?  Believing in this without sight.  It stands to reason that this would somehow be more valuable than the man who must “see to believe”, it certainly is a great deal more difficult.

What then do you believe would be a measured reward for faith and walk without sight?  Do you believe in a God who would righteously gift such believers with a measure of understanding, assuredness or glory beyond that of the man who “sort of believed” or took a wait and see approach?  Again, it seems reasonable to assume that a Righteous Father would somehow recognize that capacity to walk through faith and consider it rarity.  Please do not count me among those who would unwisely claim to understand the mind of God, for His thoughts are beyond my comprehension.  I am merely making a point of logic reasoning as many Christians are forced to do in their disciple conversations.  It stands to logic, reason and all truthful measure that those who took on face value what God has told them would receive some tangible or intangible compensation for such response to Glory’s Call.

The enemy would have us condemn, recriminate and slander ourselves to the point of disbelief.  he would have us remain tightly perched in the slumber of depression, insecurity, apathy or inferiority.  he would have us sell-out our birthright for luke-warm broth or exchange it for sinful, breathless moments, passing bitterly and begging re-edification.  he would have us depend entirely upon the world, ourselves and chance for identity and worth.  he would have us dwell in the mired depths of idontknowville, cannotburg and beyondmetown.  These are not thoughts and actions consistent with joint heirs to the Kingdom of God.

I will do great things, beyond my own capacities because He said that I would.  I will create new circumstances and heal worldly wounds through the Glory which resides within me.  I will overcome obstacles that may appear insurmountable by mounting on the Wings of the Most High God.  My God loves me and He loves you too.  He does not want that any should perish, He wants that all would come to Him for salvation.  It is not illogical for me to believe in the mystery of rapture, it is rather consistent with His Word and His Nature to shelter those who believe from a wrath He designed for a disobedient world.  I understand that you must consistently see evidence, fact and incontrovertible proof in order to believe the Truth set before you.  However, I will seek the reward of a Glorious, Loving and Righteous God who would have me whisked away in the “twinkling of an eye” to be with Him as He pours out His wrath upon a disobedient world.  In His Glory I sing, reside and rest.  Praise Jesus Christ the King.  Amen.

For what do you pray?  Is wealth the answer to all which confronts you?  Does longevity bring closure to your worrisome heart?  Would you be pleased by position, power or fame, provided platform through which to change the world?  Is peace what you pray for, hoping that man will suddenly change course and care for his brother if not more than himself at least as much?  Perfect days, quiet nights, fun and contentment, what finds its way to the top of your requests to God?  What would make your life complete, worth-while, fulfilled?  Is it things, a state of living, an achievement, a prize, a person or a dream?  Or is it knowledge of the God who made you, understanding of your worldly purpose and completion of His Will For your life?

On this celebrated day, we were given the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ to end the war between God and man.  We were exposed to a plan beyond even the Angel’s comprehension.  Look they live with God and still they are amazed at the mystery of salvation.  An angel will never see salvation.  God loved us so much that He prepared a method, a path, a Way by which we may not just be returned to our original design but something greater still.  This is the thing of prayers yet oddly runs low on the list of mankind’s wants.  This is a glorious story which we raise to tell for one day, week or month each year yet nearly forget the rest of each year.  There is no other treasure which may even come close in valuation, all else rings tawdry on the spectrum of price when compared to God’s rescue of humanity from sin, death and damnation.

We have been told.  We have been instructed.  We have been warned, yet we fail to listen, even those of us who calls ourselves by His Name.  There is only one explanation for the tragedies which plague this nation, this region, this species and the Globe.  That is we continue to forget there is a God and He will not allow certain behaviors in His world.  Our experts point to all manner of logical sounding psychology, philosophy and science to offer causality for our suffering.  World leaders pronounce the failings of markets, politics and publicans for the demise of nations.  But the only heralds who hold the answer, historical understanding and pulpit by which to proclaim true, remain silent in comfortable fear.  We are suffering because we will not listen to God.  We are failing, as he foretold because we will not humble ourselves and beg His intervention.  And we are destitute because we will not learn what must be learned in order to understand what will soon come to pass and become subsequently driven to preparedness and right standing with Jesus Christ the Lord.  If you aren’t saying it then you are fake, false, naive, disobedient and self-serving.  It is after all not about our comfort but for those who have not yet heard His Word of Grace, Mercy, Salvation and Peace.  If you have received this glorious gift which amazes even the Angels and have not found the overwhelming compulsion to share it with those who have not, then you have never comprehended this gift yourself.  We are a nation that once believed and understood the requirements of Christian Faith, we have now been deceived, forgotten or just plain left our jobs to those who would do the work.

This gift is worthless unless passed on to the next person needful of salvation, abundance and life.  Do not allow it to sit upon the mantle above your comfortable fire, gathering dust.  Pass an ember on to those who have no light, no heat, no warmth.  Bring light to the darkness, bring hope to the lost, bring joy to the destitute.  The light shall prevail by dispelling darkness will you raise the torch to cast away shadow?  Repent of your personal sin and surrender to the Lord in your service to the Kingdom.  Praise Jesus the King in all His mercy Love and Grace.  Amen.

When real people, with joy in their hearts approach faith with true commitment it produces dynamic, life-modifying results.  As in any true pursuit there comes growth, improvement and maturity as each person challenges his/her individual walk.  Unlike worldly disciplines this process produces glimpses of God.  Each believer, submitting to the transforming grace, love and peace of the Holy Spirit becomes less like their former selves and more like Christ.  This sanctification process which may have taken careful observation and analysis at journey’s outset, astounds onlookers when faced with the supernatural modifications made in every, surrendered-believer’s life.

Let it shine, Sisters and Brothers as this is the greatest testimony you can give to the Glory of Almighty God.  Letting the world see just how little you are affected by circumstantial pressures or how willing you are to make choices that glorify Him instead of yourself, brings praise to His Name and plants fertile seed for future spiritual harvest.  I am honored to count myself family to so many wonderful people.  Especially those who have put aside self in exchange for letting Christ shine through all their worldly relationships, aspirations and works.  He is wonderful and you resemble Him and I adore you for it.  Praise Jesus, come quick Lord.  Amen.

Let us step away from the tragedy for a moment and find peace in God.  Together we may turn to the shelter of His wings to find patience, strength, health and courage.  Father we are here for Your will, this place is not our own and as we look forward to residing in our true home we find ourselves weeping, tired, uncomfortable and melancholy.  The brutal humanity of which we must participate has once again dumbfounded our resolve in its ruthlessness.  As we listen in our quiet discontent we can almost hear the blood of these innocents as it cries out to You for Justice, Father.  How long will this travesty be alllowed to transpire?  What remains into which we must righteously invest but Your Kingdom?  What passions must we pursue but those things that lead others to Your Forgiveness?  What calm can we foresee as the storms surround?  Our Path is not to You Lord, our path is You.

This world doesn’t threaten to restrain us from peace, but convince us that the Author of Peace does not reside in our bodies, His Holy Tabernacle. We are not going to Jesus, He has come to us.  We are not looking forward to a day where we may reside with our God, He lives through us and with us even now.  We are not downtrodden, despaired, harried and defeated.  Quite the contrary, we are victorious in the knowledge that we will be delivered from any captivity to the Throne Room of Righteousness by the Hand of Almighty God Himself.  Bars may not restrain the Spirit.  Darkness may not shut out Light.  Oppression only produces more densely-robust, elemental composition.  We do not need to run to the Lord, He is standing with us now.  If we are kneeling, do not mistake that it is defeat or bent knee in obeisance to the enemy but rather in thanks and praise to the Mighty God we serve.  Praise You Lord in all Your Glory, in the Righteous Name of Jesus our King.

The Lord, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob carefully orchestrated this global crescendo leading toward the point where He and His man will have face to face meeting.  The gravity of such a statement threatens to suck the air out of each pair of lungs and the wind from any conversation.  You mean to say that the Lord knew this would all come about and was able to even predict the steps of His enemies to the minutest detail, knowing fully the precise moment when He would to step into His creation?  Absolutely.

Even those rebellious agents, fighting throughout man’s entire history, with utmost fervor against the Holy Prophecy and Prediction of the Lord have not even changed the timing one nano-second.  You would think that would have dissuaded them a bit from belief in their triumphant future.  But that is the power of egotistical folly and blindness to Light’s entry to the world.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  John 1:5   The enemy is a dangerous foe and must be respected, but it is written that even he serves the Lord God.  To think every victory that he believes he has gained throughout the millennia were only more bricks in the path toward an eternal outcome designed, foretold and promised by our God.

Where there is overwhelming source of light darkness cannot exist.  Sin cannot fester, wounds cannot remain hidden and falsehood is exposed by truth.  The ministers of darkness cannot withstand the light, they can only hope to forestall the Light’s Return.  It is sheer insanity to believe that somehow amassing people huddled in darkness will in anyway allow them to remain hidden when subjected to the most intense Light in this or any universe.  Yet they continue this infernal struggle even though eternal darkness is all that they will achieve.  My recommendation to the enemies of God is to surrender now, throwing themselves upon the Rock of Ages in the interest of salvation before that same Rock falls upon them.  For defeat is not just assured but certain, soon and timeless.  Do not let the voice of deception find purchase in your hearing.  Shake off the veil of falsehood which shields your mind from Truth.

Serving your own desires, needs and whims has some appeal.  But is paltry in comparison to an abundant life of joy, spent without fear, knowing fully that you will spend eternity with God.  There is no equivalency between emotive/sensory satisfaction and eternal peace, love, joy, understanding, forgiveness, patience, kindness, especially when these experiences come from relationship with the Maker of the Universe.  The choice is so inherently silly that it troubles people choosing the world to even discuss it.  They must, like the accuser, must continually create and recite illusionary mantras within their own minds in order to dispel logic, truth, evidence and fact.  They have had to concoct pipe-dreams, such as the theory of evolution to reinforce that illusion.  In the absence of a good lie the Truth is the only choice.

If there were any hope of victory for a worldly position I would implore you to fight on.  But this is a fool’s errand, pent on folly, reinforced by those desiring your ruin to provide them some form of revenge against the Most-High God.  Do you really want to give up eternity with God, so that you can be a pin to be put under God’s foot?  Don’t be used in that fashion.  You are too valuable to be coerced into service as cannon fodder.  Besides, when the Lord does step into creation, once again, He will dispatch the enemy and all his legion in less time then it took them to take up arms against Him.  Repent, ask mercy of the Lord God.  Believe on the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ and be set free.  For His is the Kingdom the Glory and the Honor, Forever and Forever.  Amen.

The next great lie will be something akin to the fact that we cannot stage peaceful demonstrations against political persecution of Christianity to protect our own safety.  We will be told that for our own protection, men must give up their arms, to promote a new peaceful society.  These things have happened before and are always welcome on the heals of tragedy, when people are raw and have not taken time to consider rationally the deals to which they find themselves signatory.  We have already fallen pray to the falling shroud of deception perpetrated by the prince of the power of the air on those lacking judgment and the enemies of God.  Let us not repeatedly be taken in by the same posturing which have led to tyrannical despotism each time in history.

Let us have the real conversation, the real debate.  The one which divides this nation, hinders our prosperity and mars our reputation as a nation seeking, truth, justice and the American way.  The great dividing line which the enemy will avoid at all costs is Jesus.  For there is power in that name.  Any other subject is preferred.  No one wants to talk about Jesus.  The path and the accountability that the Christian life represents and the exclusivity which Jesus declared like it or not separate the world population into two parts, believers and unbelievers.  Jesus proclaiming Himself, as the only Door/Way/Path to God is a Truth impossible for the populace to endorse, accept, commit to and follow.  They must destroy, silence, condemn or demagogue any that proclaim this truth out loud.  For they want to pursue their own paths, in libertarian/liberal execution of freedom at any cost.  People God loves you and demands that I do as well but that does not change the fact that He is in charge and His rules are specific, clear and unavoidable whether or not I want you to like me.  There is eternal forgiveness for all who will call upon His name, repent of their sin and believe in the redemptive power of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However there are some behaviors for which ALL historical societies has suffered the ultimate backlash of irrelevancy or disappearance, especially those empire states drunk upon their own pursuits.  None have escaped a penchant for violence, seeking gladiatorial conquest of all defenseless nations.  None have escaped sexual abandon, where all forms of lust are sanctioned, practiced and even endorsed by society.  None have escaped political corruption of elected officials, sponsored by coercive special interest and hypocritical “public” servants.  None have escaped pursuit of false faith.  None shall escape the Just desserts of such practices.  None in history has ever avoided the eventual demise of these sinful pursuits.  So it is entirely safe to say that no nation following these practices or turning a blind eye to their social acceptance will find themselves in solid standing when the dust rises on the next turn of worldly events.

Look upon the current state of world affairs and I see many following the same old failed postures of past tyrants and schemers.  For example, we have a political ally of Russia, Syria, in open civil war.  A nation which possesses some of the most dangerous and deadly chemical and conventional weaponry know to man, also provided by Russia and others.  A nation that cannot afford to release its dictatorial regime from power as the alternative to this terrible ruling family are a bunch of extremists pent on the destruction of Israel and the ascendancy of global Islam.   This is not a matter of wanting one party over the other, both are unacceptable and have or will lead to disaster greater than the current civil war facing this esteemed country.  We have seen these nations one after another dismiss their ruling tyrants only to adopt radical militants as their new leaders, men addicted to the eradication of the nation of Israel and the downfall of the West.  In Gaza, Iran, Egypt, Somalia, Libya and Sudan we have seen the repeated effects of democracy gone awry.  These people do not want peace.  Peace to them is a global caliphate of the sword.  We must not pursue meaningless peace sponsored by those who merely want to use this word to lure the unsuspecting to slaughter.

There is no way except by the Prophecy annotated in the Bible by which these circumstances will end in peaceful resolution.  Man as a species continues to show our dislike and lack of desire for global peace.  It is merely used as a political device by those who would see themselves in power.  And one of the next to use this tactic will be the most ruthless ruler that the world will ever know, but his days will be numbered to seven years at the end of which we will meet the God of the universe come to rule and reign for eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ.  King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Praise His Holy, Mighty and Righteous Name and though He may tarry He shall come and Judge this World as it is His Right to do so.  Amen.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-plans-for-possibility-that-assad-could-lose-control-of-chemical-arms-cache/2012/12/16/f4912be2-4628-11e2-a685-c1fad0d6cd1f_story.html        For those who want to know.