This is the root of all our Christian difficulty.  Befriending people, places and pursuits to the point of chasing them instead/over a relationship with God is tantamount to self immolation.  Yet, this is the scenario God has created into which we are placed to compete, struggle, transform and participate.  I cannot hate the world for that is opposite of God’s declaration.  The only reason I have chance at redemption is because of God’s love for this world.  If not for grace, my sin and imminent damnation would be inevitable, but because I accepted God’s offer of forgiveness, I can now have truth in hope.  The challenge for me is how to participate in the world in such a manner that reflects God’s Love but refuses to bring dishonor upon the name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit or the Father.  A good point of concentration for me has been upon quenching of the Holy Spirit.  If any action I have taken or avoided would upset the person of the Holy Spirit then I must bring that episode before God in prayer for transformation.  This brings a bit of clarity to friendship with the world, allowing me to interact in such a way which complies with God’s direction instead of violating His sensibilities.

Looking upon the competitive life of Paul, the sacrifice of James, the obedience of Daniel or Joseph provides me consistent cause for humility.  If I am not humbled, then I am probably caught in the veils of arrogance or self-denial, both are opportunities for failure in the eyes of God.  If I remain vigilant in the armor of God, remain conscious of the mind of Holy Spirit and reflective upon the humility of saints before me then I am “properly prepared” for battle and appropriately placed in relation to this world’s enticements.  There is not a single one of us who likes being embarrassed or unprepared for the situations we must face.  None of us would knowingly go into battle without proper training, equipment or preparative planning, yet this is what the majority of believers do on a consistent and daily basis.  Why?  The answer is painful yet simple, we have let down our guard and befriended a world which cares not for our eternal salvation, sanctification and either denies or fears the Glorious Appearing of Christ.

If your intention is eternity with God, then repent and sin no more, seeking God at every opportunity for relationship.  If your intention is rapture then fill your vessel with the oil of the Holy Spirit so that you may have the light necessary for the journey.  If your intention is to meet God then pursue righteousness and His glory with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  If your intention is enmity with God, then simply continue in complacency or lusts of the flesh and greed for your success of this nature is assured and equally eternal.

Praise God the He forgives me, without His forgiveness there would be no hope.  I love you Father and thank you that Jesus died for all of us.

Did I miss your outstretched hand while swimming in the crystal sea, Lord?  Have I forsaken wisdom for the flowery words of political man, astounded onlookers with slight of hand?  What brick, wood or fashioned dreams have I begged for false hope, caught in a dark relationship where principalities eagerly confound sense and direction?  The false triumvirate calls to each man, bidding invest in the vapor, the mist, this brief shadow of true existence, while ignoring lasting redemption.  False governance, false religion and commercial salvation, broad, well lit boulevards leading into wilderness and abandon.

Why does the Lord repeatedly warn of foolish journey or visitation to Egypt, Rome or Babylon?  For these are man’s/air power attempts at creating a doppelganger of God’s truth, to suck from each human, reason, energy and worship.  We seek false hope in Babylon, praying to god’s of our own crafting, looking for convenient release from God’s authority and judgment of sin.  We seek man’s leading in Rome, trusting in the impermanent for solid foundation, knowing fully the corruptible heart of man, but allowing leaders to commit egregious acts in the name of humanitarianism.  We visit Egypt, captured by its deeply painted promise of desire fulfilled in lust, in power, in heat knowing that the euphoria only lasts one night.  Our bellies, minds and desires must repeatedly be fed, in maintenance becoming more expensive each passing.  The enemy uses the same tricks the same structure the same lures as bait to move us from the path of wisdom, leading to the throne room of God.  This same process of corrupting, twisting and morphing those things which God has created for good is the devils only policy toward man.  he uses it because we remain susceptible.

Escape the enemy’s siren, leading to lust, leadership and lug nut gods.  Worship God alone as every other created being will eventually bend a knee in confession.  Do not wait to be forced to humility and reason by the judging hand of Jesus Christ as he returns to finally rid this world of sin.  Heed God’s warning and stand clear of false religion, commercialism and the authority of man.  God is sovereign in all areas, either for hope, provision or leading wisdom.  Look to him in faith and he will guide your feet.

The name of Jesus, may it be my last spoken Word.

“You’re welcome”, he said, reminding me of my manners, I thanked him. I couldn’t remember a time when someone had come alongside me, considering my needs worthy of assistance.  Pausing briefly, I reflected on my unworthiness and realized how much time I’ve spent contemplating my inadequacy, forgetting to accept love in the process of criticism.  Foolish pursuits, there are very few of my undertakings that are not accompanied by a few idle incentives.  Giving all for Christ, seems unrealistic when compared to my attempts at piety.  Lord, you must have intended for me to arrive at this moment where I realize that I will never be able to commit myself to pure, holy and unselfish reason.  “Friendship with the world is enmity with God”.  How I have craved it, chased it, traded all, prostituted my standards, abandoned good character and relentlessly begged for such relations.  Yet, here I stand, a man who knows that the world will sacrifice me when it collectively seeks to rid humanity of this “dreaded” Christianity.  For they see me as His servant, and for that kinship I am overjoyed.

Why had he given me something that I did not deserve?  A symbol, a purchase, a reminder, leverage or as a tool to deliver me to a specific moment where action could be decidedly taken.  Look man, I want to be loved by other humans even when I know the grace, the incomparable joy and warmth that comes from the Love of God.  I would love to be honest, without hypocrisy, claiming that God is enough for me, yet my actions reveal another heart.  I have not walked away from this world, at best, I have found a happy compromise to allow me kinship without shared skin, but this is perhaps a greater mockery of God.  Father I want to open my fists, but I have been holding on so tightly for so long I have forgotten how to let go.  Show me the path to total dependence.  I know and believe your word is the only truth, let me, I pray know it by my relying action.

Father I do love them.  I know I cannot surround myself in a sheltered world, relating only to Christians, for the work and the dirt are both, “out there”.  Teach me to remain spotless, to shake loose the world’s dust and move quickly back to innocence.  Let us not become enthralled, envious or overly concerned about our measure in this world.  Give me proper understanding of my duty and my worth.  Father let my blessings all be notably, unmistakeably traceable from Your giving hand, so that none can mistake them as luck, chance or bounty of my own delivery.  Grace me to be a child totally of his Father’s making.  Take me from me and let me see that shining thing that is left when all my works have gone.

Lord Jesus,  I am no prophet, no judge, no great mind or predicting priest.  I know that You are coming soon because the fields are ripe for your harvest.  Just as any child knows the seasons arrival, I see the time is near.  Come soon let and let us “all” be found repentant, doing the work you have ordained should be done to prepare for Your arrival.  Praise God in Jesus’ Name, a blessing I shall never take for granted.

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/insight-for-living/player/when-the-cesspool-overflows-part-3-425878.html  Chuck Swindoll

Although the truth is awfully compelling there will always be a segment of the audience who will develop opinion based upon supposition, summary conclusion and innuendo.  The personal struggle for each Christian becomes one where we must conclude, “Do I go to the Word to see the truth so that I may measure or verify the circumstance or do I go to God’s Word to prove the conclusion and assumptions I have already made?”

You see the enemy of God is not ignorant, the Bible clearly states that he is possibly more brilliant than any other created being.  Therefore, he depends on our self-reliance, laziness or ego to create shortcuts to established truth and wise discernment.  Frequently God’s Word warns us to be truly cautious in applying judgment, doing so from an “educated” understanding of God’s Word and Will given by the Lord through honest request for wisdom, ex, Proverbs 2.  He simply gave Eve the supporting innuendo she already desired.  Do not allow him to feed the gaping maw of our own disobedience.

We are always in danger of being deceived or led astray, so we must mount a determined resistance to short cuts in discernment.  Believers should study and know God’s Word then take that “absolute” truth into the world to use as a mirror when confronted with circumstantial evidence that may or may not be true.  In situations where the evidence is in question or is potentially incorrect, each believer must freely and “faithfully” find verification of its correctness in the Bible.  Additionally, if confidence is not achieved through investigation of the Word we are encouraged to go to the Lord in prayer through the Holy Spirit where the truth will always be shown.  God is the only absolute truth upon which to base or verify any information.  We must be cautious, especially in these, the last days, where times are evil to keep our feet firmly set upon the path of righteousness.  There are so many glory seeking, self-assured teachers who may have initially intended to do the Kingdom work but who have been themselves been led astray by the cleverness of the air realm and his minions.  We must remain mindful of our precarious circumstance and keep our eyes and our hearts set firmly upon Christ, all else is as the psalmists portray, “sinking sand”.

Currently, believers having not established firmly that they believe the Lord’s Word to be “absolute” truth, look to science and man for confirmation of God’s stated facts.  This is utter foolishness, much akin to looking upon cubic zirconium to determine the characteristics, beauty, wonder and expertise involved in trading diamonds.  Then convincing ourselves we have theretofore mastered the aspects of diamond evaluation and offering our self-determined expertise in the purchase of something valuable for which we have insignificant knowledge.  Saints, the enemy is counting on our self-reliance and subsequent untimely lack of preparation when the battle ensues.  We must “study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the Word of God”.  The Word is our only offensive weaponry and additionally the basis for the efficacy of our defensive garments, without it we are lambs for the slaughter.  Let us dedicate ourselves to knowledge of God’s Word so that we may stand on the field of battle with our feet, heads and heart firmly rooted in the absolute truth of God’s Word so that nothing, no matter how spectacular, supernatural or wonderful may lead us astray from God’s Righteous Light.

I ask God to set His angels on constant watch over you and your families, repelling any enemy suggestion, stategy or supernatural deception intended to lead you from God’s path for your life.  Prepare yourselves for the night, work in the day as it wanes toward evening’s fall.  Believe God alone and reside in Christ and you shall overcome this world as He has.  My allegiance is to the King and my job is to love you as He first loved me.  In Jesus’ name I pray and bless you this day.

Who am I that the King of Everything would offer me the opportunity to open the door and invite Him in to join me in abundance?  Who am I that the God of all universes would become human to right a wrong that my ancestors could neither avoid nor rectify?  Who are we that God, who spoke and the world was created, would devise a plan so amazing that we are brought to our knees when we contemplate its complexity and love?  The problem with this analysis is that the questions have nothing to do with our worthiness, introspection or importance.  We have been asking the wrong questions, which should instead be focused upon who is He and how do we begin to fathom such amazing love?

Do I want to know God?  Yes, especially when I put aside the secrets and sins that I had been sheltering from the light for years.  Can I know God?  Yes, for it is within His defined promises that our growth resides.  Will I know God?  Yes, because He has chosen to reveal Himself to me, I am now free to ask for further understanding and revelation.  What are the barriers, obstacles or “locked doors” to growing in relationship with God?  Those barriers may have been constructed by my pain in this life, set up to defend myself or rationalize my historical record.  Surrender frightens folks.  It is akin to the complexity surrounding the words; propitiation, salvation, sanctification, redemption and imputed righteousness.  Surrender means to open up the door and voluntarily allow the doctor/friend/Father into my life in order to embark on the road to being healed of pain, illness, frailty, falsehood and ignorance.  Surrender means letting go of the misconception, deception and false understanding that my path is the best path, handing the control over to a master navigator/pilot.  Surrender is freely admitting my illness, corruption, corruptibility and imperfection so that I may eventually arrive at a place free of these inhibitions.  Surrender is acquainting myself with Jesus enough to know that although I may be pretty good at the self-sufficiency game, His way is always exponentially better than my own.

Surrender is peace of my mind, surrender is comfort, surrender is wisdom and strength, but to this world all those things seem foolish.  Don’t ask a tyrant how to treat a man unless you want a skewed view of humanity.  Don’t ask a fool how to deal with finances unless it is poverty you seek.  Do not let those who believe in “survival of the fittest” how to comfort the downtrodden, for you will only receive theory and platitude, whilst they covet your bounty.  Surrender to God, for in Him you will find understanding, strength, patience and practicality sufficient to prescribe a life well lived.  Surrender to God because He is hope to relieve the wearied and harried mind of any man besot by tragedy.  Open the door, regardless of who, what or why you thought to close it in the first place.  Open the door to Jesus, for He is the one outside knocking, beckoning let Him in to Sup with you this very night.

Many times the Lord best disciplines me by allowing me to pursue that faulty agenda known as “my will”.  He is not a disinterested sovereign who stands outside of man’s existence, as the deists portray, but rather a loving Father, who knows fully that. the only way I will learn is to “touch the burner on the stove”, until I personally comprehend the danger involved.  The problem with this is that if “my will” is effective in achieving those goals to which I aspire, then I will continue to “worship” my own bucket list instead of receiving God’s superior blessings for my life.  This is the danger of my own misunderstanding and reluctance to surrender to God’s Will as it is in Heaven and on Earth.  I cannot serve two masters, especially when one is God and the other my self.

My will must be either forcibly broken or voluntarily surrendered, there is no other option.  I cannot pursue two roads at once.  I either pursue the skinny path of God’s understanding or I follow a path, “I” have determined is the one I feel is best.  The challenge becomes the reluctance in our own flesh to surrender or be broken.  I must be honest although my words have always reflected those of a man set upon surrender my actions have been those of a man determined to remain “wild” and free, forcing God to break me in as an unbridled colt.  I would like to say that I don’t know why I continue to follow this reluctantly disobedient path, but unfortunately I am fully aware of the reason, I worship “self” over God.  That realization crushes me and brings a river of tears for which my only respite is God, for I am ill equipped, incapable and unwilling to do the work of healing this spiritual wound.

Praise be to God in all His Glory that He has provided escape through the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification, cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.  My unworthiness is no match for the cleansing power of Hope and Righteousness found through Christ Jesus.  I rejoice that I do not have to remain the reluctant servant dedicated to serving self throughout this life, but I have a savior who can free me from this slavery to my sin and self worship to serve a Righteous King in Glory.  My will shall be broken because God loves me enough to complete the work that he first started within this sinful man.  I would love to say that I have fully volunteered to this transformation, but even if I don’t, I am so grateful that he will provide the discipline where surrender is absent.  Make of me what “You Will” Father, that is my greatest hope, something I cannot accomplish by self alone.