Rejoice for the Kingdom of God is thriving.  Do not be fooled by the frail and fickle affairs of the eyes, heart and mind.  Remember the last time your wandering eyes led you astray, leading you eagerly away from God’s blessing and into temptation.  Remember your heart that swore you could not live without this thing or that love or caused you regret through loss of a good friend.  Remember the thought that preceded the incident, for you did not end up in the sticky wicket without first following the bread crumbs of selfish contemplation.  Rejoice in your greatest gift, that you have eternity now and that God Almighty knows you by name.

Our days are often course and abrupt, especially in those moments when we wish they were smooth.  Our plans often dashed upon the rocks, leaving our supplies, memories and cares scattered about the shallows of life.  Sometimes I cannot bear to swim one moment longer as my lungs cry release and my legs refuse to paddle.  But his island, upn which I have become marooned is exactly where God has led me to do the work for which I have been commissioned and designed.  Face it, all have found this world offers limited fulfillment, our families perish, jobs, houses and riches operate in flux and life is just plain short.  The joy of my heart is that Jesus is calling, waiting, praying for me as I am offered the blessing of opportunity.  The opportunity to tell others how to prevail, overcome and become free, in this world and the next.  These days may be rough but my conscience is smooth and my hiding place, safe.  The Kingdom is my secret place where the lengthy desires of an eternal man may find fodder for kindling and fire.

So what if things aren’t going my way.  I doubt I would be more alive having less challenge.  My legs become stronger under the burden of my cross.  Having a road, a splendid, narrow, righteous road, is the reward of my belief.  I have somewhere to go and that attaches me where many are left untethered, wandering about hoping to happen upon a glimmer of personal purpose, lacking hope in ignorance of Jesus.  Wisdom began for me when I shuddered at the marrow of my soul at my imminent judgment at the hand of God.  Fear, brought reverence, leading to humility, providing the fertile ground of my circumcized heart preparing it for wisdom’s growth and spiritual harvest.  Can you dance inside your mind, even if your hands and feet are tied?  Can your heart taste joy even when the lashes of life continue to rain down upon your trunk?  What makes you hallelujah?  If you are saved then dance, sing and be at peace for the Kingdom of God is come.  Christ is risen and alive, seated at the right hand of God, waiting for that precise moment to take back the Earth.  Rejoice in the Lord our God.

Can you see in my heart, of course you can’t.  Nor can you know the nature of a man except by his reflection in space.  It is not only by action that we determine a man’s intention but by the ripples of his affect.  The Lord buoys the spirit of a man such that you can see his vigor for life, abundant life, that never subsides, never ends.  Are we so in love with death that we crave every danger and refuse to look to the right and left to see the joy of life around us?  Have you traced your genealogy, either to Adam and Eve or to the primordial pool?  Either origin makes us brothers, regardless of clan or geographic allegiance.  The excuse of evolution refuses to allow pardon for relativistic behavior that excludes respect for any person.  We are all subject to the same influences of oxygen, water and energy transformation.  None escapes the reality of reality.

The only things that continue to differentiate humankind are our choices.  That is why “free will” is the most important gift of grace.  My decisions must be made by me so that I can be held accountable for my own existence.  Relegating or delegating the responsibility for my wake and its impacts is the only impossibility.  That is why sin, and the presence of its inky stain is the perfect indelible marker.  A man either occupies space and emanates the dirty cloud of his sinful existence or reflects the internal brightness of the Holy Spirit. That which is indwelt by purity cannot remain tainted and a dirty thing carries a palpable odor. These are tangible elements not just things of conjured, imaginary or theoretical thinking.  Sin is real, try and prove that it isn’t and you will find it harder than proving the existence of Almighty God.  The unholy poisons of prideful humanity continue to weigh us down.  The only way to salvation is through being set free by the cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ, the eternal physician for our collective illness.  The only difficulty is that we can only be healed one at a time, individually by direct acceptance of the antidote provided by repentance and belief.  There is no communal salvation.  The communities and fellowship comes after cleansing, when those made righteous in Christ are set into eternal relationship with God and man.

I do not know the heart of young people, but I know this that soon they shall inherit this world and the responsibility for its difficulties and maintenance.  It may be that their apparent disinterest, nonchalance and attitude of mockery is only a front for the serious contemplation of frightened humans.  Perhaps they do understand their weighty dilemma with this coming changing of the guard.  Maybe they love and adhere to ideals of loyalty, sacrifice and service and are waiting for that precisely ordained moment at which to stand up and proclaim this wisdom.  We were once unprepared for our moment in time, but somehow this world in its uniquely designed set of influences made us grow, learn and mature through pain, reward and transformation.  God is so good and His plan is just right, perfectly designed to get us all to where we were always meant to go, home.  Praise You Father, Your Name is Holy, Righteous and True.  I love you Lord.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess ours ins, He is faithful and and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.  1John 1:7-10 

Dangerous and flippant commentary, opinion being offered this week by Christians through the United States, that being, that Christ must have sinned.  How could any of us be saved by the offering of redemption through a spotted lamb?  How could something sallow and impure be offered as a holy sacrifice to God in payment for the sins of mankind?  This position makes no sense and forces those of faith into a dangerous contention with God by calling Him, liar.  Just as His word states in these passages by John, we cannot say that we are without sin and remain in Christ, for His Word is not in us, we cannot make foolish claims that Christ lived a sinful life without coming into direct conflict with the Word of God.  Don’t live dangerously, if you have doubt, go to the Holy Spirit in prayer and He shall show you the Truth, go to God’s Word and you shall read and see the Truth, do not depend on your own understanding and risk calamity by calling God a liar.

If we walk in the light, what does this mean?  What are the principles of light, such that walking thus pre-qualifies us to having fellowship with one another and being cleansed of sin by the Blood of Christ?  Why does walking in the darkness mean that you cannot practice Truth?  These are serious questions and we must be entirely authentic with ourselves about these positions in order to find ourselves in fellowship with one another and with God.  If even one thing that Christ said was untrue then legally, logically and sensibly we must then be suspect if not dismissive of “each” Truth Jesus told.  If one thing is not true then man becomes the critical judge of what is true and what may be deemed false.  Either God’s Word is absolutely and inherently “True” without my opinion or judgement or it becomes immediate fodder for debate.  Just as with the light all imperfections, hidden or concealed become visible, our walk and our talk demonstrates the Truth of our hidden hearts.  If your words come out in contradiction to God’s Word then you are not in fellowship with other Christians and you have not been cleansed of unrighteousness by His Blood.  Stop fooling yourself, if you call the Bible false then you cannot be found walking in the light of Truth.

God is faithful, righteous and True.  Only His Word living within my heart gives me any measure of righteousness, purity and truth.  It is through His faithfulness that I continue to be cleansed even in my daily unrighteous action.  Cleansing is not something I do myself, it is entirely of God, I cannot forgive and rid myself of my own sin.  Stop choosing to forgive your own unbelief, thinking that there is no cost to walking in darkness.  For as 1John 1:6 states, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”  The deceiver is in play today and every day, we must remain vigilant or be led astray.  Although He has no authority in our lives, he may be given impact and influence as each of us chooses to step away from the Truth of God’s Word.  I know that this world hates, abhors and makes fun of absolute, because it sadly needs the “wiggle room” provided in theory of ethical relativism to personally justify sinful behavior as logical or individual “choice”.  With God there is only one choice, “Will I accept God’s sovereignty over this world and my life by following His commandments as Truth, will I accept the only available salvation through belief in the sacrifice of a sinless Jesus Christ, the Messiah, upon Calvary’s Cross to redeem mankind to God.”  I understand that you may have been led astray by a willingness to embrace and tolerate speech outside of this choice, Lord knows this world is powerful in its deceptive power and social influences.  Resist the devil and he must flee, for it is the Holy Spirit that lives inside you, the Holy of Holies.  Do not be place yourself in the precarious position of contention with Almighty God, repent and be cleansed of your unrighteous thoughts, words and actions.

“On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”  Says the Lord who does this thing.  “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it.  I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.  I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,”  Says the Lord your God.  Amos 9:11-15

To them who say that the Nation of Israel shall be destroyed or removed from the map I give you this prophetic Word of God.  Regardless of how you feel or view the Nation of Israel remember it is not with the people of the Nation that you contend, your war is with God Almighty Himself.  Not an enviable position, nor one that portends any chance of lasting victory.  They have reentered the promised land and shall never be evicted, no matter by force or politics.  They have rebuilt the waste cities and are living well within them, they have been planted in their land by the Hand of the Lord.

Let us not allow the argument to become focused upon the people who call themselves by the name of God, but instead upon the faithfulness, patience and promises of God Himself.  Too long have Christians and Jews remained the target of mockery as they are the representatives of God’s Word.  Those bringing anger against the people of God must understand that their crimes against His people are an act of war, not simply against innocent people, but with Almighty God to whom their spilled blood cries out.  Repent and turn to God in humility and fear, trembling at His awesome Will and Might or suffer His wrath for your adherence to sin.  Repent and believe in the redemption provided by the Life, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ as the only path to covering our unrighteousness and condemnation.  There will be justice even if men who have been given authority to pronounce judgment refuse to stand for what is right and true.  God’s Word remains true even if the hearts of men have been turned by corruption, idols, cowardice and deception.

The prophets were never wrong, that was one of their qualifications for being deemed a prophet of Almighty God.  In fact, they would have been stoned in their day if the Word they spoke was shown to be false.  The Bible has never been disproved and although theologians, historians, atheists and academicians would wish to discount its inerrant standing, the truth remains the Truth.  It is time for us to turn our hearts away from clever men in their wordy eloquence.  They have done nothing but elevate themselves for self glorification and continue to erode the basic national understanding of what is “Right” and “Good”.  I love men, because it is consistent with God’s Will to do so, but that does not mean that I must subscribe to their foolishness in the face of Truth.  Men have created the problems we now face, it is utter nonsense to believe that somehow men shall suddenly find it in their hearts, hearts filled with all manner of greed and avarice, to cleanse ourselves and serve each other.  God through Christ Jesus is our only path to salvation, redemption and restoration.  The first state of mind God requires is humility, the humility necessary to believing that He alone is Sovereign over all creation.  Without such a national embrace of this humility we shall never turn our hearts, minds, prayers and actions toward God as the source of our security.

If we can voluntarily humble ourselves before God and authentically cry out in prayer, His Word states that He will hear us and turn His face in our direction leading to restoration and healing.  Do any of you realistically see anything in our behavior to indicate that we have decided to dedicate ourselves to national humility?  For that matter is this voluntary effort present in any nation throughout the globe?  This is demonstrative of man’s foolishness and rebellion.  The one method by which we might be saved we refuse to accept.  I guess for many pride is a greater drive than fear.  In the end they will be riven of their pride and it shall be replaced with fear, fear of the wrath of the Lamb.  Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.  I don’t know about you but I would much rather humble myself before a loving God than have Him humble me before His Hand of Righteous Judgment.  Do not misunderstand me or think me hypocritical for I too have had days where I contended with God, it is just that I realized, not early enough, that war with God is a fool’s errand.

Have I lost sight of God’s authority and plan for my life?  Do the current, past or fear of future circumstantial occurrences curb my faith in God’s participation in my victory?  How do I view God?  Is it relevant that my relationship with God is based upon the Bible, yet doesn’t seem to match many of my fellow Christians?  What makes me go to God in prayer?  Is it dilemma, prayers for courage, relief, hope or have I become a master of intercessory prayer for the world and for others?  What brings me peace?  Is it prayer or some type of sufficiency relief, when my needs are met either financially, emotionally or spiritually?  Do I go from problem to solution or problem to problem expecting someone to set me free?

God is the perfect manager.  He intimately knows, understands and plans for the ideal usage and timing of each person’s gifts.  There is never a time when He leaves talent on the table, maximizing the efficient deployment and incorporation of all energy, talent, time and treasure.  Here’s the kicker; to His good pleasure and glory.  His plan may be different than each of ours, His valuation of my greatest talent may be completely different than my own.  He knows what I have and when to perfectly employ my abilities to achieve the maximum effect in His plan for humanity and the Kingdom.  There are however contributing factors; my level of volunteerism, my pride and my capacity to put myself aside.  The Father is an awesome boss, but He is also my Father and wants me to become an adult, prepared, confident and governed by discerning grace and self control.  He will not lead me into a circumstance for which I am entirely unprepared and this preparation is the variable of the equation for which I am partially responsible.  I must study, dedicate, maintain vigilance and courage to be ready for the tasks when they are imminently assigned.  In the end, if I remain steadfast in my trust of the Lord’s faithfulness to complete that which He first began in my sanctification, then I will achieve my maximum efficacy in His plan and subsequently the highest allowable performance level in my own life.  For the creator knows best how the machinery must be properly employed.  I do not even now know the limits of my ability, I would imagine that God will continue to surprise me with the things He allows me to do through His strength, His bounty, His authority and grace.

Praise God in all His majesty, mercy and sovereignty, that through it all He never forgets for a moment who each of us was meant to be and become.  Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We will be given the awesome opportunity to publicly proclaim our allegiance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This appears that it was always part of God’s plan to create an environment that is unfavorable for the free worship of Christ.  It may be the only way to determine that those who say they are Christian have spoken truth.  God knows, but do we?  I know that I may never judge another person’s motivations but won’t those unbelievers who have been nesting in the mustard tree for fellowship and peaceful benefit immediately flee as pressure mounts?  It looks as if the days where we will have to pay a heavy price for our Christian faith are nearly upon us.  God sustain us as the pressure to walk away from you mounts.  To those of you keeping the faith rejoice in this opportunity to demonstrate your belief.

There has been a unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach since I have seen Israel’s detractors begin to coalesce and mount a considerable media and political push targeted at isolating the Nation.  Again this is a wonderful opportunity for those who have listened well to God’s Will and continue to bless Israel, for they shall also be blessed as people and as nations.  But this nagging feeling, akin to nausea, may very well be the indication of short timing for discipleship opportunities.  The day is short, can’t you feel it?  Jesus will soon stand up and make ready for His glorious appearing.  Will we hear the voice like a trumpet sooner than that?  Possibly, Hallelujah to the King of Kings.

This old world is ready for a do over.  We humans have done everything in our power to use up, waste, squander, poison and destroy the blessings we were given by God.  Our care for this planet is nothing but shameful.  Political arguments, smarguments.  If you run your car in a closed garage for long enough the air inside will be deadly, how can running cars inside of a closed atmosphere be any different?  I don’t care what side you are on, but have you seen pictures of Beijing at high noon.  Our fresh air and water, both life-crucial resources are in short supply.  How have they explained, are we to survive past the tipping point of these necessary elements?  Have you heard any good ideas of how to return  the air to cleanliness or repair the Earth’s depleting and polluted waters?  Of course not, because we are generally short sighted, to us we only consider the problems in perspective of years.  What then does vision of centuries conjure?  We cannot solve these problems, that is why we do not wish to speak of them, aligning ourselves with a “get it while you can” mentality.  Those with money chuckle when confronted with the general plight of the masses, believing themselves somehow beyond the impact of these changing paradigms.  That is the grandeur of God’s plan, none shall escape the overwhelming tragedy of tribulation, the poor and the rich both must confront their mortality and their relationship to sin.

Would it be wise, if I knew the way to escape judgment, to keep the secret to myself?  Even if I knew that some would mock me, beat me, ostracize me or perhaps even seek my demise.  What should I do if I know beyond doubt that some will listen and be saved, even though I must suffer for those who think me fool?  Do I stand still, with cards close to breast, whispering within my inner circles, always knowing that some could be coaxed away from the precipice?  This world is shaping up to match the circumstances in the Bible leading up to rapture, tribulation and judgment.  I know what must be done and that is to tell everyone within ear shot about Jesus Christ, hoping and praying that God reveals Himself to them, that they might be set free from sin, death and ignorance.  The time of harvest seems ripe and we will soon be able to stand and be counted on one side or the other.  I pray that when you leave this Earth that you find yourself standing in front of Jesus as He welcomes you to paradise.  Know this that God loves you and I am praying for you.  I am open if you wish to discuss any questions or concerns.  God Bless you, in Jesus’ Name.