My job is to love you and I really don’t view it as a job because I really do love you.  However, it is not my job to argue with you or to adjust the words that God wrote in that book that is somehow justifies, sits well or gives you an electric charge up your spine.  The Word of God says what it says and I simply repeat it.  I didn’t develop it, frankly I am not any where near smart enough to even understand the simple stuff within it.  My job is to sit with you and find in that Word the things that will guide us, rebuke us, teach, guide and defend us from a world that kills everyone it touches.  Now, I happen to have some reasonable understanding of its intention and I am filled with His Spirit so I do have a unique desire to gently but firmly indicate to you some of the things God may have been whispering to you that you have conveniently ignored or excused away.

This is a duty of Love, Love for Him and Love for you.  It does not mean that I have the desire, the authority or God given right to make you feel bullied, threatened, lorded over by someone between you and God or diminished by my personal or well intended comments that are not the Word of God.  I am a man just like any other man.  I do not occupy a position closer to God or higher on the chain of command than any other with regard to God.  In fact, this is an idea that God hates.  Look it up the practice of the Nicolatians.  My greatest desire is to somehow demonstrate the characteristics of God through my actions and example to the point where you feel compelled to investigate a relationship with him yourself.  If I have done anything else then I would be the first to apologize and seek another avenue of approach because what I have done, although well intentioned is absolutely outside of my desired outcome.

Okay now that there have been some ground rules, engagement rules or boundaries defined let us get about the joy of fellowship and sharpening each other to the things of God. Please do not think me harsh, because I am not, but times are coming to the world that are going to shock even the strongest of us, so its best we get about the preparation.  I am not talking simply about spiritual preparation, but also logistical, physical and mental preparation for hardship may wear on all of man’s faculties and assets.  The only way to diminish the possibility that we will panic or fail under the pressure of chaotic times is to practice what we intend to perform in an environment that is conducive to sufficient understanding development, but that allows for the adjustment for mistakes.  Because believe me we are going to make mistakes and it is best to make those in an environment where we can afford and recover from them rather than in an environment where they will cost us dearly.

I don’t want to change you, but I know that He will.  I don’t want to control you, but I know that His Holy Spirit will provide you the gifts to control yourself.  I don’t want to be hard on you, but I do want to convey the real-world likelihood that hard times are ahead for all of humanity.  We would best serve God, our Families and ourselves by being prepared for the worst and hope for the best.  In Jesus’ Name.