Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.  Wow, nonanonacontanonactapentalia, a word which has simplistic meaning yet in immediate review appears odd, lengthy, verbose and foreign.  Consistently we hear the opposite reaction when considering the word of God.  You might hear it is so complicated, so complex, hard to read or difficult to interpret, when in review the Word is rather straight forward and clear.  What then confounds?  What then stands in the hallways of knowledge delaying, obscuring, convoluting each passage?  Let’s take a moment and look at the simplicity of the previous  passage.

If you withstand temptation for the duration or a long time you will find personal increase in a Godly fashion: as when a man has passed through the crucible, he will receive a physical crown of life for having made it successfully through the test, and this is guaranteed and based on a promise from God to those who love him and endured that test.  Pretty simple, straight forward, no complexity, clouds, mysteries in Greek or otherwise.  Why then should I feel the desire to remain separated from such easy deciphered wisdom?  I don’t know why do you think you don’t want to spend time in the word?  Do you find yourself using the same excuses or is your most effective Time or the lack thereof.

Making time, marking time, maximizing time, managing time, some of the time, none of the time or only half of the time I ought to be watching the time.  Time itself is part of that test referred to in this passage of scripture, for endurance dictates that time is the measure of that effective completion.  Just as with money. time is a variable in the equation of life, you cannot escape it, buy it, reduce it, exchange it, justify it or ignore it.  Money is the same way.  Can you explain away the fact that you have no money yet you wish to purchase a home with nothing?  Try that one and you will find out what laughter and disdain look like.

Money is a necessary function of life again, part of the equation, yet these two factors are used more frequently to explain away lack of commitment to ministry than any two other concepts.  Why? Because we have to deal with them, no I believe it is much more simple.  These are the measures of a man’s life, the time and the  money you spent, because where your time and your money reside there your attention lay.  So, if you spend all your time and your money on things other than God, guess what the above passage will naturally indicate with regard to your endurance or temptation avoidance?

Great man you have hit me in my wallet and my watch, but what does this have to do with temptation?  Fair analysis, you’re right, but let us remember you were the one that said the above passage was too difficult to understand until we reviewed it together, right?  So, please don’t blame me for thinking I need to break things down to their basic components.  What are temptations?  I mean to you.  Do they involve drugs, sex, gluttony, entertainment, magic, theft, adultery or maybe following false gods?  Whichever one, tell me which one you could do with no money in your pocket or no time off work in order to do them?  Oh, you see, factors of the equation.  Where you spend your time and your money will indicate your resistance to temptation.  If you spend all your time in the Word and all your money is saved or put to issues as a good shepherd or steward of your household, then the temptations you face will the type that you may more readily resist.  Equations.  It is mathematics this Christianity, because I am willing to bet that the time you spend in the Word and the Money You Give to God are indirectly proportionate to the temptations you face and directly proportionate to the outcomes achieved for God.

So if you wish to have the crown of life “at time of judgment” for enduring temptation because or if you love God then concentrate on the factors of the equation and put your money and your time far away from the sirens of this world.  Act with your wallet and your watch, two tangible controls of the temptations you face.  But remember we can do none of this without God, this is not a doctrine of works trying to be good enough to get to heaven, because heaven may only be achieved through belief, belief in the gift of salvation and sanctification through Christ’s payment of our sin debt on the Cross.  Why endure, because he did for you.  In Jesus’ Name.

My heart goes out to those who either struggle with the definition of truth or think they have a complete handle on this precise discipline.  For example is it true that capitalism is the best form of social structure?  The arguments for and against would be near endless.  Is it true that women like the dangerous guys.  Again, this is left to the interpretation and opinion of broad spectrum of females, finding it either true or false.  Is it true that people can be spiritual without worshiping the one true God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob?  Well considering that more than half of the world’s population consider themselves to be something other than Christian, this seemingly must be true.

This is where being a Christian is not easy.  Challenging the ideal that the world does not  know or more importantly, cannot know the truth is a seemingly impossible process.  But the truth is a gift from God that he makes available to every person, but only few accept.  Asserting those things which are true requires an obedience to God’s Word, yet this world has been convinced the truth is free.  Satan continues in his attempt to twist the word of God into something that enables all faiths to proclaim themselves righteous and headed for heaven.  We cannot even understand heaven without knowing God, in fact most have an unrealistic idea of heaven when they have a limited Bible understanding.

There are enemy’s of God and of his people by relation.  These enemies wish to elevate themselves above the Throne of God’s Sovereign authority and although they are created beings just like us, consider themselves capable of this impossible eventuality.  Unfortunately, those enemies are currently in charge here are the Earth, until the appropriate timing when the Lord will reassert His Sovereign Authority over Creation.  For that purpose the Truth is a foundation with which some would have you believe they may adjust, modify or completely rewrite to their intention.  So deception is prevalent and since these enemies are extremely powerful, influential, beings of the heavenly realm, they have the overwhelming power to delude, persuade, cajole and deceive man.  Have hope, those who wish to be sheltered or protected from this delusion are completely protected by the Holy Spirit when they repent of their sin and believe on the life, death and resurrection upon the Cross of Calvary by the Lord Jesus Christ.  At that point the truth is available to them and will be given that we might be set free and remain free from the wiles of this crafty enemy.  God’s enemy.

If you want to study this information and make a decision for Christ, please turn to John 8 and read there.  And as it says in John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever shall believe shall not perish but have everlasting life.  This is the truth that protects us, armors us, prepares, provides and protects all who will choose to believe in God’s gift of mercy and grace given that we might live free.  I praise him for the opportunity to speak with you and thank him for what he has done for each of us.  In Jesus’ Name.

Have you been caught by the frenetic feeding frenzy of the fantastical force fed digital indoctrination and fascination with the chaotic?  Let go of the remote, step away from the screen and just stop posting aggravating videos or pictures of those in power parading in their pantsuits intent on producing such a furious wave of ridiculousness that our head’s explode.  To be content and at peace we must accept the reality of those pursuits; being peaceful requires being at peace.

This world is a two sticks of dynamite wrapped in plastic explosive, soaked in nitro glycerin and doesn’t need much impetus if any to explode into a cacophony of phantasmagorical chaos and concern.  It is built on the compulsion that feeds disorders.  The only method to detach from this mess is to frankly shut it off and allow that drive that mental compulsion to resolve, diminish and settle to a point where peace and tranquility may once again be tended.

If you feed this monster it will continue to eat and require that it be fed by your attention, concern, effort or participation until it leaves you a lifeless husk at the other side of tomorrow.  Those of you who have this progressive participant disorder in the Chaos of Tragic Media may need to remember a time when there was peace in the world, as this idea will seem alien and ridiculous at first.  But given time you will see that there are so many glorious colors, smells and pleasures to life that are not found on a screen of whatever diameter.

It is getting faster.  It’s heartbeat pulses to the flashes of simulated light pulsing within the pixels and plasma of man’s imagination.  It simulates, it retells, it mimics and it creates fantasy or electronic representation of the life from whence it captured you.  Return to your real life and listen when you need to listen in order to gather the information necessary to task accomplishment or proper orderly conduct of business and family.  Don’t venture to the edge of the abyss of the transcendental where you are enslaved, projected a legal person within a make believe realm of information, dimension and superstructure.  It exists, just not here, and here is where you need to be to connect with God and the people within your sphere of purpose and conductivity. Step back from the edge, take a breath and remember what it felt like to take a breath free of the concern brought on by knowing too much, too soon and for too long.  May the Lord Jesus set you free from all the prisons of this life gone awry.

Have seen the Glory of the Coming of the Lord.  The indications surround us, call to us, awakening us from transient dream to find the reality of God’s approaching return.  What does that justice, that power, that appearing entail, I mean how do you view it?  Do you rise with apprehension, the nervous Nillie, preparing for guests getting everything in order?  Are you the nonchalant believer, taking it easy, chilling, not so surprised at it all, refusing to demonstrate emotion to the onlookers?  Are you the man who has forgotten and proceeds with your day as a succession of perpetual, ritualistic tributes to self, oblivious to the signs and symbols of his imminent return?

Your position of reference will be clear in how you view our current transformation with regard to the President and the attempts to rescue this Constitutional Republic from enemy attempts at fire sale.  Are you engaged, involved, red-pilling others to the knowledge of the Q uiet revolution occurring around us all, thanking God for intervention before expiration of this nation dedicated to your honor, glory and good will?  Are you vaguely aware that something is happening, but take little interest in what that really means, perhaps because there is associative fear of taking a stance and being recognized as one of “those” guys?  Or are you completely in the dark, serving your coming paycheck and the hope of a fat 401K upon which you will lovingly reside in relative comfort of old age and folly?  How do you see yourself.  Are these descriptions adequate or perhaps you would like to add a level that I have missed or is in between these categories.

Things are happening.  If you would take the time to view your faith with the same curiosity that you view this seasons premiere of your favorite show, you would rapidly discover that we are standing at the door post of Christ’s return.  If you would look around you at the changes taking place in this country, once the greatest historical example of a Judeo Christian nation, dedicated to and blessed by the hand of God.  If you refuse to see those signs and would rather be concerned with the things of this world then don’t you feel that I should be delivering a general caution or perhaps a loving wake up call to pay attention to the things happening around you?

Christ’s return is upon us.  I don’t know if that means fifty years or fifty minutes but that is the nature of imminence, because we aren’t supposed to know for just that purpose.  Those who know it is near and watch out for it shall be rewarded with being ready for that return.  Those who are disinterested, non committal or perhaps doubtful, will probably be in a lesser if any state of preparation and will most likely miss the return.  Those who are worldly and concerned about everything they have accumulated for their retirement which may never arrive, have determined that they would rather be in this world than the next.

It is after all a choice, just like involvement in praying to the Lord and taking a stance to turn this nation’s face back to God and save our Republic.  The choice has always been yours because the consequences of what you are doing now will be solely yours at the day of our coming judgment.  I don’t say that to be cruel, but rather alarming.  I will accept the reprisal if any, because the consequences of this choice are eternal, glorious or painful.  I have accepted God’s Call to be one of those people who get to warn, love, wake up and comfort all who will come to the knowledge of the Truth.  So help you God.  In Jesus’ Name.

A particular lens required to see the fruit of my own perspective.  Come look upon the world from this view, my view, the only one which matters unless perchance I stop to reflect upon thoughts of another.  But why must I see the world in their way, their fashion and style foreign to my understanding, difficult to dawn in the dark and much less capable of making “the argument”, my argument the only one worth pursuing?  What?  You require that I entertain the ideas of madmen?  Where was this requirement to look upon this menagerie through such indelicate mental foundation as found in the cast of characters called human?  Why wasn’t my input considered.  Clearly there was inadequate preparation taken in its determination, having not for a moment considered, entertained or found it paramount to review my thoughts in the matter.

How must I tolerate that two may look through the same glass and view completely differing events?  Isn’t that time wasted, having to weigh, measure, reflect upon and eventually win over all other mind’s present to superior thinking?  What pride, it is not wrong to lead into the fray when to entertain or follow the counsel of others would find us lost and withering.  I truly counsel you to refrain from contemplation, I will think for us and produce collective understanding through experiential revelation that my way was the best from outset.  It is best to capitulate now rather than struggle with your limited capacity for understanding.  Be at peace in the knowledge that you are well led.

Do you hear him, spoken as if there is no innocence, no temperance, no ill in the disregard for those precious voices around us?  There is no joy in singularity, no joy in existence except that which is found in relationship to the world into which we proclaim ourselves, Alive! We are not kindling for some superior technological monarchy, to be used in stoking the fires of their own self-worship.  You are the craftsmanship of God, something He found worthy of His Own Sacrifice to pay the price that none could afford but Him.  How may I simultaneously consider my own life superior, my own thinking somehow advanced, the only worthy thoughts of this or any conversation and in the same instant honor your precious value to Almighty God?  I cannot.

So, You Think, Please for I long to hear the words of your unique perspective.  You Paint for the pictures in your mind may never have fallen from my own dreams.  You Write in the words that God provides from a Spirit born within You.  You lead or follow for the gift of life is choice.  The choice to respect God, one another and encourage growth life and individual purpose.  Not purpose guided my my or any collective societal design or governmental mechanism, but that purpose programmed within by a Holy God.  There is nothing I may do to diminish something crafted within the hands of God because in its crafting it is a thing beyond my critique.  I respect your making and ask of you to show me God’s reflection in your thoughts, dreams and plans.  You are the greatest gift given to me in this life.  And I look to venture in to the next eagerly at your side.  In Jesus’ Name.

That quiet waterway, with supple leaf, freshly posited rain falling from the brim of my cap, dirt and forest watching me back as I wander on bye.  Night was fractured and dispersed by dawn, divided then conquered in the emerging and cleansing power of light.  What brought memory’s route Lord?  There must be something I am meant to rehearse once again in mastering the role for which I have been handsomely prepared.  Perching upon swollen, damp granite the moss disquieted by my rest, I trust in this moment as it reattaches me to days, nights and trials ended, seeking the one event intended for this teaching.

Lord, life is emerging, not coming forcefully onward as a headwind forcing me to check stance, but awakening, clothing me in the raiment of today’s tapestry.  No emergency, no threat, yet my heart sweats as it responds to reminded emotion, smells and history better left untended.  What is the fear of past fury?  Can it force me from hiding, facing this moment in the truth of things gone historically astray?  Or is it a bridge connecting all the disjointed parts of a man assembling before us, becoming, simply becoming.  Is this that quickening to which each man’s soul and spirit bid respond?  That stretching, adjusting, shaping and reforming sanctification that strips, dips, builds and remakes?

Don’t let them see is my only thought, embarrassed instantaneously by my dependency.  What cannot be given by free hands nor action but the surrendered will costs more coin of different dimension, leaving me unspoken, uprotected, yet safe within the Master Grasp of God.  It is good not to be that which has been but to become that which is capable of being so much more than has been.  This gift shall be accepted by few and understood even less than the outstretched hand of God’s mercy and grace in salvation.  This one is a thing of legend, kings and those things lying outside of this dream called time.  What does it mean this glory we receive?  How do you embrace something you do not nor ever could understand, something made by someone beyond you for purpose beyond comprehension with materials unknown within current or probable reference frame?

Shall I hang on to the present Lord in fear where this venture leads me, past then now then to the beyond of dream?  Or truly consider what you’ve chosen for me as the right decision, one which I was had always planned on making, but only just knew that it existed?  The quandary, the rub, the wrinkle, the apprehension without mention in the waiting hand of God’s Glorious Touch on everyone to rise.  Do you see, do you know, do you quest for the that Twinkling Moment?  Skyward, Onward, Returning as a bride, wed to the Righteous King of All to rule and reign in peace, power and truth.  Amen.

Through the pain of being punished when forgiveness and Grace were sufficient I see the hole in my own performance.  If we are walking around looking for an offense to come then it doesn’t show, do we then manufacture one that we might control the other party by giving them the silent treatment before offering Grace?  What happened to being different from the world, or not being citizens of the world?  People are looking at us because they expect to see something different that they might have a recent to pursue a faith of their own.  When we fail to understand the Grace we’ve been given that wasn’t deserved and we continue to play the game of Crime and Punishment with the people around us, no wonder they don’t see anything different or attractive in our behavior.

And what happened to plain old fashioned respect, accountability and lack of hypocrisy?Oh I should have shortened that and just said, “Christian”.  If I tell you that you should look at the best intentions of everyone around me and then the moment you even appear close enough to step on my toes I banish you from my kingdom, how is that in any way, appearance or realistically, being Christian?  Our actions matter, especially those actions against those closest to us, the ones we have a reason to love.  People are watching are you aware that they are looking to you for an example of Christianity?

I am obviously meant for this lesson.  Thank you Lord for sending me the pain in understanding that Grace must abound if we are to win hearts and minds to Christ.  WE cannot reach them without a touch of the Holy Spirit, so the fact that they are already standing in front of me is testimony that has already occurred.  If they have been placed in front of me because the Holy Spirit directed them there then I must be awakened to the truth of Divine Opportunities.  And subsequently be conscious of the extension of God’s Love at that crucial moment.  If I am so prepared for an offense, do you think it likely that I will be surprised by kindness, love and plain old human frailty?  I cannot keep looking to punish those around me into acting the way that I want them to, for that places me in the position of control a position for which I was never intended.  It is also the process embraced and practiced by this world, so if our process matches theirs please remind me how we are called out from the world, remaining unspotted by the world or just passing through as citizen of the heavenly realm.  If it looks human, acts human and treats other with harshness like all other humans then it ain’t of Jesus and I then pray that the Lord remove it from me for good.  In Jesus’ Name.

You want me to anger yet I love and this confuses you?  You wish that I would discuss my prowess, my past and my conquest of the innocent, especially when they are women or are not here to defend themselves, but I should not ever discuss the souls that the Lord met through using me as ambassador?  You wish for me to speak in text abbreviations that simulate true emotion and make everything including being rude into comedy, yet I am a prude for loving the pure, holy, unpoisoned, unadulterated life of a child whose chosen to live a righteous life? Reflect upon the mirror image of the world God created.

This world reflects its current ruler.  These are the results of millennia of his influence upon its inhabitants and the damage taken out against all that God created perfectly.  For the current inhabitant of the throne room of Earth, hates God and all that He stands for and thus must prostitute everything Good, Kind And True to his own filthy image, the Lord Rebuke him if he chooses so.  I do not wish to speak ill of things I am incapable of understanding but must clearly demonstrate that his reflection is evident in the things of this world, they have become in some manner an invitation to see the enemy’s face.

How then may we know the things of purity, Holiness, Righteousness and Truth?  Ah, such an amazing question.  I am so glad that you’ve asked.  You see God didn’t leave alone in these tragic circumstances.  He lives in each our hearts if we choose to let him come in and indwell as His Church, His Holiest of Holies, His Heavenly Home on Earth.  He gave us His Word that we might know Him clearly in the dim of the shadow of death in which we find ourselves committedly walking.  He gave us the creation which withstands defilement that we might reflect upon His majesty and Glory in Creation’s View.  He never left us to the mercy of an enemy who has none.  God is Alive, He is here and He will take back the Scepter and the Throne of Earth and better yet, combine it with Heaven that we might reside together forever.  Amen.  Praise Jesus.

Many of those unanswered questions that I have from the pages of the Bible weren’t answered by God.  Several options; He didn’t know, didn’t want us to know, left is up to us to find out, or didn’t tell us because the timing would be appropriate to tell at a later date.  Of the things that were not expressly explained in the Bible we were continually reminded that they were; “sealed up” for a later date or that we would know by the signs of the times.  So I am going to emphatically reside on the option D, that we weren’t told because we didn’t need to know until we were told at the appropriate time.  I believe the fact that many of these age old mysteries are being revealed at this time in history is in it self and indication that time is winding down toward the imminent return of Christ the King.

Why didn’t He tell me?  Well the answer to that although it seems silly is that He knew my nature and if I knew what was going to happen that suddenly I would become a prophet, telling everyone that “the sky is falling” based upon my “knowledge” of the truth.  Isn’t that what has revealed the charlatans throughout the ages, the fact that they continue to make predictions, firmly based on their own understanding, only to find that the date they predicted comes and passes without the occurrence of the Biblical event predicted?  Look I am okay with not knowing because in not knowing my faith is increased, because I have to choose to believe in something I cannot see which what the Bible defines as HOPE.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  If me just taking the Bible verbatim and believing upon it just because God said so increases that faith, then that is the position I am going to take.

Why do you think Christ went away after rising?  If he stayed would we have had to faith in Him or would we see Him standing in front of us, dismissing the need for faith?  Additionally, His going away supports my argument that “it is not yet time” for Him to return, so we don’t see Him until that perfect timing.  Faith is the basis for the courage I feel, faith is the basis for my relationship with God, faith is also the Rock upon which I reside for in believing His Word, His Truth and His Sovereign Promise to return for His Reign I am strengthened to a position outside the control of anything in this realm.

I don’t know because I will know when and only when I am supposed to Know.  Is now that time, it appears to be so, but only YOU WILL KNOW.  In Jesus’ Holy Name.

I don’t know what to say to you, I am just so sorry for always coming back around to the limitations of my humanity, instead of watching Christ.  Depression is the byproduct of my poor faith habits, for when I consistently remain in prayer, meditation and Bible review my attitude and spirits remain high. The moment I my practices begin and end with worldly review or communication, that immediately sours.  No matter how many times I experience these same lessons the Lord continues to reacquaint me.  Forgive me Lord for my extreme hard head.

Just because it don’t look, smell or appear like my expectations does not provide instant cause for concern or failure review.  It appears that I have already given critique of the film before the show has even started, via creating expectations that may have very little to what God wanted from the interaction, but in my not-so-infinite wisdom, I of course decided it was supposed to Produce X Squared plus three minus 7.  Try as I might I continue to fall back into this low point of the kitchen where all the gunk accumulates.

Father, can you please free me from me.  Too much and more of me makes me really tired and not looking forward to more of me.  Folks I sympathize with you having to deal with a johnny boxhead like myself, but that’s the rub, the cover charge, the gate fee.  Chances are that many of you determine the price to high for the return and head for the hills.  Although I am concerned about hurting any body’s feelings or losing friends over the whole thing but most concerned about how it taints my attitude for harvest.  I pray that I don’t miss a single divine opportunity by taking myself out of the frame of mind necessary to be in that moment.

Lord Hear my prayer for this nation.  We really are on the brink, the brink of greatness or failure, that razor edge peak that runs east to west and can only be straddled for so long before a radial tumble down one side or the other.  Give us clear site of Your Glory, that decisions might be made in plain site of the best of choices.  Father we thank you for offering us the opportunity at redemption.  Please let us take it seriously and be content with what we have been given but yearning for more, the More that is You.  In Jesus’ Name.