“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.

Eyes should be wide open at this moment, knees bent and hearts directed toward God.  Why?  This morning the U.S. Secretary of State announced from Baghdad Iraq the intention of new, and I might add he used the term, “global order” to work cooperatively to tackle worldly dilemmas.  You see, Biblical Prophecy is unfolding for everyone to see, realize and react to, yet most seem ambivalent.  Why?  Because they do not know that this episode is monumental sign as indicated in Revelation for the headquarters of the antichrist will be in Babylonia, or as we know is Baghdad.  The formation of a “World Order”, or as they would spell it “coalition” is direct evidence that we are further down the road toward Christ’s return then even most scholars would have us believe.  What must we do as Christian’s?  Well the Lord Jesus repeatedly told us to “be ready”.

What does it look like to be ready?  Perhaps the example of being ready to go on a business or personal holiday with the family would present relevant visual.  You must first designate a day and a time when you will have completed all activities associated with preparedness.  For example if you know that an international flight will be leaving at a particular morning hour you must have all your luggage, passport (and other essential paperwork) gathered, family members appropriately dressed, transportation arranged, house secured and everyone fed prior to the time that the vehicle must be boarded.  This is all done because you “believe that”, in order to make good use of your money and time  that if you are not ready then you will suffer the consequence of lost money and missed transportation resulting in regret and complications.

The translation into Christian preparedness is not complicated.  You must have believed/confessed in Jesus and his achievements through a sinless life, death on the cross, resurrection and the fact that He is returning for us at some imminent timing.  You must have mentally prepared your heart, red your Bible to know God’s will for your life and the Earth and have opened your heart to the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification/preparation for paradise.  The Bible uses the example of having “oil in your lamp” before you face the darkness associated with the Master’s night arrival.  Each of us is familiar with the agony and near panic associated with realization that there are no batteries in the flashlight, no fuel for the lamp or no matches/lighter when confronted with power outage.  This fear is magnified by knowledge that if we are not ready as Jesus commands that we will be left to face the inevitable horror of God’s wrath as it is released upon a disobedient world.

I gain nothing from being “right” in criticism or elevating myself religiously in warning people of these eventualities.  My fear is associated with my great love for people and out of such love warning them of coming tragedy as I would in any imminent man-made or natural disaster.  I cannot face Jesus having remained silent in this moment when I could have warned at least one person to be ready for the coming rescue or inevitable storm.  I do not know God’s timing, but I do see the signs being clearly lain out for all to realize and take action.  The time for preparedness is “right now”, as the signs are meant to alert us to His coming.  Get oil in your lamp, prepare your families, your hearts and turn your gaze heavenward for the King of the Universe is coming soon.  Get ready.  Jesus is coming.

For fear of Revelation, we do not know.  For fear of accepting the mantle of dutiful performance we choose not to know.  For fear of teachers demonstrating their shallow understanding they will not teach so we do not question.  For fear of letting go of those trappings associated with success by worldly means we do not wish to know.  For fear of understanding God and finally gaining wisdom and discernment we avoid knowing.  For fear of having to logically and loyally respond we hope that someone else knows and tells us in adequate timing.  But knowledge is personal.  I cannot depend, for my salvation, upon the knowledge of someone else to carry me through the stepping stones of salvation, faith, temptation, sanctification, purity and growth.  I may only depend upon that knowledge that I have been given by the Lord as provision of wisdom for courage and success.  Why then seeing all these fears, yet knowing the price of my own uneducated, unpreparedness, would I choose to remain ignorant of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Must I remain naive of our eventual meeting with Christ and in so doing fail to guarantee that introduction?  Does any of us really wish to be here on this Earth when the Lord opens the seals and turns loose His wrath upon the wickedness of humanity?  The answer to these questions although obvious are perplexing, in at least that this circumstance of ignorance persists, even in the depths of the faithful or regular attendees of most churches.

Let us look briefly at revelation to see the mysteries, signs and direction revealed quickly on in the opening Epistles by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Remember John may have written the words, but as the opening paragraphs clearly state, John is only conveying what he was told to share with other believers.

Revelation 1:1 NIV

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.  Even in the first line of this book we are immediately faced with the revelation that this book will deliver breakthrough understanding for those who read, ingest and understand.  What is this the revelation of?  It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ to believers, the revealing of who he truly is and what it means for believers and humanity alike.  Who gave Jesus this revelation?  God gave him this revelation to show believers what will come to pass in the last days at the arrival of the “great day of the Lord” and the “Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ” to Earth.  That one line should reduce the fear quotient considerably in that it is meant to show us what we need to know about Jesus and what He says will happen.  Do you now have the urge to go further, now that the deceiver’s veil has been drawn away.  This books arms believers for the trials to come.

He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  So God uses believers to convey those messages sent by angels and man must continually testify to things that have been given them by God.  God did not shout this entire book to all of humanity, he chose one man through whom he made his word and testimony known for all.  Again we are faced, as believers with the fear of being used singularly by God to convey his most resounding revelation, that of the Testimony of Jesus Christ the King.  John’s faithful execution of this duty allows us as believers to share in the courage it takes to go out on the limb for Christ.  If I don’t tell anyone then no one will know.  If I tell everyone then they will know I am a believer and expect different behavior of me.  Or worse if I tell everyone they won’t want to know me anymore or maybe even take away my reputation, treasure or notoriety.  These are real fears but we all know what must be done to lose ourselves for Jesus’ sake.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.  Twin blessings, that is amazing.  One for the reader of this book.  One for each person who takes faith in its truth and stands by what is revealed.  Then a small warning of consequence for inaction, because the time is near.  So there is also an implied benefit from receiving and understanding this knowledge that is entirely related to begin prepared for what must soon come to pass.  There again is the fear of knowing what is coming and taking the necessary steps to be prepared.  I believe that this is the enemies greatest attempt at hurting God in these last days, by creating such fear and misunderstanding among believers that they fail to learn, understand and prepare for the victory to come and in so doing miss out on the blessing set aside for them before the first click of time.

I pray to Almighty God that in just three sentences God’s Word has swallowed up your fear and set your heart on the right and honest path of duty to God through education and growth in Christ.  If you wish to be amazed and edified against the storms on Earth’s horizon continue to read Revelation 1, which reveals the deity and glory of Christ and familiarizes every believer with His Sovereign Identity.  If reading Revelation 1 doesn’t dispel your fear and place in you an unquenchable hunger for God’s Wisdom then perhaps you should chat with a pastor about what may be holding you back.

Time is the enemy and God the only friend.  In the beginning the Lord created time as evidenced in His transcript of creation, stating what took place in seven days.  Since He is omnipotent, sovereign, omniscient, basically outside of the construct and impacts of time, we must then reasonably conclude that time was developed for His purposes concerning mankind and creation.  The watch was wound and set into motion, documenting a beginning and depending upon your perspective a glorious/tragically understood, perceived or assumed end.  Our lives are governed at each opportunity, lost or taken, by those precious moments within which we make decision to act or step aside.  Even the amount of breaths we take is determined by the passing of seconds, days and years, eventually turning each person’s thoughts toward mortality.  This construct provides an unbeatable foe with whom we have no conversation, no deliberation and no recourse.  Our enemy is time and the only one with any control into our dilemma is God, our friend.

God has shown his willingness to manipulate time, to the edification of believers, even to the extent of stopping it or turning it back when specific need arose.  Why?  The Lord works to His own ends for His own good purposes and frankly sometimes our actions, thoughts, prayers and needs coincide with His will for humanity.  These things have all been historically documented, at specific timing, for all to observe, for the purpose of educating and alerting humanity.  You see, time may be my enemy but it is just another tool that God uses to force us to a point of decision.  If there were no time, then there would be no consequence of indecision or wavering faith.  Time is definitely my enemy, but thanks be to God He is my friend and will now use time to the benefit of His glory, as He sees fit, when and where it is necessary to intervene in this man’s life.

It is the nature of physical laws that they all point to the necessity for decision and action.  We must eat so we must take action to acquire food or die.  We must travel so it is imperative that we acquire transportation of adequate sort within prescribed timing or frankly be left behind in the dash toward completion.  It is mandatory that knowledge, education and wisdom be acquired so that we may navigate the river of problems and occurrences of life, so we must use our precious moments to acquire the appropriate information.  Time is a painful and brutal jailor, especially to the infirm, making more precious and precarious each moment traversed.  Time controls all my relationships, the most precious of my treasures in heaven, allowing me the briefest opportunity to share the Gospel, Love and kindness with those whom I have been given the chance of acquaintance.  I cannot beat time, but know who can.  I will ask Him to intervene on yours and my behalf.  Praise God in Jesus name that I am able to petition my friend in prayer, for that I am victorious in Christ Jesus.