We need Jesus.  Yet, as economic indicators improve we predictably move into a mind-state consistent with overwhelming self-focus.  I hear every day from Christians, “I can overcome”, “I can get it done if I am really focused” and, “I am getting better”, nothing unfortunately uttered about God.  Revivals are pep talks if there are revivals at all.  Prayer is reduced to time asking God to intervene for aunt Ethel’s bursitis and worship is often rushed to accommodate the patience levels of parishioners.  But, God said that the apostasy must happen otherwise the son of perdition may never show himself.  So, I am stuck in a difficult place emotionally; I know what his emergence means with regard to Christ’s return, but I also know that “TIME” is so short to pull people back from the edge of the abyss before judgment.

Not only am I capable of doing all things through Christ who strengthens me I am incapable of doing anything without him.  Doesn’t that provide wonderful clarity that Christ is “everything” in my victory.  He is that weepy day where I screamed and cried uncontrollably understanding my sin-filled, dilemma.  He is that grand day, after reading the Bible for some time that I realized it was a guide book for this life and provided insight beyond the timeline.  He is that blessed day when I realized He had made me into a new creature and that all my past had somehow been washed away.  He is that glorious moment when I truly knew Him so well that it was His voice alone I would follow, discerning between fleshly and enemy attempts to lead me astray of God.  He was that overwhelming instant when I used His power for the purpose of testimony and truth in leading others to the Cross.  He provides an indwelling Spirit that allows me to be righteous even though I never was, leads me to Holiness, though I never have had it and sanctification before God though I was never any better than a wretched mess.  He is my seal, my Saviour, my Father, my friend and my God.  In Him I do miracles to the glory of His name.

None of it, politics, relationships, wealth, health, stone, wood, rocks or trees matter one lick when compared to our intimacy with the Lord.  I can walk this world renowned, having the respect, admiration and honor of all mankind and still not be known by God.  I can have everything that my flesh or personality ever wanted, including the gold, sexual intimacy, job power, influence, ownership and attention, covering every facet of what defines a worldly man as success and still be bereft of salvation.  I want no control, except that which God gives me back when I have relinquished all expectation to Him.  I want no reward, except that which He will bestow upon me as blessing or for work properly attended.  I want no relationship except those that honor His Name and display my respect for His Glory.  I am powerless without Him and indefatigable within Him.  This is His life that I have the joy of experiencing.  May all that you are defend all that He is.  In Jesus’ Holy Name.

Jude, brother of Jesus, called himself a servant of Jesus Christ was writing to a specific group of people.  He wrote to; them who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ and called:  This immediately led me to ask the Holy Spirit could these attributes be separated such to exclude some and include others?  The first thoughts I got back were it cannot be all Christians, because Spirit would not have gone through the trouble of listing three qualities if it were the entire population.  No, these are specific.  Let us then differentiate to whom these characteristics apply.  This first characteristic may be referring to a warning given in 1 Timothy 4 about begin diligent about false teachers.  The scripture tells us to be careful, but to understand that everything God made is good and that it should be received with thanksgiving by those that know the truth and believe.

Now I am paraphrasing, but this obviously describes a group of Christians with discernment, knowledge and the joy of receiving God’s Good News.  This meaning, that they have been sanctified by God the Father to Christian maturity.  To the second description.  It appears that 1 Peter speaks to this issue regarding Christians being preserved in Christ for their eventual inheritance.  Steve McCranie does an excellent job highlighting the differences between sanctification and preservation https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/jude-sanctified-preserved-christ/ if you wish to dive deeper into distinction.  Steve also sides heavily with these characteristics as both effectively setting apart the believer for a Divinely intended purpose.  That does make sense when looking into the third descriptor, being called as a Christian.  Although, I do agree with the Brother on this issue, Jude would have expected the believers to whom he was speaking to have a knowledge of their address.

Therefore, I believe that Jude was speaking to Christians who; know the Truth, are assured of their position in heaven with Christ and have responded to the calling of God upon their lives, basically mature, committed Christians.  Jude bids mercy, peace and love be multiplied upon these Christians.  Peace and love are traditionally included in biblical addresses, but there is a curious inclusion of mercy in this opening.  Why mercy Lord?  Mercy portends some deserved punishment.  What could Jude be warning these brothers and sisters of that would require they be cautious of God’s attached judgment?  Could it have something to do with the opening address, in that, they have somehow ignored their duty to sanctification, preservation and calling?

Apparently that is the root of Jude’s opening, for in the third paragraph he reminds them that he was diligent and clearly exhorted the need for them to “contend for the faith”.  That is an interesting term “the faith” and then it goes on to say “which was once delivered unto the saints.”  Clearly Jude is saying that he is warning them that they are not fighting for the original faith, that somehow they have diverted from the path of saintly doctrine.  Jude is waking them up to the fact that he is now repeating himself that they need get back onto and remain diligent on their original path.

Now, he reinforces what he is saying by reminding them of the doctrinal foundation where God delivered believers from slavery out of Egypt and then destroyed those who did not believe.  As well, that the angels who departed their oketelion or original, glorified bodies against the will of God are even now residing in a special dungeon designed for them until the day of judgment.

Jude continues with what must have been a truly frightening equivalence regarding Sodom and Gomorrha turning themselves over to fornication and the pursuits of strange flesh therefore becoming the example of God’s vengeance by eternal fire.  Jude goes on warning of anyone who despise God’s authority, speak ill of things they ought not and dream of defiling the flesh should count themselves among this cadre deserving judgment.  That as example Michael the arch angel didn’t slander the enemy when contending for Moses’s body but left the judgment to Christ who is the righteous judge of all.  He wraps it all up with those who think naturally, trusting their animal instincts are those who corrupt themselves and have gone the way of Cain, Balaam the prophet and Core.  Looking over the gamut of their sins is a difficult thing to digest.

However, Jude goes on to further ruin our appetites by saying that these dried up fruit trees, that withereth without water or fear are feasting among us.  Theses wandering rogue waves have reserved themselves incarceration in the blackness reserved for wicked angels.  Jude refers to old testament prophet, Enoch, as to when we shall see all the disobedient as the Lord returns with the Saints for judgment and reign.  Jesus will convince them of the ungodly deeds which appear to be centered around using the mouth as their main weapon.  He includes murmurers, complainers, speaking great swelling words, gaining admiration through advantage, speaking and walking in pursuit of their own lusts.  Jude coaxes them to reminds them that the Apostles had told them the same, that their would be mockers in the last days, that they would separate themselves, sensually, pursuing their own sensationalism without the indwelling of spirit.

Jude finalizes his letter of warning, he cautions that remaining believers be true to their faith, building themselves up, praying in the spirit, keeping in the love of God, looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He also says that some will have compassion for their lost brothers and drag them backward from the fire by entreating them with fear, hating even their clothes that have participated in this poisonous world.  Jude closes the letter with a reminder that the Lord Jesus is the only one who can deliver them from falling and deliver them into glorious joy and declares all belongs to our one saviour, wisdom, majesty , power and dominion now and forever.  Amen.

To whom do you pray?  Do you see God, do you know him or is he some foreign misunderstood concept or wishing well into which you cast your thoughtful pennies?  Is your salvation assured?  Do you see the fruits of God’s Spirit reflected within your own life, guaranteeing eternity and creating curious inquiry?  Are your familiar with Christ, do you know the power of his witness are you on speaking terms?  Since our re-birth may not be measured due to anything that we have done, what proof have you?

My sin makes me feel horrible, especially the sins that I appear incapable of eradicating?  But this is a good thing right?  This is evidence of Spirit’s guidance, rebuke, chastening proving that I am a child, loved by God.  This provides me some ground for familiarity with God’s Holy Spirit, but it shows no measure of my conversion.  I may hear good advice, but the proof that I heard and obeyed that good advice is always in my demonstrated willingness to heed that advice through personal change that clearly establish verified belief.  So, have I been changed by God, transformed into a new creature as he promised.  Well, that requires reflection.  What do you say, are you someone different after having found salvation through Christ?  Do you act different, avoid the old infected pathways, use different language, handle situations with self-control, peace and love rather than slander or anger?  Well something has happened, now we need to make sure that its not just good self-help study.

Faith in Christ, requires belief in Christ to the point where we trust him to provide for all our needs through his riches and glory.  Have you stopped trying to solve perpetual problems within your own talents, techniques or energy?  Have you stopped looking to other humans to save you from circumstantial discomfort, relying upon Christ to deliver you in his timing or determination?  Have you been chastened to the point where you fear God’s wrath, not because you will suffer it but out of thankfulness that you are no longer designated to go through it, although you are willing to if that be God’s Will.  Do you have a hunger for his word, a desire to spend time with believers, a new found love for people or an overwhelming drive to remain pure as his intended bride?

These are the evidences we seek as believers.  The bible says, my sheep know my voice and another they will not follow.  This means we are supposed to recognize the voice of our Shepherd to a level that we can distinguish from all other voices, especially those who may cunningly attempt to deceive us.  Do you know Jesus’s voice?  Can you distinguish other voices, the enemy’s, flesh, false friends and purveyors of false doctrine?  Does this give you courage?  If I can distinguish false voices and only obey the one coming from my master will I continue to make the mistakes associated with my pride of life, pride of the eye or sins of the flesh.  Doesn’t my ability to discern these voices relinquish any excuse I previously may have held with regard to the responsibility for my continued sin?  Man truth and evidence are hard to refute.

I pray that the evidence of your familiarity with the Lord Jesus Christ be unmistakable to all whom you meet.  May his light, his love, his heart guide your life to each divine opportunity that you have been blessed to attend.  May you keep your eyes heaven ward and continue to tend the ground before you in anxious and victorious knowledge of the harvest to come.  Praise God in the name of Jesus.

Twenty-four seven self actualization.  I can get it the way I want it made in the color I requested, share it with friends or take it alone in any room of my great big house, at any time, day or night.  Cultural adaptation.  In the fifties abortion was almost unthinkable now we crest 60,000,000 children given to Molech.  Adultery, against one’s spouse, culture, children or God was kept as guarded secret.  Imagination was used to write dynamic books and wonderful paintings, portraying a deep understanding of man’s quest to escape his present circumstance.  There was a time when before investigating my desires, I took cautioned review of those it might effect.  The shackles are off, for to maintain my own unbridled freedom to exercise the abnormailities of my mind I must grant you the same cause.  This is the end for Sodom and Gamorrah, not that each practised physical abomination, labeled such by God himself, but that they tolerated and applauded everyone’s right to just “do it” if it makes you feel good.

What does it mean then to be a Christian in this “no holds barred” environ of individualism and perpetual gratification?  If I have become a new creature it will become evident through society’s determined hate of all that I am.  No, longer will there be a spectrum broad opportunity for everyone to practise the depths of their imaginings, because someone, ME, stands up emphatically stating that these practises are forbidden and thus deserving inevitable judgement by God.  They will not befriend my intolerant behavior, in fact they will label my beliefs facist, racist, bigoted or worse yet of the enemy.  I cannot both stand parallel to Christ’s doctrine and ease with this world, for they are juxtoposed.  Therefore, speaking with me will sting and unbeliever for I am defining salt, pointing out the wound for healer by the Great Healer.  I am light, shining in to the unlit hallways, bedrooms, closets and attics, making all things scatter for their beloved dark.  I must confront that our Master told me that they will hate me just as they have hated him, there is no other outcome.

Therefore, I stand where I stand, even if you hang me from yonder tree, unrelenting in my allegiance to Christ the King.  I love you, forgive you, pray for you and wish to see you blessed, but as long as you are in argument with God, I cannot be with you in tandem.  I have chosen and since you have not then you are bounced about on the waves of your unrepentant pursuit of the sugary sweet mouthful of sin to which you cling.  I cannot judge you, not just because it would be hypocritical for one sinner to judge another but because there is a judge coming who is worthy, perfect and will not be questioned.  Now, I pray that the conversations we have sponsor a reminder of the day you heard the Holy Spirit wisper to you of eternity.  If only you can hear Him then my war is won, for He will guide you to salvation.  If you never hear Him then you have already been turned over to your own decadence and I weep for you.  I am not intolerant, just truthful about the rules set over us by the Sovereign King of All.  What He says goes and frankly I have no right, desire or better ideas with which to entertain you.  I love Him and obey His commands and await the soon return of Christ for His Church, Judgement and Eternal Reign.  Praise God in the name of Jesus.

Do you see enemy battalions lined up, troop after troop chanting their beastly cadence?  Do you see the children being used as convenience, when Christ loved them, just as they were, to feed the pig of our unbridled desire and smoldering lust?  It’s all “me too”, what about me, do you have one for me, and I can’t do it now there is something about me that I need to attend to.  Nothing interrupts our unstoppable push for sovereignty.

Don’t you see the historically recent push to make wrong right, greed being sufficient cause and maintaining power at any cost, as direct threats to the survival of democracy?  Yes, old people are cliche but they knew what was worth fighting for and they stood up to take arms against them that threatened it.  Yes, they are boring but I could watch them in their untainted, imaginations for hours on end, delighting in their innocence.  We are field Ambassadors, meant for work on our knees, Word in our hearts, how is that possible when even a powerful, prayer for peace is incapable of breaking the magnetic bond of our disobedient lips.  Stuck, paralyzed, invalid, a man without meaning because he doesn’t mean what he said or say what he means.

It is the Light, The Glorious Light of God I call upon in this darkening hour of man’s nightmaric evolution.  Yes, we are evolving, into something skitterish, black, full of pestilence, lovers of self and darkness.  What then may cure this wretched form, but Light!!!! Father, I bid you take away the darkness from any of my personal cupboards, safety boxes or hidden shelters.  Shine Your tremendous light of health that makes all scatter for the shelter of their willful darkness.  Break this bond of our leisure that sets so heavy upon us that we are caught in worship centers of our own comfort, when we should be glad to kneel on gravel for the gift of praising your honorable name.  We have fallen for the shadow, the shade the quiet dark realms of brothels and barrooms at which we may be comfortable in sin and friendship with the World.  No Pray No, open the darkened vestibules and dimmed showrooms of our graven gods. Shine the strong, unfiltered brightness of God’s commands into the purpose driven, human experiment called the seeker friendly church.  I don’t want to be comfortable, I want to be at peace with God.  I don’t want to hear music that is to my liking, I want to offer up music that makes You smile.  I don’t want a dark closet in which to pray if all that will exit my mouth are the tainted desires of an unchanged man within.  Cleanse us of all unrighteousness so that we may be received the untainted Bride for whom You have so along waited.

Arise, Christian men, who know full well the depth and compulsion of God’s Command upon your lives.  Get up, suit up with the full armour of God that the enemy might not distinguish any of us from Christ.  Link your shield of faith with mine that we might thrust forward into enemy territory declaring in victory the recapture of lands capitulated to filth.  Sing, that sing, you know He loves, wiping away each others tears, preparing for the moment we are all called homeward.  Protect the innocent, the sick, the Fatherless.  Let not this vulturous world consume all that is worth tending.  We have been given responsibility and stewardship of the garden, let us do the work for which we were made before time.  Live in Christ, and He through us.  In Jesus’s Holy Name, Get UP!

Do you contemplate the Lord Jesus?  Are you imagining Him sitting at the right hand of the Father or do you see Him standing next to your mansion that has been prepared for your arrival?  Or maybe He is planning the supper, welcoming saints as they arrive or planning His thousand year reign.  Gone from us for almost two thousand years now, do you imagine Him reflecting our humanity in chomping at the bit waiting for the moment to return for us?  He went to the cross, most agree in April the year 33AD, of course there is some discrepancy as to the exact year, but none will argue that we are getting very near two thousand years, roughly near 20 years give or take 4 years.

No one knows the day or the hour but it sure does look like we are dangerously close to being snatched out to be with Him in the clouds.  Let us for example take 16 years as the low end and subtract 7 years from that for the tribulation, that would mean we have 9 years before rapture.  I AM NOT MAKING A DATE PREDICTION, merely trying to alert believers that we may be so close that there is only time to turn our eyes heavenward before His return.  We know the season, we can all see the storm clouds on the horizon.  I entirely acknowledge that the Lord may determine to come hundreds of years from now, but that is not the God of order that I know.  There are no remaining or restraining signs prohibiting Him from coming to take us home.  And if the Lord wish to tarry, that is His prerogative, but even so please Lord come soon.

My task has been to awaken Saints about the work and the battle currently ensuing to which each of us ought be present.  For too long, we’ve allowed the enemy free reign when we are to proclaim territories set free in the power of Spirit by Jesus Christ the King.  For too long, we have built expensive churches, praising our own comfort, when we ought use our tithe in manifest increase to feed the poor, hungry, tired, sick, dying and fatherless.  For too long, have we spent our time on our own pursuits when the short mist of life we’ve been given ought be use on the behalf of Christ, telling the good news of our salvation to a lost and dying world.  For too long, has been my heart been wrong, singing songs about glory, grace and peace, while living in upset, poverty, petrified by the rusting bars of my personal prison.  It is about time to set things right.  I may be waiting for Jesus to return, but I ought not be waiting to do the work that He commanded.

Are you sold out on Jesus?  Do you truly believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of almighty God, given by His Holy Spirit, penned by those men chosen to document His Word for humanity?  Do you believe it is perfect truth, or is it simply a manuscript into which you inject edits, rewrites or redaction?  What is the degree of self-reliance or certainty upon which you are willing to bet your eternity?  I see your legs wobbling.  That’s good because it means the Lord has not yet turned you over to great delusion.  If you were to go on a sin rampage, in your last days, remaining unrepentent of your “free will” to follow you heart do you believe that there is even a 1% chance that you would forfeit your ticket to eternity with God?

In Revelation 3:5 of  the Lord Jesus tells the Church, His Bride to be, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”  What the Lord Jesus says that there is a possibility that my name may be “blotted out” from the Book of Life.  I thought that it is “once saved always saved” and that once I said that prayer that I could just live my life the way I wish.  Think again, a bit of trembling in the old knees now.

I know that my fellow tolerant Christians would have me dawn kid’s gloves for this expository, but the Lord bids me speak as clearly and straight as it is possible to demonstrate my love for you.  The time for Christian coddling is past.  The Lord’s return is nigh.  Be ready, have oil in your lamp, have His Word written upon your heart, be found doing that which He commanded and if you don’t have any idea of what it is that I am speaking about then I pray the Holy Spirit stimulate your awareness to the point where you start getting answers.  Time is short, eternity is long, don’t be found on the wrong side of the cross.

Why does the Bible say that, “the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord”?  God has also written, “God did not give us the spirit of fear but of love, power and of a sound mind”, why then would he want us to fear him?   And how could that fear sponsor our entry into wisdom?  Do you have any fears?  Heights, spiders, the dark.  These are worldly influences that most would agree probably would have limited effect on our lives, yet we somehow feel certain that we are going to suffer great harm or die when confronted by them.  That is an important distinction because the worst that could happen from any of our fears is that we lose our lives.  That is why wisdom begins with a respectful fear of God, because not only can he take our lives but he can also commit our souls eternally to a place of judgment, an issue you would agree is much worse than simply losing this life.

Fear is sometimes prudent indication of danger ahead, in this instance it is best to refrain from contention with Almighty God and work out your salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that we deserved death for our sin and that grace is the gift of God as pardon for our unrighteousness.  My sin is not pardoned by God just because I think myself righteous.  My sin was never allowed by God, in fact it was forbidden by God and I was warned that the wages of my sin is death.  It is not that my sin was overlooked, exactly the opposite, my sin was recognized by Almighty God and its debt was paid upon the cross with His life given for mine.

I may think that He will tolerate my sin because that is what I imagine a kind god would do, but my thinking would be 100% incorrect.  Our God is an awesome and loving God who is also perfect and cannot be in the presence of sin for He must judge it in being true to His nature.  Jesus Christ is the righteous judge of all and unless He knows you for your recognition and reliance upon His sacrifice on the cross than you are headed for Hell, no matter what feel good concept upon which you continue to cling.  God recognizes you by the presence of the Holy Spirit upon your life.  His indwelling is an unmistakeable mark and without you are counted among the lost.  If you don’t have fruits of the spirit, goodness, kindness, self-control, long suffering, patience, etc., then I recommend you teeth start chattering.  Because without the evidnce of the Holy Spirit you’re probably going to here the following from Jesus when he sees  you, “Depart from me you doer of iniquity I never knew you.”  Now that is paraphrased from Matthew 7, but it is awfully frightening, isn’t it?  That the Jesus you thought you  knew all these years you’ve been going to Church on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas to worship, never knew you, is a agonizing idea.  Or Worse yet, that you were saved by visiting a church one time and the Pastor sold you that all you needed to do was say a simple prayer and that you would essentially get a get out of hell free card and permission to continue with your addictions, fornication, lying, gossiping, adultery, worshiping idols, saints and mary and all other manners of what God calls abominable.  You can think of me what you will but do not mess with God because He has given all of us the truth as well as sufficient warning to be alert and cautious of deception’s, ravenous influence.  The truth is the only safe ground upon which to build your faith, your life and your eternity.

Unless of course you are only a partial believer in Christianity, or you have removed Hell from the Bible, or you feel that all pathways lead to heaven.  Therein lay the danger of editors to the faith.  If God is in charge and He said here is my truth then He probably would have pretty substantial punishment associated with edits, rewrites, omissions, changes, redaction’s or additions.  This is the price of partial belief, you have now broken the second commandment, “Thou shalt have no graven images before me”.  God is who He says that He is not who we want Him to be or reduce Him to being.

Let us investigate the horrific path remaining wide open to them who manufacture God or refuse to accept and obey His commands.  And to those of you who seem to stand upon the academic claim that the Bible has been translated and reiterated so many times because of a need to control the masses, wouldn’t any Christian who believes the Bible is the inerrant word of God, run from even the suggestion of changing, believing themselves then deserving of God’s punishment for such an action?  I fear the Lord and try my hardest, begging forgiveness if I ever even come close to removing or adding something to His Holy Word.  I personally cannot imagine any believer who would try God in this instance so the rewriting of scripture is a lie perpetrated by satan and his minions.  The facts actually when reviewed as to the orininality of biblical manuscripts actually CRUSHES any other accepted historical document.  You would be astounded by the truth.  Seek it out and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from ththings which are written this book.  Sorry my friend but your arguments appear to oppague and thin, lacking truth or substance.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they know God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creepy things.  Where God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.  Amen.  For this cause God them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is a against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving behind the natural use of the woman, burned their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly , and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, hater of God, despiteful, proud, boasters inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

Did you read that passage, really read it?  It says what we all know is truth.  That God made the evidence for His existence Public, so that we would all know him and that others who do not wish to know him would have no excuse.  It said that those of faith share their faith with others of faith.  God even let everyone know about His judgment from heaven against sin, yet men still choose their sin over God.  And those who do not wish to believe are turned over to their own decadence.  Because they did not glorify God and were ungrateful their vain hearts were darkened and they transformed the image of God into something matching their own decadent imaginings.  Once in their own reprobate minds they were given to all manner of perversion and malignancy.  They even knowing their own sin would bring them death delighted in seeing others do the same.  None the less they have broken the law of the commandments by creating a little g god of their own imagination, creating a graven image, not wishing to worship the one true God and forsaking his truth.

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.  Proverbs 29:1

Mark 7:8 laying aside the commandments of God, teaching the commandments of men.  “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, theaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside aside the commandments of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.”

Jesus said in Matthew 5, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Do not be deceived or convince yourself that our national sense of tolerance frees you from obeying God’s commands, because neither path will gain you heaven but deliver to the lake of fire, forever.  “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11)

Adam or son of Adam as we Christians are known, do not be led into outright disobedience to God.  You will be led into eternal regret.  Do not forsake this life’s opportunity to be cleansed of all unrighteousness and spend eternity with God.  May your loins be guarded by the belt of truth and your mouth wield the two edged sword to protect your family from all spirits that would lead them off the righteous path.

Eve, do not be deceived.  Let not your heart or mind be led astray from your love and obedience to Almighty God.  Ready yourself for false teachers abound, let your mind be protected by the helmet of Salvation and your heart by the shield of faith.

In Jesus’s Holy Name I pray for your protection, strength and courage to finish the fight and run the race as if you intended to win.  May God bless in this new year.  Keep your feet firmly planted upon the Rock of Christ and your eyes heavenward for His imminent return.

I cannot remember nor count the times I have gone awry in thinking that my words of wisdom are sufficient to doing God’s Work.  I know that there are those studied few of us that have exceptional understanding of the human composition that they believe themselves gifted to assist those in social difficulty.  This ought not be confused with the work of God, for it is written that He will confound the wisdom of the wise.  Additionally, satan loves when he can twist our objective, our mission or our purpose to one that is self-defined, lacking God’s perfect alignment.  If I am to win souls to Christ, then my tool kit is entirely encapsulated within the Bible, the Spirit and to some strict manner within the those gifts to which He has empowered me.

God’s Word never returns void.  My word often misses the mark, dispels friends or scares people from me.  To which would I prefer to be coupled a Word that is perfect in its wisdom, authority and capacity to provide result or my somewhat crafty, often helpful amalgamated philosophies that discourage as often as they are beneficial.  Be aware this is satan’s work.  He continues to want us to be self-dependent beings, relying upon our own capacity as gods to do the divine work and in so doing delivering us to failure.  God’s Word is the Bread of Life, the Living Word, the water that quenches an everlasting thirst.  The two ought never be compared or thought equally effective.

You can argue with me and chances are you might be right.  You cannot argue with Almighty God, in which there are no prospects for victory.  The greatest personal advice or wisdom that I have ever given were those words that directed people to the resource of God’s Word, His Bible.  Yes, I can give testimony to how Jesus has saved me, changed me, prepare and prospered me for a life that He designed before the beginning of time, but these are still reflections/recounts of the things that He has done.  This ain’t about me and thank God for that, for the argument for my imperfection, deserved judgment and worthiness has already been pronounced.  I needed Jesus to die on that cross or I was eternally lost.  The problem I have now is reconciling that fact, that something I hate to ponder was the one gift that I could not have done without.  I made it necessary for Him to be crucified, yes He gave His life freely, but that only points to how perfect He is and how undeserving I am.  He is the only thing that makes me worthy.  His Word is the only thing that will shine the light of truth upon this shadowed world.  His power to save is the only thing of value that I have to offer when speaking to a lost and lonely population.  Make it count, learn His Word.  Use it frequently, abundantly and joyously for it will always return a favorable crop.

Men, even Christian men arguing over interpretation and memory to establish their bravado.  We cannot seem to let go of the rituals, rules, judgments and personal, importance jockeying that has plagued religious spirituality since the outset.  For example, this word predetermined.  There are men who have stopped speaking with each other because of differing understanding regarding this complex concept.  I don’t care how convincing I may be if I am arguing over a concept that is not clearly spelled out by God, then I am just being a disobedient cleric to suit my own purposes or ego.

I think the only ideas surrounding predeterminism that I need to contemplate surround, am I a predetermined friend of God who is going to escape His wrath to come?  My death is certain, except in the predetermined instance where I am snatched out through rapture to be with Him forever.  My service through discipleship is predetermined through my willing demonstrative love for God.  My humility is predetermined as I remember how my Saviour lay beaten, spit upon, naked, scourged, alone, physically impaled upon that cross haven drunken the cup of all man’s sin. God can do what He wants and if He predetermined that there should be certain instances that are treated in a specific manner for His Good Glory, then it shall be so, irrespective of my intimate thinking on the matter.

All I know is that I love you, because He loves you and that is enough for me.  But you are also lovable and I see their image upon you.  It hurts me to be involved in circumstances which chastise you, even when they are ordained by God for I want no pain to befall you.  God bids me look upon this world to see His judgment upon it and I will not look away, even when it breaks my heart to do so, because His Judgment is righteous and true.  I will not regret not having taken the availed opportunities to tell you of the coming Kingdom rather using the time wisely now to help you find salvation at the cross.  My joy is predetermined to everlasting alongside my Lord and God, Jesus Christ the King.

My attempts at deeper philosophical discussion are always flesh, inspired misdirection to ignore yet-surrendered-sin I somehow seek to avoid, camouflage or obfuscate.  To me, being holy is the greatest challenge for it cannot be faked or impersonated.  I came to the cross to find Jesus in hope that someday I would be holy through my interaction with the Holy Spirit.  My flesh would have me believe the opposite, that somehow I improved myself and polished my behavior enough that I might know Jesus.  Let me be resolute.  I did none of this, all change that has occurred in my life as a Christian was and is the Work of the Lord God through His Holy Spirit as a result of the Work done by Christ.  Volunteering to a master physician for surgical cure does not imbue the patient with self-curing capacity.

Try as I can, my thoughts always involve a skew from God’s intended holiness.  Invariably when I contemplate a situation it is always misshapen by my fleshly desire, my eye or my heart.  Yes, this causes consternation in my wheelhouse, for I am driven to repentance and my nine thousandth request for forgiveness of the Lord.  But that is the nature of this glorious, grace gifted road upon which we stand.  Without Him we were all hopelessly headed for eternal separation from the Divine.  Hallelujah for the King, the Lamb and the Lion of Judah.

Holiness may not be my quest, but it certainly ought to appear somewhere upon the short list of each Christian.  For this is God’s desire.  Being Holy is not in our knowledge base.  Certainly we can imitate Jesus and try to walk in the steps He’s left in the sand, but none of us can say that we know what it means to be Holy.  Alas the Holy Spirit resides in each of us.  So, I do have the repository available for inquiry, assistance and guidance upon request, that is if I have not quenched Him and hurt Him enough that He has sought repair through distance.  I must be mindful of my continued desire for sin.  I know that someday I will be completely free from it vestiges rooted deep within my soul, but for now I really must be very careful of those things to which I expose His Spirit.  Valuation causes contemplation and the opportunity for willful demonstration of faithful commitment to His purpose.