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.

Psalm 128 NIV

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways.  You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.  Your wife will be a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.  Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.  May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, and may you live to see your children’s children.  Peace be upon Israel.

Fear and courage appear to be fulcrums of the same lever teetering and tottering humanity.  If I am to have courage then I must first investigate or become familiar with fear.  This world, in its current chaotic state offers ample opportunity to confront and know fear, but what it does not provide is that stabilizing, chastening fear that comes from logical reverence of Almighty God.  It does however provide that bone chilling, arousing, sensitization, we know so well which makes us want to flail or bail.  It is okay to know that feeling of complete loss of self control and paralysis which accompanies fright.

For in knowing this fear we are however briefly, humbled and brought into state of understanding that we are after all, mortal.  Are not all these fears the uncontrollable whimsy that accompanies potential harm or loss?  We fear losing our family so we develop separation and abandonment fears.  We fear loss of respect so we develop ticks, speech impediments and people phobias to protect us from embarrassment.  And we develop all manner of avoidance, defense mechanism and tyrannical behavior to protect ourselves from the fear associated with personal harm or death.

The trouble is that all these losses pale in comparison to eternal separation from God, infinity in damnation and darkness and a world without form filled with unquenchable fire.  Fear of the Lord is the only rational fear that covers all the worldly concerns and provides ample protection from the coming effects of God’s Wrath upon the wicked.  It is fear of where I was headed and fear of what I had already suffered which provided the window into understanding the absolute loss associated with being an enemy of God.  When I feared God enough to humble myself at His feet, it is He that provided me the courage to withstand all the irrational/rational fears which haunted my worldly existence.  Through fear of the Lord I found the cross and was set free to understand His sacrifice, protection, love and promises, which armored me against any and all potential or real losses that may confront me in this life.

I fear God and that frightens men.  They do not understand the discipline of a kind Father who would not let His beloved child walk astray of His perfect will.  Would I be scared if faced with harm to my family or person, would I experience great anxiety at the loss of my home, lands or life?  Yes, but my greater fear is that I would dishonor God in my moment of whimsy.  Thank God that I may fear Him and in so doing become enured to the eventualities which may present themselves in my future.  Father it is right and sensible to fear You.  Thank you for keeping me straight in the path that I should go.  Praise God in the great Name of Jesus.

“The Kingdom is of power, not of word.”  How may I express this power through the use of word Lord?  How then may I reach them by writing?  Must I determine to only use Your Words of Biblical chapter and verse or may my voice contain that “power” absent in my words?  I do not know, but then again I do not know what the Holy of Spirit of God says to each of you using my words.  Perhaps there is something there that I cannot recognize, pronounce, codify, translate or reproduce?  What effect may I have if I do not attempt to reach those who will listen?  That answer is simple, none.

Father, imbue me with Your potency, not the regrettable words of insufficient character, to which I find myself capable.  Give me that hope, that grace, that overwhelming spirit that brought five thousand to the foot of your throne each day.  Give me wisdom to encourage, defend and support the weak, disenfranchised, undefended and the children during this unholy age.  Grant me a worthy life lived well for Your Kingdom.  But even if I am meant to bring one man or woman to the cross, let me miss not that wonderful chance to serve you.  I love you Father and await the return of your son, the King Jesus.

Have you wandered, even to the drumbeat of your own common sense, forgetting for extended periods, wisdom which can only be given by God?  Does it feel good to go to church or do you go to church to feel good?  Do you give in the sight of others so that you are justified by recognition?  Do you decide the correct course of action or plan for your life and then ask God for assistance when things don’t proceed as planned?  Does giving to the platforms, programs or plans of televangelists calm that nagging pain in the back of your mind telling you to testify to the lost, your family or friends?  Have you stopped reading God’s Word for any reason, whether it be laziness, excuse, exhaustion or fear of prompting?  These are all signs of the Christian that has either been led astray or has wandered beyond the call of the Good Shepherd.  Don’t you long to hear His voice clearly again or has he prospered you beyond the limits of your need for a savior?  Does “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” begin to make sense at this moment?

If I don’t pray, read, meditate, study, test spirits, testify and encourage other Christians then either something is missing from my walk or the path that I travel is not the way to sanctification.  If you don’t hear, meet, reside with, abide in and follow Jesus then you are on the wrong path doing something you ought not to be doing.  Repent and ask the Lord to give you wisdom.  That is the nature of the powers and principalities of this fallen world to lead each of us away from the clarity of God’s Word, Truth and Spirit.  That is not to say that it is in our natures unless we have yet to be reborn, for the spirit filled Christian is a new creature, set free from the bondage of sin, capable of following the Lord.  However the powers and principalities delight in leading believers away from the righteous path, so beware and ask yourself the questions which clearly indicate there is cause for alarm.  Cry out to God for wisdom and remain on the skinny path  Don’t let your horse wander riderless, because when you are cold, hungry, lost, tired and alone you will accept succor from any source.  None of us would knowingly accept a ride from satan if we were walking along the highway, don’t take a ride with him because you failed to remain alert, vigilant and prepared, because it threatens equal disaster.

I ask the Good Shepherd to guide your feet on the pathway of righteousness and that His angels never let you step away from your prescribed path.  May the Lord grant your request for wisdom keeping you safe from all the travesty that faces humanity, especially in these times which are obviously evil.  Praise Jesus, Lord God keep me straight and clear minded in these cloudy months to come.

I ponder the excuses I offer Jesus for my inaction, frustration or failure to walk in His spirit.  My wife, my job, my finances all come to mind immediately when I recount the enormous opportunities to disciple that I’ve squandered.  Will I continue to go to the throne room and tell God that I am incapable of doing that for which I was uniquely created?  Oh, Lord what miserable man I am, but thanks be to Your Grace that I’ve received new life sans condemnation from which to breathe anew.  Lord, please never let me miss a divine opportunity due to my own misunderstanding, unwillingness, laziness or disobedience.  Conform me to Your Will so that I may never again offer excuse when asked to go.  Let me always answer in the affirmative, “Send me”.

I am crippled, weak, alone, tired, broke, incapable, limited, funny-looking, disliked, the wrong skin color, unpopular, a poor speaker and frankly afraid of what lay before me.  This is my misunderstanding of God’s Will for it is in this weakness, this lack this inability where God may actually use me to further the Kingdom.  If I were capable would man see God’s awesome reflection, no they would see me and applaud my glory, not God’s.  If I were rich enough would I give all to save the one person, my enemy, from walking to eternity separated from God?  I think not.  If I were popular would I be able to set a trend of surrender to Jesus Christ for the work that He has done for humanity or perhaps would I develop a ministry dedicated to the furtherance of my own agenda?  Likely.

Lord remove my excuses, whether they are personal or actual obstacles.  I care not how weak I am because it is Your strength, Your Spirit, Your Hope upon which I will rely to perform the works which must be done.  Remove from me any personal ideas of failure that limit me from taking the steps on the path You have lain before me.  Let me walk in boldness and truth knowing that the abundance of the Lord is at my reserve.  Let me not look upon my own strength and believe that these are my limitations for Your Legions of Angels may equip me to spread the Gospel Truth.  Make me bold like a lion to tell this world of Jesus and take from me the compunction to use anyone or anything as excuse to not do the work I have been crafted and called to perform.  Let me be victorious for Your Glory and not consider for a pico-second my own end.

Use my weakness as vacuum to be filled by Your Spirit of Glory and success.  I surrender to You Father so that I may be used to show them Your name.  Oh, Jesus forgive my transgressions, thank you for loving the unlovable.  Let me lose my life for Your sake.

How is it possible to stay strong or fearless in the face of impending doom or death?  In my view to understand the possibility of a state we must first understand the definition of those things that are achievable or likely.

It is illuminating to see that the site dictionary.com indicates that, impossible indicates something which cannot; exist, happen or be done.  However, the online definition also includes those emotional/feeling characteristics of impossibility by using the words “objectionable, impracticable and the concept of unendurable”.  The thorough definition of possible is a compilation of those things which are physically doable in the material dimension that do not defy the emotive characteristics of practicality and endurance.

For something to be impossible it must violate either or both of the following parameters; I lack the energy, authority or endurance to “do/withstand” something or it violates the physical laws of practicality.  So, if I cannot do it or endure it, it is impossible.  Additionally, if it violates the physical laws of this dimension it is also deemed impossible.  Therefore anything that provides me sufficient energy, hope or ability to overcome physical laws and personal limitations is outside the understanding of humanity.  Therefore, trying to define those things which are outside of humanity’s understanding through human description violates this constructive definition of impossibility.  Herein enters the most frequently misunderstood/misused word in the human language, “supernatural”.

Supernatural is used to define all those things which indemnify the impossible, thus allowing unbelievers to lump the attributes of God in with UFO’s, ghosts, goblins along with all other “magical” violations of human capacity and physical laws.  In this single misunderstanding and generalization they do themselves great disservice.  For although ghosts, goblins and magic unexplainable by human means they do not possess divinity, omniscience, omnipresence, righteousness, purity, sovereignty or the ability to create entire universes with a word.  Vis a vis using one term to describe all things which are personally impossible or practically improbable attempts to cram infinity into a nanosecond.  This mistake is much like saying that all light is white because that is what we can most notably detect.

That good courage God speaks of becomes possible when we have faith in His promises.  The Lord knows that good courage violates the standards of personal ability and practicality that is why He asks us to demonstrate this quality so that all the world may see His presence in Christian Life.  God is beyond my thinking, but I still believe in Him, whether or not it violates any scientific capacity to demonstrate His existence.  That is the nature of something outside our emotional or practical understanding, it does not require my definition in order to exist.

I fully understand that displaying good courage in the face of insurmountable obstacles or impractical violation of physical laws, is by definition impossible.  That is why I need God, because He loves me so much that He is willing to give me the energy, authority or necessary endurance to withstand or overcome the impractical, improbable or unlikely.  To be of good courage is demonstrated faith in God, that alone is why it is among the most highly valued characteristics of man because it declares our relation and relationship to God.  That is why God commands us to be of good courage and know that He is our God so that in us this world may see His momentary or enduring reflection.  After all it is always about God’s love for this world, that we must not forget.

Praise You in Your ability to confound my imagination Almighty Father.  I do love you so.  In the Name of King Jesus.  Amen.

I can feel the voice of God?

Right down in my spirit

His scepter and his rod

declaring that I’m free

Do you feel the voice of God, Right now say he loves me

Do you feel the voice of God, walking where he’s called

Do you feel the voice of God, singing without reason

Because the world’s so dark if you feel the voice of God you got the light, you’ve got the light

I know He has me in His hand

I’m protected and I’m covered

I may not understand

Because it’s yet to be discovered

Do you feel the voice of God, Right now thank Him in forgiveness

Do you feel the voice of God, then tremble in His sight

Do you feel the voice of God, spread the good news of His coming

Because the night is coming if you feel the voice of God your lamp is full, your lamp is full, You’re ready

Sing out, I’m ready because I know He’s coming

I’m ready for the coming of the night

I’m ready, I can hear the drumming of His mighty marching armies

Coming to set things right, coming to set things right.

Will you see the face of God when He pats you on the shoulder

Will you see the face of God when He congratulates your faith

Will you see the face of God and tell your Brothers of His glory

Because as the harvest nears belay all fears for the mighty day of judgment is at hand, it is at hand

Do you feel the voice of God?  Are you straining or not listening?  Do you feel the voice of God?  Has He promised to bring you home?  Do you feel the voice of God?  Something quiet and all consuming.  If you feel the voice of God, be at peace and know that He’s your God.

This dilemma all men face.  What have I done to win this victory, earn this bounty or receive this award, in a word, dance within the grace of Almighty God?  What do I have that was not first given, breath of life, love, a name, a homeland, a strong arm, a quick pen or wit and a brief span in this material existence?  Do I have any cause to brandish, polished pride for anything, when they are but gifts, first given, which may just as quickly be taken?  A sword does not boast of its sharpness when wielded in battle nor would it offer boast if it remained as sharp and sat above the fire’s mantle.

Whether I am a man of measure, duty, honor, wealth or treasure is of null account, for a simple man with no name, gold or talent may be used by God, in a moment to outshine my life’s work.  But there is still hope for this wretch of a man as I love God and know that He loves me.  Time again He has taken men and stripped them of land, family, treasure and station, allowing them to wander through the desert of temptation and discernment only to restore them in greater measure at the end of their sanctification.  Life should be lived for His Glory, using every breath, talent, dollar and thought to please Him through love, compassion and prayer.

I mourn for myself, thinking that I knew better only to find that very few of my works shall withstand the quenching fire of His testing, but I am quickly relieved of self pity knowing that I am still alive to set things right and live for Him.  Pride is the compulsion that requires our complicity as its catalyst.  We may be blinded in pride and never even know the name of our affliction.  Every spirit must be tested, even those that appear righteous for their foundation may be fleshly and untrue, veiled in false nobility and good intention.  Only those purposes which arise from God’s Will are worthy of pursuit.  Forgive me Father for sinning against You in looking for anything that would perhaps make me good enough to earn Your love and the world’s admiration.  For one cannot be won and the other is not worth the price of winning.  Praise Jesus.  I want to know Him more, perhaps He will choose to touch my mind this night, only if, only if.