What if there were no forgiveness?  What if we knew there was no second chance each mistake met with finality?  No redemption, no recovery from iniquity, no mercy, grace, each strike a “one and done” opportunity.  That is the price of sin.  That is the life of the unbeliever.  The first sin cost you everything as the wage you were paid was eternal separation from God, no quarter.  Like Akin, you disobeyed and according to the law of Moses there was no forgiveness only penalty for your transgression.  So, you forfeited all.  Your life, your family’s life, everything you owned including your beast of burden were stoned, set to flame, demolished for all to see.  That is each life without Christ.  There can be no remission of sin without the shed blood.

I don’t know about you but I tend to take it for granted.  Not everyday, but sometimes falling into a lull, being forgetful and not being mindful of the miracle of forgiveness.  Not the overwhelming fact that I am saved, set apart to spend eternity with God, but the “not so simple” fact that I am forgiven.  I get to know hope where without it that hope would have never existed.  I get to feel sorry for my transgressions because I know that I can ask for forgiveness and receive such a prize.  My life does not surround walking so cautiously that I am afraid to disturb a flower, offend a person or perhaps shame someone because the price would be “everything”.  These are blessings I own but do not fully comprehend.  This makes me morn for the lost.  To never know forgiveness.  I cannot even remember how that felt, perhaps it would be better if I somehow could remember.

The Angel’s awe begins to gain clarity.  They cannot fathom how God could be so merciful in offering forgiveness to the undeserving.  They were not forgiven when they transgressed, instead they fell. The price of their sin was infinity.  Instantaneous separation from God, doomed to live among a prideful people, a forgetful people, stubborn, immoral and spoiled.  A people who had zero understanding of the grace they were given.  They were allowed to grow in a sinful life and then freely choose righteousness through faith, with rewards or punishment to come “some day”.  No instantaneous banishment, shaming, imprisonment or death but a segment of time within which the gift was offered freely daily.  You see God doesn’t even need us, yet he offers me forgiveness.  Too grand for me to understand.  You Lord deserve my allegiance, obedience and praise.  I am sorry that I dishonor you repeatedly.  I am so thankful that You do and will forgive.

Have you ever been absolutely sure that you were right only to find that God had other plans?  Those times when the picture is so clear that you can already see yourself walking in those shoes and suddenly find that your path led elsewhere.  Achievement is a dream I whisper to myself on the way to volunteering for those the Lord has directed me to serve.  Day dreams and nightmares are all of self or Sheol.  It is funny how my imagination always leads me astray, trusting it is always my first mistake.  The second comes when I forget to trust in God alone.

Speaking with a young man today I realized to be thankful for the fire, struggle and heartbreak in my life as I always grow the most during those times.  The times when God loves me enough to stretch me, reminding me once again not to stray from the truly important.  You would think that a man can learn, but my repeated stumble at the same points on the road support the opposite.  Lord, give me only that which you want for me.  Forgive me for always messing it up by integrating my own screenplay.  Your way for me is the only truth, all else is false.  Save me from myself otherwise I am destined to play the fool at each night’s opening.  I want Your Dream lived through this life.  Don’t let me settle for my own understanding, sentencing me to second best or worse.  I love You Lord.

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/player/counterfeit-christianity-327812.html  A resounding message from the late pastor Adrian Rogers

I cannot give song and dance in hope of bringing you to the Cross.  My dance, my song is to worship God and glorify Him, not a device to capture your ear.  I exalt the name of Jesus Christ the King.  I will not put on a circus side show hoping to grab the attention of the worldly, knowing that I must “package” the message in such a way that it will be palatable to the masses.  The Word is honey to my tongue and salve to my ears and heart.  I will not try to adjust, attenuate, morph or realign His Word so that it conforms to worldly need.  The Word is already the answer to “every” need, the solution to “every” problem.  I pray that the Lord God has placed a desire in “your” heart to hear and obey His Word.  I cannot create, develop or manufacture that desire in “your” heart.  I will give you the seed of God’s Word, encouragement, assistance, training and love but I cannot give you the desire to have a relationship with God, that is something He gave to you.

Accommodating those who would be saved is built into the church.  Allowing the worldly to bring into the church the lust for entertainment is not.  The problem is in the premise, “Church is boring”.  If I must vie for your attention competing with multimedia then I will lose each time.  For my job is to spread the Good News of Christ, planting the seed into “every” ground.  I do not embrace “witchcraft” hoping that my delivery will somehow make something transpire.  That my delivery is the mechanism which produces growth is satanic deception.  I trust in the Word of God for it always returns investment.  Those who have an ear to hear will hear the truth of the Word and seek God.  Certainly I must pray to the Lord to allow me to deliver the Word with authority, clarity and abundance, but whether or not I am a “professional” public speaker has very little if anything to do with the Power of God’s Word.  God’s Word is powerful without me.

Having unbelievers observe communion, practice fellowship and practice false worship is an abomination.  Churches that allow believers to become part of the fellowship have exchanged worship for opportunity and potential tithe.  If you are sitting in a church that welcomes unbelievers without establishing the need for repentance, then “Come Out”.  If the birds of the air are nesting in the mustard tree seeking the power of the Church without being transformed by the Power of the Gospel then, “Come Out”.  Would you seek illegal drugs, immoral relationships or witchcraft in order to alleviate some pain in your life?  Absolutely not.  Just as any Christian dabbling in the sinful practices of the world is horrific, so too is it wrong for an unbeliever to dabble in Christianity.    If you have a church leadership that consistently goes against, accommodates, twists or warps the apostles teaching then “Come Out”.  Even if your church has a million dollar “entertainment” program, reclining chairs and a T.V. show on prime time cable yet does not preach repentance, rebirth and faith, “Come Out”.  Read the book of Jude, by the way it is only one page in length, and you will see the warning for the Christian in “Today’s” Church.

We live in evil times, ACT accordingly.  Praise God in the Name of Jesus Christ the Lion of Judah.

I am no scholar, no prince of men, no prophet or hero.  My works are simple, my mind plain and my looks not those of a ruggedly handsome man such as David.  I am no farmer, no artist, no scientist, doctor or public servant.  I am a saint of God through Christ, born again to serve the King by healing, loving, caring for and encouraging those whom He loves.

I have no blade yet the sword I wield cleaves bone from marrow and Spirit from soul.  I have no wealth but the cattle of a thousand hills, the air that we breathe, the mountains, sky and sea.  I have little by the way of knowledge but wisdom answers my call giving me sight beyond the tangible through the omniscient God living within me.  I can barely stand myself yet the love in my heart transcends sin, weakness, character and hate.  I offer forgiveness where none is found through the endless coffer of understanding found at the foot of His Throne.

I have no children yet am blessed to be in the largest family whose roots extend beyond time into eternity.  My strength is found under the outstretched Wings of God and though I may have reached my limits, I shall not faint nor grow weary to the task.  I have very little yet the blessings with which I am daily showered bring envy to those caught in the snare of unjust pursuit.  For I am Kin to Christ the King and this is all His.  What greater honor may be bestowed than that which I hold dear.

All the Honor and Glory to you My Lord.

So many Lord, writhing through internal pain and disquiet.  I  want that all should find their way to you accepting the gift of eternal life, but so many Lord fade away choosing self, soul and safety in pocket, purse or padlock.  Am I to feel this ineffective, Lord, this useless?  Or should I find security in the knowledge that I have planted each seed with care and diligence, knowing fully that where growth is possible you will provide it?

We are in such a mess.  Justified murder of the unborn for convenience.  Blatant sexuality, even in our youth who would be innocent.  Same sex relationships no longer an anomaly be preached as norm.   Absolute disregard for pursuit of wealth, fame and familiarity with those investments that bring neither peace nor benefit to a wounded world.  Reciprocal politics contorted beyond the confines of morale and logical constraint, veracious in it appetite to consume all that may be absorbed, used up, requisitioned or borrowed.  Violence as a national motto, preached to our youth in their games, our men in their sport and our women in their attempts to overcome abhorred weakness.  The overwhelming strength and character of Love, peace and kindness relegated to those affectionately labeled town clown.  An complete misunderstanding of God’s Sovereignty, Character and Word, leading to a national ignorance as to the source of our blessing and the price of our desertion.

I hate only the evil which fills and controls mans’ heart.  None of these sinners my enemy, it is their sin I hold in contempt.  I reserve no lesser review of my own abomination.  The stench of my own self service and iniquity equally displeasing to God.  The only thing standing between me and the judgment that I deserve, being the Blessed Blood of a King who loved me enough to pay the price of His life for my forgiveness.  I do not condemn anyone, including myself, for this is not my plan for salvation but God’s.  I forgive because that Grace was Given to me.  I love because that Love was Given to me.  I pray because that Access to God was Given to me.  I pray that all accept every iota of that which is offered them by God, turn away from their evil sin and make their way to peace and fulfillment through Christ the King.  I pray that the Lord God hear the earnest prayer of a humble nation turning our face back to Him and He to us.  I pray for healing, hope and redirection for our collective consciousness toward those pursuits which are eternal.  Praise You Lord God in the Mighty Name of Jesus the Bringer of Hope.

My epiphany may go unnoticed, my disclosure ignored.  When will there be enough evidence that Biblical Prophecy is correct, current and exacting to waken the slumbering consciousness of mankind as a whole?  Apparently, though Wisdom has been standing on the hilltop heralding truth and Spirit has been proclaiming the certainty of God’s Plan throughout the history of mankind, few choose to listen.  Most believe themselves outside the population group to be affected by the revealing of God’s Plan through Jesus.  What is it within man that causes us to feel that laws apply to everyone else but me, that reason is for other people?  Perhaps that is intersection of pride and ignorance.

This morning I wondered why God would choose any of us.  Why He would choose to bless the stiff necked nation of Israel.  Why He would give us so much time to turn away from our sin, folly and indecision.  There is only one answer and it is to demonstrate the example that it is not of works through which any of us will be or have been redeemed.  We are all undeserving and that is why Israel is the perfect example for God’s Grace.  He blesses them because He Chose To Do So.  He set them aside as an example of His Righteousness, His Honesty, His Faithfulness to Do What He Said that HE would do.  But that has never given them or any of us a pass to choose whether or not be obedient to His call.  Each time that they have disobeyed, many have suffered judgment.  The same will be true going forward.  We are accountable as a blessed nation and many will pay the price for our national disregard.  Will we recognize our similarity to the Nation of Israel in time to forestall, avoid or mitigate the Divine repercussion?  That remains to be revealed.

Bless You Father and bless the Nation of Israel because You said that it is Right to Do So.

Don’t want to hear it, the harmonious sound of a tight nit family walking the straight and narrow path toward righteousness?  Sold on the salacious?  Is tragedy really that appealing and are cameos on the lives of good, God fearing people truly that boring?  I challenge the lie.  Let us look at a young man in high school, committed to solid grades, working toward a future in the sciences, public service or business.  He is excited about his future, he is not that prom king or the captain of the football team but has the respect of hundreds of his classmates.

This young man enjoys multiple, honest, uncorrupted friendships with other kids all trying their best to understand it all, most suffering from the impacts of sin, financial troubles and relationship issues within their own families.  He plays a pivotal role in the formation of their futures and is a solid influence for change and right thinking.  He volunteers, not because it earns him some notoriety, but because he honored prompting by the Holy Spirit to be salt and light in his community.  Trying to make a difference, he helps some kids stay out of trouble and encourages others to reach places or opportunities they would not have pursued without his support.  He is the moderator in conflict and looks beyond external images of wealth and popularity.

He honors his Mom and his Dad by listening to them and obeying the rules they have set out for him, even when he may not agree with their directives.  He saves his money, loves his siblings and repents of the sin afflicting the majority of our youth crying out to God to keep him humble, innocent and pure.  He speaks positively, reflects truthfully and answers honestly when polled for those secrets to reaching his generation.  He does not crave all that his eyes may possess but appreciates all that he is given, making the most of each opportunity, each chance, each failure or win.

He fights for his country, serves his republic, caters to the poor, disenfranchised, sick and forgotten.  He honors a good woman by telling her plainly that his service is to God and all else is second in the chain of command.  He lives by principle, says what he believes, believes what he says and is trusted.  He is not sinless, just careful.  Visiting with him is a joy and brings hope to the disenchanted.  This world has been edified by his involvement and he will have much to be congratulated for when he stands before his Maker to review the impact of a life well lived.

Anything but boring.  Praise you Father for showing us the life of this young man, your son.  This is the life done right and is exciting to watch no matter what the enemy would have people believe.

Can you blend?  Fading into the background, so that no one picks you out in a crowd.  Nobody sees your deeds, your failures, your triumphs nor your laughter.  Sorry for ignoring when I should have heard your cry for help.  I heard their name too many times and thought that singling them out was a bad thing.  As if not being known was preferable to those who may be motivated for attention.  We all need attention, affection, understanding and love.  Those who are isolated probably worse than all others combined.  Rare is the human who reaches into their silence, looking to pierce the facade or potentially expose the wound to air, concern and light.

This world is cruel caught up in its sin.  Measuring lives as objects, hearts as fodder to feed the dreams of social adequacy.  We have starved the frail from affection then labeled them misaligned.  We have compressed, priceless human anomalies into blobs, figurines or forced them to escape conformity and be labeled miscreant, misanthrope, ascetic.  These are the children God wants.  These are those crafted to perfection in His image.  These are the ones in greatest need of love, yet we pause.  The enemy labels them worthless so that they will share his dilemma.  Shall we also be fooled and forget to reflect upon their Value to God?

Please seek those who would not be noticed.  This is a protection mechanism forced upon them in youth to escape this brutal world.  Their fears have silenced them in hopes they will fly beneath the radar, yet they remain precariously exposed.  The Bible states, “it is not good for man to be alone”.  How then can we allow them to remain isolated, easy pray for those who would seek their harm?  Next time you are in a crowd, fight your senses which lead you to movement, color and sound.  Look for those who would not be noticed, their you will find your destiny, hidden in plain sight.

Love God as He first loved you.

There will come a day not much unlike this one.  A day where no one will expect its coming yet time will arrive unannounced.  That moment when all savings are nil, all plans defunct, all opportunity passed.  On what thoughts shall I spend that final second but Christ?  As Lot’s wife, herself nameless, will many look back longingly upon spiritual Sodom, finding only allegiance in permanency?  Spent for eternity in mid flight toward the light.  It was pleasant this day just as I am certain will that one be as well.  But that pleasure will be in short measure when compared to Glory’s call.  Will there be fuel in your lamp for I cannot give you mine.  I pray that we remain ready.

Where is my heart, in truth?  Does it lay with riches and glory brought through waiting patiently upon the benevolence of God through Christ?  Or have I forgotten what should have been written upon each atrium?  God’s laws inscribed internally, guiding the blood throughout my venal architecture, perfectly aligned to righteousness.  Will those things tangible and temporary attract me in greater weight than things of substance everlasting?  I pray not, but I must even now repent for the envies, longings and irrelevant pursuance of my flesh.  I know better but does my faith overwhelm my worldly reason?  Or on that day, much like this one will I scream in agony of realization that I’ve missed the boat?  Will many join me in anguish, recognizing a fate that was entirely avoidable?

I pray your forgiveness for my lack of trying.  I made no attempt to reach you in humility and love, foregoing the misgivings I held tightly against you.  My shame will blossom on that day, a bouquet arranged in grand wretchedness.  How could I stand bye, not reaching out, for fear, for pomp or ego?  I was wrong, we both know it and on that day I will truly regret having never said so.  For on that day, even what wasn’t completed will have been made void.  I now have skin in the game, a chance to serve His plan and lessen their plight.  Yesterday’s deadline will become today’s loss.  Shall we leave in grand crescendo, making the most of each moment, fully knowing that there will come a day unexpected.  Let this not have been my last Lord.  Let me make tomorrow one to remember.  Praise you Father in all Your Everlasting Glory, Amen.

Taking the pulse of America.  What do you find when you press your fingers against the wrist or mandibular junction?  Is it steady, strong, consistent?  Do you recoil fearing corpus necrosis?  What is occurring just below the surface?  Is it healthy, perhaps slumbering waiting to emerge into a new day of possibility and reason?  Or as I, do you measure an inconsistent rhythm, a disjuncture, an arrhythmia of circulation, thought and heart?  Are we proactively treating the patient, perhaps carry a defibrillator with the intent of avoiding stoppage?  Who is championing the voice of reason and counseling the patient to change his ways or risk passing?  Where is that overwhelming hero willing to usher us back to health through direction and self-sacrifice?

I hear discord.  No one voice rises above the fray, that moment where everyone pauses to reflect on spoken truth.  Are we destined to repeat historic failure?  Unfortunately it seems there is not the consensus to avoid such a journey.  Wisdom and truth only produce realistic reflection upon the mirror of our behavior.  What happens when a family outspends their budget for a duration?  The inevitable.  What happens when a child runs the edge of a slippery roof?  The expected.  What happens when maniacs toy around with reason, hoping to invent a new philosophy by following the same old practices?  Disaster.  What happens when those who called themselves Christian depart from the Path of God?  Judgment.

The heartbeat is faint.  The pulse irregular.  The future uncertain but assured.  Counsel them to reason, to repent, to adjust course avoiding destiny upon the shoals.  What shall we have faith in when trusting ourselves has proven repeated folly?  Place your Faith on God where the investment always profits.  My God, my Savior, my King, Jesus.  Lead them back to you, to righteousness and hope.  On this I pray.