Lord, may I bless you with a jubilant heart?  You deserve my undivided attention.  Let me for this brief time lay aside those things which struggle to monopolize my attention.  For a moment, today Lord I got to witness in a substantial way to one of Your creation.  A young man seeking answers and wrestling with the half-truths he has been given, about Your plan for humanity, and the love which eludes him.  Dumfounded, as always at that moment when You prepare them for a message.  Amazed at the process which causes them to break down at certain point and ask for the Good News of Your Kingdom, even if for the duration of our relationship they had fought, avoided and cajoled me.  I am so very grateful that You would choose me to deliver this impassioned plea.  I hope that I brought glory to Your name in this young man’s eyes and that we will see him among the citizen’s of heaven.

Lord, please give me the words to convince my brothers and sisters that the time is preciously near.  Evidence of the coming persecution of believers stacks up daily and yet I fear that it is not being reviewed and thus heeded as preparation warning.  We were made to be tested by the fire’s of this world and the next.  Our meddle tempered to stand against the lashes of time and produce actions, resolve and tenor consistent with Your glorious intention.  I see many fellow Christians becoming something akin to the believers of old, standing in the face of impossible circumstance, proclaiming the truth in justice and wisdom.  I plead to You Father that You awake those who will be blindsided by the one to come in his own name.  Let us plant a seed of Your love in their soil, so deeply that even the fires of tribulation do not prevent its blossom.  Bring us awake to the time and the season.  Give us a heart of service for others, denying ourselves to fulfill Your will, in time to bring all who would be saved to the Cross.  Save them from the wrath to come.  Open their eyes to our missteps, straightening our path to thee.  In Your Mighty, Holy, Precious, Glorious, Resounding Name I pray.  Lord Jesus, bring us home.

http://youtu.be/IOetBYPBz6A  Sent in by Jamie regarding the current luke-warm church

• What is the cost of indulgent sin?

This illustration seems to paint a clear picture of the relative importance of even the smallest iniquitous infraction.  If you have a fifty-five gallon barrel of cool, clean water, let’s say something like those jugs that Jesus changed to wine for the wedding.  Then you take an eye droplet of cyanide, yellow-fever, arsenic or whatever deadly poison/virus you can find and drop ONE droplet of that substance in the barrel.  Would you then allow anyone you love to drink from that barrel?  This allows clear distinction of the cost of being tainted or remaining unpolluted by this world.  ONE droplet, one persistent sin, one exception to disobedient behavior can ruin the entire skin of new wine or water.  Yes, we will be forgiven each infraction, because the Lord knew that we would continue to sin, but must we continuously be returned to purity?

How do you explain the Lord’s direction to Joshua to destroy every man, woman, child, farm animal and thing associated with the tribes that they would encounter in the nation that they were given as “the promise land”?  Do you avoid or skip over this conversation or offer an insightful explanation as to nature of God’s instruction?  The Lord knows that if we remain in the company of the lost or those who worship foreign gods, commerce and self-governance that we will eventually abnegate the standard to which he holds us in exchange for “getting along”.

Remember Satan knows God’s commands and also our nature.  Lucifer had four-hundred years to set up pagan groups in the land knowing that God would eventually give the land of Canaan to the Jews.  While they were in captivity in Egypt, he established multiple pagan peoples of warring clans in a successful attempt to get the Jews to ignore God’s commands.  These people were some of those tainted blood, “giant-like” groups who had been infected by the fallen, the Nephilim, the Zamzummim, the Refaim and others.  The Lord knew that these obstacles lay before the Jews and Moses even told them that they would fail in there conduct of the duties to which God had consigned them.

To this day they have three trouble areas in Israel; the Golan, Gaza and Moab.  These three areas match the areas of Israel’s disobedience to God’s command.  As God promised he made these people as an irritant, a constant reminder of Israel’s tolerance/disobedience to God’s command of cleansing of the promised land.

Let us reflect upon Solomon for a moment, notably one of the most discerning, wisest men in the history of the world.  God warned him to keep himself pure, separating himself from worldly women, but what did Solomon do married hundreds of foreign wives who eventually polluted his pure worship to the Lord.  If Solomon fell to this inch by inch abdication of his principles then how can we hope to stand against infection.  My advice, love them, witness to them then get the heck away from them.  This is especially important in the United States where we are told to tolerate even the most objectionable behavioral practices in the interest of religious and emotional freedom.  Do what God told us to do and keep yourselves pure, do not think, like Solomon that you can stand up against the erosive effects of the constant droplets against your foundational beliefs.  Stand upon the Rock that will never be washed away, build your spiritual house upon Jesus Christ the Lord and you will never be moved.

Praise You Father in the Name of the Son, Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Amen.

Up on the roof top not caring to climb down and collect my belongings before fleeing the wrath to come.  Not too sure I really want to accumulate a lot these days as it becomes increasingly apparent that the return of the Lord for His church draws near.  I find myself feeling more and more the citizen of another world and less at home in what I once perceived the greatest place on Earth.  Little did I know how correct that statement had been.

Father, how long will this folly persist?  How many must blaspheme Your Holy Name before the time for recompense arrives?  How far must we dredge the depths of wickedness probing for a new bottom in the muck and mire?  I pray for them Lord as you’ve commanded but it breaks my heart to see and hear their flippant deconstruction of Your Majesty.

They seem to want to have an argument with me about the loopholes in relative righteousness.  Somehow perceiving that nullifying my opinion or making me the stooge will free them from culpability for actions they cannot accept as destructive.  As if negating my opinion or point of view releases them from the facts or reality of our participation in a world-wide, roller coaster ride toward twisted track in the approaching darkness.

They are loath to accept that my view matters little, their true argument is with their Creator.  Your Word states right and wrong and no amount of persecuting me will ever free them from their dis-synchronous existence within Your construct.  I am a constant reminder, a gadfly, a bur in the saddle and though I say nothing, I somehow represent an irritant stinging the third eye of their festering psyches.  Simply, my being alive, believing in Christ Jesus, makes me their enemy.  I don’t know how that is possible but I understand what prompts them and that Your Word clearly predicted millennia ago this precise scenario.

They have to make me wrong or they cannot be right.  How sad and nonsensical, yet unfortunately for all concerned, true.  It matters not how many times I tell them that I love them, they are compelled to hate me.  At some point they will need to confront me with ill intent to instruct me to silence.  In the grand scheme of things, my tribulation accounts for little as I get to be with the Lord, in this world and the next.  Hallelujah, Glory to God in the Highest.  Peace toward all men.  Praise Jesus My King.  Blessed be that Mighty Name.

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/player/bring-back-the-glory-261315.html  Will we be delivered from the hands of those who’ve spoiled us?

Will you follow the one who set you free?  Granted this world is messed up, but will we seek to use that excuse as comfort for our choice of unrighteous living?  Has it ever been sufficient pardon to explain away my actions with the shout of “well they did it too”?  Did any righteous judge of good conscience ever let anyone go because they made the decision to follow the actions of an evil man but claimed themselves pure?  Can we then plead insanity for abdicating our position as servants to the Most High God when faced with the evidential review of our behavior and every “off hand” or casual word we’ve spoken?  This country has done nothing different than any other nation which has forgotten the Hand which blessed them to prosperity.  This is no mystery.  It is no secret why we lose influence globally, our children fall prey to drugs, sex, violence and self-service.  We ourselves showed them the way to self-righteousness and slavery to the master of this world.  We have turned the fires of hell into a video game promising “wicked fun for everyone”.  I see rampant sin in the church and if you don’t then you are telling yourself lies or closing your eyes because you don’t want to believe.  There is no way back to glory if we as Christians do not begin with purification and obedience in our own lives. 

There will not be revival in this nation because we do not even want it in our individual lives.  We speak empty prayers not meaning them, take vows we never intended to keep and keep company with the lost, in folly believing ourselves impervious to corruption.  We consistently avoid the Word, warp the Word, forget the Word or remain ignorant of the Word thinking foolishly that this frees us from the obligation to do the Word of God.  Every man knows the truth that is God and if any of us chooses to deny that truth we are turned over to our decadent minds and in turn will seek to corrupt others.  Romans 1 as clear as the peel of locomotive horn across the winter valley.

I know the state of my life.  I know that I am a sinner saved only by grace and not by any action I’ve taken but by the actions of the Holy, Loving God I serve.  I understand that I am to turn from my sin and repent, allowing the Holy Spirit to rectify that which has been tarnished.  I understand that in a moment I was redeemed but I will be challenged time and again to remain vigilant to the path on which I have been led.  I voluntarily serve the Master who paid the price for my sin by giving up His perfectly righteous life for my life of sin.  He commands and deserves my obedience and to do otherwise is rebellion that will be measured, weighed and winnowed.  Henceforth, I am not my own man except in that I choose to do what I am told instead of follow the whispers, commands, fear or ways of my flesh, this world or the powers of unrighteous demons and fallen angels.  My actions are my most potent weapon against the enemy and my most powerful witness to those who seek freedom from bondage.  I will stand and let the Lord my God fight for me in this battle that has already been won.  I am victorious in Christ my Lord and will be seated at His feet in eternal righteous, basking in the light of His Glory and peace.  Praise Jesus all the days of this life and the next Amen.

My Holy God.  It is the simple things that humble me before Your feet.  Delighting slowly in Your Word, taking in the minute details, realizing that they are multifaceted gems of splendor.  I know that You wait upon us, watching, knowing that perfect moment when Your Son will be sent to collect His bride.  You have created a glorious world, even in its corrupted state it still holds tight to its reflection of Your grandeur.  We are astonished at the complexity of atomic structure, gravity, color, raindrops and dreams.  Each moment an opportunity to remember Your grace and delight in our blessings.  Awe too narrow a word to explain our condition.  I am a grain of sand upon one of Your quadrillion beaches, yet I still feel richly loved and tenderly admired.  Here is where I am meant to be until I may once again come home.  Until that day I will visit You in prayer, sleep, joy and laughter.  My Holy God.  Jesus be blessed.  Amen.

Monumental is a live event, hosted by Kirk Cameron. On Tuesday, March 27^th 2012, in over 450 theaters nationwide, audiences will come together for this live, one-night event. The two-hour event will begin at 7:30pm ET, 6:30pm CT, 5:30pm MT, and 8:00pm PT (tape delayed), and is suitable for ages 13+.

A quiet, relatively full public bath and you realize you are surrounded by pagans chanting mantras to the fallen.  As you stand ready to depart you look around and see some children, absent their parents suddenly taken by curiosity of the strange group ritual.  You realize the moment that you begin to part your lips in protest that you may be the only Christian in the room.  And even worse when you ask them peacefully to please refrain from their religious practices in the middle of a public place you are attacked for being hateful.  They immediately try to paint you as the disturber even to the point of thuggery, one of them bullying up against you, challenging you verbally and telling you to leave.  Do you stand for the Lord, although He doesn’t need your defense?  Do you throw popularity out the window in defense of the children who may be deceived?  Tough choice, tougher stance, toughest road.  The problem is this is America, and being a Christian, they seek to do what for you has been prohibited.  The world has been flipped on its head.

This is America, where we as Christians used to be safe in proclaiming the name of God for all to hear and they rejoiced at the mention of His name.  This is America, that has fallen asleep and been turned over to its decadent mind in response to denying the truth that it a Holy God.  This is America, where Christianity is the new public enemy and subject to targeted oppression.  This is America, will you stand against the inroads of the enemy, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ or will you continue to allow our foundation to be eroded, chipped away and eventually overturned?  This is America where our children are being raised by secular teachers, being taught to disrespect everything, including themselves and to seek personal wealth, pleasure and perform for attention.  This is America, like Israel of old that has turned its face away from God and is suffering the repercussions.  This is America, for which so many lost their lives in defense of something right, pure and precious.  This is America a tarnished jewel dropped into the mud and stamped beneath boots of the unholy, never to be found.  God Bless Your Holy Name as You turn Your face away from her.  Forgive us, grant us another chance, awake our eyes to the foolishness of our footsteps.  Wake us or judge us, Your will be done.  In Jesus’ name.

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/player/how-to-answer-a-skeptic-255697.html  Real, ready, stand clear—Great Bible Preaching by the Late Adrian Rogers

http://www.newsmax.com/video/viewid/e9a53b23-1982-4058-ad6f-9de251c7d3ae  What Native Experts think is going on in the Middle East.

Where do people run in disaster?  Answer, to the church.  If there were a disaster in your town, be it fire, flood, earthquake or attack, would your church be prepared to handle the influx of wounded, destitute, shocked and homeless?  Of course not, because the enemy has convinced us that we are simply there for fellowship, an occasional prayer and a weekend mission trip or two.  We have no purpose other than self serving assignment to gather and check the weekly, “I attended” church box.  We are not genuine in our living creating a desire among the lost to figure out the mystery asking us for an explanation of our internal hope.

We are not ready for the horrific moments following a tornado, fire or flood.  We simply say that is something for the government, the Red Cross or the Salvation Army to handle.  We have acquiesced our community leadership responsibility and care for the indigent to “someone else”  believing that the burden of the orphaned, poor, widowed and wounded is not our challenge.  This is entirely inconsistent with the Word and elucidates our continued disobedience to the Lord.  We should be the first responders in our communities, teaming up with the fire, police and government leaders to help the lost, sick and forgotten.  Utilizing the moment of disaster to demonstrate the peace, comfort and provision of our mighty God.  Showing the lost how we respond to their need out of our abundant, joyous and loving hearts.  Glorifying God in their greatest tribulation and instilling them with hope and courage to face the trials before them.  We must be what we have not been to this country and once again people will trust the church as the true House of God’s people.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/onward-christian-soldiers/  Who says they don’t notice our witness for Israel?

The era for non commitment has dwindled.  A time for leisure Christianity has faded. The increasingly visible signs of Bible prophecy unfolding are indicators of the imminency of Christ’s return, yet we heed them not.  The Lord told us to be soul winners for the Kingdom, yet we witness not.  We have been warned of our need for repentance from sin, yet we return to our vomit as dogs.  The dangers of hell are prevalent and yet pastors preach them not.  What part of our actions are evidence to our Christianity?  How could each of us make a case for our own salvation?  I am not trying to judge, but I fear that many must have that Matthew 7:21 moment where they realize they are included among those to whom the Lord was promising exclusion.  Thinking you’re right and being right have always been two different things.

My prayers for this failing world have evolved to asking God to protect the innocent from the coming travesty.  Recently I have seen a preponderance of worldly people unafraid of the stance they have taken, fully embracing their unbridled wickedness, proud to be Godless.  The times are quickly cascading into a time that resembles the “times of Noah”.  If this does not sound an alarm then my fears are realized for we are closer than any of us imagines.  Did you look for Christ to come last night?  Did you get yesterday right appropriately fearing the Lord?  Are you sure?  This is one that you want to get right because even being partially wrong will cost you everything.  My advice, do what the Lord told all of us to do in the Bible, pray to Him unceasingly and keep your eyes skyward for His imminent return.  Soon, right away and “could happen any moment” are not words that can be ignored and this time excuses won’t matter.  Join Him or join the world in judgment.  That is freedom of choice, the choice every loving Father would give His children.  But do not mistake the Lord’s promise to judge this world’s iniquities for it is coming.  Do not be led astray by false teachers, false hopes or fleshly whispers.

Am I free?  Do I truly have the necessary components to exercise true liberty?  Have I bridled myself or sold my self determination to any master, limiting my independence?  Is there a charade surrounding this concept of my autonomy?  What defines my concept of freedom?  How can I speak truth in declaring that I am a free man?  What does that word really mean?  If the associative antonyms are restraint, imprisonment and incarceration does this term imply the absence of bondage?  Or is there a larger concept surrounding its reflection upon self-determination, self-governance, choice, license and leave?  Is freedom, in fact autarchy in the respect of self sovereignty?  And then in fact would this most effectively reflect our creation in the image of God?  Wouldn’t then freedom define our right in remaining sovereign over each and every facet of our personal existence?

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?  In order for us to achieve this freedom it means that being sovereign there is no escaping any action for which I alone am the nexus of responsibility.  I do not believe that those who mock the Lord God, claiming themselves to be sovereign understand and respect that for God excuses cannot exist.  Are we then right to hold God accountable for anything that goes wrong in His creation, perhaps taking the stance of a man much more righteous than myself, Job?  Since none of us is willing to subject ourselves to the strict guidelines of responsibility for our own creation.  Do I even have a toe to stand upon that I did not first receive from my Sovereign Creator, the Lord God of Israel and the Church?  Seek God do not seek to be like God for that is the greatest possible mistake any created being can commit.

Am I truly free to exercise my choice at any moment without contemplation for the effects of my deliberate self-focused action?  Do I have complete sovereignty from things like guilt, restitution, emotional or relational impact, loss of innocence and greed?  Radically, then is not my pursuit of personal freedom directly discordant with God’s will?  Have I not been given my marching orders and a list of expectations by my SOVEREIGN LORD, to which I have no freedom from responsibility?  If I choose my own design in replacement of God’s, I then am ANTICHRIST.  Do we not see the danger of pursuing liberty when that indulgence puts us in direct conflict with God?  Freedom is nice but voluntary slavery is a much greater pursuit in this world or the next.  Those who can understand will.

Thank you Father in Jesus’ name.

If I were to grant or acquiesce to your most persistent arguments, how would you have me bend?  Perhaps toward the conclusion that the Bible is not the inerrant Word of the Lord God, instead being some well-constructed set of manly musings depicting the way to a promising lifestyle?  Or maybe, you would have us consider the humanity of Jesus, neglecting the facts of His miraculous life, ministry and ascension, even obfuscating the numerous times He claimed that He was the Messiah and therefore God?  Perchance you would like to hash over the concepts surrounding multiple paths to heaven and enlightenment as the invitation to becoming immortal or one with the god universe?  Or maybe whittling down the Christian faith to something that resembled a duck instead of a steadfast belief in God’s plan for mankind allowing for open interpretation of His expectations is your most desired topic?

Trust me I have repeatedly reflected upon the possibility of softening my positions in order to get along with unbelievers or disobedient Christians.  I have arduously contemplated conforming my witness to capture the largest sampling of those who might be saved.  But in the end, the Word cannot be manipulated, measured or metered out at the whim of those seeking partial participation.  Although it is infinite in its unique capacity as a living document it is extremely exact and unchangeable with regard to its prophetic heraldry.  There is no escaping God’s grace, God’s love, God’s commandments, God’s might, His Glory, His righteousness and His inevitable, inescapable and unavoidable judgment in victory.  It is not me that you must convince, but rather you must invalidate the entire principles of truth in order to contradict God’s Word.  And that my friends is a LOST battle.  Be careful on which side you find yourself in the coming days as there is only one path to glory and that doorway is named Jesus Christ our Lord.  Praise You Mighty King.