What is love?  An operative phrase about the passionate drives to follow to the ends of time those qualities we find undeniable?  The mooring, tethered to another heart, lashed tightly enough to stand a mid-deck through the great Nor-Easter?  The cumulative sacrifice to time, tenure, talent and treasure for the sake of those for which responsibility resides?  The agonizing yearn for return of the spark which kindles the brightest flame?  The petrifying, fear having lost something breakable for not having valued gentility or having crushed it by a clutch too firm?  Or laying down Glory to come to Earth, giving every ounce of blood, tears and life, so that every man and woman has the opportunity to be set free of the power of sin and death, cleansed of life’s poison to spend eternity with a Holy and Righteous God.

My concepts, my words fail me.  Ensnared by my throat, saving me, putting a stop to my inability to express something beyond my understanding.  How can I love when I cannot even comprehend?  I am capable of puppy’s affection nothing more.  It is through His love for me that I even have a basis for expression.  Having never felt the unconditional treatment I was offered for simply believing, I was awestruck from the outset, perpetually humbled in the Light of God’s Transforming Love.  Even now in the telling, the recount, the explanation, I am strangely insufficient to relaying my own history.  How can this be that I am too frail, too simple, lacking the complexity to even relay the wonderment of God’s Provision?  Laid Bare.  I point to God and know you will find Him the same.

How then am I to love these humans, simple creatures like me, who have a frail but wonderful understanding of that precious endeavor, love?  They waste it, playing fickle, acting as if its power is some how mastered by the frivolous, yet knowing all along that those who taste it superficially have never known its truth.  In depth, in the waiting, in the patience of a lifetime, learning to love is savored.  Remembered each time and craved, but honored as a warm house, a cool drink or the smile of a contented child.  Love is not the sinful thing of black knighted conquest in horror tales.  It is the moment when something finally becomes important enough to give us for its continued freedom.  It is Life’s Meaning.

In the words of the wonderful Bible Hymn, “I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship You. Oh my soul rejoice, Take joy my King in what You hear, let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”  The rest I will leave to the foreign cries and moans of my unknown heart as its words are translated by You, Oh Holy Spirit, the Majestic voice of God that lives and Loves Within each of us.  I cannot express my Love for You Lord.  May I love them in the way You have commanded.  In Jesus Name.

And when he had called all the people to him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile the man.  If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.  And when the was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.  And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also?  Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out in the draught purging all meats?  And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within and defile the man.  Mark 7:14-23

Jesus said it, I listen, remember, believe and follow.  We cannot blame this world for our corruption.  It is out of my own imagination that come the sinful measures that taint my own existence.  There isn’t a single one of those evil things of which I am innocent, except murders though the Lord says that being angry with my Brother without cause is the same.  I hate because I have chosen to pursue that perspective that arose as an idea, then grew to an emotion which rose to retributive thought and then to action.  This world may be wicked but it is not the wickedness of the world that colors me wicked, it is the blackness and evil precursors within my own soul that label me corrupted.

Lord, I am undone, by the works within my person.  Free me from my evil thoughts, ideas and actions before I hurt someone or defile myself when I am supposed to be a vessel for your glory.  There shall no sign be given unto this generation.  

Father, I don’t need a sign to see that I have been blaming the things, people and situations around me for the darkness within when it is by my own heart that I have been made wicked.  Cleanse my heart of its unrighteous proclivity.  Give me freedom from the evil that resides dormant or active within.  Set me free from those influences which seek to produce wicked behavior that I might remain free from perpetual sin.  Lord I give my heart to you and ask that you protect it from my own propensity to spoil.  Let me remain clean that I might give powerful witness of righteous living in this life and the next.  In Jesus’ Holy Name.

What happened to my friends who started out in love with Christ and have either slowly or suddenly lost interest in that love?  What drew them away, as the Kings of Israel and Judah begun to do the things that pleased God and then suddenly began worshiping idols in high places?  The initial presumption must be that they knew the things that pleased God because they evidenced that through primary action.  What then did they forget, did they rebel against or did they get somehow led astray of those things they knew to be right?  With my friends the original indication that something was wrong was indicated by the extended length between communication or the sudden absence thereof.  They had at some point stopped or slowed to a leak the spigot of their service for the Lord so I became a reminder of that diminished relationship, they didn’t want to hear from me or see me.  It seems personal but it actually is a sign of blessing, that they would so associate me with the Lord that having a relationship with me is a conviction.  Yes, it hurts when friends divorce you but it hurts worse to imagine them back slidden to the point of quenching the Holy Spirit or worse blotted from the Book called Life.

None of us imagines ourselves back sliding.  None of wants to be away from God, but we must first admit that all are in the danger of reclaiming our space in the world and take preparative steps to prevent this drastic and abominable occurrence.  What, it can be prevented?  Of course most disasters can be avoided or at least the damage done minimized.

Are you staying in the Word, not just a casual read but everyday opening it up looking for the answers to our hurts, desires, riddles, puzzles and dreams?  Are you staying in relationship with the Lord through prayer?  Since this is your greatest privilege of salvation, audience with the Creator, don’t you think that ought to be valued and protected as vital for your secure and prosperous living?  Finally are you spending time with other Christians, doing ministry, counseling, learning, encouraging and enjoying the joy of other saints? We were given God’s Glory in one place and that is the unity of the Saints that we might be one in Christ Jesus and press down against each other set beside the Cornerstone (Christ) and fortify our collective mortar.  If you ain’t seeing Christians then you ain’t achieving the Glory available here on Earth.

I have lost so many family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances to the world that I have to try and stop this constant siphoning of Saints.  I miss you and what is more important the Lord is sitting there with open arms awaiting your return and will run to you as he sees you afar.  Let us all rejoice at your return to the Lord and your return to the Body of Christ.  I am missing big toes, a nose, an arm a hand and heart.  Please bring them back so that we might be whole again.  We are not the same without you.  In Jesus’ Name.

Demonstrating that you understand someone’s recommendations is proof of listening.  However, learning new ways of doing things and obeying the Lord’s direction for doing things must always remain in imperfect relationship.  You see, I love the Lord like no other so, having heard your recommendations as long as they are consistent with the Lord’s guidance I am okay in delivering, but if there is conflict, I will be following the Lord.  See I have one master, not the job, not the pope, not people,nor money, not my dog, parrot or pig, but the Almighty maker of the universe, Father God.

So recently you have been hearing a series of messages related to getting busy for God.  I have been stressing that we need to do what the Lord told us to do because time is short.  I have continually been going over the fact that this is the time to bring the crops into the storehouse in anticipation of the Master’s return for the church when we can work no more.  I have been carrying with me a general weight of urgency that frankly I know has probably worn some people out.  For those who are doing God’s Will, I understand your angst concerning the repetitive message.

However, I am not sorry for the following reasons and will continue to do the same; first, we have now seen all the signs that the time of the Lord’s return is imminent.  We have heard, understood and believe the messages of Daniel, Ezekiel, Jude and Revelation that had been previous mystery for the times are applicable.  We understand that the Holy Spirit must be removed to some extent in order for the son of perdition to rise.  Therefore that portends the rapture as the Holy Spirit was sent to be our teacher, guide, counselor, power of witness and seal.

We have seen Turkey, Iran and Russia enter into cooperative agreement necessary for Ezekiel 38 & 39 to occur.  We are seeing evidence of the Spirit of Anti Christ in corporate form in the City of London through freemasonry, in that the Illuminati game plan requires destruction of the Christian faith.  Additionally we see a one-world government planned and almost installed by a cooperative group that uses Luciferian and Biblical symbols or the Red Dragon and the White Horse of the first rider of the Apocalypse.  Furthermore, Christians all tell me that they feel as if Christ’s return is nearly upon us.  What then do we do today if tonight is that blessed night where the sounding of the clarion calls brings us home?

Let me tell you what is not going to happen.  I am not leaving this place without doing the work that the Lord told me to do.  That means telling everyone I meet about Jesus, I don’t care if they are saved, think they are saved, don’t want to be saved, don’t think they can be saved, hate me, love me, like me or otherwise, because the Lord said that he died that whosoever shall believe.  And the moment we get yanked out of here in rapture everyone past that point will probably have to lose their lives in order to be with us in eternity.

I don’t want to leave them to the mercy of an enraged arch angel who knows is time is up, especially since they will not have the protections afforded by the Holy Spirit and the Armour of God and will be easy pray for deception, lies, miracles and wonders that we are told the fallen will do.  The work can only be done now, so if in this fourth quarter you hear me give pep talks and rah rah speeches imploring you to get off your butt and get into the game I know that you will forgive me. For I know your hearts and I know that you Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength like you love no other and that you love your neighbor as you would want to be loved.  So being your Brother that is the best way I can imagine to love you by reminding you that the time is short to do the work God has given you.

I know it will probably make me unpopular at parties.  I know that some of you want to punch, poke, chop or bite me, well when you come out to the desert don’t expect to see a reed easily bent, but I might turn the other cheek, because he would want me to because he loves you so much and he knows I could use a good smack every now and then.  I love you.  In Jesus’ Name I pray for your understanding, thank you for your prayers and wish for you a courageous and powerful tomorrow.

Wishy washy, pishy poshy, it is all a mechanism for excuse.  Feigning fogginess remaining so overwhelmed that I am under duress, hiding in my hobby hole I must confess are methods of avoiding the King’s Calling.  I am a master at avoiding clarity, with a severe brow a practiced rye smile and  a determined look I ponder, wander and reflect about the nothing that I have been accomplishing. Then I do the unthinkable and complain to God that I am not getting clear guidance or cannot hear His Will for my life.  Prehistoric!

There is no one better at creating circumstances by which and because of which or absent which I could actually do what God has commanded.  Just as Adam I would rise to the audacity of blaming God for giving me a partner that forced me to be disobedient instead of accepting the role I was provided and doing the right thing.  So complex there isn’t a sufficient textbook adequate to describing the intricacies of my meandering machinations.  I am foiled, again and thrice by the mice within my own machinery, gnawing, biting, chewing up the mechanisms and soft tissue of my resolve.  These are the excuses of a man attempting to out clever my own cleverness. The Word is clear, so clear that my only device to avoid the clarity with which it counsels or to ignore the clear conviction of the Holy Spirit within me is to bring on the fog.  This of course is absolutely foolhardy when operating within a relationship with the Almighty, Omniscient God, Omnipresent Lord.

Am I therefore done with the dew, disavowing the mind mud, swearing allegiance to the light of a clear mind, readied and willing to do that which is guided by Spirit?  We shall clearly see in the days to come.

That familiar weight, bulky mass of responsibility and the scramble for the assets to deal with the crushing weight of reality pressing down upon our shoulders.  The name calling, the wave cresting, the seams burning and the heart frozen solid.  Crying about everything, learning nothing and forgetting completely the discipline of effective listening.  Screaming out in garbled language about misunderstood or loosely comprehended sciences.  Practicing that persona that fools the crowd into believing the ridiculous lie of peace within a raging heart.  Standing still while life races bye or running alongside the train you’ve just missed hoping to catch up.

Do you think that assaults just come as organized attacks during the day, with appointed regiments and marquis of queens-bury rules?  No they sneak in disguised as saints with handfuls of candy, attention and comedic drama, camouflaging the blade beneath the well suited blazer.  Or whilst we dream assaulting our nights, confusing and lengthening our days by constricting our sleep, diet and dashing those moments of well anticipated peace with injections of turmoil and chaos.  Whispering day and night of your shambles of a ministry.  Beckoning this way and that, threatening loss of everything but the air you breathe, but even that is so heavy you cannot seem to get enough into each of your lungs.

This is not a game.  This fight is to the death because it last your life long.  There is no rest but in him and no let up until you find the safety and security in the shadow of Almighty God.  Unless of course you take the field willingly, armored for battle, your mind, heart, feet and arm prepared for ensuing foray.  Going forward is the only way through the maze, through the enemy’s illusory misgivings, past the monsters, and dragons and fiery voids.  Standing still is misery, relentlessly bombarded by darts, arrows, innuendo and demagoguery, ducking, no hiding behind the width and breadth of shield protecting your flank.  When shall we draw the sword of our Father and stride forward screaming, There’s Victory in Jesus, My Saviour.

I wish there were sufficient distractions to obscure the clarity, but clarity is that way it cuts through the dim, fog or unready heart.  Be steady and keep my footing remembering the fixed stone beneath them.  Yes, it appears that we are called to the impossible, that impossible task of forgetting or losing ourselves as the Bible states it so that I may find the joy of Christ’s intention for my life.  This is not a collective discipline and when I use the pronoun we, I simply mean “me”, but I am deferring the reality to distract myself from the decisions that must be made.  Lord, you know I don’t want the disinformation, the shiny object, squirrel or misdirection, but I often employ it as delay tactic to avoid the inevitable actions I must take for You.

It is foolhardy to ask for illumination, clarity, discernment or wisdom if in the quest we have not already determined to listen and obey that clarity.  Stop saying it if the willingness does not exist at the time of prayer to accept and respond to the requested answer or movement in reality.  I am so sorry Lord for having consistently wasted your time when my heart really wasn’t in it from the outset.  I was just looking for the appearance of faith, not the reality, the stone’s footing reality of being prepared to stand against the tsunami’s of life, fully dependent on Your Will to deliver me.  For I never could save myself and if I enter the impossible situation I need to understand that my efforts were insufficient from the beginning.  Otherwise I will always be “doing” instead of “waiting”.

Thank you for the clarity Lord, now is the time of action.  I pray that I step wisely upon the path you’ve lighted, giving full regard to the importance of each foot step.  I know that I am afraid Father but that is a nervous fear, because these tasks do not depend on my capacity to deliver the expected results.  My fear again is irrelevant unless I were fooled into believing it is my strength, my talent, my strong sword arm upon which my safety depended.  It is irrelevant when looking at the victory that shall be provided.  I must look at it logically, for example, do you believe the Christian Brothers and Sisters killed by animals in the Coliseum of Rome for God’s good glory, believed that they would be able to personally best the Lion, Tigers or Bears?  They gave their lives willingly for the sake of Christ.  Do you think they believed the false prosperity doctrine being preached in wickedness that they paid their tithe and that they therefore would never have to potentially give life or limb for the Kingdom.  We were never made that promise, in fact the Bible offers the opposite, a word of readiness, maturity and preparation for whatever may be asked of us by God.  It is only in this mindset that we may enter the field of performance for the Lord because whether deliverance or death it is His Hand that provides either.

Lord thank you for opening my eyes to my own consistent lack of demonstrative faith in my thoughts, beliefs and actions.  It is through faith that I may please you.  Lord, I ask for that faith and continue to seek, listen and respond to the Word that will increase it.  In Jesus’ Name I offer my prayers for you today.  Prayers for courage, protection and abundance all from the hand of God through Christ.  In Jesus’ Mighty Name may you stand your ground in knowledge of His Promises.

When and how do I determine a risk is worth the backlash without falling under the influences of personal distaste for investment in the Kingdom?  My willingness to undergo, whatever, I repeat whatever the repercussions as equal or opposite reaction for my defense of our faith has to be determined and discussed or naked I go onto the battlefield for Christ.  We are no longer babes, but men.  Therefore we must prepare for these instances and divine opportunities, determining before hand how we will react in theory and then making it real by taking that to the Lord through prayer.  It is inconsistent with reality to imagine that we will perform differently in a tense situation if in peace we are incapable or unprepared to suffer the fiery darts of the enemy for the sake of Christ.  We will always perform what we practice and it is naive at best to imagine that we will react in any other manner than fight or flight if we have done no preparation and meditation on that moment when will be called upon the act in a manner consistent with our FAITH.

What then is worthwhile?  What then is my risk aversion?  What then is worth losing for the sake of the Kingdom and what will keep me on the sidelines because it is too much to give for God?  You don’t want to have this conversation.  I get it, nor do I.  However, it is a discussion that must be entered, followed and resolved before I will go onto to the battle field with you.  We must know what each other plans to do before going out there and finding our what we will actually do.  If you are not willing and ready to lose it all then how can I expect that you would have my back or I yours? Are we in this for victory, willing to withstand whatever comes our way in our faith in God’s capacity to overcome and our own willingness to remain courageous or are we just a bunch of talk and little action?  Because this is not a game, it is the reason for our placement in this thing called life and it is not going to go away just because we find the discussion unworthy or too difficult to pursue.

They are not going to like what you say.  They are not going to like the Holy Spirit convicting them through us.  It is unlikely that they are going to give us love and cookies for telling the truth of the Gospel.  If that is the mindset from which we enter the fray then we are foolhardy at best.  Let us be real, let us determine before hand that which we are willing to sacrifice and in truthful acknowledgement of our fears and reserve we must then go before God asking for the courage and willingness to give it all when asked.  To go on to the field of battle not having had this discussion prior to is absolute foolishness and I simply will not move until you know my heart on this matter.  For the reward is worth the risk of everything I’ve been given.  Do you feel the same?

I pray for us in Jesus’ Name

I get it the world is too much for you to handle.  It comes at you and at you, again and again until it either crests over top or crashes against your defense mechanisms.  You don’t need me pushing you into the oncoming waves, but you’re mistaken I am bracing my footing behind you to assist you in keeping your stance.  You are not in this alone, that has been your biggest mis-estimation of the Lord.  Begin to look for the impossible thing and then you will begin to differentiate between His and other voices.  It is after all the Shepherd to whom you wish to respond, isn’t it?

Those of you, especially you, who are so self capable that nothing typically daunts, upsets, upends or stalls you in your quest to conquer the world, please stop.  Not because I want your plates to crash to the ground, but remember if you need God to do the impossible, is he going to ask you to do the possible, instead?  Is He going to feed you on a diet of all those things of which you are entirely capable, well suited and provisioned in talent, time and treasure?  Or do you think it more likely that He is going to give you those curve balls you can’t hit, those questions that you cannot answer and those tears that you cannot stop or dry up?

This is the testing ground.  Since it is the testing ground then you will be given tests, not farcical verses that purportedly came from the Bible but didn’t, such as, “God never gives you more than you can handle”.  Wait a second while I call you out.  Where is that in the Bible.  I’ll give you an hour then you can come back and continue on with my diatribe, cause it ain’t in there Samson.  He always gives me more than I can handle so that my faith may be increased when I go to Him in prayer for help and HE delivers, every time.  I am continually dwelling in the undeliverables of my insufficiency.  Praise be to God that I have begun to believe in Him so fervently, resiliently and constantly that I have begun to look for the impossible and expect the miracle that will resolve it.  Isn’t that faith, belief in things not yet seen, delivered by God’s Hand, especially when I knew from the outset I couldn’t do it and didn’t waste time frolicking in my own ego filled attempts and failing.  Give it to God now so that you don’t have to beg Him to take it later.

Father, I get it this is a hard place.  I understand, headtastically ( I just made it up ) that they need me to be gentle and not say things like suck it up or get over it.  Lord can you please use me to express my love for them and still remind them that it is time to surrender, like they said they wanted to, so that you can get about the business of resolving those things they’ve prayed about.  And Lord, since this world is difficult can you please give them desire to be courageous and stand, even when extremely frightened out of their gourds, having faith in Your Promises and capacity to deliver them.  Isn’t it about time they began to know You, I mean it is a Father/Son or Father/Daughter relationship correct?  Lord please let me be gentle but never let me use that as an excuse to refuse to tell them the truth You Have commanded of me.  For I love you Most.  In Jesus’ Name.

They know that I do not belong to them yet they toss it about in speech as if something else were true.  They know that their time is short yet they frolic with the truth, wasting their time attempting to steal other’s joy.  Why then were they allowed among us unless it were for a time the good purpose of God to challenge faith and reason?  No one likes trials and tribulation, but they too have their edifying components.  We all know it yet it took unbelievers, skeptics, relativists and worse to remind us that this life makes us stronger.  Oh and by the way they were wrong, life kills everyone so whatever makes you stronger just makes you stronger.

This a narrow road when viewed through the lens of fulfilling God’s ministry for man.  This is a skinny path when traversed with careful intention of obeying God’s Commands for our lives.  This is a focused discipline when being challenged by the peer influences of a world that wishes you share in its misery rather than show them the skinny trail to eternity with God.  This is an idea broadly delivered, as broadly as to every man and woman, yet the acceptance group is relatively minute.  What then may be said of man or woman with general similarities who all choose the difficult road with higher requirements versus the broadly traversed, easily navigated avenue to destruction?

It is the ease, for in the ease their follow lay.  Comfort, simplicity and sensory fulfillment are perceived and sold as the greater achievements yet they lack the longevity of true treasures.  They are fickle and fleeting, just as are the appetite of those who follow trending concepts.  Just because a faster way to cross the icy river or the lava pools presents itself, the comparative risk and long term reward must always be considered prior to embarkation. Yes, I may choose the boulevard providing for my best window shopping delights, but if the house of lady wisdom is not accessible by the path can its worth be of equivalent value?

Please don’t read me wrong.  You would think I am telling to take the difficult road.  I am not, for the Lord says and has proven to each of us that His yoke, his burden upon us is light.  It is a myth that you will have none of your wishes met.  Yes you will have to leave your sin behind, but in review you will find that your sin was short lived, fleeting and fickle as are most of the acquaintances on the broad road.  Where the fellowship on the skinny path is lasting, rewarding and actually makes you feel loved.  Isn’t that truly more consistent with our design.  We were made for better things, we were made for friends that don’t leave, don’t demand and don’t seek to undermine.  We were meant for the Love of God and that is only found through relationship accessed along the narrow path to life.

Find God, take the road that leads to a better life in this one and the next. Find the path to Life.  In Jesus’ Name