Tag Archives: God

Only One

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Looking to my love for you, compared to the one God first showed me I am ashamed at how poorly I’ve loved this world. There is no justice in the peace you preach, no safety in the coverage you offer the vulnerable, no pride in the law you dispense calling for order. You embrace chaos as if it were solace or tranquility. Embellishing every lie with truth to somehow sell this abomination to the simple. What then is the prediction of your objective? Relative destruction, absolute tranquility in lifelessness, hope in all things unbelievable.

The rub is none of that is my duty, but the love I am meant to show you despite your indwelling demons. Friend of the dark that you are, the time limit is not my own, but the countdown Almighty has ordered. You will find your end in shame, regret and the maddened fires of pitch and satin black, but none of that is my prerogative or passion. Where you go will be determined by your failure or success in acknowledging God’s offer, not by how I feel you’ve erred or come to reason. My only wish is to let you know how much you are truly loved.

There is no margin where my purpose concerned. No dawn to the fog within my thinking. I have no excuse to offer but only the apologies for failure or self-aggrandizement. There can be no failure in loving. For when it is offered something perfect ensues. Even when denied or forsaken love changes hearts, minds and matter. There is no end with love only beginning. No forgotten repose no faltered fealty only sacrifices or self-concern. Just as in life one may not choose separate or competing passions for in love sacrifice is natural, normal and will always prevail. Those who know not the purpose or have never known the truth in love forever, claim they’ve found it only to see at solemn conclusion that they never knew God’s Love.

Yet, I kneel before His Throne. Broken in my spirit, by the lack of interest when judgment is first found. For to look upon a man in worth or unloving candor I am stricken by my own equation to God in presuming that any man beyond the depth of His eternal Hand. This is not my world; I did not eat of the fruit desiring equality or superiority to Creator. Why then would I continue to fail as such perfect works, loving every child, every man or woman for the creation God devised for His Good Glory. Their fate is not my dilemma but the aspirations of Jonah in disobedience to deliver the Hope eternal to all who would listen, leaving their repentance before them and their salvation to the only one who May, Jesus Christ the King.

Embrace

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Clinging to the neck of Mother Bird feels so right and fine. Yet, as she is forced to move to live her life each child is acquainted with the inevitability of the broken connection which may or may not be restored. What is relationship? Is it the constant yearning for the connection or is it the confidence that at some points we will feel the brief/sustained embrace, warmth, comfort and love of that union with the person of our origin? What is the personal responsibility in establishing, maintaining, protecting and honoring the moments and the period between those times of shared interaction?

What changes? Is it everything or is there something in our universe that is outside the effects or periods of broken connection? Obviously, all of creation continues to change, entropy, decay and eventually die. This is the same with knowledge for it may be adjusted to reflect the acquisition of new updates adding to or reshaping the realm of experience. The power and authority of information is to know how to rapidly benefit from or adjust to those inevitable changes in order to somehow become personally improved or edified. However, this ability to change depends fully upon a choice. Knowing, believing and honoring that within the realm/reality of constant flux there is one thing that Never Changes. GOD.

Can you embrace God too much that He breaks the connection for purposes of health? NO. Therefore, the embrace and relationship with God is the only sustainable connection available to each child to become adult to find our way back to Him at ending. Why then in stark contrast to our yearning for connection do we seek to do it on our own, struggling, fidgeting, yearning to break free from the embrace of the one that that never changes? It makes no sense and yet it makes sense for purposes eternal and temporary. However, recognizing these facts begs the question: What would happen if I never sought disconnection from the connection, relationship and embrace of God?

What then is the process by which, through which a man or woman may both establish a consistent connection with the source of stability while venturing and experiencing the trials, education and shaping necessary to achieve relative perfection in each human experiment? Do I personally benefit exponentially from being in constant connection with Almighty? What is the precise or best determined, sweet spot so to say, where God and I are tethered, yet I remain free to master the toolset and freedoms that make a robust man? That is the wonder that astounds the angels, the tether of Spirit, a bond never upset, never disengaged, never interrupted based upon the promises of the One Person who does not change, Almighty Father God.

Contrary to worldly dissolution, the Trinity provides an unchanging relationship between Creator and little C, creation that answers the states unavailable in the realms of constant decay or change. Basically, this relationship by nature is defined by its freedom from the hands of Time and thus may remain constant and absolutely free in the same instant. For just as sustaining any relationship is defined by moments of unbroken connection, Time. Maintaining the relationship/connection is also defined with the same hand or parameters of constancy in, Time. Thus, to have a relationship outside the parameters, boundaries and definitions of time we must have relationship outside of time itself. And God being the only Being outside those constructs or constraints the constancy of Prayer, Gratefulness and Spirit found only in the connection with God, IS the only exception.

So, what is the nature of ETERNITY that exceeds the controlling or excluding clenches of time upon all men? Well, you must be REBORN of something eternal, something heavenly, something outside the original limitations of the man/woman born by the waters of human birth. The only way to achieve a CONSTANT relationship, an embrace that may never be interrupted is through the introduction of a seed of that REBIRTH, the baptism of fire birth, the HOLY SPIRIT’s indwelling with the heart of man. Living with the Holy Spirit’s seed, seal, power and absolute unchanging connection with God Almighty, because He IS who He IS, IS the only path to unceasing embrace.

To be totally loved, provisioned, protected, purposed, promised and portended that eternal connection must be wanted, chosen, yearned for, maintained and honored by each person who seeks everlasting life and growth beyond/outside the constraints of mortal existence. Yes, arguably there will be charlatans of false hope extolling the avenues of PURE KNOWLEDGE as pathways to everlasting, but they never existed outside time and therefore do not have the keys or access to provide its unceasing elements to the buyer. ENLIGHTENMENT or the promised fruits of the tree of the knowledge of GOOD AND EVIL are shiny objects trapping one in a Mobius loop. There is no way from here to there for there is no connection from here to there but through the Spirit, Son and Father who created and sustains all Time, Space and Matter.

First

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Without promise there is no belief, without belief there is no faith, without faith it is impossible to please God. This all stems from the Sovereignty and Reliability of God. For it is upon His act of creation and promises of active participation and prophetic future intercession that even made belief/trust possible. This entire lifestyle of reliance upon God was started by His action and will be ended by His Promised action. Upon that we Trust, everything else is suspect. Therefore, it is my trust in God that is the only Truth within me.

Why then do I read His Word. Is it the story? Is it the flowery language that gives me an electric shock up my legs and back? Is it to be a member of some fellowship or aspiration group? Is it to find out why so many strive to stand with Him when none of them can see Him? Is it to find a way out of my circumstances? Is it because nothing else seems real or discernably true? Is it to give myself strength to tackle the objects and obstacles before me? Is it to find my Creator and understand why He made me and what His promises mean measured against my will and desire? Or is it so that I may stand against Him in my vain imagination, pointing out how simple, uneducated and foolish all Christians have always been? Whose imagination do I hope to support in robust argument, mine or His?

This day, tomorrow we celebrate the day of which the hymn was written. When those of Jerusalem welcomed Him with cries and tears of Hosannah in the Highest. They laid palm fronds before the colt’s feet as they welcomed the realization of promised deliverance in the Messiah’s arrival to fulfill ALL prophecy. Yet, deception and argument offered by religious/military/political leaders led them to within the same week demand His death upon the cross, hung on a tree as cursed prisoners always were. Their reliance was clearly not upon God’s Promise but on man’s offering of protection, palace and prosperity.

Since when have we demanded a shift in the meanings of these feast days, the HOLYDAYS, that we have transliterated to holidays? What are we observing when seeding our children with a quest for the fertility of rabbits and the mystery for painted, golden eggs, gifts, money or the laps of men/women in costumes of the same? What are we pursuing in our own imagination or the stories we have been sold of those who worship air, tree and water? Do we truly understand the Promise that represented in observance and remembrance of the terrifying joy of Christ’s punishment for mankind’s sin? He took our place on that cross, taking willingly the death that we owed for our disobedience in sinful pursuit against God’s command. Why are we so intent on allowing the enemy’s prostitution of first intent, always ready to accept the revisions to the Promise. The small deviation from what God said which eventually leaves the ship astray, the compass untended, True North absent in our travels?

The joy of mistakes made is the time to focus upon their correction. I find myself in the unavoidable countdown to God’s intervention in America and this world. Knowing the only Truth is what He has given me combined with this sense impending urgency of His return I am self-counseled and spoken clearly to by God’s Spirit to do those things commensurate and consistent with a man who in faith, believes and in belief acknowledges the TRUTH that is God’s Sovereignty. These are the days of our participation and validation/declaration of that Truth. God holds accountability for my alignment or departure from His direction. My choices that are consistent with that accountability are the only power I personally possess to deny or confirm the blessings of this life and the next. I choose Truth. I choose God through Christ. I am Christian and I follow Him, am changed by Him and loved by Him to eventually resemble Him in the Family of those who first Trusted and Believed His Promises.

Out There

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For those who seek comfort and solace within the Church, let it be short lived, for healing, encouragement, teaching and preparation, exiting quickly to do the work Christ commanded us.  I cannot begin to tell you how many pastors have declined my offer to teach people to preach and prepare them to disciple to the poor, lost, hungry, tired and alone.  They wince when I suggest teaching people how to prepare to wear the armor of God and train themselves with the Word to face those demons and sin which each of us will invariably encounter.  They call me names and ask for my academic credentials when I  wish to offer my free time to volunteer in preparing the saints for work upon the streets and stairs of this lost world.  They slander my name when I suggest that we must learn to pray unceasingly, as constant prayer keeps us connected to God and the power of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus.  What then shall  we do as a church?  Stay inside, comforting one another, hoping that the lost will come through the doors uninvited?

How sweet the air conditioned, cushioned chairs of my multi million dollar chapel.  How wonderful the music offered for our enjoyment, mentioning Christ to make us feel better about our self indulgence.  How grand the sermons, delivered by polished professional theologians, taking care not to offend those who might leave the greatest endowment.  How wonderfully dressed the parishioners, freshly showered and adorned so that we may meet in comfort for these several hours of communion.  How delightful the yearly weekend mission to build houses for those who would teach us more of the Word then we have taken the chance to know ourselves.

What then of the tax collectors, brigands, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, liars, murderers and cheats?  Are they to hear the Gospel through ESP?  How shall they become free of blindness, sickness, demons and death when the doctors (We Christians) are unwilling to make house calls?  What shall be the result of our disobedience to the Crystal Clear instructions left by God through His Holy Scripture?  Are we to be left outside with the weaping and gnashing of teeth?  Don’t let your pastor coddle you, read the scripture for yourself, be an adult where your faith is concerned?  Don’t scriptures like Matthew 5 cause you to believe that there is something exceedingly clear and substantial about the directions which Christ gives His disciples?  The grey area is of the world for God’s Word never wavers in mediocrity, relativism or the indeterminate.  Choose, for it is in our choices that we see the truth about the Love of God.

Joshua 24:14-15 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

 

Not A Member

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What has the world to do with the Bride of Christ the King?  When did churches become businesses, tracking assets, fielding staff/employees and paid clergy as the hierarchy of mirrored worldly organizations?  What does a church have to do with conducting business meetings, salary reviews and financial updates where church leaders establish themselves as the authorities for church pursuits?  What is repentance and what is obedience?  What is the practice of the Nicolaitans and why did the Lord Jesus say that He hates those practices in His Epistle of Revelation 2?  If the Lord Jesus took time to speak directly into the lives of His Church, why aren’t Pastors concentrating on the message given us by Christ in this final Epistle of the Bible?

Could it be that they fear loss of authority, challenge to salary or worse yet a need for collective repentance?  I am frustrated by the continual, often and repeated misuse and misunderstanding of 2 Chronicles 7:14 by the churches as a finger pointed externally to those who need repent.  Revival begins in my heart, in my recognition and repentance of sin or disobedience to God, asking forgiveness and healing for my own propensity to wickedness.  I believe that is why we do not see revival in this country, because we are collectively disobedient as the Bride of Christ.  I believe that the Holy Spirit has been quenched in the churches by turning them into businesses, establishing paid clergy to take upon themselves the duty that was meant for all of us.  By giving up the Power of Spirit given us so that we might go and be witnesses to Christ’s Glory in the reaches of the Earth.  By abdicating the responsibility for discipleship to the staff or those obedient few.  I believe that a church unwilling or disobediently refusing to fulfill God’s Commands does not love God and chooses to serve the worldly aspects of self through organized worship and self-designed donation of time, talent and treasure.

http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/articles/who-were-the-nicolaitans-and-what-was-their-doctrine-and-deeds–14510.html

Why do churches all follow the same schedule of events each week, regardless of denomination?  Opening music, opening prayer, announcements, prayer of benediction, pastoral welcome, pastoral preaching, invitation, music, dismissal, fellowship.  Where is the Holy Spirit’s leading in the pulpits of today’s churches?  How do programmed or ritualized/scheduled sermon’s serve the Spirit’s direction?  Why aren’t pastor’s teaching all the men of the church to preach and preparing all parishioners for discipleship?  Why do churches believe that it is necessary to enroll members or exclude Christians from certain “privileges” or church assets, treating believers as investors or club members?  The established church is full of believers in Christ.  Unfortunately it has also been infiltrated by unbelievers seeking spiritualism, fellowship and worldly social inclusion.  Additionally, if we are not practicing, teaching and demanding Spirit filled service or fruitful evidence of salvation then aren’t we as disobedient as any one else?  The time for my repentance is upon me.  I pray that revival begins in my own heart and that small flame ignite the kindling nearby.

Father, teach me to pray, serve and seek you through obedience to my grace given position as a believer.  Have me boldly speak out against ritualism and worldly worship so that people might, like myself see their own adulterated reflection and see the need for repentance and submission.  Father, if my words be true let them strike the heart of believers such that they do not wish to simply silence the messengers but seek you in repentance, truth and service.  Father let me after all leave the outcomes to You, knowing my position is simply to offer up Your Word as sufficient evidence, leaving the chips to fall wherever they may.  Each believers decisions are theirs except where a teacher has withheld, concealed or disobediently not taught Your Truth in its entirety.  Let shepherds beware and leave the 99 to go find the 1, just as their Lord Jesus emulated.  If Pastors are not out spreading the Gospel on the streets then shouldn’t we be asking why?  Are they perhaps better than Christ, outside His Will or just disobedient to His example/leading?  In Jesus name

He is true

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My courage comes from a steadfast belief in God’s faithfulness.  What does that mean, you ask?   I am frightened, especially in this era of nuclear, meets biological/chemical, meets fanatic environment where it remains only a matter of time before they accidentally succeed at something horrific.  The economy is frankly enough in itself to scare the pants off of all those who hoped to someday slow down or retire.  Our nation continues full speed toward moral relativism and liberal lax-ism, without any regard for majorities, voting or historical/Biblical reasoning.  Now you throw in a smorgasbord of Biblical signs/observances, basically you have a mad scientists recipe for hysteria.  I am scared for our children, hell I am scared by our children in their entitled, foundation-less, naive stance that everything should be free coupled with an ideology that everyone should just plain get along.  Everyone will remind you that some form of golden age enlightenment will somehow free of us what the agreed upon prognosis appears is leading us straight toward self implosion.  All of this matters, it is just that no matter what can and will go horribly wrong, I have more belief and faith in God’s promise that He has this all in control.  If not for my understanding and resolve in the character of God, by all rights, I should be totally berserk with fear, but I am not you explain that to me without getting into a discussion on the existence of the Almighty Sovereign, One God of this and every universe.

God created, then Jesus overcame this world, following our inability to recover from being duped by our own flesh and satan.  God’s enemy would have us lay down and be paralyzed or completely motivated by fear.  That is my largest cause for pity, mercy and understanding for those who do not yet know Christ, in that, they are susceptible to that fear control.  That is why the Lord told us that He did not give us the spirit of fear, so that we might remember when it comes upon us to seek His face and turn away from the controlling influences incumbent to fright.  Don’t get me wrong, I use fear as a guide to tell me when to be cautious, as it is an emotional signal that something is odd or dangerous, but I do not believe that fear should be the guiding influence for any of my actions.  There is one exception and that is the reverent fear that accompanies a limited understanding of God’s nature, for wisdom may not exist without a rational fear of and respect for Almighty God.  But I serve the Lord I do not serve my fear, my sin or any other deceptive influence, outside my control.  God will always show up, so there is nothing that I need be afraid of because He is my shield, my shelter, my salvation.

As we enter an apparent new segment of the last days, fear seems common to all men.  I am so sorry for them as this fear is evidence of the absence of relationship with God.  Father let me see there fear as an opportunity to point them to the comfort only available after a meeting at that Old Rugged Cross.  Forgive me for nurturing, sponsoring or inflaming anyone’s fears, let me be an encourager not a bellows for the enemy’s paralysis of men.  I fear Your wrath alone.  Let me use this fear to sponsor a burning fire within my heart.  A fire, born of the desire to seek out and pull back men from the edge of abandon.  Thank You Jesus for the opportunity to live free of fear and judgment.

Evil creeps

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After decades of most good men doing nothing we are faced with excess evil.  It is not as if we turned our heads and were taken by surprise, but it is in the nature of evil to deceive and ebb slowly, creeping, saturating, polluting all innocence and righteousness.  Words like slithering, creeping and eerie describe the stylistic, political or strategic approach of evil.  What we now face in this nation only has one cure, repentance with a collective cry of all believers to God Almighty to intervene for America.  2 Chronicles 7:14 sets forth God’s requirement for healing a covenant nation, which begins, “If my people who are called by My Name“.  I need go no further for God has immediately stipulated, twice, in this one statement that it is incumbent upon “Christians” to cry out in humility for God’s intervention.  The enemy is delighting in widespread wickedness because we as Christians will not join together in humility and repentance, turning our faces to God so that He might hear and heal this land.  This has always been the method by which the Lord shook awake His people, by allowing evil to gain a foothold and eventually overrun the faithful.

Evil has creeped into America’s Societal norms.  I am sure there are many who would like to discuss exactly when that process began, but none would argue that something which started out with righteous and holy intent is now near-hopelessly corrupt.  For those who were never taught the sponsoring faith of our Founders, as the schools have been relegated to the stewardship of atheistic or evolutionary unbelievers, please check out the wide list of direct quotes regarding their position on Sovereign Authority in the United States.  http://www.usachristianministries.com/us-history-quotes-about-god-and-the-bible/

Instantly recognizable names; George Washington, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, etc…. and their clear belief in God’s Grace and Providence being the foundation and causality for America’s continued health and prosperity, provides consistent eye-opening evidence to the lies being proffered in our schools and public institutions.  Yet, we have allowed this to occur.  We have idly stood by and allowed the contamination, adulteration and intoxication of America.  Shall we now remain idle in dire times or join together in collective prayer to Almighty God for intervention?

It is sad to see our current leaders, arrogantly assured that they know best, then just as quickly blame others when their genius plans fail or stand up the next straw man to provide a idea which is more genius than the last.  They have forgotten their way for they are not beginning the entire process with humility and dependence upon God.  Gone is the firm reliance upon Divine Providence which directed this country’s straight and unyielding path.  I pray for our leaders as they have been appointed by God, but I also see that we have received unbelieving, duplicitous men, men of weak character, leaders for a nation who has turned its back on the God who blessed them.  Will we wake up in time to turn things around?  I personally see no evidence of this “national revival” in the Bible, but all things are possible to them who believe.  The question is do we want it enough?  Have we suffered sufficient national pain, suffering or sin misery to collectively repent?  It remains to be seen, but I know this, if we who call ourselves by His Name do not begin to cry out for the need of such national repentance it shall never occur, for God has provided the guidelines for such Divine National healing, and it begins with us.

Trust, hope and joy

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Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.  You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.  I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:6.5-8 NKJV

Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.  Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.  My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.  Psalm 5:1-3

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them, Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.  For You, O Lord, will will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround as with a shield.  Psalm 5:11-12

Where did we discover the great things in life?  When did we know, each of us the satisfaction of being safe, knowing favor or safety in the eyes of worthy protectors or for that matter did we understand hope?  What happened to the man which experienced none of these motivating, foundational principles?  How do young women mature without hope, never knowing security or faith?  How are relationships possible without trust?  We all know the answers and dread the truth of it, for life without hope, trust and safety is war.

Did your parents watch over you, keeping you safe and assuring you that nothing would get passed their loving arms of protection?  What made them wish to show you this thing, what gave them the overwhelming desire to place your welfare above their own, even in the midst of true danger?  Why have they worked so hard to earn your trust?  Why does it hurt you so that they have not?  Where is hope born?  How do you know that the sun will rise tomorrow?  How is certainty founded in a body that only believes in evolving man?  My questions all point to God, their is no escaping the logic, the reality, the knowledge of his existence.  Not because I want to convince you of something that I believe, rather I wish for you to challenge everything I proclaim, because I know, just as God’s Word states, that every man knows the truth of God.  The problem is that so many have forgotten, having been provoked by absent love and trust or holding their hands over their ears in denial hoping to forget the pain of guilt accompanying sin.  The price is heavy, having given up hope, or trust and life lived without safety is ill conceived.

Why then should I have hope in God?  What makes me believe, No, better Know that He will be there to fulfill each of His promises?  Why would I spend a lifetime in prayer and worship of a God that I am merely guessing will demonstrate His love for me when the opportunity presents itself?  The answer for those of narrow faith or maybe even if you are reading and you don’t know Jesus, is that, He has proven it to me time and again.  He has taught me to trust, He has given me hope, He has shown me the contentment of feeling completely safe in His protecting arms.  God is not the God of dreams and wishes, like some djinn, wooden shrine or dancing nymph.  He shows up, not only when you are in dire need, but also in the everyday, in the success, in the quiet or in the devastation of loss.  The difference between any “religious” or “spiritual” person and a Christian is that we have a relationship with Almighty God, not just a chant, a golden lantern or an oracle, we connect with God.  We don’t just repeat some mantra to the waiting air, in hope that someone is there or put our foreheads on the ground facing east to suit the mandates of a capricious and uninvolved sovereign, who has never shown himself.  We serve a God who stepped into humanity and humbled himself, sacrificed himself for our salvation and lives on in each believer’s heart as His sanctuary.  Name me any other god in man’s history who gave his own life for creation?

I have hope because God showed me that I had cause to hope in Him.  I have trust because God showed me I could trust Him and taught me how to trust others.  I am safe because He stood over me in my nightmare and watched over my sleep until once again I could stand.  Without these things life will never be complete.  That alone is reason enough to cry out to God at this very moment.  Try it, you will be surprised when He answers, that is the greatest of joys.  Praise God in Jesus’ Name.