Is Solomon Speaking To Us Now?

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud; she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings, But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you--when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways, and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. Proverbs 1:20-33 NIV

The question--is Solomon speaking to us now, can be answered quite literally if we're honest about what we see on a daily basis.

The first chapter in Proverbs is dedicated to understanding the role of wisdom and what happens when we don't exercise wisdom. This segment--referenced above--puts us--all Believers in a position to see why America is in the shape it is in--and possibly the world.

Let me break this down a little further--when we--those who call themselves Christians--lie on God, we end up with the only possible consequence of our lying--God ignoring us and allows the calamities of our own rebellion to overtake us. God is not mocked nor deceived by lying tongues, but He will allow our lies to make fools of us. Though I have categorically denied that God chose trump to be president of the United States, I have to include myself in the throng of Believers--who didn't do enough to persuade others that God does not intervene in our choices. He allows us to make the choices and allows us to handle the consequences of our actions.

What I see in the constantly unfolding events in the political arena and the rise of hatred in the land is the result of wickedness and lies promoted by those who claim to know God. Let me say this again (and I'll probably say it often)--GOD IS PRO-CHOICE! He honors and choices and allows us to deal with the results--in every area of our lives--not just as it pertains to abortion, elections, marriage--but in everything.

When Christian Believers (the Evangelicals who lied) acknowledge that God allows us choices, then perhaps, they can also begin to repent and rescind the notion that trump was God's choice--unless they are totally blinded by hate and bigotry and want to see the chaos continue.

I'm no more perfect than any other, but I do accept my limitations and acknowledge them. I depend upon my relationship with God to do the right thing at all times, but when I stray, He won't pull me back unless I submit to His pull. That's how He operates--with our submission to Him. He does not coerce, bully or bribe us to do anything; nor does He belittle or humiliate us--we do that on our own when we refuse to hear Him and obey.

At all times--we must speak truth whether we agree with truth or not--because truth will set us free from all the stupidity we now see. Truth can and will come through various people--both Republicans and Democrats (Conservatives and Liberals), but we must be open to hearing it and acting upon it or we'll cease to exist as a nation since truth has surfaced, the Russian interference into our election and the erosion of our democracy was planned years ago. They deliberately established relationships with those who--out of their greed and need for power--were easily influenced and duped into doing their will--not God's.

All of this is easily discovered with a little time taken to research it, so there is no need for anyone to just take my word for it. Once research is undertaken and truth is known, what should we do with it?
I've known the truth all along and have my blogs to verify what I've been saying and now I implore all who know truth to assert themselves into the throng of existing chaos and confusion and promote truth--if we don't change direction soon, we will no longer be the United States of America--a sovereign nation, but under the command of the Russians.

Now, can we honestly answer the question, "Is God talking to us?" Yes, because He is and will continue to speak to us through His Word and through Holy Spirit, if we're willing to listen. If we don't listen, we have only ourselves to blame for the calamities that will overwhelm us. As a society of civilized people, we can no longer allow ideologies and emotions to rule us; we must develop critical thinking skills and know how to determine when sources are credible or not--facts and evidence matters. Any news source that promotes hatred of anyone for any reason--is not a credible source of information; it will be biased based upon the hatred they promote. 

Therefore, I beseech every reader to reflect upon their relationship with God and know His truth and make all decisions pertaining to life and living upon that fact--proven through His Word.

In 2020, remember maintaining our democracy will depend upon all those who seek truth and promote it, rather than fuel ideological beliefs that have no foundation in truth according to God's Word. I'm counting on the wisdom of God to lead us all in turning away the whirlwind that will overtake us if we don't act. If we actively #resist the devil, and submit to God, we will know victory!

Lies Have Consequences!

 

A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.  Many curry favor with a ruler and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. The poor are shunned by all their relatives--how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes  understanding will soon prosper. A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish. Proverbs 19:5-9 NIV

For whatever reason, I was not able to blog yesterday on the WordPress site. I'm going to conclude that it is a browser problem since I'm here today--on another brower.

At any rate, anyone watching the latest news--unfolding minute-by-minute knows all the lies that have been told are about to be revealed and the consequences--will be dire. Thankful that a Special Prosecutor has finally been appointed and I can now sleep well at night--knowing truth will be revealed.

I think--when all is said and done--I'll be vindicated in speaking truth when many chose not to think about what I said as "truth." That's okay. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but the facts--are just that--and no matter how we might wish to change them, it's not going to happen. Lies have consequences--no matter who the liar is or what position they hold--the consequences will apply.
What's worse--at least from the perch from which I sit--observing all that occurs--is that some people never learn. When trump was supposed to be giving a commencement speech, encouraging those graduating--he turns the attention from them--to him--to complain about how unfair everyone is to him--"especially the media."

Here's the problem with the media--they report events as they unfold--and news outlets who actually exercise integrity in their reporting--take pains to make sure what they're reporting is based upon facts--not opinions and not an opportunity to "entertain" its viewers like #foxliestoday.

There's nothing I or anyone else can do to change the facts, but trump can change the outcome by simply tweeting his resignation.

That said--let me share something that is not a lie--my testing the waters for a presidential run in 2020. Here's the website: www.everydayamericans2020.com and on FaceBook fb.me/YesIAm2020.  I'm using every social media platform at my disposal to gather support and there's even a link to a survey on my Facebook Page for Everyday Americans.

And It Shall Be!

And so it shall be:

Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;
Instead of a sash, a rope;
Instead of well-set hair, baldness;
Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;
And branding instead of beauty.
Your men shall fall by the sword,
And your mighty in the war.
Her gates shall lament and mourn,
And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.  Isaiah 3:24-26 NKJV

Whenever we as a people--men and women--male and female--all created by Him who created all things--refuse to obey God and do things His way, we find ourselves on the receiving end of the consequences of disobedience. And when we see these things coming to fruition, most don't acknowledge the role they play in helping us get there and instead, point fingers--blaming others--never accepting responsibility for what they do.

This has been the story of mankind--from the beginning when we are discovered in our muck--blaming others. In the garden, after succumbing to temptation and listening to the serpent who influenced doubt about God's Word ("you shall not surely die"), Adam and the woman both blamed others for their act of disobedience. Adam blamed God for giving him the woman and the woman blamed the serpent because they apparently forgot that God knows all. Even though they refused to accept responsibility for their actions, they all received the consequences of their disobedience--the man having to work the land in order to eat; the woman having children accompanied by pain, and the serpent--once able to walk upright--having to crawl on his belly.

Though there are many who refuse to understand and accept God's Word in totality--the refusal to accept does not change the reality of the consequences we shall all feel when we disobey. God's Word shall stand long after all the "politically correct" nonsense fades away, long after mankind enters a new phase of generated extinction because of "feelings" and long after lies are exposed--about everything the enemy has influenced, God's Word shall stand and it shall be as He warned us.

What we have overlooked--time after time--is that we are simply to obey God--no matter how we feel. No where in the bible will we find God telling us to function based upon our feelings. Though He wants us to be compassionate--loving and helpful to others--He does not tell us to act out of emotional turmoil. He recognizes all the feelings--the emotional capacity He placed in us, but He expects us to obey Him in all things and that includes--being self-disciplined (not submitting to our feelings).

That's the biggest problem we face and have faced throughout history--people operating in their feelings. Wars have started because of a lack of discipline and disobedience. When people don't control their emotions--they ignite negative environments and we see strife, bigotry, and hatred towards others because of "feelings" and not because anyone has actually responded to another person's feelings.

When we allow our emotions to overrule common sense--we end up with problems that run rampant causing all sorts of evil against humanity. Emotions are fickle at best and for some--their feelings change as often as they blink their eyes and every time their feelings change, they allow their tongue to wag--without control--speaking when they should be thinking and then they wonder how--they arrive at the door of destruction. If we refuse to read God's Word with understanding, then we dig a hole in which there will be no way out and then--it shall be as God said.

It's past time we woke and smelled the stench that pervades the atmosphere--the hatred, the bigotry, the lies that lead to people living by their feelings and expecting others to embrace their disobedient, emotionalized feelings. All of this comes before God as a stench so strong there will never be enough air freshener to change it. Disobedience is a horrible smell and it leaves a stain for all to see--and Tide can't clean it. And since it smells horribly and makes God cringe--all of the consequences promised to us for our disobedience--shall be.

It's time we got our act together and stopped stinking up the atmosphere and send up a sweet fragrance of obedience to God in all things and submit our feelings to His Will.

We Can Say, "No" To Ungodliness!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 NIV

When people make excuses for living in opposition to God's Word, it is because they have either not been taught how to live The Word of God or they simply choose not to do so.

If  parents live an ungodly life before their children and all the children ever see is ungodliness around them, there is a great likelihood that the child will think that ungodliness is normal. We tend to think what we've have seen is all there is and unfortunately, for some children, ungodliness is all they will ever see. And for these we pray--that some day soon--they will see others live Godly lives and want to change their ways.





What do children see that is not of God? They see parents engrossed in all types of negative behaviors--watching porn on television, leaving bedroom doors open so the kids see all they should not see. They see parents getting high on drugs and selling drugs, and dealing in illegal activities--openly. They see parents start fights and brawls over trivial matters and they see parents set fires to home simply because they were evicted. They see parents cuss at anyone who dares to cross them or disagree with them. They hear parents when they lie and know when they are lying. And all of the ungodliness they see--becomes a part of their lives when they become adults and the cycle begins again.

If we understand the behavioral cycles that have led to the demise of respect and peace in our communications, we will see the need to teach better behaviors. There is but one simple rule to govern what we do--LOVE--and if we love--self and others--we can say, "No" to all ungodliness. If we teach children to respect others by showing them how we respect others, we can eliminate a lot of the violence in our society. Much of it is caused by a lack of respect--for self and others--especially when people think they have a right to infringe upon the rights of others--without consequences.
We are told in The Word that whatever we sow (plant), that is all we can expect to see. If we plant the seeds of ungodly behavior in our children, then all we can expect is ungodly behavior. If we plant Godliness (nurturing it our own behavior as a living testimony), then we'll see Godliness in our children.

We have to remember that children are not stupid nor blind. They see much more than we think they see and they imitate what they see. So before we get upset with our children and others around, we need to reflect upon our own behavior. Are we saying, "No" to ungodliness or have we deceived ourselves into thinking there is nothing wrong with us?
 
Getting into The Word on a daily basis and seeking God's Wisdom, puts us on the right path to living Godly lives before Him and others--alleviating any need to be ashamed of what we do--in the eye of the public or in our private lives. Please God--not man--and say no, to all ungodliness!

Choosing Truth!

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15,15 NIV

Making choices is a daily task and having an opportunity to choose didn't begin with us, but continues with us.

How many choices do we make on a daily basis? For some, too many to count and for others, too few to matter --they would think. We choose what we're wearing, how we start our day (acknowledging God or not), we choose to either breakfast or not, we choose to be good and kind or not, we choose to be helpful and compassionate or not. We choose to live a life that's pleasing to God or not. We choose--not God!

Everything that we "DO" is a choice! We can choose to live righteously or in opposition to God's Word--it is a choice--as is all active, deliberate behavior.

Now, some naysayers would say there are some things that are not a choice and they are right. None of us has ever chosen our parents. None of us has ever chosen the race or ethnicity into which we were born. None of us has ever chosen our intellectual ability at birth (many choose to enhance with education). None of us has ever chosen our gender at birth (though some are not choosing to rearrange God's perfection).

But now notice--what said earlier "ALL ACTIVE, DELIBERATE BEHAVIOR" is a choice and no one can deny that truth.  All sexual behavior on the part of the adult who is supposed to know better is a choice. Engaging children in sexual behavior is criminal and the choice of sick-minded deviants. Whether straight, gay, bi-sexual or whatever label a person chooses--any sexual activity in opposition to God's Word is SIN and it is a choice people make.

However, while this blog post is not about sexual sin, explicitly--it is about choosing Truth. We can choose to follow God and obey or not. It is our choice. What we have to remember is the consequences of our choices and they are not all good. Even when we obey, bad things happen to good people, but if God has designed it--the results will be good. But when people disobey God, they only have coming to them what's due for disobedience. Though man may attempt to change God's Truth in order to pacify the masses, those responsible for making Truth a lie will reap the consequences of their choices.

As we are reminded in Revelation about the lake of fire--while we yet live we have a choice to make and any who choose not to serve The Lord will reap their place in the lake of fire. Take a minute to reflect upon what has been said today--if you know The Lord, serve Him with gladness and know your reward awaits you. If you know others who don't know The Lord, please share this post with them so they will have time to make an intelligent choice that will save them from the lake of fire. Choosing Truth is the only way to live without regret.

Forewarned Accountability!

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself." Ezekiel 3:17-19 NIV

The role of watchman--to warn people to change before they are consumed by their own acts--is the same today as it was then. God is yet speaking to people, warning them to tell others to "change course" and seek Him and when we do not speak as God speaks, He will hold us accountable for what happens to others. When we do speak what He speaks and people ignore us, they are responsible and held accountable for their actions, not us for forewarning them.

When loving parents instruct, guide, and set boundaries for their children, it is to keep them safe from harm. But if the children ignore the instructions and do what they want to do, they are responsible for the consequences of their actions. However, if children come to harm and parents have never provided them with any guidance, it is the parents who are responsible and should be held accountable for their negligence.

For it is negligent--on the part of anyone--to see a dangerous situation and not warn others. It is negligent to know that ignoring instruction and rules could lead to other problems. It is negligent to know truth and allow people to believe a lie, without warning them of the consequences of their actions.

We live in a society where many are afraid to speak truth--about any situation--because they do not want to offend others or get on their wrong side. That's amazing to me. People are more concerned about offending mere mortals than they are about offending God. When we do wrong, no matter what the wrong is--we must be willing to accept the consequences for our actions.
Whether it is the president of the United States or the president of another entity; whether it is the justices of the Supreme Court or the judges in the lower courts; whether it is the pastor of the church or the congregants of the church--wrong is wrong--and God makes no distinctions between sin or those who commit the sin.

Lying is sin. Circumventing authority is sin. Being a pot-stirrer--always trying to stir up emotions in people in a negative way is sin. Having respect of persons is sin. We tend to pay more attention to sexual sin than other sin, but sin is sin and there are consequences for it all.

If we only concerned with pleasing God, the likelihood of our being held accountable for what others do significantly decreases, but their accountability remains the same. We are accountable for what we do and don't do--especially when we are forewarned and refuse to speak what God tells us to say.

Reading some of my fellow-bloggers lets me know that they understand the role of accountability and I count it a joy to be found in that number--a watchman not afraid to speak God's Truth as He reveals it to me. I pray more people will realize the importance of speaking God's Truth instead of trying to promote our own as it pertains the end results for all. I certainly don't want the blood of anyone else on my hands.

Discipline Saves From Death!

"Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise." (Proverbs 19:18, 20 NIV)

Considering how the government attempts to intervene when parents discipline their children, it's no wonder we see foolishness that leads to violence and death--the death of children and of others.

We see such stupidity as the "knock-out" activity--where gangs of idiotic males find vulnerable older citizens to just "knock them out" just because. When young people have no respect for the elderly, it is a strong indicator that no discipline was ever employed in their homes. If they don't respect their parents, they are certainly not going to respect others. And every time the idiots are caught--their parents try to defend their action and the worst excuse in the world is--there was no father in the home.

Why was there no father in the home? Because someone forgot to discipline them when they were younger and many are locked behind bars or in morgues or cemeteries. The lack of discipline has a domino effect on many in our society and it tends to be a generational problem. However, even if a father is not in the home, mothers can and have been strong leaders in the home, when they care enough to teach their children right from wrong and live it as an example in front of them.

But there is another reason why discipline is lacking in so many homes. Many parents are afraid to discipline their children because of laws pertaining to corporal punishment. Children have been encouraged to "report" any act of corporal punishment because we have adult idiots who decided that if we spank a child, we damage their "emotional growth". Well, I'm against child abuse, but I'm a strong advocate for corporal punishment--as prescribed by God--using the rod (figuratively) of correction when needed.

There is a difference between beating a child and abusing them--breaking bones, putting them hospitals and causing death. I would never advocate abuse as a method of discipline. And I would never advocate using any method of scarring a child or doing anything that leads to death or disfigurement--ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS-OLD. Tapping a child's hand lightly when they're doing something wrong usually gets their attention. But before anyone can try to discipline a child, they must take the time to teach the child--if after being taught right from wrong a child persists on doing wrong, then disciplinary measures must be established and used repeatedly to deter the negative behavior.

Generally speaking, most children who are disciplined at home before they start school, are wiser academically and never cause a teacher a problem (except for the transition years of puberty). When schools are limited in doling out consequences for misbehavior, students tend to try to rule the schools, and when they are tossed out the door, drop-out rates increase and the potential for poverty-stricken individuals increases. More poverty, more crime--more crime more jails and the cycle never ends--and it won't until we understand the necessity for appropriate discipline.

The wages of sin--the payment and end result is death. Though we don't often call misbehavior in kids, sin, it is and we should treat it as such, disciplining them to keep them from experiencing--unnecessary deaths.

We must teach them to accept responsibility for their actions and accept the consequences that ensue so they might live and others won't have to fear for their lives at the hands of undisciplined, out-of-control, people in this society. When we learn to obey God, we are wise; if we don't--we set ourselves up for failure.

God loves us enough to provide us instruction and consequences for actions. We need to love kids enough to provide them with sound, Godly instruction, and consequences for their actions and see them live to the full potential God has designed for them.

Taught To Love By God!

"Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your life ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (I Thessalonians 4: 9-12 NIV).

Now, if we have been taught by God how to love--open to receiving His love and in hearing His voice and acting in obedience, we truly know how to love others--unconditionally.  This should be true of every Believer--no matter what banner or domination they espouse, the color of their skin, or nationality. Baptists should love Methodists and Methodists should love Catholics and Catholics should Pentecostals and Pentecostals should love Baptists--a circle of love should truly light up the world of--unbelievers because of our love for one another.

But does it happen this way? Probably not--and the reason that it probably doesn't is because human nature dictates what we do, rather than the Spirit of God in that everyone wants to be superior to everyone else. No one is, but that doesn't stop us from trying to be.

Time is far spent and we are closer to His return than ever before--whenever that occurs. While we yet have a chance, we should spend the time wisely, loving one another, promoting the Gospel--not gossip and rumors--so that everyone who sees and watches us will be convinced that we have been taught to love by God--unconditionally.

Loving others unconditionally does not mean we condone sin of any nature. We love the sinner and hate the sin and try by living a sinless life to convince them to love as God loves and obey Him. This is where the naysayers get it wrong. They think because we "hate sin" (all sin), that we cannot love those who sin. If God can love us in spite of our sins, who are we to deny another love? God doesn't approve of our sin and there are consequences when we choose to sin, but He never stops loving us.

Real love--for another person--always means that we want the very best for them. No one can receive God's best for their lives if they refuse to obey Him and when we obey Him out of love, rather than fear, He sees and rewards our faith in Him that motivates us to love Him and others.

When we love--we know how to approach others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ--with love, not aggression and violence, and browbeating. That is not to say our message should be sugar-coated, but we can indeed win more souls to Christ with kindness than we can by condemning them.

People living in sin are already condemned by their consciences--they don't need us piling on more weight to their already heavy burden.  Look at the those who kill others and then kill themselves--their consciences troubled them enough to commit suicide. Some would say that suicide is a cowardly act--and in most cases I would agree, but even being a coward is a result of self-condemnation.

Until we learn to love ourselves--it is impossible to love others--the way God loves us. So, if we really want to learn to love, we must allow God to teach us to love--unconditionally, learn to love ourselves and then we can demonstrate the love we've been taught, by loving others in the same way.

We Cannot Bring God Down To Our Level, We Must Rise!

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:9-11 NIV)

If we have any doubt about whether God sees things the way we see them, here is the proof that He does not think the way we do, and so His ways are not our ways. Even if we wanted to, we could not begin to have thoughts greater than His. He is the Creator of all things and without Him, nothing was ever created. Now think about this. What has man ever created--from nothing? This is why we can have no confidence in man above God.

We are yet trying to figure things out and no amount of research or analysis of things that are have helped us to do anything God has done. We have not created any heavens, skies, clouds, oceans, and if we were that smart (as some think) we would not have issues with droughts and hunger. So, why do we? I can only imagine (not know) that God in His infinite Wisdom is waiting for us to totally rely upon Him and so far, we haven't.

So, when people (those who do not know God or understand Him) quote a few scriptures out of context to try convince us that God doesn't have a problem with people living in opposition to His Word, they demonstrate they do not know God or His Word. Here is the proof. What we need to stop doing is trying to bring God down to our level of thinking and raise our thoughts to see in His Word, how He wants us to live.

Let's face it--when we cannot get our thoughts above our waist--to pacify fleshly desire, we certainly cannot begin to think we think on the same level as God. We have a brain and most of us have a heart that beats with a certain rhythm--do we use them the way God wants us to use them? Once we gather knowledge from others who have actually researched and analyzed things and how they work, we begin to think we know more than God. How foolish we must seem in His sight!

We do not know more than God, cannot never know more than God, but we do have His Word as a guideline for living and many are too foolish to even recognize that. Everything we need to live in peace and harmony is in His Word. Everything we need to prosper--financially and otherwise--is in His Word. Everything we need to live healthy lives, is in His Word.

If we understood Genesis, we would understand that God made provisions for us, before He created us and we have misused and abused what He created out of greed and selfishness and then we wonder why the world is in the shape it's in. It's time to turn back to God--the One who knows everything and will speak to the hearts of those who love Him and will obey. We can do it. We just have to realize how limited we are and how Awesome He is. We need Him far more than He needs us!

True Witnesses!

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."(Isaiah 43:10 NIV)

How is it that people make things--either themselves or buy what others have made--and worship them? If the things are made by man's hand, how do we give them more power and honor than the one who made them? If then, we are worshipping things, can we be a true witness for what God does?

A true witness does not prevaricate, does not manipulate truth, does not quibble truth (nitpicking it selectively)--they will only speak about those events they actually see or participate in with others. If we Believe The Word, then we can be true witnesses for all God has said when we have hidden the Word in our hearts and have participated in the works of spreading the Gospel.

Do we understand that The God who has no form or origin, no beginning or end is truly The God of Heaven, all Creation and without Him, nothing was ever created; He is not "a god" as others say? Have we fine-tuned our relationship with Him so we know when we hear Him and will not listen to the lies of who speak against Him or oppose Him? Do we know that everything He did for His chosen, He will continue to do until He returns to take us to be with Him?

If we are going to be true witnesses of who He is, we must learn to model our behavior after Him. We should do what He does, according to what He has said. We love, we teach, we admonish and correct, and we forgive and move on. We know not everyone will hear us and that's their choice; our job is to share the Gospel, not make people believe since we have no authority or ability to make anyone do anything.

We are told by Jesus if others will not hear us to shake the dust off our feet and keep going. In other words--keep it moving--we don't have time to waste on those who are determined to allow Satan to rule their lives. We pray for them that they will see a need to turn to God, but we cannot make them. We allow them their choice and leave them to their consequences!

God has always allowed people to make choices--and what we actively and consciously do is a choice. He allowed Adam and Eve to make choices and left them to their consequences. He allowed Herod, and all the leaders of Egypt to make their choices and live with their consequences. He is the same God, using the same strategy to get us to Believe Him. He used the prophets and miracles and He's yet using prophets and miracles and most of us are--miracles--we survived situations that should have killed us, but we are yet here--to testify of His goodness--as true witnesses!

True witnesses understand and believe everything The Word has said because they hear God speaking through Holy Spirit, confirming His Word and directing us in all things. All who believe Him (not man or men), and can act on His behalf are His true witnesses that will bring others into knowledge of Him.

Chicken, Hawk, or Eagle!

 If someone was to ascribe to you the attributes of a bird—which of these would it be?

Are you grounded, digging in the dirt for what you can find to eat, being manipulated by others to be “a tasty meal” for all to enjoy?

Are you a predator, always on the lookout for that “live one” who’ll be your next victim?

Are you flying above the fray of everyday life, looking down, seeing what’s going on, but not allowing the events to distract or deter you, knowing that sooner or later, the predators will leave behind a morsel that will meet your needs?

Think about these birds. The chicken is food for the hawk and the hawk could be food for the eagle, but the eagle—soaring in the sky—refusing to be caught up in the mundane—seeks elevation for safety, but can hone in on the details below and strike with efficiency—what is intended for them to have.

Which are you? The mediocre chicken—just waiting to be eaten; the hawk who preys upon its live victims or the eagle—who can wait for what is rightfully due them when they can see it from above?

The Penalty For Lying!

"A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape." (Proverbs 9:5 NKJV)

I'm praying for any and everyone who lives to lie and cause harm to others--simply to gain monetary benefit or center stage with all lights on them.

The problem for liars is that God has already addressed their final outcome--they will thrown into the lake of fire--no escape route possible. There--with hell and Satan and all the other demonic forces-they shall be for all eternity.

I remember some years ago when I was teaching Bible Study at my home and a little boy asked me about hell. I asked him if he had ever burned himself on something hot and he had. So, I told him to imagine that hell--is 1000 x 1000 x 1000 x 1000 x 1000 x hotter than anything he had experienced. His eyes bucked and he made a decision right then--he did not want to go to hell.

Many people don't believe hell is real because they don't believe God is real and they certainly won't pay any attention to anything in the Bible. That is so sad. If they understood the love God has for us and He does not desire to see anyone He loves thrown in the lake of fire, they would do better. That's His desire--but we all make choices--to do what is right or to do what is wrong.

Remember this--Satan is the father of liars and his job is to kill, steal, and destroy--he has no problem influencing others to do his bidding so he can sit back at laugh at their folly.

Liars--all of them whether pathological or convenient or systematic--always create problems for the innocent. They gather to themselves false witnesses and those who proclaim to know a matter when they don't, are also destined to be thrown in the lake of fire because they too--are lying.

If we only spent our time doing what is right, we'd never have to worry about doing what is wrong--for us or anyone else.

"The Truth shall make us free" from the penalty of being in the lake of fire, so let's determine to always tell the truth, no matter how much it may hurt us, or cause us to lose that temporary monetary gain or fame. Integrity is still a valued virtue and I'd rather maintain my integrity in all things that lose it for money or fame. I belong to Jesus and I will proclaim truth as He reveals it and I will not become part of gangland mentality in destroying the lives of others. Satan is not my father and I will not give him that place of honor--by lying.

Everything we do has a consequence--we will either be rewarded or penalized--what is your choice today?

When Wisdom Speaks, We Should Listen!

"Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square.But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:20,33)

From verse 21-thru verse 32--we see the results of what happens when we will not listen to Wisdom. Solomon--who is considered the wisest man who ever lived, by God--chooses to reference Wisdom with the pronoun--she--indicating a female gender. Perhaps, it is because of the all the females he had in his life--700 wives and 300 concubines--that he has finally seen the light and the lessons he learns from his associations with these women (out of disobedience).

We all learn lessons when we disobey--any of the rules, policies, laws established.  When we ignore posted speed limits and get a ticket--we should learn to pay attention adhere to the speed limit. When we disregard policies established on jobs and get fire--we should pay attention at the next job. When we text while driving and cause accidents--if we're not killed--we should learn a lesson and if we are, those around us should learn a lesson and not attempt to text and drive. There are always consequences for our actions and we are the only ones who can determine what consequence we'll face--whether positive or negative--by what we do.

When are we going to heed Wisdom's sound advice? When are we going to pay attention to God's Word and His messengers--who speak loudly and boldly from public venues, on social mediums, and everywhere we find a forum? The consequence for not listening is found in the verses --not listed--but important. We can move into a place where our blatant disregard of God's Word and His messengers puts us in position to "not be heard when we cry unto The Lord" to save us from our calamities. We will seek Him and won't find Him. We will call out to Him in pain and anguish because of all the horrible things happening around us and He will not respond. Are we there yet?

We cannot continue to scorn God's Word or His messengers who try to remind us that we must obey Him rather than man; we must seek Him for wisdom and wise counsel, rather than man. We must determine within ourselves that we will do all He has required us do--in order for mankind to be saved. Are we ready yet?

When Wisdom speaks--those who speak God's Word and it aligns with His Word, we should listen so He will listen to us and respond to our cries--of repentance and save us, now!

Whose Body is This?

"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (I Corinthians 6:19,20 NLT)

May I have your attention, please? All the things we do to the bodies we live in do not belong to us--they belong to God!

What! You mean, I shouldn't have clogged up my lungs with foul-smelling smoke and poisoned them with nicotine? You mean, I shouldn't have over-eaten for the last forty years all that fried food, desserts, with no vegetables, clogging up my arteries, causing damage to my heart? You mean, I shouldn't have drank those forty-ounces, and tequila shots, or that fifth of vodka a day, killing off brain cells with drug use and abuse and alcohol? You mean, I shouldn't have slept with every Tom, Dick and Harry or Mary Jane, Susie, and Sally that I met, forever incorporating a piece of them with everyone I slept with? You mean, I shouldn't have misused my body to satisfy morbid curiosity by sticking things in places they did not belong? Is that what you mean? Have you identified you, yet in this list of--"I shouldn't haves?"

Wow! The things we do to our bodies when we don't understand they are just "on loan" to us while we are here on earth!

Had we known sooner than we discovered, would we have done anything differently? I'd like to think we would. In fact, had I been introduced to The Word and understood that it is the gateway to my relationship with God, sooner--there are a number of things I would not have done when I was younger.

I wouldn't have started smoking cigarettes and kept up the horrible habit for eighteen years--I'm dealing with the consequences, now.

I wouldn't have been so insecure about who I was because of things that happened to me that were totally out of my control that I did things I should not have done to my body.

I wouldn't have been involved with some of the men in past relationships because they did nothing to provoke thoughts of Godly behavior.

This list could go on, but I think the point has been made. When we know better, we should do better. Now, that I know my body doesn't belong to me--I try harder to take care of it because I realize that it deteriorates naturally with the aging process and it doesn't need my help to destroy what God is doing in my life.

This is the body I need to house the spirit that God has given to guide me and I will not desecrate the temple in which Holy Spirit lives. After all, this is not my body, it belongs to God!

Thank God for second chances! I now know and do all those things that will hopefully prolong God using me in this body!

Love With Us!

"But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts." (Psalm 103:17,18 NIV)

With those who keep His covenant--the relationship firmly established out of obedience and reciprocal love and respect, we can count on His love always being with us and our children for generations to come. This is a promise we can expect to hold true, when we do what we must do.

When we won't do what we must do, then we can count on the opposite occurring--for generations to come--His love won't be with those who break the relationship with Him out of disobedience.

For all of those who can only say, "Jesus is all about love--not judgment," you might want to read and seek understanding of all The Word, not just one segment. Yes, Jesus did remind us to love one another and He also said, if we love God, we would obey Him. If we are truly His children, then we can expect Him to be the model of parenting for which we all should aspire.

When children are obedient, they reap rewards from loving parents.

When children are disobedient, they reap punishment from loving parents.

The only type of parents who do not discipline their children are those parents who do not care about what happens to their children and they let their children run wild, doing everything they think they want to do.

This is not so with God, our loving Father. He wants the very best for us, so He has established rules for our safety, and to make sure we can benefit from all of His promises. When we obey Him, we have no need to fear negative consequences, but to expect all the rewards He has in store for us. That's love.

We do not teach children respect, love, or discipline when we allow them to do whatever they want. They grow up thinking they can do whatever they want and then we are left with a society full of self-serving, rotten kids who never mature--in their adolescent behavior. We must teach them respect for authority by disciplining them in such a way that we provide deterrents for negative behavior so they can navigate the transition from adolescent to adulthood, successfully.

Children who throw tantrums have not been disciplined and go through life thinking that's all they have to do to have their way about everything. When parents give into the tantrums, they are not showing their children they love them, rather they show them how to manipulate others. Perhaps the real problem is that some parents manipulated their parents and so they know no other way to parent.

When parents know their child has committed atrocities with animals, playing with fire, breaking windows of property, and bullying other people and don't do anything about it--we end up with serial killers who think they have a right to kill. There's no love from parents in this situation--just apathy and nonchalance.

When misbehavior is stopped--from the beginning--and the deterrent memorable enough--the behavior is curved and love wins for all.

Let's be obedient to our Father and reap the rewards, knowing He will never withdraw His love from us, when we obey!

Not Like Man!

"God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" (Numbers 23:19 NLT)

If God is not a man, why do we--human beings--attempt to give Him the attributes of mankind instead of understanding Him as a Spirit being--not needing us or anything He created? He is a Sovereign Being--self-sustaining--was here before anything else was and will be after everything is gone. He is the creator of all things and without Him, nothing, absolutely nothing was ever created.

Whether we believe this or not is irrelevant--especially since theorists are still trying to prove their theories--but here we are and at some point in time--we must simply realize that there are things that are beyond our understanding and defy our limited logic in attempts to explain them.

Having said all of that--God has no need to lie.  Why would He? Think about why people lie. They lie to gain confidence over others or to undermine others, to gain control over others or to escape punishment from those in authority over them. Who has any authority over Him? He is The Authority whether we accept Him as authority over our lives or not!

God is not human, but He understands His human creation well and has created us in His image--fully capable of love, but many are influenced by the evil one and their hearts have rejected Love and are full of hate.

God does not change His mind! What He has established remains true, but we have often misinterpreted His intent to fulfill our own desires and lusts. Once we understand His intent for mankind, we have a better understanding of His written Word and The Revealed Word that comes with relationship with Him. Like the human kings who seal "their decrees" with a ring and wax, God seals His decrees in our hearts with Holy Spirit.

If we look closely at the history of mankind and all of the current events, we can see that God keeps His promises--no matter what those promise are--they do come pass and we either reap the reward or the consequence clearly stated in His Word.

God will not tolerate people mocking His Word forever. As He has done in the past, He will do again--all those things He promises for either our obedience or disobedience. We only have to look at the state the world is in today to know--that He is not playing with us. So, why are we flagrantly disobedient to Him? Do we think we know more or can do more than He can? How foolish are we to think we can openly and rebelliously defy God and not suffer the consequences of our actions?

Woe unto us who know to do better, but choose to succumb to the dictates of man, rather than obey God!

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand Alpha and Omega and cut away anything in our hearts, not like You so we may glorify You in everything we do and say. Spiritually, deafen our ears and blind our eyes to those thing that are not of You and keep our tongues from saying anything that is rebellious towards You. Amen!

Watching Us!

"indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4 NIV). [Read entire Psalm for context.]

When we who believe God and have a relationship with Him, finally reach a place where we understand just how great He is and how much He loves us, we will never be fearful or concerned about anything because we know--He never sleeps and He always watches over those He loves. Hallelujah!

However, there are those who would attempt to refute this by arguing about--hungry children and nations, droughts, child sex slaves, molested children, enslaved women, etc. They--the naysayers would say--how could anyone possibly believe God watches over us when people are starving and dying of hideous diseases and kidnapped or are the victims of disasters?

Listen closely!  The Word says, He watches over us; it does not say, He makes us hear and obey Him. He sees the tragedies and His heart hurts every time He watches one of His children get caught up in things that will be detrimental, but He gives us--all of us--freewill to choose!

When we choose not to listen and obey Him, we generally run into problems. But what about the babies and children they would continue to argue? Do the children have parents or other adults in their lives who make poor decisions? Are they not aware of that the decisions they make have long term effects that impact their lives and the lives of their families?

Those who sin against God and man have the same ability to choose as anyone else. They choose to do what is wrong and God allows it because He does not make people do anything--any more than the devil does. God influences and when we listen, we benefit. Satan influences and when we listen, we lose! No matter what happens, God is watching us!

While He's watching us, today--what will He see us doing? Are we encouraging one another? Are sharing His love with others? Are we feeding the hungry and caring for the poor--naturally and spiritually? Are lifting up the name of Jesus everywhere we go? Are we seeking His direction before we make decisions? If we cannot be truthful to ourselves, He will reveal truth to us--by allowing us to receive the consequences of our actions. He's watching!

Cutting Off the Fallen!

"Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off."(Romans 11:22 ESV)

We are constantly reminded of God's goodness towards His children and most prefer not to think of the severity of God--His other side--the side revealed to disobedient children.

When children (in the natural) are obedient to parents (Godly parents), they are showered with love and attention and can get practically anything their hearts desire. However, when children are disobedient--the see another side of loving parents--parents who know how to resolve disobedience with the appropriate consequences--some which may be severe--at least in the child's mind.

Is not God our Father? Though He is loving should He not have another side to address the rebellious and disobedient children who fall away from obedience? What is amazing to me about those who refute God's Word is the fact that they understand parenting in the natural, but have no clue about "spiritual" parenting from God. Perhaps, it is because God is not their Father.

In this world, we either demonstrate that God is our Father or Satan is--there is no middle ground. We either obey God or by default, we obey Satan. What must be remembered is this--Satan was created an angel, subject to the commands of God and rebelled against God--his creator. As a result--he became a fallen angel, thrown out of a loving environment in heaven, and resides in an environment in which he think he is a god. In a way, he is a god--to the godless--those who refuse God's love with their acts of disobedience.

Satan fell and is now under condemnation for all times and shall soon see his ultimate reward for the act of disobedience and influencing others against God. If we disobey and rebel against God--we too shall fall into utter despair and hopelessness.

Resolution for not having to ever see the severity of God? Don't disobey Him. The same way we avoid negative consequences from parents--obey and respect them, we can avoid negative consequences from God--the removal of His hand of protection when we do--stupid!

Think before you do anything--understanding the consequences of all actions and don't get cut off from God's love!

Sin Still With Us!

"Sin-any act regarded as a transgression; especially a willful or deliberate violation of a religious or moral principle" (Webster). [hamartia: violation of God's law]

1 John 1:8 NIV  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

From this verse, John reminds us that even though the sacrifice/atonement for sin was completed on the cross (thereby needing no more physical sacrificial acts of atonement), people are still subject to sin--because they have free will and can make their own choices; some which are not always the right choices.  If the world was without sin, there would be no need for us to have laws that govern the land. But since there is sin--and we do have laws--there are also consequences for violating the laws.

 I John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Since we are not perfect and capable of straying from the path upon which God set us, when we do commit an act of sin, deliberately, if we confess it (own it, take responsibility for it), He will forgive us and when repentance is made (turning completely away from the act, not practicing to do it again--surrendering our hearts), He will cleanse us and purify us from all unrighteousness.  However, God's forgiveness of our sins does not negate the consequences of our actions. This is a mis-teaching that has people believing that when God forgives--that is the end of the matter.  It is not. When we violate a principle or law there are consequences to be paid. If we kill, we either spend time in prison or will be killed. If we steal--we go to jail. If we abuse children--we suffer the consequences. Whatever it is we do, we will reap the consequences of our actions. God forgives--but consequences are never negated.  

1 John 1:10  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Paul reminds us that we have all fallen short of the mark of perfection and committed some act of sin at some time or another.  If we say we haven't sinned; we lie  and we are actually saying that God has lied, indicating we do not know or understand His Word.  We know that Satan is the father of liars and if Satan is our father, God cannot be. But having sinned in  the past, does not mean we should continue to sin.  Once we know The Truth and make a decision to allow Him to be the Lord of our lives, we should not deliberately, plan or practice to commit acts that we know God would not like. 

The work on the cross--the sacrifice made for all mankind--the atonement for sin, means no more sacrifices (as prescribed under The Law of Moses) are necessary, but if we do go astray, we have an advocate--who is interceding on our behalves to The Father. Sin was not eliminated on the cross--the need for a sacrifice to atone for sin was eliminated on the cross.

Lord Jesus, thank You for making the ultimate sacrifice for us to atone for our sins. Thank You for being our advocate, always interceding for us.  Thank You for giving us understanding of Your Word through Your Spirit when we are willing to receive instruction from Holy Spirit. Thank You for loving us enough to die for us, now create in us a heart that is willing to be obedient to Your Word as a demonstration of our love for You. Thank You for revealing to us that relationship with You is better than religious affiliation since You reveal all truth to us, not religions. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

Can You Hear Me Now?

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2 NIV).

Are we listening to God through His Word, when His spirit speaks to us or are we bombarded by the chaos that reigns in the midst of confusion and disobedience? I can only imagine what  God might be thinking about what is happening in the land, He created for our good.

"Good morning, children," God said.

"I have much to say to you concerning this world."

"On this planet, I had devised the means for your survival and even for you to prosper in it."

"On this planet, I had determined my purposes for your lives if you would surrender your all to me."

"Over and over again, I have sustained a remnant of people who will obey and do what I have asked them to do."

"Throughout the generations, I have loved you, warned you, and even sacrificed myself for you, yet you do not hear me."

"You have not heeded my warnings or learned from your past mistakes, and even when I attempt to correct you, you turn from me."

"You have defiled yourselves in all manner of abominations and turned what I have said is evil to good--for your own selfish purposes--to appease your flesh."

"You have ignored my teachings so your children will be upstanding, productive people and now instead they are whore-mongers, warmongers, and haters of self and parents, and me."

"You care more about what people think that what I have said and you constantly change your views to adapt to people, but you constantly ignore what I have said that does not change."

"You attempt to talk to me when things go south and then you expect me to act on your behalf as though I am a magician."

"You refuse to obey me, but you get angry when the consequences of your actions are made known to all."

"When I am attempting to talk to you about your behavior, you tune-me out or try to justify your actions."

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? I Am God and I change not, nor do my purposes for you change."

"Nevertheless, since you insist on doing things your way, I will abide by my word and remove my hand from your lives and allow the consequences to fall upon the just and the unjust."

"There is no more need to seek me for direction, when you refuse to hear me.  I will not hear you because you do not listen to those I have appointed and anointed for such a time as this."

"And when you hear the sounds of war knocking at your borders, do not wonder why.  You know why.  Do not point fingers at others until you have realized your part in all of the world's undoing."

"Know that I love you, but I will not tolerate your blatant disregard of my people, my Word, or those I purposed to serve your needs."

"Since you love the praise of men more than your relationship with me, and will praise others more than you praise me, I will leave you to serve what you desire and you will hear from me--no more!"

"C A N  Y O U  H E A R   M E   N O W?"

What is your response? O God, I hear and ask for Your abiding love to sustain us against evil and that You will create in us a heart to hear, a will to do, the courage to speak out against evil and a determination to get it all done, to Your glory! Cut away everything in our lives that keeps us from true repentance, so we may honor You with our lives!